Notable South Australians/William Herbert Phillipps
William Herbert Phillipps,
BORN in Adelaide, December 3, 1847, and educated at Mr. J. L. Young's and Fellenberg's Commercial school, which he left in his fourteenth year to occupy a place in the office of the late Justice Wearing, the then Crown Solicitor; made rapid progress, and was urged by Mr. Wearing to enter the legal profession, but preferring a a mercantile career, was transferred to the office of Messrs. Stilling & Co., in October 1864, as junior. Ere many years Mr. Phillipps became manager of the extensive shipping and insurance business of that firm. On the founding of Union College he became one of the first students, passed the mathematical examination successfully and was going up for examination in other subjects, when his health gave way from over-study and he was reluctantly compelled to withdraw. Mr. Phillipps married, on December 18, 1877, the second daughter of the Hon. R. A. Tarlton, M.L.C., and in November 1878 resigned his position at Messrs. Stilling & Co., to commence business on his own account as agent for several insurance companies. He gradually extended his mercantile relations, till, in 1881, on returning from a visit to Europe, he founded the firm of George Wills & Co., of London, Adelaide, and Port Adelaide, of which he became and is still the managing partner in South Australia.