William Acland Douglas Anderson

William Acland Douglas Anderson, CMG [1] (31 October 1829[2] – 23 January 1882[1]) was an English-born politician and goldfields commissioner in colonial Victoria (Australia).[3]

Anderson was born in Blackburn, Lancashire, England, the son of Lieut.-Colonel Joseph Anderson C.B., K.H.[2] and his wife Mary, née Campbell.[3] Early in life he came out with his father to Sydney and received a portion of his education there.[2]

In April 1846 Anderson joined his father in the 50th (Queen's Own) Regiment of Foot[1] in India[2] as an ensign and was promoted to lieutenant on 26 August 1848.[2] In June 1852 he transferred to the 65th (2nd Yorkshire, North Riding) Regiment of Foot (then based in New Zealand) and was promoted to the rank of captain.[3] Anderson then took leave to Victoria, where his parents were located. From 12 July 1853[2] to April 1855[3] he was appointed a Commissioner of Goldfields in Victoria.[1] He sold his army commission[1] in March 1854.[1] For a year from May 1856 he was a commissioner for Melbourne's sewers and water supply.[3] From November 1856 to November 1858 Anderson was member for Evelyn and Mornington in the Victorian Legislative Assembly.[4] He was regarded as a moderate and supported the William Haines ministries.[3]

Anderson was the real founder of volunteer forces of Victoria for in 1855 he raised a rifle corps in Melbourne, which was not only the first in Victoria, but probably the first in Australia.[2] Anderson was appointed Lieutenant-Colonel commanding the 1st Melbourne Rifles.[2] On 21 March 1862, when Colonel Pitt was called to the New Zealand War, Lieutenant Colonel Anderson was elevated to the position of colonel-commandant of all the Victorian volunteer force, including the administration of the naval branch.[2]

Anderson attended the commission on colonial defences which met in Sydney in 1881.[2] Anderson died on 23 January 1882[1] at his home in South Yarra.[2] Anderson had married Caroline née Davidson[2] on 1 May 1856. They had four children:[2] daughters Mary and Fairlie, and sons Acland Alfred Gordon and Douglas.[3]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Mennell, Philip (1892). "Wikisource link to Anderson, Colonel William Acland Douglas". The Dictionary of Australasian Biography. London: Hutchinson & Co. Wikisource
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 "Death of Colonel Anderson". The Argus. Trove, National Library of Australia. 24 January 1882. Retrieved 28 September 2012.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Perry, Warren. "Anderson, William Acland Douglas (1829–1882)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. Canberra: Australian National University. Retrieved 28 September 2012.
  4. ↑ "Re-Member (Former Members)". State Government of Victoria. Retrieved 28 September 2012.

External links

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