Historical information

The Will's Plenty Estate containing about 4,056 acres, surrounding the Township of Whittlesea, was originally purchased by Thomas Wills in 1839, and divided into tenant farms.
The sale of the Wills Estate was one of the earliest functions conducted in the Whittlesea Mechanics Institiute on Thursday 20th May, 1886.

Thomas Wills (1800-1872) was a J.P., and a son of Edward Spencer Wills an influential Sydney merchant. In 1840 he purchased 176 acres of land at the junction of Darebin Creek and the Yarra River, in what is now Alphington, and there he built a two-storey house named 'Lucerne', the grandest home of its day. In later years he built another large home just across the river from Lucerne which he called Willsmere. He was a good friend of Governor La Trobe who is said to have been a frequent visitor.

Physical description

1 sheet, photocopy, a plan of subdivision showing the sale by auction of allotments with map showing location of tenants and layout.
The document has torn along the middle fold line and has sticky tap on it.

Inscriptions & markings

Richard Gibson & Co.

Subjects

References