Thomas Wentworth Wills (commonly known as "Tom" or "Tommy") was born on the 19 August 1835 in an area near present day Canberra. At the age of four his family moved to Western Victoria and at the age of ten he was sent to Melbourne to Brickwood's Academy for further schooling. As was common at the time, at the age of fourteen, he was sent by sailing ship to England where he enrolled at The Rugby School in the midlands. During his stay he excelled in sport, particularly at cricket playing at the county level. He returned to Melbourne in 1856.

This list of web pages tell the story of his involvement in the development of Australian Rules Football and his cricketing career.

Australian Rules Football

•  AFL History
•  Melbourne Football Club - History

Cricket

•  Several of the above football links mention his involvement in cricket.
•  In 1866, Tom managed/coached this nation's first all Aboriginal cricket team.
•  Victorian Cricket History See 1865

His family history

•  A book based on the life of Tom Wills, the man who revolutionised colonial cricket and who, in 1866, coached this nation's first all Aboriginal cricket team. Both a book about cricket and a book about Australian football. The Call By Martin Flanagan, Allen & Unwin, 1998. The book is currently under consideration for a re-print. Although Seek Books at   seekbooksau.4t.com   supplied two copies during June 2002.
•  The Currency Lad by T.S. Wills Cooke. A biography of Horatio Spencer Howe Wills, 1811 to 1861 and the story of his immediate family 1797 to 1918, using contemporary letters, documents, daguerreotypes, paintings and photographs. Horatio was Tom's father and the book contains a chapter on Tom, plus comments throughout the remainder.
•  Track 9 on the CD "Dust on my Shoes" is titled Tom Wills and was based on the book "The Call". More details at www.mickthomas.com.
•  The 1998 Radio National transcript of interviews by Amanda Smith, of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, in which she covers the life of Tom Wills.
•  The suicide of Thomas Wentworth Wills
•  The parents & siblings of Thomas Wills
•  Two books provide more information. "Ancestor Treasure Hunt : Edward Wills family" R.Pockley pub 1976 and "Early Pioneer families of Victoria & Riverina" A. Henderson Pub 1936.