Maritime Heritage Association Talks - History of Forsyth family in connection with Albany

Ian K. Forsyth was born in Perth and enjoyed a forty-year career in international relations and economic policy before retiring from the Commonwealth Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in 2008.

He served overseas as Australia’s Ambassador to the OECD in Paris; Ambassador to Turkey, Poland and the Czech Republic; Commercial Counsellor, Washington DC; and as an official in the OECD Secretariat in Paris.

Ian learned late in life that his family has some deep connections with Albany and Fremantle, including: a former convict, later a member of the Fremantle Town Trust; a mayor; a port pilot, harbour master, inaugural head of the Department of Harbour and Light, founding commanding officer of the Fremantle Naval Volunteers, and amateur artist; a master boat-builder; a hereditary knight of the realm; an engineer on SS Sultan; and another head of the Department of Harbour and Light – and, of course, their pioneering spouses.

On retirement Ian spent four years writing with his brother, Ron Forsyth, a biography of their great grandfather, Harbour Master/Captain George Forsyth, titled ‘Captain George Forsyth mariner and first harbour master for the Colony of Western Australia’, which was published in 2019 by the Maritime Heritage Association.

Ian and Ron are grandsons from William ‘Chippie’ Forsyth;

Born in Fremantle in 1874[ father was George Forsythe the Harbour master]

William went to Albany in 1907. Building and maintaining Ships for Armstrong and Waters and went later in partnership with Norman Templar at the foot of the old Albany Town jetty.

Built Steam launch Mary and Dorothy. In 1922 William and his family went back to Fremantle