23. William Nassau Doble Home

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William Nassau Doble Home – 12 River St

William Nassau Doble was the son of William Doble and Margaret Ruddy, whose family home stood at 32 Albert Street. With several men named William Doble appearing in Sunderland’s history, he was often distinguished by his middle name and by the nickname “Gypsy Bill,” reportedly inspired by the colourful scarves he wore around his neck.

Doble became a successful farmer and businessman and was able to retire from farming at the age of 42. He owned several farm properties in the area and later gave some of his land to his nephews.

He also became involved with the locally owned Sunderland Telephone Company. When shares in the company fell in value, Doble purchased many of them and eventually gained a controlling interest. The telephone company remained closely connected with the Doble family; his brother Milton James Doble later served as its president.

William and his wife, Mary Alice McFadden, were strong supporters of St. Mary’s Anglican Church in Sunderland and the Scotch Cemetery near Manila.

The First World War touched the Doble family personally. William’s relative, Lieutenant John James Doble, was killed at Vimy Ridge in April 1917. In 1936, William Nassau Doble was one of nine people from Sunderland who travelled to France for the unveiling of the Canadian National Vimy Memorial.

Another family tragedy had occurred closer to home. William’s brother Claire Doble was elected Reeve of Brock Township in 1919 but died during the Spanish influenza epidemic before he could take office.

The story of William Nassau Doble connects this River Street home with several other parts of Sunderland’s history—from farming and the locally owned telephone company to St. Mary’s Church and the community’s experience of two defining events of the early twentieth century: the First World War and the influenza epidemic.