Sir edward hallstrom biography of albert

Australian philanthropist and businessman

Sir Edward John Lees Hallstrom (25 September 1886 – 27 February 1970) was one of Australia's best-known philanthropists and businessmen of the mid 20th century.^[1] Hallstrom is best known for his long association with the Taronga Zoo and for his "Silent Knight" brand of refrigerators.

Early life and family background

Born at High Park station, near Coonamble, New South Wales, Hallstrom was the eighth of a family of nine children born to William Hallstrom, a saddler from England of Swedish extraction, and his Australian wife Mary Ann (née Colless).^[1][2]

The accepted biographical narrative is that, at the age of four, his father's farm failed and the family moved to Waterloo, an inner-city suburb of Sydney.^[1] The actual events before the move were complicated.

In 1888, Hallstrom's father had sued a neighbour concerning damage caused by a dam on the neighbour's property. N