Item 4 - Day book : Johnstone & Wilmot

Stuart Eardley Wilmot was the second son of Augustus Hillier Eardley Wilmot and his wife Matilda Jessie Dunn. His paternal grandfather, Sir John Eardley Wilmot, was governor of Tasmania from 1843 to 1846. His maternal grandfather was John Dunn, founder of the Commercial Bank of Van Diemen's Land. Stuart was born in Hobart on 16 Sep 1847 and accompanied his parents to England from 1854 to 1863, where he was educated. He remembered seeing the troops marching through the streets to embark for the Crimean War. He spent several years working on various stations and travelling on the roads with cattle in Queensland and NSW. In April 1869 he came to Launceston, joining the staff of the Commercial Bank in Cameron Street. A couple of years later he entered into partnership with John S Taylor in the wool and grain business. He married Rosa Johnstone on 29 Jan 1874. His father-in-law, William Johnstone, died the same year and Stuart joined his brother-in-law, W J Johnstone, in his business which had been established in 1842. It became known as Johnstone and Wilmot.

Stuart was one of the municipal auditors for many years. He served as a board member for the Launceston Gas Company, Mount Bischoff Company, the Cornwall Insurance Company, the steamer Great Eastern before she was launched, and the Marine Board. He was one of the executive committee of the Launceston Bank for Savings and one of the commissioners for the sinking fund of the Launceston Municipal Corporation. He founded a branch of the Navy League in Launceston in 1900 and was chief representative of the Northern Assurance Co. Ltd.

Stuart Eardley Wilmot died aged 86 on 29 Jun 1932. His wife Rosa had died aged 78 on 1 Aug 1924. He was survived by two sons, Commander Trevor Eardley Wilmot of Launceston, and Parry Eardley Wilmot of Western Australia. His sons Gerald, who died in 1909, and Trevor are both in the Family Album. There are two plaques at St John's Church in memory of Stuart and Rosa, who were married for fifty years. From http://www.launcestonfamilyalbum.org.au/detail/1030034/stuart-eardley-wilmot

Son of William Johnstone and husband of Mary Elizabeth Groom (1841-1911) took over the firm after his fathers death and went into partnership with his brother in law Stuart Eardley Wilmot