He was born in Cornwood, Devon, England, on 21 September 1822, and spent most of his youth in London. He emigrated to South Australia on the Glenelg, arriving on 13 February 1849; William Morgan was a fellow-passenger. He joined the gold rush to Victoria and was moderately successful, and on his return took up hotel keeping. In March 1854 William Sandover was granted the publican's licence for the Sturt Hotel, Grenfell Street, which was destroyed by fire some 18 months later. He retired twelve years later, and apart from parliamentary duties and three trips to England, lived quietly at his home "Rosslyn" in Rose Park.
Politics
In April 1868 he was elected to the seat of Gumeracha in the Legislative Assembly, with Alexander Hay as colleague. He did not stand at the following election in 1870, but in September 1873 won the vacant seat on the Legislative Council caused by the death of John Bentham Neales. This was in the days when Legislative Council seats were voted for by the entire colony as a single electorate "The Province". He did not seek reelection at the end of his term in 1885.
Family
William Sandover married Mary Billing Bate on 23 January 1854; they lived in Angas Street, Adelaide, later "Rosslyn", Rose Park. Among their five children were:
William Sandover Jr. was a student at AEI, founded WA hardware merchants W. Sandover & Co., married Bertha Jewell on 20 December 1882. They left WA for England, where Bertha died. He married again, to Constance Atherton on 20 February 1896 and lived in Richmond, Surrey, England. He became the Mayor of the Municipal Borough of Richmond in 1905 and was also a member of Surrey County Council. The grandfather of Raymond Sandover, he died while returning from a visit to WA and SA, and was buried at sea.
Ellen Sandover married Robert Henry Kay of 12 Portrush Road Marryatville on 4 August 1893
Elizabeth Sandover educated at Mme. Marval's school, lived at Rose Park.
Alfred Sandover, partner and managing director WA hardware merchants W. Sandover & Co., philanthropist remembered as donor of Sandover Medal.
His sister Louisa died 26 January 1877 aged 56 years
