Edit People: Gilbert William

Description: [[File:William Gilbert MHA.jpg|thumb|William Gilbert (1829-1919)|left]] [https://www.flickr.com/photos/gawler_history/albums/72177720331652394/ Click here] for photos of William Gilbert. === William Gilbert - Chaff Mill Proprietor, Politician & Philanthropist === William Gilbert was born in Princes Risborough, England in 1829; son of James Gilbert, millwright and engineer, and Ann Hester, farmer’s daughter.<ref name=":0">William Gilbert (1919) “Autobiography of William Gilbert, Esquire”, Unpublished (from the collection of Miriam Smith nee Cheek)(Gratitude from GHT for access to this resource & to the late William Gilbert for recording his recollections, aged 89).</ref><ref name=":1">“William Gilbert (politician)” – Wikipedia - The Free Encyclopedia [Online accessed 24 Jan 2026] <nowiki>https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Gilbert_(politician)</nowiki></ref> His mother passed away when he was just eleven years of age, leaving also a daughter Sarah Gilbert, who was just one.<ref name=":0" /> In his autobiography William recalls that his mother “committed my sister to my care” and the pair were “brought up by our grandmother, who exercised a very beautiful influence on our lives.”<ref name=":0" /> The siblings remained in contact throughout their lives and photos of them in their later years suggest a close bond (see [https://www.flickr.com/photos/gawler_history/albums/72177720331652394/ album]). William migrated to Australia in 1869, and started a chaff milling business in North Adelaide two years later.<ref name=":2">(Bunyip 25 Dec 1914) <nowiki>https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/97735334</nowiki></ref> In 1887 he started [[Gilbert and Co. Chaff Mill|W Gilbert & Co chaff milling business]] at Evanston.<ref name=":2" /> His nephew [[Payne William Gilbert|William Gilbert Payne]], eldest son of his sister Sarah (who had married Edwin Payne) was involved with the business, leasing it for five years from 1902 and purchasing it on 15^th November 1907.<ref>Certificate of Title 372/66</ref> He served as a Member of South Australian Parliament for over 25 years (1881-1906, representing the electorates of Yatala and Barossa) and undertook many philanthropic activities.<ref name=":1" /> William Gilbert died at Medindie in 1919, aged 89, having married twice but never having had any children.<ref name=":1" /> He is buried in the North Road Cemetery. For extensive details about William Gilbert see “[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Gilbert_(politician) William Gilbert (politician)]” on Wikipedia. === Properties of William Gilbert === William owned an extensive list of metropolitan and rural properties during his time in Australia, including the land at Evanston upon which the Gilbert & Co Chaff Mill and original 'Mill Cottage' stood (part allotments 5, 6 & 7, Evanston - now known as 44 Barnet Road), and the paddocks across the road that were used for hay storage (part allotments 21 & 22, Evanston)(see [https://www.flickr.com/photos/gawler_history/55056983372 map of property boundaries and locations of chaff mill and cottage]). === Birth, Death & Marriage Information === '''GILBERT William''' b.23 Feb 1829, Princes Risborough, Buckinghamshire, England, brother of Sarah Gilbert (married name Sarah Payne) m. 1852 STRATTON Jane, England (d. 1895) Arrived 1869, Australia m. 14 Apr 1904 SIMPSON Jane Mossman (nee DAVIE), Hyde Park, SA (Reg. Adelaide 219/1246) d. 4 Feb 1919, Medindie, SA, aged 89 (Reg. Adelaide 425/267) Buried North Road Cemetery, Nailsworth, SA (South Path 6 West - Vault CA) . ''Compiled by Nikki Wight - with thanks to William Gilbert Payne' granddaughter Miriam Smith (nee Cheek) for sharing her extensive research, photographs & documents.'' . [[Category:People]] The fields below can each contain multiple values. Separate them with a comma.

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