AUSTRAL PAPER MILL

HUGHES, William Daniel (1853-1925)

Born on 5 July 1853 at Lomax Bank, Little Lever, Lancashire, England, the first son of Robert Hughes, paper manufacturer, and his wife Isabella, nee Smith. William worked with his father in the paper trade. He married on 26 April 1876 at the Wesley Chapel, Bradshawgate, Bolton, Lancashire, England to Caroline Rothwell, daughter of John Rothwell, iron works foreman, and his wife Mary Ann, nee Renshaw. In December 1888 he was named as the first manager of the Barwon Paper Mill by the newly formed Victoria Paper Manufacturing Company Ltd. and arrived in Melbourne in April 1889 with his wife and family per "Victoria". In October 1889 after resigning as manager of the Barwon Paper Mill he advertised for a business partner for the establishment of a new paper mill. At that time he said he had a paper-making machine in England ready to ship out to Australia. Constructed the Austral Paper Mill at Marnockvale, Geelong. Insolvent in March 1893. Moved to South Australia where he ran a Paper, Printing and Paper Bag Works at Coromandel Place, Grenfell Stret, Adelaide. Returned to Melbourne c1903 and ran the Empire Printing Company at 551 Elizabeth Street, Melbourne to c1915. Died on 28 October 1925 at the Victorian Homes for the Aged and Infirm, Royal Park, Victoria. Buried on 30 October 1925 at the Brighton Cemetery, Brighton, Victoria.