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Alderman John C. Asimus. J.P, Cabramatta-Canley Vale Council, 1906-1908
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Datec.1908DescriptionThis sepia toned photograph is an official portrait of Alderman John C. Asimus. It is mounted on beige coloured cardboard with a beveled frame. Printed on paper and stuck to the back is 'The Council & Officers of the Municipality of Cabramatta & Canley Vale. The First Council Elected Under the Local Government Act, 1906-7-8. Ald.J.C.Aisumus Printed in black on the bottom front frame is 'Ald.John C. Asimus.'PhotographerChas. lemaire StudiosNotesThis information is extracted from the book "Shaping Fairfield"
John Christian Asimus was the son of Carl and Caroline Asimus. In 1897 he married Lucy Catherine. It would appear that they had at least three children: William C, born in 1899 and, John HS, born in 1901, both registered at St Leonards and Kathleen I, born in 1907 at Liverpool. He ran a large general store in Canley Vale until 1920, when he had a vineyard at Canley Vale and another later, near Dale’s Bridge at Fairfield, where he stayed until about 1939, when he moved to ‘a town at the foot of the Blue Mountains.’1 He was a member of the first council of Cabramatta and Canley Vale, which was formed in 1892. Despite the fact that the council did not meet until December, the system of rotating alderman was already in force. Alderman Asimus was one of two aldermen who were slated to retire in February of the following year.
John Asimus was then re-elected. He was a member of the finance committee in 1893 and 1894 and the works committee from 1895 to 1897.He participated actively in the council meetings and often made his feelings known. In September 1893 the council discussed the idea of signing a petition for the municipality to be divided into wards. Alderman Asimus was apparently against the scheme and wouldn’t sign it, so those aldermen who were favourable to the division signed the petition. At the same meeting, council considered the salary for a replacement council clerk and Alderman Asimus moved an amendment that the current council clerk be asked to withdraw his resignation. The clerk refused to do so, but said he would always appreciate the kindly remarks made by Aldermen Asimus and Westacott. Alderman Asimus appears to have been generally supportive of the council clerk and, in June 1894, he moved that the clerk receive 10% of all arrears of the rates that were collected by him. This was carried but it was apparently rescinded later, because, in July 1895, he tried to have it reinstated but was unable to get a seconder. However he did not feel the same about the auditors. At the meeting of 10 November 1893, Alderman Simpson moved that £1 1s be paid to each of the auditors for services performed.
He was a member of some other committees and deputations and, in March 1895, he and the mayor waited on the Colonial Secretary and laid before him the list of amendments to the Local Government Bill, proposed by the conference held at Liverpool. No other councils were represented, but Auburn sent apologies. However, the Colonial Secretary still agreed to consider the amendments when the Bill was before the House in committee. At the meeting to elect a mayor for 1898, Alderman Westacott was first nominated but he declined and nominated Alderman Asimus. This was carried unanimously. However he remained in the position for only a little over four months, as he became embroiled in an argument with Alderman Linley.
The Argus reported that Alderman Linley had moved six motions, every one affecting the duties of the council clerk. One of them had a double point, introducing the authority of the mayor in authorising summonses to be issued against defaulting ratepayers. Mayor Asimus took exception to this and the Argus commented that Mayor Asimus had threatened to resign, because the council passed Alderman Linley’s motion, which he saw as one of censure, in taking the power, to determine whom the clerk should sue for arrears of rates, out of his hands. Asimus resigned, as his friend wer unable to dissuade him and his resignation was handed in at a special meeting of the council on the Tuesday evening, when the ex-mayor, George Stimson, was chosen for the rest of the year. Alderman Asimus did however remain as an alderman until the end of the year.
He did not stand for council in 1899.In 1904 John C Asimus stood again, for the Lansdowne Ward, defeating Albert Allen 32 votes to 22. He was elected as mayor again in November 1906 to replace HA Baglee. He was confirmed in the position in February 1907, when he was again elected mayor this time unanimously. He was re-elected in 1908 but did not stand as mayor.
He was absent from five meetings, from 5 April to 28 June in 1908. He was a member of the finance committee in 1909 and 1910. He was appointed to a special committee in March, called to look at the cost of a site for a park, as the council was not happy with the site approved by the Lands Department.3 He stood for re-election in the triennial elections in 1911 for Lansdowne Ward, being described as a farmer from Rye Road Canley Vale, presumably in the new ‘brick residence’ that was being built for him in 1898 near Canley Vale. He gained the second highest number of votes for Lansdowne ward and was duly elected. In June of that year, Alderman Asimus considered that, now the council was ‘in funds,’ as it had roughly £225 in credit, necessary works should be carried out throughout the municipality.
He also expressed the hope that if the aldermen knew of men with horses and carts who desired work, they would send them along. He was also seeking a reduction in daily railway fares. He remained on council from 1914 to 1917 and again from 1922 to 1928 and, in the only available minutes that listed attendance during that time, that of 1914, he was a regular attendee at meetings.
He was one of three aldermen who managed to ‘face the elements’ in order to attend the council meeting called for 20 July 1915. He was a magistrate for the Liverpool Police District. In 1925 his application to build at weatherboard cottage in Togil Street for £600 was accepted. He sold a 15-acre vineyard in Canley Vale in 1916. In 1927 the Argus reported that he expected a ‘heavy crop’ of grapes that year at his Ferndale vineyard at Fairfield and that the cellars contained ‘some of the finest wine ever made in Australia.’7At the agricultural show at St Johns Park, he received awards for his port wine, muscat wine and sherry wine.
Lucy Catherine died in February 1938 and she was buried on 10 February at the new cemetery at Liverpool. John Christian Asimus died on 16 February 1941 at the age of 73 with his death registered at Liverpool.
