William Hastie was born on 6 October 1855 at Bothwell, Tasmania, the son of William Hastie and Janet McCrae, and was baptised there the following month. He entered public service as a police constable and, on 16 April 1879, married Mary Foster at St Anne’s Church, Dysart. The couple lived at various postings connected with William’s police duties, including the Quoin, Green Ponds, and Bothwell. Between 1880 and 1894, William and Mary had eight children: Alice Margaret (1880), Cecelia Mary (1883), Rosabella (1886), Ethel May (1888), Harold William (1890), and twins Alexander Edward and Archibald James (1894). William later left the police force and became a licensed victualler, operating an inn and store at Apsley by 1914. Electoral records show several of the children still living at home at that time, while their son Harold worked as a labourer before serving overseas during the First World War. In June 1929, William Hastie disappeared after leaving his home at Macquarie Plains to travel to Hobart. Despite police enquiries and newspaper notices describing him as a former constable aged seventy-three, no trace of him was found, and his death date and place remain unknown. His wife Mary survived him by many years, dying on 14 October 1945 at New Norfolk aged ninety-six. She was buried at Red Hills Cemetery, Bushy Park.

WILLIAM HASTIE, son of William Hastie and Janet McCrae.

Born: 6 Oct 1855, Bothwell; informant: Janet Hastie, mother.

Baptised: 18 Nov 1855, Bothwell.

Married: 16 Apr 1879, Mary Foster, St Anne's Church, Dysart; William: 23, bachelor, police constable; Mary Foster: 30, spinster; witnesses: Isabella Foster, Thomas Foster.

Residence:  28 Jul 1880, Quoin, Hollow Tree; police constable.

Residence:  7 Jul 1888, Quoin, Hollow Tree; police constable.

Residence:  15 Dec 1890, Bothwell; police constable.

Death Informant: 11 Jul 1896, Janet (McCrae) Hastie, mother.

Hotel Licence: 13 Oct 1910, Apsley Inn, Apsley; application for transfer from Richard Allen to William Hastie.

Electoral Roll: 1914, Apsley Inn, Apsley; licensed victualler.

Residence:  3 Nov 1914, Apsley Inn, Apsley; James Pearce (owner), inn, store, 2 acres, annual rateable value £50.

Article: 28 Jun 1929. PERSONS ENQUIRED FOR. Hobart. William Hastie. Enquiry is requested with a view to ascertaining the present whereabouts of the above-named, who left his home at Macquarie Plains on the afternoon of the 21st instant, and cannot since be located. Description: An ex-constable, aged 73 years, height about 5 feet 8¾ inches, grey hair (bald on top), grey moustache (short clipped), fresh complexion, operation scar on stomach; dressed in brown tweed slop-made suit and felt hat. [ancestry]

Article: 29 Jun 1929. TWO MEN MISSING. No news has been received concerning William Hastie, who has been missing from his home at Macquarie Plains since June 21. He left with the intention of going to Hobart, but no trace of him has been heard since. He is 73 years of age and was some years ago a trooper stationed at Victoria Valley. [TROVE]

Died: Went missing and was never found.

Spouse - MARY FOSTER/FORSTER

Born: abt 1849, place unknown.

Married: 16 Apr 1879, William Hastie, St Anne's Church, Dysart; William: 23, bachelor, police constable; Mary Foster: 30, spinster; witnesses: Isabella Foster, Thomas Foster.

Electoral Roll: 1914, Apsley Inn, Apsley; domestic duties.

Died: 14 Oct 1945, New Norfolk; aged 96.

Buried: 16 Oct 1945, Red Hills Cemetery, Bushy Park.

HASTIE - On October 14. 1945, at the residence of Miss Eiszele, Gum Banks, New Norfolk, Mary, relict of William Hastie, late of Macquarie Plains, aged 96 years. [TROVE]

Children of William Hastie and Mary Foster/Forster:

1. Alice Margaret Hastie

   Born: 20 Jul 1880, Bothwell; informant: William Hastie, father, police constable.
   Married: 5 Jul 1905, Charles Frederick Berry, Hobart; Charles: 38, bachelor, stockkeeper; Alice: 24, spinster, dressmaker; witnesses: A A Palfreyman, Louisa Laughlin.
   BERRY-HASTIE - On July 5, 1905, at Hobart, Tasmania, by the Rev Isaac H Palfreyman, Charles Frederick Berry, of Victoria Valley, near Ouse, Tasmanian, eldest son of the late James Guildford Berry, of Osterley, Tasmania, formerly of Knutsford, near Manchester, England, to Alice Margaret Hastie, also of Victoria Valley, eldest daughter of Mr William Hastie, of Victoria Valley, formerly of Bothwell, Tasmania. By license, at the residence of the officiating minister, Andrew and Arthur Streets, Hobart. [TROVE]
   Died: 17 Oct 1971, Tasmania; aged 91.
   Buried: St James' Cemetery, Osterley.

   Spouse - Charles Frederick Berry, son of James Guildford Berry and Frances Edith Harrex.

   Born: abt 1867, Tasmania.
   Married: 5 Jul 1905, Charles Frederick Berry, Hobart; Charles: 38, bachelor, stockkeeper; Alice: 24, spinster, dressmaker; witnesses: A A Palfreyman, Louisa Laughlin.
   BERRY-HASTIE - On July 5, 1905, at Hobart, Tasmania, by the Rev Isaac H Palfreyman, Charles Frederick Berry, of Victoria Valley, near Ouse, Tasmanian, eldest son of the late James Guildford Berry, of Osterley, Tasmania, formerly of Knutsford, near Manchester, England, to Alice Margaret Hastie, also of Victoria Valley, eldest daughter of Mr William Hastie, of Victoria Valley, formerly of Bothwell, Tasmania. By license, at the residence of the officiating minister, Andrew and Arthur Streets, Hobart. [TROVE]
   Died: 3 Aug 1950, Hobart; aged 83.
   Buried: 5 Aug 1950, St James' Cemetery, Osterley.

