Bill Onus b. 15 November 1906

Also known as William Onus, William Townsend Onus, W. T. Onus
  • Artist ,
  • Artist (Performance Artist),
  • Artist (Mixed Media Artist),
  • Artist (Industrial / Product Designer)
William Townsend (Bill) Onus 1906-68. As an artist, entrepeneur, actor and activist Bill Onus made an significant contribution to Art and Aboriginality in postwar Melbourne. His work is held in the collections of in the collections of the National Museum of Australia, Australian Museum, Powerhouse Museum and South Australian Museum.
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Name
Bill Onus
Also known as:
  • William Onus
  • William Townsend Onus
  • W. T. Onus
Gender
Male
Roles
  • Artist
  • Artist (Performance Artist)
  • Artist (Mixed Media Artist)
  • Artist (Industrial / Product Designer)
Other Occupation
  • TV show narrator
  • Rigger
  • Shearer
  • Prospector
  • Delivery truck driver
  • Secretary of the APA
  • Shipping clerk
Birth date
15 November 1906
Birth place
Cummeragunja Aboriginal Reserve, NSW
Death date
10 January 1968
Death place
Deepdene, VIC
Active Period
  • 1940 - 1968
Residence
  • c.1934- Salt Pan Creek, south-western Sydney, NSW
  • Bega, NSW
  • c.1929- Sydney, NSW
  • 1918 Riverina
  • 1906 Cummeragunja Aboriginal Reserve, NSW
  • 33 Terry Street, Deepdene, VIC
  • 1946 Melbourne, VIC
Indigenous Australian
 
