Sir William Thomas Denison (1804-1871), was born in London on 3rd May 1804. He was educated at Eton College, and entered the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich in 1819. In 1826, he was commissioned in the Royal Engineers. He worked as an engineer in Canada, Bermuda and England, and was knighted and appointed as Lieutenant-Governor of Van Diemen's Land in 1847. From 1847 to 1853, Denison maintained the convict system in the face of strong opposition from free colonists. Serving in this position, he accepted the decision made by the Colonial Office to end transportation, and laid the basis for self-government in Tasmania. He was promoted to Governor-General of Australia and Governor of New South Wales in 1854. Eventually he returned to England, and died in Surrey on 19 January 1871.