William John Hennington – Coroner Mudgee

William was born in Surrey, England on 27 May 1833 and died in Pentridge Gaol, Melbourne aged 58 on the 15 June 1891. He married on the 22 September 1859 in Collingwood, Victoria Clara Eleanor Wilson (1837 – 1889) and together they had 9 children. His career saw him in New Zealand, Mudgee and Sydney.

He owned 2 properties in Dunedin, and he bought the Evening Star newspaper from his father William Brewster Henningham, but had financial trouble and sold out in 1869. He became the publisher of Mudgee Times, his first issue appeared 5 Dec 1872. At that time, he was living at Bleak House, a substantial property in Lawson Street, Mudgee. In 1874 he was unanimously elected and appointed Coroner for the District of Mudgee. Between 1878 and 187hard labour in9 Both William Brewster & William John Henningham showed as connected with the Western Post & Mudgee Times newspapers, but by 1881 the family had moved to Hobsons Bay, Victoria. Ten years later William was sentenced to 3 years hard labour in Pentridge Goal, Melbourne for forging and uttering a land conveyance of land at Footscray, Victoria. Six weeks later in Pentridge Gaol, he became ill and was moved to the prison infirmary where he died of phthisis and Bright's disease. ​

Interesting to note that as the District Coroner he was the reporting officer in the case of Samuel Jupp. Samuel was poisoned and his wife Jane and her lover were arrested for his murder. Jane was the sister-in -law of the Gaol Governor, John Dick. At the time of her arrest she was pregnant and was not housed in the Gaol but in the Governors residence. She was acquitted of the crime and later