Notable South Australians/Lewis W. Gilles
Lewis W. Gilles,
A WELL-KNOWN pioneer colonist; died at Woodley House, Glen Osmond, Jan. 2, 1884, aged 84. He came to Tasmania in 1822, with Messrs. Home, Leake, and others, and married the only daughter of the late Mr. Benjamin Home. To Messrs. Home and Gilles is due the credit of being the. first to introduce the Merino sheep into the Island. Mr. Gilles carried on farming, but success did not attend him in that calling, and he accepted the managership of the Tamar Bank in Launceston, holding the position until the arrival of the projectors of the Union Bank, when an amalgamation took place, and the Tamar was merged into the Union Bank of Australia, the deceased gentleman being still manager. Afterwards he, in conjunction with other affluent men, started a private Bank, under the title of Archer, Gilles, & Co., but through over-speculation the concern got involved, finally paying, however, 20s. in the pound. Mr. Gilles in 1844 came to Adelaide with his family, in the "Will Watch," from Launceston, and shortly after arrival arrangements were entered into to float the Glen Osmond Silver Mines, when he, to further the scheme, went to England. He succeeded in his object, and the mine was worked for five years with good results; but at the expiration of the lease Mr. O. Gilles, his brother, refused a renewal for twenty-five years, on the ground that he was getting too old. Mr. L. W. Gilles held several important positions; among others, Secretary to an Insurance Company, and Trustee of the Savings Bank, and when the goldfields of Victoria attracted attention he was appointed by the Government as Colonial Storekeeper under Mr. C. J. Latrobe, the then Superintendent. He also accepted the office of Under-Secretary, under Mr. Forster. After this he was sent to Warrnambool as Resident Magistrate, which position he occupied for about fourteen years, and drew his pension from 1866 under the Pension Bill until his death. Mr. Gilles made a voyage to England by the first steamer on the Panama line (the "Kaikoura") from Sydney, about 1866. He married a second time four years ago. His eldest son resides in Adelaide.