William Bland - Australia

Australia

Bland was convicted of murder (as manslaughter) and transported to Van Diemen's Land (Tasmania) with a sentence of 7 years transportation, reaching Hobart Town of Tasmania aboard the 'Denmark Hill' in January 1814 and Sydney aboard the 'Frederick' on 14 July 1814 where he served at Castle Hill gaol for a short period of time. He was pardoned on 27 January 1815.

In 1818 he wrote "pipes" (anonymous and variously insulting satires) criticising Governor Macquarie's treatment of farmers, and making fun of his desire to have his name on foundation stones; the Governor was not amused. Bland's handwriting was recognised and on Thursday 24 and Friday 25 September 1818 he was in court and convicted of libel fined £50/-/-d and sentenced to 12 months imprisonment which he served at Parramatta, New South Wales.

In 1830 he actively opposed attempts to alienate large areas of crown land, and in 1831 joined the committee of the Australian Landowners Association to fight the Ripon land regulations.

In 1825 his committee founded Sydney Free Grammar School. The foundation stone of a new building was laid by the chief justice in 1830 and the Sydney College opened on 19 January 1835. Bland was treasurer from 1835 to 1844 and in 1845 became president, an office he held when the buildings were sold to the University of Sydney in 1853.

In September 1834 Sir Edward Lytton Bulwer, M.P., wrote from England that the Australian situation was not well understood in London. He suggested that an organised association should be formed, and that it should appoint a parliamentary agent for New South Wales. As a result the Australian Patriotic Association was formed in 1835 by Wentworth; Bland was its “chairman of the committee of correspondence” (i.e.: Secretary)

In 1839 he contributed funds and land to the building of St John's Ashfield.

During 1839-1841, Bland wrote letters for Australian Patriotic Association (emancipists) which now show the constitutional struggles towards autonomy. Bland, as secretary (“chairman of the committee of correspondence”) to the Australian Patriotic Association, helped draft two bills for a ‘representative constitution' which was approved in 1842 with Bland representing Sydney at its reading and approval passages.

Bland was an elected member of the NSW Legislative Council twice (1843–1848, 1849–1850) and after the introduction of responsible government was appointed to the NSW Legislative Council (1858–1861)

In approximately 1845, he was the subject of the oldest surviving photograph taken in Australia, held by the Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales, (upper right).

In February 1846, Bland, then a widower, married a widow, Eliza Smeathman.

In 1849 W. C. Wentworth introduced a bill into the Legislature to create the University of Sydney, naming Bland as one of its first senators, but Robert Lowe dragged up Bland’s criminal record and the 1813 duel and the bill failed. Bland challenged Lowe to a duel but Lowe avoided it. When the bill was re-introduced Bland’s name had been omitted the bill was passed, but without the list of nominees, and the proclamation appointing the Senate on 24 December 1850 did not include Bland.

A banquet was held in July 1856 to celebrate the grant of a new Constitution by the British government. Bland accepted an invitation to preside and received a deserved ovation. On 5 November 1858 he was given a sum of money and a candelabrum for his services to the community. He resigned on 21 March 1861 and an ensuing attempt to procure an annuity for him was defeated in the Legislative Council. In 1861 he was declared a bankrupt.