William was born 1822 in Dalmellington, Ayshire. He was the second child of Andrew Hanna(h) and Sarah Wallet, and a nephew of William Hannah (1792-1847)
He appears to be listed in the 1841 census as an agricultural labourer and living in Kirkmichael, South Ayrshire.
In 1848 he took passage to Victoria aboard the Cheapside as an assisted passenger. He would have been 26 years old, and probably lured by the gold fever. According to the ship’s passenger list he was employed while onboard as one of the ship’s constables and recompensed £2, probably suggesting he was of the type not to be argued with.
William settled in the small town of Burgoyne, now known as Yarra Glen, to the north east of Melbourne city. There he traded as a blacksmith until his death in 1866. Burgoyne was situated on the track between Melbourne and the gold fields, and would have been the ideal place to set up business with all the prospectors passing through.
The Encyclopedia of Yarra Glen and District has more information on the early settlement.
On the morning of 23rd December 1866, William was found lying dead by a friend, Mr. Henry Bermeister.
An inquest found no evidence of violence, and based on a police report and several depositions including a post-mortem, concluded that William’s untimely death was due to congestion and solidified lungs and enlarged liver; there were the usual signs of hard drinking and; that the death was accelerated by drinking.
The Melbourne Leader (29/12/1866 P.3) on the inquest.
The curator of intestate estates determined that “the said William Hannah deceased, intestate, had at the time of his death personal property in the Colony to the value of Twenty nine pounds and fourteen shillings or thereabouts, consisting of
- Cash £19.12.6;
- Sundry outstanding accounts due to deceased for work and labor done £6.14.0;
- One old horse £1.0.0;
- Sundry old articles of clothing and effects released by the Police £2.7.6;”
Next of kin was determined to be Brother Thomas Hannah of Dalmellington in the County of Ayr in Scotland. No relative or next of kin in the Colony was “ready to take Grant of Adminiistration to his Estate“, and as such the Estate was “exposed and liable to loss“.
William was buried in the Yarra Glen cemetery, one of the first interments to take place there.
He is also remembered on the family headstone in Dalmellington Old Graveyard which reads:
Sacred to the Memory of Malcolm Hannah 30.4.1846 17, Jas Hannah 14.10.1853 28, Jean Hannah 10.9.1854 17, Andrew Hannah 22.1.1875 77 (w Sarah Wallet 30.12.1866 72), Wm Hannah d Australia 25.12.1866 44.
Bruce Hannah September 2021
