On 20 December 1842, William Talbot, aged three years and six months, was admitted to the Queens Orphan Schools whilst his mother served out her sentence of transportation for petty theft. They had travelled to Van Diemen's Land on board the convict ship Waverley with 148 other convict women and 39 of their children, arriving in Hobart Town just days before Christmas.

Seven years later on 20 October 1849 William re-joined his mother and her husband John Bell. No marriage certificate has been found to verify their union, but nevertheless the young family then moved to, and settled in, the Huon Valley south of Hobart Town. The Huon Valley at this time was a developing into a thriving township, gaining notoriety, especially for farming and logging. William's future lay amid this community. William was a well-known orchardist and a councillor of the Huon municipality from its beginnings in 1906 until 1921. He also served the community as a Justice of the Peace for 15 years.

Sadly Ellen passed away in 1861 aged 62 years. Ellen and William had come so far together, so how sad it is, that she died just six years before William married Mary Ann Stanton and did not survive to meet any of her grandchildren. William and Mary had eight children.

On Friday 10 October 1924 the Huon Times placed an obituary to a well-known and respected member of the municipality:

It is with deep regret that we learned to-day of the death of one of the oldest Huon residents, Mr William Talbot, of Baker's Creek, Ranelagh, in his 85th year ... the deceased was a counciller of the Huon municipality from its inception in 1906 to 1921 and was a J. P. for 15 years. He was of a very kindly disposition, and by his many acts of kindness, even to the sacrifice of his own personal advantage, he won many friends in all parts of the district ...

William's mother Ellen was my great-great-great grandmother.

Opening of Oates Bridge, Ranelagh with William (second from the left), distinguished by his white beard.