Wilton Hack
Encyclopedia
Wilton Hack was an Australian artist, traveller, lecturer and utopist with interests in Theosophy
and Eastern cultures.
the son of Stephen Hack and Elizabeth Marsh Hack (née Wilton). The colony of South Australia had just gone through a financial crisis during which Stephen and his brother John Barton Hack
lost their considerable fortunes. Unlike his brother, whose various business ventures never amounted to much, Stephen was able to attain a modest level of affluence. Wilton studied at J. L. Young's Adelaide Educational Institution in 1855 and 1856, then (perhaps because of the promise he had shown) was sent to his Quaker grandparents in Gloucester
, England to further his education at Sandbach Grammar School
in Cheshire
and the University of Heidelberg, Germany. He returned to Australia in 1865 to assist his father with his sheep station on the Long Desert, and took up a selection which he named Pinnaroo
, but was forced off it by the drought of 1865 – 1867. He found employment as a drawing teacher at his old school Adelaide Educational Institution, and at Prince Alfred College
and Frederick Caterer's Norwood Grammar School.
and "The Stockade" (Yatala Labor Prison). He was ordained minister in 1871.
He left for Nagasaki, Japan as a Baptist missionary on the "J. H. Jessen" in November 1873 with Alfred J. Clode, John D Clark and T. L. Boag. They were involved with the Rising Sun nd Nagasaki Express newspaper, and founded a Sailors' Club, but the mission made little impact, which they attributed to insufficient financial support. While there, he acted as an envoy of the South Australian Government to sound out the Japanese Government's attitude to Japanese nationals settling in the Northern Territory
. (In February 1877 he was sent to Japan to continue this dialogue, but the Satsuma Rebellion
was occupying Tokyo's attention and his approaches were rebuffed or ignored.)
He returned to Sydney in June 1876 and embarked on a speaking tour of the south-eastern states, which attracted good crowds.
He dropped the title "Reverend" and settled at East Maitland in 1877, founding "Wormley House Grammar School" The school was taken over by a Mr Brown late in 1878 but did not reopen the following year.
, deriving an income from painting, instruction in drawing, and development and sales of a stump extractor "Little Demon" which he patented in 1884.
He helped float the companies that took over "Foley's Claim" and "John Bull Claim" at Bowling Alley Point and the nearby Anderson's Flat mine in 1889, the Golden Chance at Hanging Rock, New South Wales
, and prospected for diamonds at Pine Ridge. At the time of the Western Australian gold rush he went to England, and was appointed manager of the East Murchison Gold Mining Syndicate, which took over the Eagle's Nest mine in the Mount Margaret
district, but proved a failure. (Confusingly, his son Wilton Hack jnr. was also involved in mining ventures.)
, his plan being to settle 300 people on 5,000 acres. By March 1894 there were around 130 camped there and a little under 1,000 acres had been secured. Joining fee was £10 for single men, £20 for marrieds. Hack left the settlement around June 1894, citing "ill-health", but by another report, because "he was not suited to a villager's life ... he wanted to be a kind of autocrat". By the end of 1895 after another poor season around half the settlers had left, and those who remained were working hard but surviving on meagre rations. In 1896 the village was closed by the Government and its assets sold though some families stayed on.
by Henry F Lyte) as well as several books influenced by Theosophical thought. This interest in Eastern philosophy coincided with an involvement in two educational establishments in Ceylon (now Sri Lanka
):
On returning from England to Australia around 1892, Hack visited the Buddhist girls' school run by Mrs Marie Musaeus Higgins in Colombo
(its first principal was a Victorian, Kate F. Pickett, who died shortly after taking up the position), and was sufficiently impressed to promise funds for a more suitable schoolhouse than the mud hut they were using. This was forthcoming and the Musaeus College
's first permanent school building was completed in 1895. He remained a member of the board of trustees until his death.
In 1899 he succeeded Harry Bambury as president of Buddhist boys school Dharmaraja College in Kandy
, and did much good work in raising funds, but ill-health interfered and he retired after only a few months, to be succeeded by C. S. Rajaratnam then K. F. Billimoria.
In mid-1915 he moved to Western Australia, where his sons William and Charles were working. He married again and never returned to South Australia.
He married Minnie Alice Vierk of Farrell Flat, South Australia
on 26 April 1916
Theosophy
Theosophy, in its modern presentation, is a spiritual philosophy developed since the late 19th century. Its major themes were originally described mainly by Helena Blavatsky , co-founder of the Theosophical Society...
and Eastern cultures.
