Will Crompton

William Charles Crompton (1865–1911) was an Australian poet.[1]

Crompton was born in Maryborough, Queensland in 1865.[1]

After growing up and being educated in his hometown, Crompton was elected as an alderman on the Maryborough Municipal Council in September 1893.[2]

Throughout the 1890s, Crompton became known locally for writing his own original poetry which was regularly published in local newspaper, Maryborough Chronicle, Wide Bay and Burnett Advertiser.[3][4][5][6][7][8]

In 1894, he commercially published his best known work, Convict Jim and other poems[9] which received mixed reviews.[10][11][12]

Following his defeat at the Maryborough Municipal Council elections in 1898[13] Crompton moved to Rockhampton, Queensland.[14]

Despite moving to Rockhampton, he continued to submit poetry to The Maryborough Chronicle.[15]

Crompton died in December 1911, at the age of 45 after suffering a brain hemorrhage following a workplace accident at Wilson, Hart & Co's Rockhampton timber yard where he was employed as a foreman.[16][17]

He is buried in the South Rockhampton Cemetery.[18]