2. Cecelia Mary Hastie.

   Born: 31 Oct 1883, Green Ponds; informant: William Hastie, father, farmer.
   Electoral Roll: 1914, Apsley Inn, Apsley; domestic duties.
   Died: 4 Oct 1946, Tasmania; aged 62.
   Buried: 7 Oct 1946, Red Hills Cemetery, Bushy Park.
   HASTIE - On October 4, 1946, Cecelia Mary, beloved daughter of the late William and Mary Hastie, late of Macquarie Plains, aged 63 years. [TROVE]

3. Rosabella Hastie.

   Born: 19 May 1886, Bothwell; informant: William Hastie, father, constable.
   Baptised: 7 Dec 1886, Bothwell.
   Married: 28 Sep 1908, William Nunn, New Norfolk
   Died: 28 Jan 1943, Hobart, TAS; aged 56.
   Buried: 30 Jan 1943, Red Hills Cemetery, Bushy Park.
   NUNN - On January 28, 1943, at Royal Hobart Hospital, Rosabella, beloved wife of William Nunn, of Bushy Park, and loving mother of Una and Ethel, and loving daughter of Mrs W and the late W Hastie, of Macquarie Plains, aged 56 years. [TROVE]

   Spouse - William Nunn.

   Born:  date and place unknown.
   Married: 28 Sep 1908, Rosabella Hastie, New Norfolk.
   No further research carried out on this person.

4. Ethel May Hastie.

   Born: 19 Jun 1888, Bothwell; informant: William Hastie, father, police constable.
   Baptised: 22 Dec 1888, Bothwell.
   Married:  Charles Lawrence Reynolds, date and place unknown.
   Electoral Roll: 1914, Apsley Inn, Apsley; domestic duties.
   Died: 14 May 1943, Hobart; aged 54.
   Buried: 16 May 1943, General Cemetery, Osterley.
   REYNOLDS - On May 14, 1943, at Royal Hobart Hospital, Ethel May, dearly loved and loving wife of Charles Lawrence Reynolds, of Tarraleah, and beloved daughter of Mary and late William Hastie, of Macquarie Plains, aged 54 years. [TROVE]

   Spouse - Charles Lawrence Reynolds, son of Lawrence Saxon Reynolds and Eva Jane Berry.

   Born: 17 Jul 1894, Hamilton; informant: Lawrence Reynolds, father, shepherd.
   Married:  Ethel May Hastie.
   Died: 29 Jun 1989, Tasmania; aged 94.
   Buried: aft 29 Jun 1989, General Cemetery, Osterley.

5. Harold William Hastie.

   Born: 6 Dec 1890, Bothwell; informant: William Hastie, father, police constable.
   Baptised: 2 Feb 1892, Bothwell.
   Electoral Roll: 1914, Apsley Inn, Apsley; labourer.
   Married: 16 Jun 1915, Elvie Pearl White, Hobart.
   Enlisted: 14 Mar 1916, Australian Imperial Force, named on the War Memorial Avenue Plaque.
   Electoral Roll: 1919, Apsley Inn, Apsley; labourer.
   Died: 9 Jul 1970, Tasmania; aged 79.
   Buried: aft 9 Jul 1970, Red Hills Cemetery, Bushy Park.

   Spouse - Elvie Pearl White.

   Born: abt 1894, place unknown.
   Married: 16 Jun 1915, Harold William Hastie, Hobart.
   Electoral Roll: 1919, Apsley Inn, Apsley; domestic duties.
   Died: 14 Nov 1974, Tasmania; aged 80.
   Buried: aft 14 Nov 1974, Red Hills Cemetery, Bushy Park.

6. Archibald James Hastie.

   Born: 20 Jul 1894, Bothwell; informant: William Hastie, police constable.
   Married: 14 Dec 1928, Patricia Jacqueline Nellie Jacques, Glenora.
   Died: 21 Aug 1978, Tasmania; aged 84.
   Cremated: 23 Aug 1978, Cornelian Bay Cemetery, Hobart.

   Spouse - Patricia Jacqueline Nellie Jacques, daughter of Joseph Jacques and Ellen Neil.

   Born: 6 Jun 1910, Bagdad; informant: Ellen Jacques, mother.
   Married: 14 Dec 1928, Archibald James Hastie, Glenora.
   Died: 21 May 1999, Tasmania; aged 88.
   Cremated: 24 May 1999, Cornelian Bay Cemetery, Hobart.

7. Alexander Edward Hastie.

   Born: 20 Jul 1894, Bothwell; informant: William Hastie, father, police constable.
   Married: 19 Aug 1925, Lily Christina Eiszele, New Norfolk.
   Died: 5 Mar 1966, New Norfolk; aged 71.
   Buried: aft 5 Mar 1966, General Cemetery, Malbina.

   Spouse - Lily Christina Eiszele, daughter of William John Eiszele and Frances Jane Boulter.

   Born: 20 Dec 1896, New Norfolk; informant: Frances Eiszele, mother.
   Married: 19 Aug 1925, Alexander Edward Hastie, New Norfolk.
   Died: 18 Sep 1985, Tasmania; aged 88.
   Buried: aft 18 Sep 1985, General Cemetery, Malbina.