William O'Brien
William O'Brien (2 October 1852 – 25 February 1928) was an Irish nationalist, journalist, agrarian agitator, social revolutionary, politician, party leader, newspaper publisher, author and Member of Parliament (MP) in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. He was particularly associated with the campaigns for land reform in Ireland during the late 19th and early 20th centuries as well as his conciliatory approach to attaining Irish Home Rule.
John William Alexander O'Brien
When the Washington posting came to an end in June 1954, O'Brien and his family took a tour of Europe before sailing from Southampton for Australia on the on 8 August. In April 1955 he became the director of engineering and sales with Howard Auto-Cultivators Pty Ltd, a Sydney firm that made rotary hoes. The company incorporated in October 1958, and the tool room was put up for sale. When no buyer was found, O'Brien bought it himself, setting up a new business, Contract Tooling Pty Ltd (CTPL), on 27 August 1959. He remained with CTPL until he decided to retire in 1972, and sold the company. He became involved in local politics. He was elected to the Woollahra Council on 9 December 1968, and served two terms as the mayor, from 1971 to 1972, and from 1975 to 1976. He died in Darlinghurst on 27 May 1980, and was buried in the South Head Cemetery in Bronte. A memorial service was held at St Mary Magdalene Church in Rose Bay.