William Wyatt

William Wyatt (1804 – 10 June 1886) was an early settler and philanthropist in South Australia. He was the third interim Protector of Aborigines in the colony between 1837 and 1839, worked on documenting the Kaurna language of the local Australian Aboriginal inhabitants of Adelaide and was a member of many boards, involved with fields as diverse as education, medicine and horticulture. Early life Wyatt was born in Plymouth, Devon, England, the son of Richard Wyatt. He was educated Shrewsbury School and apprenticed at 16 years of age to a Plymouth surgeon, Thomas Stewart. Wyatt continued to study medicine and obtained the qualification of M.R.C.S. in February 1828. For some time he was honorary surgeon to the Plymouth dispensary and was curator of the museum of the Literary and Scientific Institution. Early life Wyatt was born in 1804. He obtained the qualification of M.R.C.S. (Membership of the Royal Colleges of Surgeons of Great Britain and Ireland) in February 1828. He was honorary surgeon to the Plymouth dispensary for some time before leaving England. Career in Australia Wyatt emigrated to South Australia as surgeon of the ship John Renwick. He arrived at Adelaide 14 February 1837, and practised there for a short time, in August being appointed city coroner. He served as the third interim part-time Protector of Aborigines from 1837 until 1839, replacing Captain Walter Bromley, who had been dismissed after being criticised by The Register and was afterwards found drowned in the River Torrens.