William Hastie was born on 30 December 1820 at Torryburn, Fife, Scotland, the son of David Hastie and Catharine Philp, and was baptised there on 21 January 1821. He later migrated to Tasmania, where he entered the colonial police force. On 12 January 1855, at the Manse in Bothwell, he married Janet McCrae, a Scottish-born housemaid who had arrived in the colony as a convict aboard the Aurora in 1851. William served for many years as a constable and sergeant in the Bothwell district and surrounding areas, including Shannon, Black Marsh (Apsley), Great Lake, and Quorn Hill. His police career was marked by frequent transfers, resignations, and reappointments, and included involvement in significant events such as the capture of bushranger James Padfield in 1855. William and Janet had several children, including William (1855), James (1856), David (1858), John (1859), George (1861), and Alice (1863). Following William’s death, the family experienced considerable hardship, with several of the children being admitted to orphan institutions. On 18 December 1870, while stationed at Constitution Hill near Dysart, William Hastie died by suicide at the age of 49. An inquest found that he had taken his own life while suffering from temporary insanity. He was buried on 20 December 1870 at St Mary’s Cemetery, Kempton. His death was widely reported and deeply felt within the community, marking a tragic end to the career of a long-serving colonial constable. Janet died in Kempton aged 77 and was also buried at St Mary’s Cemetery.

WILLIAM HASTIE, son of David Hastie and Catherine Philp.

Born: 30 Dec 1820, Torryburn, Fife, Scotland.

Baptised: 21 Jan 1821, Torryburn, Fife, Scotland.

Permission to Marry: 5 Aug 1854, Janet McCrae, approved.

Police: 14 Aug 1854, appointed constable.

Married: 12 Jan 1855, Janet McCrae, Manse, Bothwell; William: 34, constable; married Janet: 36, housemaid; witnesses: William Benmore, Mary Ann Benmore.

Article: 1 Dec 1855, named under "Capture of Another Bushranger."

Article: 29 Dec 1855, named under "Oatlands Criminal Court."

Police: 12 Jul 1856, resigned as constable.

Police: 23 Aug 1856, appointed constable.

Police: 1 Nov 1858, transferred to Bothwell.

Residence:  9 Jan 1860, Black Marsh; police sergeant.

Residence:  18 May 1861, Shannon; constable.

Residence:  11 Jul 1863, Shannon; police sergeant.

Juror: 30 Jul 1863, Hermitage, Shannon; inquest of James Faunch.

Residence:  1867, Quorn Hill, Hollow Tree; constable.

Police: 13 Jun 1867, dismissed as constable.

Died: 18 Dec 1870, Constitution Hill, Dysart, TAS; aged 49, strangling by suicide; informant: Thomas Stanwix, superintendent of police.

Inquest: 19 Dec 1870, Swan Inn, Bagdad.

Buried: 20 Dec 1870, St Mary's Cemetery, Kempton

Article: 2 Jan 1871, named under "Constitution Hill Inquest."

Spouse - JANET McCRAE.

Born: abt 1819, Paisley, Renfrewshire, Scotland.

Convicted: 23 Dec 1850, Quarter Sessions, Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Scotland; theft, sentenced to seven years’ transportation.

Departed: 26 Apr 1851, London, England; on board the Aurora.

Arrived: 10 Aug 1851, Hobart, Van Diemen’s Land, Australia.

Birth of Child: 16 Aug 1852, Jane McCrae, Ross; father unknown.

Permission to Marry: 5 Aug 1854, William Hastie, approved.

Married: 12 Jan 1855, William Hastie, Manse, Bothwell; William: 34, constable; married Janet: 36, housemaid; witnesses: William Benmore, Mary Ann Benmore.

Ticket of Leave: 26 Dec 1854, approved.

Charged: 23 Mar 1855, Lower Court, Bothwell; drunk & disorderly.

Application: 3 Jan 1871, John Hastie, native of Tasmania, aged 10 years, can read and write; George Hastie, native of Tasmania, aged 9 years next April, can read and write. The mother of these boys, Janet Hastie, applies to surrender them to the Industrial School known as the Boys’ Home near Lansdowne Crescent on the grounds of her inability to support them. Ordered that they be sent to the said Industrial School there to be determined for the following periods, viz John for a period of four years and George for a period of five years.

Article: 4 Jan 1871, named under "Admission into the Boy's Home," John & George Hastie.

