and chaired a meeting at the
Union Hotel in Newcastle on 20th January
1843 on behalf of
Alexander Walker Scott who was campaigning for the Legislative
Council.
In April 1845
William Wilton announced he was moving to East Maitland. He set
up his medical practise in the cottage adjoining the
late residence of
Dr. Francis Campbell.
In Maitland
he performed post mortems, attended new arrivals in the
Immigrants
Barracks and all the other duties of his practise.
In January 1849 he was appointed surgeon for the
Maitland Gaol a position he still held in the
1860's. In 1849 one of his duties as surgeon to the gaol was to
accompany condemned man George Waters Ward to the gallows.
William
Wilton was on the committee for the Newcastle Church Society and on the
board of the Church of England School in Maitland
He died aged 80 in August 1880. The
Maitland Mercury reported his death: - A very old resident of
East Maitland died some days ago at his house in Williams Street. Dr.
William Wilton had lived 34 years in East Maitland, and had been in the
colony 43 years. Previous to leaving England he had practised his
profession as surgeon at Gloucester for some years. From the opening of
Maitland gaol till about two years back he was medical officer of the
establishment; and at last retired from infirmity. Dr. Wilton was
scarcely a public man in any sense. He did indeed occupy the position of
magistrate, which he accepted with reluctance. He was a fine specimen of
the old English gentleman, and his friends were always able to recognise
the scrupulous and keen sense of honor which he shared with his class.
For some months back Dr. Wilton has been ailing. We have no particulars
of his age; he must have been full of years at his death, however.
William Wilton was buried in the
Glebe burial grounds
William Wilton's allotment next to Market
Square Newcastle (lot 98) can be seen on the map below. (click to
enlarge):
For more information
see
Australian Pioneer Medical Index
