William Jackson

  • Artist (Photographer)
amateur photographer and publican, opened the Prince of Wales Hotel in Victoria, 1868. He poisoned George Wilson with his photographic chemical, potassium cyanide in his hotel, however, he was acquitted of the charge of manslaughter. No photographs are kno Alternative summary: A publican who opened the Prince of Wales Hotel in Victoria in 1868. Jackson claimed to be an amateur photographer after 'accidentally' serving potassium cyanide to a patron in his hotel and was consequently acquitted of the manslaughter charge. No photographs are known.
Talk | Version history | Updated Oct. 19, 2011 | Created Jan. 1, 1992
Name
William Jackson
Gender
Male
Roles
  • Artist (Photographer)
Residence
  • c.1868- Heathcote, Vic.
Other Occupation
  • Publican
Languages
  • English
Is Indigenous
No
Initial Record Data Source
  • The Dictionary of Australian Artists: painters, sketchers, photographers and engravers to 1870

amateur photographer and publican, opened the Prince of Wales Hotel (formerly Hodgson’s General Store) at Heathcote, Victoria, in August or September 1868. On 4 November William took a bottle labelled 'Kirkliston Whisky’ from behind the bar and served a nobbler of potassium cyanide from it to George Wilson, a miner, which Wilson drank at one gulp. At the resulting inquest William and Mary Jackson swore that William was a keen amateur photographer who normally used potassium cyanide to fix photographs. Acquitted of the charge of manslaughter, William nevertheless transferred the hotel licence to William Sangster, a local blacksmith, and the Jacksons left the district. No photographs are known.

Writers:
Staff Writer
Date written:
1992
Last updated:
2011
associate of
William Sangster
Non-Artist/Designer/Curator
associate of
George Wilson
Non-Artist/Designer/Curator
spouse of
Mary Jackson
Non-Artist/Designer/Curator
sibling of
Samuel Jackson
1807
Architect (Architect / Interior Architect / Landscape Architect), Artist (Draughtsman)
Citations:
  • Randell, J.O., (1985), McIvor: A History of the Shire and the Township of Heathcote, (Place: Burwood, Victoria)