External LinkShaping Fairfield
John Christian Asimus was the son of Carl and Caroline Asimus. In 1897 he married Lucy Catherine. It would appear that they had at least three children: William C, born in 1899 and, John HS, born in 1901, both registered at St Leonards and Kathleen I, born in 1907 at Liverpool. He ran a large general store in Canley Vale until 1920, when he had a vineyard at Canley Vale and another later, near Dale’s Bridge at Fairfield, where he stayed until about 1939, when he moved to ‘a town at the foot of the Blue Mountains.’1 He was a member of the first council of Cabramatta and Canley Vale, which was formed in 1892. Despite the fact that the council did not meet until December, the system of rotating alderman was already in force. Alderman Asimus was one of two aldermen who were slated to retire in February of the following year.
John Asimus was then re-elected. He was a member of the finance committee in 1893 and 1894 and the works committee from 1895 to 1897.He participated actively in the council meetings and often made his feelings known. In September 1893 the council discussed the idea of signing a petition for the municipality to be divided into wards. Alderman Asimus was apparently against the scheme and wouldn’t sign it, so those aldermen who were favourable to the division signed the petition. At the same meeting, council considered the salary for a replacement council clerk and Alderman Asimus moved an amendment that the current council clerk be asked to withdraw his resignation. The clerk refused to do so, but said he would always appreciate the kindly remarks made by Aldermen Asimus and Westacott. Alderman Asimus appears to have been generally supportive of the council clerk and, in June 1894, he moved that the clerk receive 10% of all arrears of the rates that were collected by him. This was carried but it was apparently rescinded later, because, in July 1895, he tried to have it reinstated but was unable to get a seconder. However he did not feel the same about the auditors. At the meeting of 10 November 1893, Alderman Simpson moved that £1 1s be paid to each of the auditors for services performed.
He was a member of some other committees and deputations and, in March 1895, he and the mayor waited on the Colonial Secretary and laid before him the list of amendments to the Local Government Bill, proposed by the conference held at Liverpool. No other councils were represented, but Auburn sent apologies. However, the Colonial Secretary still agreed to consider the amendments when the Bill was before the House in committee. At the meeting to elect a mayor for 1898, Alderman Westacott was first nominated but he declined and nominated Alderman Asimus. This was carried unanimously. However he remained in the position for only a little over four months, as he became embroiled in an argument with Alderman Linley.
The Argus reported that Alderman Linley had moved six motions, every one affecting the duties of the council clerk. One of them had a double point, introducing the authority of the mayor in authorising summonses to be issued against defaulting ratepayers. Mayor Asimus took exception to this and the Argus commented that Mayor Asimus had threatened to resign, because the council passed Alderman Linley’s motion, which he saw as one of censure, in taking the power, to determine whom the clerk should sue for arrears of rates, out of his hands. Asimus resigned, as his friend wer unable to dissuade him and his resignation was handed in at a special meeting of the council on the Tuesday evening, when the ex-mayor, George Stimson, was chosen for the rest of the year. Alderman Asimus did however remain as an alderman until the end of the year.
He did not stand for council in 1899.In 1904 John C Asimus stood again, for the Lansdowne Ward, defeating Albert Allen 32 votes to 22. He was elected as mayor again in November 1906 to replace HA Baglee. He was confirmed in the position in February 1907, when he was again elected mayor this time unanimously. He was re-elected in 1908 but did not stand as mayor.
He was absent from five meetings, from 5 April to 28 June in 1908. He was a member of the finance committee in 1909 and 1910. He was appointed to a special committee in March, called to look at the cost of a site for a park, as the council was not happy with the site approved by the Lands Department.3 He stood for re-election in the triennial elections in 1911 for Lansdowne Ward, being described as a farmer from Rye Road Canley Vale, presumably in the new ‘brick residence’ that was being built for him in 1898 near Canley Vale. He gained the second highest number of votes for Lansdowne ward and was duly elected. In June of that year, Alderman Asimus considered that, now the council was ‘in funds,’ as it had roughly £225 in credit, necessary works should be carried out throughout the municipality.
He also expressed the hope that if the aldermen knew of men with horses and carts who desired work, they would send them along. He was also seeking a reduction in daily railway fares. He remained on council from 1914 to 1917 and again from 1922 to 1928 and, in the only available minutes that listed attendance during that time, that of 1914, he was a regular attendee at meetings.
He was one of three aldermen who managed to ‘face the elements’ in order to attend the council meeting called for 20 July 1915. He was a magistrate for the Liverpool Police District. In 1925 his application to build at weatherboard cottage in Togil Street for £600 was accepted. He sold a 15-acre vineyard in Canley Vale in 1916. In 1927 the Argus reported that he expected a ‘heavy crop’ of grapes that year at his Ferndale vineyard at Fairfield and that the cellars contained ‘some of the finest wine ever made in Australia.’7At the agricultural show at St Johns Park, he received awards for his port wine, muscat wine and sherry wine.
Lucy Catherine died in February 1938 and she was buried on 10 February at the new cemetery at Liverpool. John Christian Asimus died on 16 February 1941 at the age of 73 with his death registered at Liverpool.
External LinkShaping Fairfield
Details
Image ColourSepiaImage Size140 mm x 193 mm (without frame) ; in cardboard frameFile SizeTIFF : 26.7 MB TypePrintOriginalYesAccessAppointment required to view original photographCopyrightYou are free to use this image without permission. Please acknowledge Fairfield City CouncilRightsFairfield City Council
Alderman John C. Asimus. J.P, Cabramatta-Canley Vale Council, 1906-1908 (c.1908). Fairfield City Heritage Collection, accessed 21/01/2026, https://heritagecollection.fairfieldcity.nsw.gov.au/nodes/view/3751