Daniel Wilson
Daniel Wilson was born in Wakefield, England, on 25 November 1831 and emigrated to Australia at the age of 21 arriving in Melbourne on the Ship Merlin on 9 September1852.
As he intended mining for gold on arriving in Melbourne, he headed straight for Forest Creek (Castlemaine) stopping along the way in the Taradale/Elphinstone area and staying there. Instead of mining he established himself at Taradale as a draper and general storekeeper. Later becoming a town councillor, Mayor twice and a Justice of the Peace. He and his family departed Taradale for Bairnsdale in East Gippsland in 1871.
c1860: View of High Street Taradale looking from North to South. Daniel Wilson’s drapery store slightly right of centre in the photo
He married Frances Alley at Castlemaine on 4 January 1854. Daniel and Frances (Fanny) had 6 children: Frances May (1854-1855), Henry Maurice (1856-1874), Florence Eliza
(1857-1901), Frances Emily (1858-1943), Annie Matilda (1860-1940) and Frederick George (1861-1947). All 6 children were born at Taradale.
Two of Daniel’s brothers, George Addey Wilson (1834-1923) and Alfred Dudley Wilson (1836-1899) followed Daniel to Victoria. His father and brother Gerald followed soon after their wife/mother’s death in 1863. Another brother Charles and his two sisters Mary Elizabeth and Emily remained in Yorkshire their entire lives.
Newspaper Notice: Death Notice for George Addey Wilson (Snr), father of Daniel Wilson - Mt Alexander Mail 25 August 1866
Portraits: (Left) George Addey Wilson (1799-1866) - father of Daniel Wilson and (Right) Florence Eliza Wilson (1857-1901) – eldest daughter of Daniel Wilson and Frances (Alley) Wilson
Several of Daniel’s immediate family predeceased him.
• His mother Mary Wilson (nee Hebblewhite) died in March 1863 (burial 19 Mar 1863) at Wakefield in Yorkshire, England.
• His father George Addey Wilson (Snr) died on 23 August 1866 at Castlemaine, Victoria.
• Daniel Wilson’s first wife Frances Wilson (nee Alley) died at Taradale on 2 November 1868 and is buried at the Taradale Cemetery.
• On 2 April 1874 Daniel’s eldest son Henry Maurice Wilson died at the home of George Addey Wilson (his uncle) at Albert Road, Albert Park.
• A younger brother Alfred Dudley Wilson died at Burnley in Victoria on 12 April 1899
• His eldest daughter Florence Eliza died at Essendon on 7 November 1901.
• Another younger brother Gerald Wilson died at Yorkshire, England on 24 January 1914.
• His eldest sister Mary Elizabeth Wilson died at Yorkshire, England on 21 February 1916.
After the death of his first wife Daniel Wilson married Alice Marion Jackson on 10 January 1871 at Wahgunyah, Victoria. Alice was the daughter of John Gardiner Jackson (1813-1886), Officer of H.M. Customs
They had 5 children: Godfrey Harold Alfred (born Taradale 1871), Alice Marion (born Lucknow, Victoria 1873), John Sydney (born Beechworth, Victoria 1877), Grace Winifred (born Dalyston, Victoria 1880) and Mary Irene (born Essendon, Victoria 1885}.
Photo (Unknown date): Daniel Wilson & his three sons, from L-R: Frederick George Wilson, Godfrey Harold Alfred Wilson, Daniel Wilson & John Sydney Wilson. His other son Henry Maurice Wilson died in 1874 aged 17
Daniel Wilson died in Melbourne, Australia, on 3 September 1919 at his home St. Olave’s in Essendon, Victoria.
Headstone, St
Cemetery, Victoria - George Addey Wilson (Snr), Frances Wilson, Mary Frances Wilson, Henry Maurice Wilson, Florence Eliza Wilson, Daniel Wilson and Alice Marion Wilson (nee Jackson). Note- George Addey Wilson (Snr) was actually buried at the Castlemaine Cemetery.
Subsequent to Daniel Wilson’s death
• His wife Alice Marion Wilson (nee Jackson) died on 9 Jan 1921 also at St. Olave’s’ in Essendon.
• His brother Charles Maurice Wilson died on 1 May 1921 at Wakefield, Yorkshire England.
• His brother George Addey Wilson (Jnr) died on 9 May 1923 at Elsternwick, Victoria.
• His sister Emily Wilson died on 13 Apr 1932 at Wakefield, Yorkshire, England
• His daughter Annie Matilda Peck (nee Wilson) died on 11 November 1940 at Pascoe Vale, Victoria.
• His daughter Frances Emily Dare (nee Wilson) died about December 1943 at Transvaal Province, South Africa.
• His son Frederick George Wilson died on 1 March 1947 at St Kilda, Victoria.
• His son Godfrey Harold Alfred Wilson died on 13 July 1958 at Huntingdonshire, England
• His son John Sydney Wilson died on 21 April 1961 at Toorak, Victoria,
• His daughter Alice Marion Wiseman (nee Wilson) died on 31 August 1963 at Auburn, Victoria.
• His daughter Grace Winifred Wragge (nee Wilson) died on 14 September 1967 at Balwyn, Victoria.
• His daughter Mary Irene Ashton died on 4 September 1979 at Hampshire, England.