Frederick Wimble
Encyclopedia
Frederick Thomas Wimble was an Australian printer and pioneer ink
manufacturer and later a publisher and Member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly
representing the Electoral district of Cairns
.
, London
, the thirteenth child (and one of two sons) of Benjamin Wimble and his wife Elizabeth. Benjamin Wimble had pioneered coloured printing ink in England, creating the first supply of red ink to Cambridge University Press
.
At 21, Wimble travelled to Austria
. Suffering poor health, his doctor then suggested a sea voyage and his father paid for him to travel to Australia
. He arrived in Melbourne
in July 1867. Wimble wrote to his father suggesting a new market for printers inks in Australia and his father replied by sending fresh supplies and his recipes as well as an ink mill, steam engine and other equipment.
Wimble produced his first ink on 4 May 1868 and in doing do claimed that the Melbourne Star newspaper was the first to have been published in Australia with locally manufactured ink.
The following year he gained contracts in other states by supplying ink for the printing of South Australia
n postage stamp
s.
On 13 March 1872 he married Harriett Gascoigne, a widow with two children. They had three more children but were later divorced. There were to be three children of the marriage, which ended in divorce. Between 1876 and 1878 he traveled to the United States of America and Britain
in an effort to secure new printing contracts and when he returned to Australia he moved his company to Sydney
.
By 1883, Wimble had had enough of the printing business and moved to Queensland hoping to become a "sugar baron". He bought land in the area but soon returned to printing as founder of the Cairns Post. In 1885 he was elected as an alderman
to his local council. He reportedly spent £7000 on a campaign to be elected to the Queensland Legislative Assembly
seat of Cairns
and was elected on 5 May 1888, beating Richard Kingsford
.
On 16 August 1890, during his term in office, he married Marian Sarah Benjamin. They had three children and they remained married until her death in 1933. He served as a member of the Legislative Assembly until 1893 when he stood down and was replaced by future Premier of Queensland, Thomas Joseph Byrnes
. He returned to printing and publishing with the production of Wimble's Reminder; as much a catalog as a magazine which ran from 1906 until 1957 (well after his death). In 1924 he published an autobiography, Climbing the Ladder.
Wimble was an active Freemason and a member of the United Grand Lodge of New South Wales
.
Wimble died on 3 January 1936 in Artarmon, Sydney
.
Ink
Ink is a liquid or paste that contains pigments and/or dyes and is used to color a surface to produce an image, text, or design. Ink is used for drawing and/or writing with a pen, brush, or quill...
manufacturer and later a publisher and Member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly
Queensland Legislative Assembly
The Queensland Legislative Assembly is the unicameral chamber of the Parliament of Queensland. Elections are held approximately once every three years. Voting is by the Optional Preferential Voting form of the Alternative Vote system...
representing the Electoral district of Cairns
Electoral district of Cairns
The electoral district of Cairns is an electoral district in the Queensland Legislative Assembly in the state of Queensland, Australia.The division encompasses the central business district and inner-suburbs of Cairns, in Far North Queensland...
.
Biography
Wimble was born 28 November 1846 at ClerkenwellClerkenwell
Clerkenwell is an area of central London in the London Borough of Islington. From 1900 to 1965 it was part of the Metropolitan Borough of Finsbury. The well after which it was named was rediscovered in 1924. The watchmaking and watch repairing trades were once of great importance...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, the thirteenth child (and one of two sons) of Benjamin Wimble and his wife Elizabeth. Benjamin Wimble had pioneered coloured printing ink in England, creating the first supply of red ink to Cambridge University Press
Cambridge University Press
Cambridge University Press is the publishing business of the University of Cambridge. Granted letters patent by Henry VIII in 1534, it is the world's oldest publishing house, and the second largest university press in the world...
.
At 21, Wimble travelled to Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
. Suffering poor health, his doctor then suggested a sea voyage and his father paid for him to travel to Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. He arrived in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
in July 1867. Wimble wrote to his father suggesting a new market for printers inks in Australia and his father replied by sending fresh supplies and his recipes as well as an ink mill, steam engine and other equipment.
Wimble produced his first ink on 4 May 1868 and in doing do claimed that the Melbourne Star newspaper was the first to have been published in Australia with locally manufactured ink.
The following year he gained contracts in other states by supplying ink for the printing of South Australia
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
n postage stamp
Postage stamp
A postage stamp is a small piece of paper that is purchased and displayed on an item of mail as evidence of payment of postage. Typically, stamps are made from special paper, with a national designation and denomination on the face, and a gum adhesive on the reverse side...
s.
On 13 March 1872 he married Harriett Gascoigne, a widow with two children. They had three more children but were later divorced. There were to be three children of the marriage, which ended in divorce. Between 1876 and 1878 he traveled to the United States of America and Britain
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
in an effort to secure new printing contracts and when he returned to Australia he moved his company to Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
.
By 1883, Wimble had had enough of the printing business and moved to Queensland hoping to become a "sugar baron". He bought land in the area but soon returned to printing as founder of the Cairns Post. In 1885 he was elected as an alderman
Alderman
An alderman is a member of a municipal assembly or council in many jurisdictions founded upon English law. The term may be titular, denoting a high-ranking member of a borough or county council, a council member chosen by the elected members themselves rather than by popular vote, or a council...
to his local council. He reportedly spent £7000 on a campaign to be elected to the Queensland Legislative Assembly
Queensland Legislative Assembly
The Queensland Legislative Assembly is the unicameral chamber of the Parliament of Queensland. Elections are held approximately once every three years. Voting is by the Optional Preferential Voting form of the Alternative Vote system...
seat of Cairns
Electoral district of Cairns
The electoral district of Cairns is an electoral district in the Queensland Legislative Assembly in the state of Queensland, Australia.The division encompasses the central business district and inner-suburbs of Cairns, in Far North Queensland...
and was elected on 5 May 1888, beating Richard Kingsford
Richard Ash Kingsford
Richard Ash Kingsford was an alderman and mayor of Brisbane Municipal Council, a Member of the Legislative Assembly of Queensland, Australia, and a mayor of Cairns, Queensland.-Personal life:...
.
On 16 August 1890, during his term in office, he married Marian Sarah Benjamin. They had three children and they remained married until her death in 1933. He served as a member of the Legislative Assembly until 1893 when he stood down and was replaced by future Premier of Queensland, Thomas Joseph Byrnes
Thomas Joseph Byrnes
Thomas Joseph Byrnes was Premier of Queensland from April 1898 until his death, having previously served in several ministerial positions in his parliamentary career.-Early life:...
. He returned to printing and publishing with the production of Wimble's Reminder; as much a catalog as a magazine which ran from 1906 until 1957 (well after his death). In 1924 he published an autobiography, Climbing the Ladder.
Wimble was an active Freemason and a member of the United Grand Lodge of New South Wales
United Grand Lodge of New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory
The United Grand Lodge of New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory is the main governing body of Freemasonry within the Australian state of New South Wales that also wholly encloses the Australian Capital Territory containing the national capital city, Canberra...
.
Wimble died on 3 January 1936 in Artarmon, Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
.