Item 32 - Leslie Norman correspondence

John Wilson (1842-1912), ship-wright, served an apprenticeship with Colin Walker, boat builder of Gardners Bay, who built the Huon Belle in 1866. Wilson established his own boat building yard at Martins Point where his first ship "Good Intent" was built in 1877. John Wilson and his sons, Walter and Sydney built many well known sailing ketches and schooners and some steam and oil engine powered vessels, including the ketch One and All for Andrewartha in 1878, Leilateah (McDougall's 1891), Birngana (1893), Lenna (1903 Risby's), Lottah, Stanley and the Alice (1904), Doris and Rooganah (100 ton 3 masted schooner) for Jones & Co. The last ship built by John Wilson was the ketch Lialeeta for T.H. Spaulding launched in 1913.
John Wilson and his wife, Dinah, had 4 sons and 3 daughters and lived at "Brightside", Cygnet. He was known as a wit and composed humorous verse, as did some younger members of the family.
For mor information see: http://www.utas.edu.au/library/companion_to_tasmanian_history/W/Wilson%20shipbuilders.htm

Walter Wilson was a designer and artist. Walter and his brother Sydney worked with their father, John Wilson at Wilson and Sons, boat builders. They built many well known sailing ketches and schooners and some steam and oil engine powered vessels. After John's death in 1912 Walter and Sydney carried on the business. Walter and his wife had several children, including Clifton, who assisted the boat building.