William Fred Duckworth was born June 20, 1899 in Brevard, North Carolina. He graduated from Kernersville High School in Kernersville, North Carolina, and attended Davidson College in Davidson, North Carolina. He served in the Infantry during World War I. Duckworth married Gertrude Summers, a native of Statesville, North Carolina. Together they had one daughter, Betty. Mr. Duckworth's first employment was with the Ford Motor Company Assembly Plant in Charlotte, North Carolina in 1920. In 1931, he was promoted to manager of the plant. Then in 1933, he transferred to the Memphis Tennessee Plant. In 1936, Duckworth moved to Norfolk, Virginia to manage the Norfolk Plant. He worked for the Ford Motor Company until 1942. Mr. Duckworth served his country again from 1942 to 1944, as Regional Director of the War Production Board in Cleveland, Ohio. After this he became an independent businessman, founding the Cavalier Motor Company in Norfolk, Virginia. He served as President of the company until 1959. After that, he continued to serve as Chairman of the Board. In 1950, running on the coalition ticket, Duckworth was elected as mayor of Norfolk. He served in this position for twelve years, as Norfolk's longest running mayor. He finally declined re-election in 1962. Among his accomplishments as mayor of Norfolk include slum clearance, an industrial park, the Norfolk bridges and tunnels, and the General Douglas MacArthur Memorial in Norfolk's old Court House. On March 4, 1972, William Fred Duckworth was shot and killed while taking his regular nightly walk near his Norfolk apartment. No one was ever charged with the crime.

Note written by Special Collections Staff