Early life
He was born in Echunga, South AustraliaEchunga, South Australia
Echunga is a small town in the Adelaide Hills located 34 km south-east of Adelaide in South Australia.The area was initially settled in 1839, with the town laid out in 1849. Gold was discovered in 1852 and Echunga became the first proclaimed goldfield in South Australia. This led to a gold rush,...
the son of Stephen Hack and Elizabeth Marsh Hack (née Wilton). The colony of South Australia had just gone through a financial crisis during which Stephen and his brother John Barton Hack
John Barton Hack
John Barton Hack was an early settler in South Australia; a prominent farmer, businessman and public figure. He lost his fortune in the financial crisis of 1840 and despite his best efforts, never regained anything like his former influence and prosperity...
lost their considerable fortunes. Unlike his brother, whose various business ventures never amounted to much, Stephen was able to attain a modest level of affluence. Wilton studied at J. L. Young's Adelaide Educational Institution in 1855 and 1856, then (perhaps because of the promise he had shown) was sent to his Quaker grandparents in Gloucester
Gloucester
Gloucester is a city, district and county town of Gloucestershire in the South West region of England. Gloucester lies close to the Welsh border, and on the River Severn, approximately north-east of Bristol, and south-southwest of Birmingham....
, England to further his education at Sandbach Grammar School
Sandbach School
Founded in 1677, Sandbach School has been located on Crewe Road in Sandbach, Cheshire for almost 150 years.It is an all-boys school offering admission from the age of 11. In years 10 and 11 a range of GCSE's and Vocational subjects are offered. The school has its own Sixth Form and so offers...
in Cheshire
Cheshire
Cheshire is a ceremonial county in North West England. Cheshire's county town is the city of Chester, although its largest town is Warrington. Other major towns include Widnes, Congleton, Crewe, Ellesmere Port, Runcorn, Macclesfield, Winsford, Northwich, and Wilmslow...
and the University of Heidelberg, Germany. He returned to Australia in 1865 to assist his father with his sheep station on the Long Desert, and took up a selection which he named Pinnaroo
Pinnaroo, South Australia
Pinnaroo is a town in the Murray Mallee region of South Australia, near the border with Victoria 243 km east of Adelaide. Pinnaroo is on the Mallee Highway, and the railway line between Tailem Bend and Ouyen. The roadhouses on the highway are the first food and leg-stretch stop on the bus route...
, but was forced off it by the drought of 1865 – 1867. He found employment as a drawing teacher at his old school Adelaide Educational Institution, and at Prince Alfred College
Prince Alfred College
Prince Alfred College is an independent, day and boarding school for boys, located on Dequetteville Terrace, Kent Town, near the centre of Adelaide, South Australia...
and Frederick Caterer's Norwood Grammar School.
Pastor, missionary and teacher
He married Anna Maria Stonehouse, daughter of the Rev. G Stonehouse, on 10 May 1870. He joined the Baptist church, and served as pastor at HiltonHilton, South Australia
Hilton is an inner western suburb of Adelaide, South Australia. It is located in the City of West Torrens, for which it is the council seat.-History:The land now covering the suburb of Hilton was received by Matthew Davenport Hill in 1839...
and "The Stockade" (Yatala Labor Prison). He was ordained minister in 1871.
He left for Nagasaki, Japan as a Baptist missionary on the "J. H. Jessen" in November 1873 with Alfred J. Clode, John D Clark and T. L. Boag. They were involved with the Rising Sun nd Nagasaki Express newspaper, and founded a Sailors' Club, but the mission made little impact, which they attributed to insufficient financial support. While there, he acted as an envoy of the South Australian Government to sound out the Japanese Government's attitude to Japanese nationals settling in the Northern Territory
Northern Territory
The Northern Territory is a federal territory of Australia, occupying much of the centre of the mainland continent, as well as the central northern regions...
. (In February 1877 he was sent to Japan to continue this dialogue, but the Satsuma Rebellion
Satsuma Rebellion
The was a revolt of Satsuma ex-samurai against the Meiji government from January 29 to September 24, 1877, 9 years into the Meiji Era. It was the last, and the most serious, of a series of armed uprisings against the new government.-Background:...
was occupying Tokyo's attention and his approaches were rebuffed or ignored.)
He returned to Sydney in June 1876 and embarked on a speaking tour of the south-eastern states, which attracted good crowds.
He dropped the title "Reverend" and settled at East Maitland in 1877, founding "Wormley House Grammar School" The school was taken over by a Mr Brown late in 1878 but did not reopen the following year.
Farming and mining
He settled on a farm at nearby Clarence Town, New South WalesClarence Town, New South Wales
Clarence Town is a both a primarily rural locality and a township in the Dungog Shire Local Government Area in the Hunter Region of New South Wales, Australia. It is north of Sydney, north-north-west of Newcastle, and from the Pacific Highway at Raymond Terrace. The locality is bisected by the...
, deriving an income from painting, instruction in drawing, and development and sales of a stump extractor "Little Demon" which he patented in 1884.
He helped float the companies that took over "Foley's Claim" and "John Bull Claim" at Bowling Alley Point and the nearby Anderson's Flat mine in 1889, the Golden Chance at Hanging Rock, New South Wales
Hanging Rock, New South Wales
Hanging Rock is a gold mining village and also rock face on the Northern Tablelands, New South Wales, Australia. This former gold mining town is situated about 10 km south east of Nundle. The village is part of the Tamworth Regional Council district and Parry County...
