William Rodolph Wigley was a lawyer and politician in the British colony of South Australia. W. R. Wigley was born in England to Henry Rodolph Wigley, who emigrated to South Australia with some of his family on the Schah, arriving in January 1837. His father, a lawyer, was appointed public prosecutor that same year, and later filled the posts of police magistrate, stipendiary magistrate, and Commissioner of Insolvency. William left England some ten years after his father, arriving aboard the John Bartlett July 1847, trained for the legal profession, worked with J. H. Richman of Richman & Wigley, Clark's buildings, Hindley Street, and was articled in 1851 to Hardy & James, and on being admitted to the bar worked for Matthew Smith then W. C. Belt and L. M. Cullen as Belt, Cullen & Wigley. Wigley also worked with H. B. T. Strangways. He took a year off to visit the Victorian diggings during the gold rush, and was fairly successful. Belt left the partnership, and in 1877 Cullen retired, and Wigley took into partnership the young S. H. Bleechmore. He was appointed Stipendiary Magistrate in 1889. He was closely connected with the Glenelg Corporation from 1855, when he was appointed Town Clerk, to his last year, almost without a break. He served as councillor, including two stints as mayor, and was noted for advocating public parks in the district. He was an enthusiast for public swimming facilities and chairman of the Glenelg Bathing Company until his death. He was involved with the Volunteer Defence movement and appointed Captain of the Glenelg company for many years. He was for a time chairman of the Glenelg Institute, vice president of the Glenelg Literary Society, and a prominent Freemason. He was also a member of the Glenelg Yacht Club. He was elected to the South Australian House of Assembly seat of Albert and sat from July 1875 to March 1878. He then stood for the seat of West Adelaide but was unsuccessful. He died of pneumonia at his home after a few weeks' illness, though he had been suffering poor health for some years.
Family
Henry Rodolph Wigley, Esq., S.M. was married to Sarah Elizabeth Wigley. Among their family were:
William Rodolph Wigley married Mary Letitia Longfield Creagh on 3 June 1862 and lived at "St. Leonards", Glenelg. Their children included:
Maria Cordelia Wigley married H. B. T. Strangways in 1861
