William Sorell

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William Sorell
William Sorell
In office
March 9, 1817 – May 14, 1824
Preceded by Thomas Davey
Succeeded by George Arthur
Born 1775
West Indies
Died June 4, 1848
Marylebone, London, England
Spouse Louisa Matilda Cox

William Sorell (1775 – 4 June 1848) was a soldier and third Lieutenant-Governor of Van Diemen's Land.

He was born in the West Indies in 1775, the eldest son of Lieutenant-general William Alexander Sorell. He joined the British Army in August 1790 as an ensign, was promoted lieutenant in August 1793, and saw active service in the West Indies. He became a captain in 1795. In 1799 he was aide-de-camp to Lieutenant-general Sir James Murray in the abortive expedition to North Holland, and in 1800 took part in the attacks on Spanish naval stations. After the peace at Amiens, Sorell was captain in the 18th or Royal Irish Regiment, and in 1804 was promoted major to the 43rd regiment. In 1807 he was made deputy-adjutant-general of the forces at the Cape of Good Hope, and was promoted brevet lieutenant-colonel. He returned to England in 1811 and on 4 February 1813 retired from the army.

He had married, but had separated from his wife before going to South Africa. There he formed a connection with the wife of a Lieutenant Kent serving in one of the regiments, and it is believed that this was the reason for his being retired. On 3 April 1816 he was appointed governor of Tasmania, arrived in Sydney on 10 March 1817 aboard the ship Sir William Bensley, and at Hobart on 8 April 1817. In the meanwhile Lieutenant Kent had brought an action against Sorell "for criminal conversation with the plaintiff's wife", and on 5 July 1817 was awarded £3000 damages.

Sorell was recalled on 26 August 1823. His successor, Lieutenant-governor George Arthur, arrived on 12 May 1824, and Sorell left for England on 12 June 1824. He was given a pension of £500 a year and died on 4 June 1848. There were several children of his marriage, one of whom, William Sorell, junior, was appointed registrar of the Supreme Court of Tasmania at Hobart in 1824, and held this position until his death in 1860. His daughter married Thomas Arnold and became the mother of the novelist Mary Augusta Ward.

The mountain that dominates Macquarie Harbour and Sarah Island in that harbour on the West Coast of Tasmania is named after him.

Preceded by
Thomas Davey		 Lieutenant Governor of Van Diemen's Land
1817–1824		 Succeeded by
George Arthur

[edit] References

[edit] Further reading

  • Alexander, Alison (editor) (2005)The Companion to Tasmanian HistoryCentre for Tasmanian Historical Studies, University of Tasmania, Hobart. ISBN 186295223X.
  • Robson, L.L. (1983) A history of Tasmania. Volume 1. Van Diemen's Land from the earliest times to 1855Melbourne, Oxford University Press. ISBN 0195543645