Reports of Crime: 31 Mar 1871, named under "Warrants Issued" Green Ponds.

Reports of Crime: 14 Apr 1871, named under "Miscellaneous Information" Arrested.

Convicted: 14 Apr 1871, Green Ponds; larceny, sentenced to six months at Cascades House of Correction, Hobart.

Discharged: 20 Oct 1871, Cascades House of Correction, Hobart.

Article: 24 Jan 1873, named under "Police Court" Drunk & incapable.

Reports of Crime: 10 Mar 1873, named under "Prisoner's Discharged." Convicted for non-payment of fine and sentenced to five days’ imprisonment at the Bothwell Gaol.

Died: 9 Jul 1896, Kempton; aged 77, diarrhoea and senility; informant: William Hastie, son.

HASTIE - On July 9, 1896, at "Hillside," Kempton, after a short illness, Janet Hastie, aged 77 years, relict of the late William Hastie, Sen, Police Constable, formerly of Bothwell. Melbourne and Sydney papers please copy. [TROVE]

Children of William Hastie and Janet McCrae:

1. William Hastie.

   Born: 6 Oct 1855, Bothwell.

2. James Hastie.

   Born: 16 Nov 1856, Oatlands; informant: Janet Hastie, mother.
   Died: 5 Nov 1864, Quoin, Hollow Tree; aged 7, inflammation of the bowels.
   Buried: Bothwell Public Cemetery.
   Inquest: 8 Nov 1864, [8] Crown Inn, Alexander St, Bothwell.

3. David Hastie.

   Born: 23 May 1858, Oatlands; informant: Janet Hastie, mother.
   Died: 13 Jun 1858, Oatlands; aged 21 days, marasmus; informant: Janet Hastie, mother.

4. John Hastie.

   Born: 19 Dec 1859, Bothwell; informant: William Hastie, father, police sergeant.
   Baptised: 20 May 1861, Bothwell.
   Application: 3 Jan 1871, John Hastie, native of Tasmania, aged 10 years, can read and write; George Hastie, native of Tasmania, aged 9 years next April, can read and write. The mother of these boys, Janet Hastie, applies to surrender them to the Industrial School known as the Boys’ Home near Lansdowne Crescent on the grounds of her inability to support them. Ordered that they be sent to the said Industrial School there to be determined for the following periods, viz John for a period of four years and George for a period of five years.
   Article: 4 Jan 1871, named under "Admission into the Boys’ Home."
   Orphanage: 4 Jan 1871, Boys Home, Lansdowne Crescent, West Hobart; admitted.
   Orphanage: Nov 1874, Boys Home, Lansdowne Crescent, West Hobart; licensed out on probation.
   No further research has been carried out at this time.

5. George Hastie.

   Born: 21 Apr 1861, Bothwell; informant: William Hastie, police constable.
   Baptised: 20 May 1861, Bothwell.
   Application: 3 Jan 1871, John Hastie, native of Tasmania, aged 10 years, can read and write; George Hastie, native of Tasmania, aged 9 years next April, can read and write. The mother of these boys, Janet Hastie, applies to surrender them to the Industrial School known as the Boys’ Home near Lansdowne Crescent on the grounds of her inability to support them. Ordered that they be sent to the said Industrial School there to be determined for the following periods, viz John for a period of four years and George for a period of five years.
   Orphanage: 4 Jan 1871, Boys Home, Lansdowne Crescent, West Hobart; admitted.
   Article: 4 Jan 1871, named under "Admission into the Boys’ Home."
   Orphanage: 2 Jul 1875, Boys Home, Lansdowne Crescent, West Hobart; licensed out on probation.
   Died: 16 Mar 1888, Hobart; aged 26, enteric fever.
   Buried: St Paul's Church Cemetery, Glenorchy.

6. Alice Hastie.

   Born: 12 Jun 1863, Bothwell; informant: William Hastie, father, police sergeant.
   Baptised: 23 May 1864, Bothwell.
   Orphanage: 6 May 1871, Queen's Orphanage, New Town; admitted; father, 99th Regiment, dead (hung himself), was in the Police Force in Green Ponds; mother under sentence of six months from April 8, 1871; Won dictation and good conduct prizes in 1873.
   Orphanage: 22 May 1874, Queen's Orphanage, New Town; discharged to John Bleach, who intended to adopt her.
   No further research has been carried out at this time.