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Abstract

William Gunn (1800-1868), police magistrate and Superintendent of Prisoners' Barracks, was born in Newry, Ireland, son of Lieut. William Gunn and Margaret (Wilson). After service in the British army, he came to Tasmania in 1822 and received a grant of land in the Sorell district, called by Gunn "Bourbon" after his regiment He served as Superintendent of Prisoners' Barracks in Hobart from 1826 1850 and Launceston 1850 -1859 and remained Police Magistrate in Launceston until his death in 1868. On moving to Launceston he acquired Glen Dhu as his main residence. In 1829 William Gunn married at Sorell Frances Hannah (Fanny) Arndell. They had three sons, including William, Ronald Thomas and James Arndell, and 6 daughters, including Margaret who married in 1852 Frank Allison (see A2) and Frances (Fanny jr.) and Isabel (Issie). Gunn was an elder of St Andrews Church, Hobart, and later of Chalmers Church, Launceston.
In 1830 William's brother, Ronald Campbell Gunn (1808-1881) settled in Tasmania.
William Gunn's wife's sister, Elizabeth Emily (Arndell), was married to another Sorell land holder, James Gordon of Forcett, who she married in 1814. James Gordon (1779-1842), born at Forcett, Yorkshire, England, son of John Gordon steward of the Stanwyck estate, had emigrated to Sydney as a merchant in 1806. In 1814 he was appointed Naval Officer in Hobart and granted land at Sorell and the following year he resigned his appointment to develop his property. In 1828 he succeeded his nephew, John Lakeland, as Superintendent of Convicts and in 1829 he was appointed Police Magistrate at Launceston but his delay in making his financial returns led to suspicion of fraud. In 1835 he retired to look after his property and the children of John Lakeland who were his wards. He was involved in a debt dispute with William Gunn, who after Gordon's death brought a law suit against his widow.
John Lakeland (d.1828) arrived in Tasmania in 1814 or 1815. He served as Superintendent of Convicts until his death in 1828 and was granted land at Pittwater. He married Mary Louisa Arndell (d.1835),sister of Emily Elizabeth Arndell who was married to Lakeland's uncle, James Gordon. They had 2 sons, James Gordon and John Thomas, and 2 daughters, Emily Elizabeth and Louisa. John Lakeland appointed his uncle James Gordon and his brother-in-law William Gunn as executors and trustees of his will and guardian of his children. His widow, Mary, married Thomas H. White, the farm manager, in 1831 against the wishes of the trustees owing to some scandalous rumours about White's intentions and moral character.

Item Type:	Other
Authors/Creators:	Gunn, William
Keywords:	Tasmania, van diemens land, social history, history, colony, colonial, Australia, indexes, University of Tasmania, Library, private deposits, archives, Collections, catalogue, Special, index,
Publisher:	University of Tasmania Library Special and Rare Materials Collection
Collections:	Other Special Collections
Additional Information:	University of Tasmania Library, Special and Rare Materials Collection - Private Deposit G.5
Item Statistics:	View statistics for this item

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