Obituaries Australia

William Wilkinson, n.d.

photo provided by family

The death took place yesterday morning at his residence, Hereford House, Glebe-road, Glebe, of Mr. William Hattam Wilkinson, who was for many years a Judge of the District Court. Judge Wilkinson was in his 78th year, and had been in falling health for some time, and during the last few weeks he was in a precarious condition. He was the son of Captain Henry Richard Wilkinson, of the East India Company Navy. Born in London, he attended the Bluecoat School, and afterwards the King's College. He married in 1852 Elizabeth Sibyl, second daughter of Dr. Milligan, of the Sixth Enniskillen Dragoons, and the same year he set sail for New South Wales, where he commenced his career as a teacher in a school at Meads, Enfield, in which his uncle, the Rev. F. Wilkinson, taught before him. But the deceased always had a love of studying law, and it was not long before he became a law student. He read with the late Mr. Justice Wise, father of Mr. B. R. Wise, who afterwards made him his associate. He was admitted and practised for some time, and was subsequently appointed Parliamentary draughtsman and law reporter. Then he was made Acting District Court Judge, and afterwards a permanent District Court Judge. He was also President of the Court of Claims. With fully 20 years' service on the Bench Judge Wilkinson retired in 1894. He was the editor of the "Australian Magistrate," which work has now reached its seventh edition. The Judge, who was a widower, left four sons, Mr. Frederick Bushby Wilkinson, solicitor, of Sydney; Dr. W. Camac Wilkinson, who is at present on a visit to England; Mr. Henry Lane Wilkinson, solicitor at Deniliquin; and Mr. Edward Weston Wilkinson solicitor at Hay. The daughters are Mrs. E. F. Hayes, Miss Elizabeth Sibyl Wilkinson, and Miss Lucy Rachael Wilkinson. The Judge's second daughter, Maria Grace, died in 1900, two years before her mother. Judge Wilkinson, in addition to his success as a lawyer and a Judge, was well known for his charitable work in many directions and his great assistance to the Anglican Church, of which he was always an active member. He represented St. John's Church, Glebe, in the Synod for several years.