Charles William McHarg Wilson

Charlie Wilson was born in Fitzroy on 26 September 1873 to William Wilson and Mary Wilson (née McHarg).¹ The order of his middle names varies in some sources.

When he was twelve years old, his brother Andrew (who was teaching in a school in Warrnambool) asked him to buy some items in Melbourne and post them to him. A money order was included, and Charlie made the purchases — but made sure to keep 10% of the funds back, as a commission to himself! The family was not impressed with this, especially as Andrew was at the time sending most of his wage home (something that their other brothers had also done).

Charlie later became apprenticed to his uncle Robert, who had a high-class grocery store in Melbourne. After about only a year Robert broke the apprenticeship, causing Charlie to sue his uncle and to be awarded £1,000 in compensation.

With this sum, Charlie moved to Perth and started the timber merchant business C.M. Wilson & Co. Pty Ltd.

By about 1920 he was back in Melbourne, and built his house Linlathen at 133 Mont Albert Road in Canterbury, Victoria.

In 1948 Charles Wilson lent his niece-in-law Helen Margaret Wilson (née Hall) £1,000.

He lived at Linlathen until his death in 1957. He had developed Parkinson's disease.

From Rae's documents CMWAND 1.doc:

He showed early promise of being a successful businessman. He had kept a letter that his brother Andrew had written to him, Andrew then teaching in a school in Warrnambool. Charlie had evidently been given the job of buying a few things for his brother, andrew had sent him a Money Order to pay for them, the twelve-year-old Charlie did it and sent a Money Order back with 10% deducted for his commission. He was tickisted businessmanistedised off in no uncertain terms, this was a time when Andrew was sending most of his earnings home (his brothers had also done this) to help with family finances. Charlie learnt that family is family. Charlie later became apprenticed to his Uncle Robert Wilson who had a high-class Grocery store in Melbourne. After being there about a year Robert evidently thought he had reason to break the apprenticeship, Charlie was without a job, and Charlie sued his Uncle Robert and was awarded a thousand pounds in compensation. So Auntie Agnes told me, she said this was how he started his timber business in Perth. There is no doubt that Charlie was a hard-headed, tight-f

(That is how that file ends.)

1947, August 21:²

TAX OFFENCE

Alleged to have understated income derived during the year ended June, 1942, C.M. Wilson and Co., Ltd., was sued in the Supreme Court today by the Commissioner of Taxation.

Seeking a penalty under the Income Tax Assessment Act, the Commissioner alleged that the company had understated its income by £1743, thus avoiding £1369/18/ tax.

(PROCEEDING.)

[Before Chief Justice Sir John Dwyer. Mr. N. Good for the Commonwealth. Messrs. H. P. Downing K.C. and E. Nicholson for the defendant company.]

1947, October 16:³

Must Pay £1369 Tax

Chief Justice Sir John Dwyer in the Supreme Court ordered timber merchants C. M. Wilson and Co. Ltd. to pay £1369/18/ tax.

This was the amount of tax the company had evaded.

Sued by the Taxation Commissioner, the company was alleged to have understated income derived during the year ended June, 1942, by £1743, thus avoiding £1369/18/ tax.

The Commissioner sought the maximum penalty — a £500 fine plus payment of double the tax avoided — a total penalty of £3239/16/.

C. M. Wilson and Co. admitted understatement of sales and overstatement of expenses, but denied this had been done knowingly and wilfully, or that its books had been falsified.

[Before Chief Justice Sir John Dwyer. Mr. N. Good for the Commonwealth. Messrs H. P. Downing K.C. and E. Nicholson for the company.]