Public life

Having arrived in New South Wales in 1853, Blakeney spent a few years in commerce. He became a public servant in the New South Wales Sheriff's Office in 1856. In 1859 he moved to the new colony of Queensland to take up a similar role in the Sheriff's Office in the newly established Queensland public service. In 1861 he was appointed the first under-sheriff of Queensland.

In 1865 William Blakeney was appointed Deputy Registrar-General, a post he held until 1883 when he was appointed the Registrar-General of Queensland. In these roles he was called upon to give evidence in court cases relating to alleged bigamy.

William Blakeney was also Registrar for Friendly Societies in Queensland.

William Blakeney was also Registrar for Patents in Queensland.

He was appointed one of the original trustees of South Brisbane Cemetery

South Brisbane Cemetery

The South Brisbane Cemetery is a heritage-listed cemetery located in South Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, adjacent to the Brisbane River. It is adjacent to Dutton Park and consequently is often called Dutton Park Cemetery. The cemetery was established in 1866 and remained in active use until the...

 in 1866.

He frequently served as returning officer

Returning Officer

In various parliamentary systems, a returning officer is responsible for overseeing elections in one or more constituencies.-Australia:In Australia a returning officer is an employee of the Australian Electoral Commission or a State Electoral Commission who heads the local divisional office...

 for elections.

He authored a number of documents:

• "Law relating to registration of patents, designs , and trade marks in Queensland" (1890)
• "Queensland : its population, area, resources, etc" (1893)
• "Letters of registration granted for inventions during the year 1884 and part of the year 1885 : with abridgements of specifications in each case / compiled from the original documents in the office of the registrar of patents, Brisbane" (1895)

Private life

William Theophilus Blakeney was born on 9 September 1832 at his family home, Cooltigue Castle, County Roscommon

County Roscommon

County Roscommon is a county in Ireland. It is located in the West Region and is also part of the province of Connacht. It is named after the town of Roscommon. Roscommon County Council is the local authority for the county...

, Ireland

Ireland

Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...

, the son of Charles William Blakeney and his wife Ellen Frances Jeffries.

In 1853 he immigrated from Ireland

Ireland

Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...

 to New South Wales

New South Wales

New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...

.

On 31 March 1853 William Blakeney married Eliza Louise Carr (born County Galway

County Galway

County Galway is a county in Ireland. It is located in the West Region and is also part of the province of Connacht. It is named after the city of Galway. Galway County Council is the local authority for the county. There are several strongly Irish-speaking areas in the west of the county...

, Ireland

Ireland

Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...

, daughter of Frederick Carr and ). The couple had the following children:

• Charles William (born & died New South Wales 1854)
• Ellen Frances (born New South Wales 1855, married Thomas Henry Bowman Barron 1871)
• Elizabeth Amy Augusta (born Sydney 1857, died Sydney 1858)
• Amy Emma (born Sydney 1858, married Charles Ridley-Smith 1875)
• Kate Mary (born Brisbane 1860, died Brisbane 1881)
• Caroline Jane (born Brisbane 1863, died Brisbane 1866)
• Mabel Henrietta (born Brisbane 1865, married George Edward Elliott 1892)
• Louisa Grace (born Brisbane 1866, married Dr Sidney Legge)
• Gertrude Isabel (born Brisbane 1870, married Stuart Brownrigg Leishman 1904)

Some time in the early-mid 1860s the couple built a home 'Cooltigue' set in 16 acres of land in the suburb Highgate Hill, which in 1931 was described as one of Brisbane's historic homes. It was named after the family home in Ireland.

William Blakeney died at his home in South Brisbane on 26 June 1898 at the age of 65 years. He was buried in South Brisbane Cemetery

South Brisbane Cemetery

The South Brisbane Cemetery is a heritage-listed cemetery located in South Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, adjacent to the Brisbane River. It is adjacent to Dutton Park and consequently is often called Dutton Park Cemetery. The cemetery was established in 1866 and remained in active use until the...

 (of which he had been trustee) on 27 June 1898. His wife died on 6 April 1907 and is buried with him and some of their children in South Brisbane Cemetery

South Brisbane Cemetery

The South Brisbane Cemetery is a heritage-listed cemetery located in South Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, adjacent to the Brisbane River. It is adjacent to Dutton Park and consequently is often called Dutton Park Cemetery. The cemetery was established in 1866 and remained in active use until the...

.

Blakeney Street is named after him (it passed through or by the Cooltigue property). The parallel Julia Street is said to be named for one of his daughters (although none appeared to have been called Julia).