, and prospected for diamonds at Pine Ridge. At the time of the Western Australian gold rush he went to England, and was appointed manager of the East Murchison Gold Mining Syndicate, which took over the Eagle's Nest mine in the Mount Margaret
Mount Margaret, Western Australia
Mount Margaret also once known as Craiggiemore is an abandoned town in Western Australia located east of Perth situated North of Lake Carey and south West of Laverton in the Goldfields-Esperance region of Western Australia....
district, but proved a failure. (Confusingly, his son Wilton Hack jnr. was also involved in mining ventures.)
Mount Remarkable
In 1893 at a time of high unemployment, he seized on the idea of a communal settlement and procured land at Mount Remarkable, South AustraliaMount Remarkable National Park
Mount Remarkable is a national park in South Australia , 238 km north of Adelaide.Edward John Eyre named Mount Remarkable in June 1840...
, his plan being to settle 300 people on 5,000 acres. By March 1894 there were around 130 camped there and a little under 1,000 acres had been secured. Joining fee was £10 for single men, £20 for marrieds. Hack left the settlement around June 1894, citing "ill-health", but by another report, because "he was not suited to a villager's life ... he wanted to be a kind of autocrat". By the end of 1895 after another poor season around half the settlers had left, and those who remained were working hard but surviving on meagre rations. In 1896 the village was closed by the Government and its assets sold though some families stayed on.
Theosophy and Ceylon
Hack became associated with Theosophy and some time before 1894 began adding the initials "F.T.S." to his name. He wrote a hymn "Abide with Me" in 1899, to be found in Theosophical literature, (based on the famous hymnAbide With Me
The hymn tune most often used with this hymn is "Eventide" composed by William Henry Monk in 1861.Alternate tunes include:* "Abide with Me," Henry Lyte, 1847* "Morecambe", Frederick C...
by Henry F Lyte) as well as several books influenced by Theosophical thought. This interest in Eastern philosophy coincided with an involvement in two educational establishments in Ceylon (now Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
):
On returning from England to Australia around 1892, Hack visited the Buddhist girls' school run by Mrs Marie Musaeus Higgins in Colombo
Colombo
Colombo is the largest city of Sri Lanka. It is located on the west coast of the island and adjacent to Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte, the capital of Sri Lanka. Colombo is often referred to as the capital of the country, since Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte is a satellite city of Colombo...
(its first principal was a Victorian, Kate F. Pickett, who died shortly after taking up the position), and was sufficiently impressed to promise funds for a more suitable schoolhouse than the mud hut they were using. This was forthcoming and the Musaeus College
Musaeus College
Musaeus College is a private girls' school in Colombo, Sri Lanka, and was named for Mrs Marie Musaeus Higgins , its Principal from 1895 to 1926. Musaeus College is now a leading academic institution with more 4,000 girls from ages 3 to 18, and is managed by a board of trustees...
's first permanent school building was completed in 1895. He remained a member of the board of trustees until his death.
In 1899 he succeeded Harry Bambury as president of Buddhist boys school Dharmaraja College in Kandy
Kandy
Kandy is a city in the center of Sri Lanka. It was the last capital of the ancient kings' era of Sri Lanka. The city lies in the midst of hills in the Kandy plateau, which crosses an area of tropical plantations, mainly tea. Kandy is one of the most scenic cities in Sri Lanka; it is both an...
, and did much good work in raising funds, but ill-health interfered and he retired after only a few months, to be succeeded by C. S. Rajaratnam then K. F. Billimoria.
Back in Australia
He returned to Glenelg early in 1900 and became active in the local community, as organiser of a Benevolent Society, vice-president of the United Labor Party, and served as a magistrate.In mid-1915 he moved to Western Australia, where his sons William and Charles were working. He married again and never returned to South Australia.
Family life
He married Anna Maria Stonehouse (d. 13 August 1911) on 10 May 1870- only daughter Florence Maria Hack (11 November 1871 –) m. William Norman Grant Mackenzie on 6 April 1904
- eldest son William Wilton Meora Stephen Hack (d. 12 February 1941) m. Charlotte Scott Murray on 25 September 1902
- second son Charles Corey Hack m. Ethel G. H. A. Maconochie on 29 October 1926
- youngest son Wilton (1 September 1878 – 10 April 1933) m. Amelia Ellen Cock on 30 April 1903
He married Minnie Alice Vierk of Farrell Flat, South Australia
Farrell Flat, South Australia
Farrell Flat is a town in South Australia. The town is located east of Clare and south-west of Burra, in the Regional Council of Goyder. At the 2006 census, Farrell Flat and the surrounding area had a population of 294....
on 26 April 1916
Legacy
- A pen-and-ink copy of The Combat by Edwin Landseer and a sketchbook from his travels are in the Mortlock Library of South AustraliaState Library of South AustraliaThe State Library of South Australia, located on North Terrace, Adelaide, is the official library of the Australian state of South Australia. It is the largest public research library in the state with a collection focus on South Australian information, and general reference material for...
- Oriental objets d'art in the "Grey Bedroom" of Parkin House, North Plympton, South AustraliaNorth Plympton, South AustraliaNorth Plympton is a suburb of Adelaide, South Australia, in the City of West Torrens., which dates from before 1860 and houses an important piano collection, is situated at 4 Lewis Crescent, North Plympton...
, were sent by Wilton to his sister-in-law Ellen Parkin whilst in Japan.