William Henry Traill

William Henry Traill (7 May 1842 – 21 May 1902) was an Australian journalist and politician. He was an early editor and in a period the principal proprietor of The Bulletin in Sydney.

Traill, only son of John Traill of Westove, Orkney Islands, and his wife Eliza Dunbar (née Heddle) was born in London, and was educated at Edinburgh and London. The Westove Estate had been held by Traill descendants for more than 300 years. Originally intended for the army, he emigrated to Australia when 17 years of age, landed at Sydney, went to Brisbane, and then became a jackeroo on Boondoomba Station near Dalby. About two years later he was left a small patrimony and returned to the Orkney Islands. He stayed for only a few months, and going again to Queensland, became manager of the Maroon Estate in the Beaudesert district. At 23 he married Miss Jesse Lewis. He did not stay long in this position but visited Melbourne and joined the mines department, then returned to Queensland and was given a position in the lands department. Here his wife died.

He began doing journalistic work, contributing a regular column headed Passing Thoughts to the Express, while a special commissioner investigating the land dummying being carried on in connection with the opening up of the Darling Downs. In 1871 he married Agnes Lewis, half-sister of his first wife. In 1869 gave up his position to work on the staff of the Brisbane Courier. He subsequently purchased the Darling Downs Gazette, but returned to the Courier's literary staff in late 1873 when Gresley Lukin became part proprietor and managing editor. Traill served as editor of the Queenslander from late 1873 until late 1878 when he moved with his family to Sydney to take up the editorship of the The Sydney Mail. He held this position for about a year, resigning to become Reuter's agent for New South Wales. He continued to contribute to the The Sydney Mail, Echo and The Sydney Morning Herald. At the end of January 1880 the Bulletin was started and Traill began contributing leaders to it. As the result of libel actions against that journal it fell into the hands of its printer. He sold it to Traill who met Archibald and Haynes, the original proprietors, and agreed with them to transfer a fourth interest to each of them on similar terms to those of the sale to him. They agreed to work together to make the Bulletin a success, but soon afterwards Haynes and Archibald were imprisoned for failing to pay the costs of the Clontarf libel action, and Traill became editor.

...
Wikipedia