amateur photographer, journalist and politician, was born on 7 May 1842 in Launceston, Van Diemen’s Land, son of Jane and James Aikenhead . He worked in northern Tasmania for most of his life, mainly as a journalist on the Launceston Examiner . After succeeding his father as editor and proprietor in 1869, William took another keen amateur photographer, Henry Button , into partnership and sold his interest in the paper to Button in 1887. According to Alfred Abbott , he was taking photographs as early as 1860, and he remained an active photographer until his death. At the 1888-89 Melbourne Centennial International Exhibition, William Aikenhead of Formby, Tasmania exhibited photographs in the Tasmanian Court: Class 12 Photographic proofs and apparatus, cat.44. In 1889 he helped found the Northern Tasmanian Camera Club.

Like his father, Aikenhead held many public positions in both Launceston and Devonport, being co-founder and chairman of the Launceston Stock Exchange, co-founder and president of the Devonport Public Library, president of the Australian Natives Association (Devonport branch) and president of the Devonport Chamber of Commerce. He was elected member of the House of Assembly for Devonport in June 1898, but the election was declared void. From October 1898 until his death he represented Latrobe, although he lived at Devonport from his retirement until he died, on 3 April 1902.

Writers:

Staff Writer

Date written:

1992

Last updated:

1989