The Death of Mimosa Sarah Campion, nee Wilshire

A LINK with the early commercial days of Sydney passed out last week, when Mrs. H. W. Campion, widow of Navigating Lieutenant Campion, R.N., went West, aged 84 years. The deceased lady was Mimosa Sarah, daughter of the late J. R. Wilshire. The latter was a member of an old family and a Sydney native. The father of James Robert Wilshire, James Wilshire, came out to New South Wales in the early days of last century as clerk in the Commissariat Office. He resigned the position and started in business on Brickfield Hill as a tanner and general merchant. The Central Police Court occupies a part of the Wilshire property. The business was continued by his son up to the sixties.

JAMES ROBERT WILSHIRE was the second Mayor of Sydney, and represented the city in the mixed Council before responsible Government, and in the first Parliament he held the same position 1856-57; from 1858 to 1861 he held a seat In the first Legislative Council, the life of which was five years. He was not appointed a life member in the Council, which still exists.

A SON, James Thompson Wilshire, represented Canterbury in the 14th Parliament, 1889-91. This gentleman told this writer an anecdote concerning his father’s business. IN the first fifties, his commercial status was Involved, and he contemplated assigning his estate. A friend advised him not to do so, as the Crimean War was then launched and the probability was that commerce was likely to be interfered with on the High Seas, and Australian produce would rise in value. He lent J. R. Wilshire £1000 to buy hides and salt them down. The tide turned, and the Wilshire family fortunes were saved. Wilshire-place, a fine row of bluestone buildings on Brickfield Hill, long held a position in commercial Sydney.

The above was extracted from the Truth of Sunday, 6 April 1924, page 8.