Description

Extended Data

Birth Place

England, UK

Biography

cartoonist, migrated to Australia from England in 1842 and farmed in the Port Phillip district until 1846. He then became editor of the Argus newspaper until 1857, when he returned to England. To amuse his nieces in England he filled a sketchbook entitled Australia Felix: Cartoons from the daily life of an affectionate uncle (c.1842-46, State Library of Victoria; gift of the artist’s great grand-niece Miss Sheila Schon, 1997). Inscribed on the cover 'Dedicated to Miss A. Wilson/ Bushby’ (UK), it contains 28 watercolour, ink and pencil sketches of Wilson’s adventures in almost running form, e.g. 'The bees swarm’, 'The birds attack his cereals’, 'But by prompt measures, prevents serious consequences’, 'But comes to grief, & finds himself the object of derisions’, 'But declines to partake of their refreshments’, 'But is not proud’, 'But settle in an inconvenient place’, 'The dust is troublesome’, 'And finds himself getting on pretty well’, 'He buys a little beef, & decides that he will send it home’, 'He conveys a few peaches to the pigs’, 'He digs, but finds it hot’, 'He gives a little mangold wurtzel to the alderneys’ and 'He goes to see how the bull is, after the voyage’. This entry is a stub. You can help DAAO by submitting a biography. Writers: Kerr, Joan Date written: 1996 Last updated: 2007

Born

b. 1813

Summary

Colonial Melbourne editor and farmer who, as an amateur cartoonist, compiled an illustrated book of his life on the farm as a gift to his niece.

Gender

Male

Died

1876

Age at death

63