Guide to the Journal of William Charles Wills (as filmed by the AJCP), 30 October 1841-13 January 1844

Summary

Collection number:

M934

Creator:

Wills, William Charles, 1807-1871

Extent:

1 item

Language:

English

Preferred citation:

Acknowledgement of use of this material should refer to the location of the original material and to the Australian Joint Copying Project.

Items from this collection should include references to the location of the original material and to the AJCP nla.obj number, which serves as the online identifier for the digital copy.

Example: M Series: Journal of Capt. James Cook, 18 February-23 September 1770, British Library Add. MS 27885 (AJCP ref: http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-1234)

Availability:

Available

Access conditions:

Available for reference.

Background

Content Summary:

Journal describing his voyage to Australia on the barque Louisa and his first two years in Australia. The journal is addressed to John Brownlow, Secretary of the Foundling Hospital. It mainly records day-to-day activities but also provides details of events leading to the formation of the first Municipal Council of Sydney. (c.400 p.)

Biographical / Historical:

William Charles Wills (1807-1871) was educated at a school in Wallingford, Berkshire, and, according to references in his diary, he later held teaching positions. From 1837 to 1840 he was the steward at the Foundling Hospital in Bloomsbury, London, which had been founded by Thomas Coram in 1739. He resigned on account of ill health (he suffered from asthma) and in 1841 decided to emigrate to New South Wales. He arrived in Sydney in April 1842 and was to remain in the city until his death nearly thirty years later. Wills was first employed as a clerk by the merchant and landlord Felix Wilson (1802-1865). In 1843 he was appointed secretary to the first Mayor of Sydney, John Hosking, and he worked for a series of mayors until 1848. In 1849 he was appointed the first secretary of the Board of National Education, which was chaired by John Plunkett. He was replaced by William Wilkins in 1863, but continued to work for the Board as assistant secretary and later chief clerk until his death.

On 1 August 1849 Wills married Mary Gurner (1822-1872), the daughter of John Gurner, a Sydney solicitor and chief clerk of the Supreme Court of New South Wales.

Related

Existence and Location of Copies:

The original AJCP microfilm of the records filmed from this collection is available at the National Library of Australia [https://nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn725584] as well as other institutions holding AJCP microfilm.

Existence and Location of Originals:

Thomas Coram Foundation for Children, Brunswick Square, London.

For further information, see Thomas Coram Foundation for Children. [https://coramstory.org.uk/archives/]

Conditions Governing Access:

Available for Access.

Conditions Governing Use:

Many of the records digitised as part of the AJCP are still in copyright. Readers wishing to publish or reproduce documents should seek permission, in the first instance, from the owner of the original material.

Preferred citation:

Acknowledgement of use of this material should refer to the location of the original material and to the Australian Joint Copying Project.

Items from this collection should include references to the location of the original material and to the AJCP nla.obj number, which serves as the online identifier for the digital copy.

Example: M Series: Journal of Capt. James Cook, 18 February-23 September 1770, British Library Add. MS 27885 (AJCP ref: http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-1234)

Location of this collection:

National Library of Australia

Parkes Place

Canberra ACT 2600, Australia

Contact:

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