Background
Appleton was born in Alexandra in Central Otago in 1889, the eldest of nine children.
Appleton was born in Alexandra in Central Otago in 1889, the eldest of nine children.
He served as Mayor of Wellington from 1944 to 1950, having been a city councillor from 1931 to 1944. He was knighted in 1950. The family briefly moved to Gisborne in 1904, but was back in Alexandra in the following year.
Appleton was left in charge of the local post office as a teenager by an absent postmaster, and did some bookkeeping for local businesses.
In October 1906, he was appointed a cadet in the accountancy department of the General Post Office at Wellington. He unsuccessfully stood for Parliament several times.
In the 1931 election, he contested the Wellington South electorate for the United/Reform Coalition and was beaten by Robert McKeen. In the 1935 election, he contested the Otaki electorate for the United/Reform Coalition and came third.
In the 1938 election standing for the National Party in the Wellington Central electorate, he came second but was beaten by Labour"s Peter Fraser.
In the 1943 election, Appleton was again unsuccessful but came second and greatly reduced Fraser"s majority. He did not contest the 1946 election. Appleton was president of the Wellington Rugby Football League from 1940 to 1958 and presented the Appleton Shield, which is used to this day as the premier club trophy.
In 1953 he was made a Knight of Grace of the Order of Street John.