Languages
  • English

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Date modified Sept. 24, 2012, 5:22 a.m. Oct. 19, 2011, 1:59 p.m.
Residences
  • c.1934- Salt Pan Creek, south-western Sydney, NSW
  • Bega, NSW
  • c.1929- Sydney, NSW
  • 1918 Riverina
  • 1906 Cummeragunja Aboriginal Reserve, NSW
  • 33 Terry Street, Deepdene, VIC
  • 1946 Melbourne, VIC
  • c.1934- Salt Pan Creek, south-western Sydney, NSW
  • Bega, NSW
  • c.1929- Sydney, NSW
  • 1918 Riverina
  • 15 November 1906 Cummeragunja Aboriginal Reserve, NSW
  • 33 Terry Street, Deepdene, VIC
  • 1946 Melbourne, VIC
Other occupations
  • TV show narrator
  • Rigger
  • Shearer
  • Prospector
  • Delivery truck driver
  • Secretary of the APA
  • Shipping clerk
  • TV show narrator (TV show narrator ABC's children's series Alcheringa (1961))
  • Rigger (Rigger Bankstown aerodrome)
  • Shearer
  • Prospector
  • Delivery truck driver
  • Secretary of the APA
  • Shipping clerk
References [<ExternalResource: Fraser, Virginia. (2008), 'Moomba: What's in a name?', digital video.>, <ExternalResource: Fraser, Virginia (2008), 'Making a show of it: Indigenous entertainers and entrepreneurs in 1950s Melbourne', City of Melbourne, Art and Heritage Branch, Exhibition Catalogue.>, <ExternalResource: 'Corroboree Season 1949'.>, <ExternalResource: (1951), 'An Aboriginal Moomba: 'Out of the Dark'', The Princess Theatre, Melbourne.>, <ExternalResource: 'Seeking Aboriginal Stars in Qld, AAL Press Book, Moomba 1951', Unmarked cutting, Onus family archives.>, <ExternalResource: 'Irene Mitchell papers', State Library of Victoria LaTrobe Collection., MS 10368.>, <ExternalResource: 'Interviews in person and by telephone: Gary Foley, Judy Him, Merle Jackomos, Paula Kerry (now O'Dare), Iris Lovett-Gardner, Naomi Meyers, Irene Mitchell, Christine Onus (now Donnelly), Lin Onus, Joanne Onus, Tiriki Onus, Herb Patten, Des Smith and Alma Toomath.'.>, <ExternalResource: Powerhouse Museum, 'Boomerang by Bill Onus', Powerhouse Museum, Sydney, NSW.>, <ExternalResource: Powerhouse Museum, 'Boomerang decorated by Lin Onus', Powerhouse Museum, Sydney, NSW.>] [<ExternalResource: Fraser, Virginia. (2008), 'Moomba: What's in a name?', digital video.>, <ExternalResource: Fraser, Virginia (2008), 'Making a show of it: Indigenous entertainers and entrepreneurs in 1950s Melbourne', City of Melbourne, Art and Heritage Branch, Exhibition Catalogue.>, <ExternalResource: 'Corroboree Season 1949'.>, <ExternalResource: (1951), 'An Aboriginal Moomba: 'Out of the Dark'', The Princess Theatre, Melbourne.>, <ExternalResource: 'Seeking Aboriginal Stars in Qld, AAL Press Book, Moomba 1951', Unmarked cutting, Onus family archives.>, <ExternalResource: 'Irene Mitchell papers', State Library of Victoria LaTrobe Collection., MS 10368.>, <ExternalResource: 'Interviews in person and by telephone: Gary Foley, Judy Him, Merle Jackomos, Paula Kerry (now O'Dare), Iris Lovett-Gardner, Naomi Meyers, Irene Mitchell, Christine Onus (now Donnelly), Lin Onus, Joanne Onus, Tiriki Onus, Herb Patten, Des Smith and Alma Toomath.'.>]
Alternative names
  • William Onus
  • William Townsend Onus
  • W. T. Onus
  • William Onus
  • William Townsend Onus
  • W. T. Onus
Related people
  • Cooper, William (associate of)
  • Onus, Lin (parent of)
  • Onus, Eric (sibling of)
  • Onus, Warren (relative of)
  • Onus, Mary (spouse of)
  • Patten, John (associate of)
  • Gibbs, Pearl (associate of)
  • Campbell, Jack (associate of)
  • Simms, Wesley (associate of)
  • Patten Snr, Jack (associate of)
  • Patten, Jack (associate of)
  • Ferguson, Bill (associate of)
  • Saunders, Reg (associate of)
  • Davey, Stan (associate of)
  • Mitchell, Irene (associate of)
  • Nicholls, Doug (associate of)
  • Blair, Harold (associate of)
  • O'Dare, Paula (associate of)
  • Campbell, Jean (associate of)
  • Hardingham, Dres (associate of)
  • Tucker, Margaret (associate of)
  • Pitt, Dulcie (associate of)
  • Onus, Christine (parent of)
  • Donnelly, Christine (grandparent of)
  • Aiyisha, (relative of)
  • Onus, Isobel (parent of)
  • Kenneth, (grandparent of)
  • Biralee, (grandparent of)
  • Tiriki, (grandparent of)
  • Onus, William Townsend (child of)
  • Onus, Maude Mary (child of)
  • Onus, Bella Elizabeth (spouse of)
  • McGuinness, Bruce (relative of)
  • Onus, Maude (sibling of)
  • McGuinness, John (relative of)
  • Dennis, (relative of)
  • Joe, (relative of)
  • Onus, James (relative of)
  • Cooper, William (associate of)
  • Onus, Lin (parent of)
  • Onus, Eric (sibling of)
  • Onus, Warren (relative of)
  • Onus, Mary (spouse of)
  • Patten, John (associate of)
  • Gibbs, Pearl (associate of)
  • Campbell, Jack (associate of)
  • Simms, Wesley (associate of)
  • Patten Snr, Jack (associate of)
  • Patten, Jack (associate of)
  • Ferguson, Bill (associate of)
  • Saunders, Reg (associate of)
  • Davey, Stan (associate of)
  • Mitchell, Irene (associate of)
  • Nicholls, Doug (associate of)
  • Blair, Harold (associate of)
  • O'Dare, Paula (associate of)
  • Campbell, Jean (associate of)
  • Hardingham, Dres (associate of)
  • Tucker, Margaret (associate of)
  • Pitt, Dulcie (associate of)
  • Onus, