People Australia

William Rice (1824-1891) compositor and trade union official

Birth: 1824 at Dunmurry, Belfast, Antrim, Northern Ireland, son of Edward Rice, miller, and Maria. Marriages: (1) possibly on 1 December 1852 at Carrickfergus, Antrim, to Mary (1823-1870), daughter of Eccles Rice. They had two daughters. (2) particulars unknown (3) 1888 at Fitzroy, Melbourne, to Henriette (Hetty) Stency. Death: 28 September 1891 in his residence at George Street, Fitzroy, Melbourne. 

• Apprentice and journeyman typographer at Belfast, Ireland, on Commercial Chronicle for twenty years.
• Arrived at Melbourne in 1857, possibly on 8 December aboard the Horizon. Employed at Victorian Government Printing Office. Member of the Melbourne Typographical Society.
• Spoke on land question before the (Charles G) Duffy Act 1862. Secretary of the Society for United Australians, the first Protection League and Victorian Eight Hours Labor League in 1859.
• Member of Good Templar’s body for several years.
• Cause of death: influenza and bronchitis (1 week).

Sources
H. J. Gibbney and Ann G. Smith A Biographical Register 1788-1939, vol 2 (Canberra, 1987), p 210; Australasian Typographical Journal, October 1891 pp 2184-2185.