William Thomas Hutchinson

Date of Birth: 15 December 1854

Place of Residence: Launceston Tasmania Australia

Spouse Name: Sarah Ann Smith

Children's Names: No children

Notes:

William Thomas Hutchinson was born on 15 Dec 1854 at Rocher’s Lane (Rocherlea), Launceston. He was the eldest of five sons of William Hutchinson (c.1817-1886), butcher, and Ellen Hills who married in Apr 1852. He also had two sisters. William was educated at the Trinity School kept by Abraham Barrett.

He later went to sea, making many voyages in the brig Mercury under Captain James Tulloch. After the old sailing ship was sold in 1885, William joined the Union Bank for a short while before settling down to the trade his father had taught him, that of butchering. He joined the family business of Smith & Hutchinson.

William married Sarah Ann Smith in Launceston on 11 April 1875. Sarah, born on 19 Feb 1857, was the daughter of Thomas Smith, hawker, and Eliza Downey of Paterson St Launceston. They did not have any children, but commemorated their golden wedding in Apr 1925, just over two years before William passed away aged 72 on 29 Jun 1927 at his residence 110 Cimitiere Street. His obituary in The Examiner newspaper states that he ‘was known as a kind hearted and charitable man. He had a host of friends who familiarly knew him as ‘Uncle Bill’. He was buried at Carr Villa in the Anglican Section B No. 200. Sarah died aged 84 on 21 Oct 1940 in Melbourne.

Contributors: Barbara Valentine Aug 2011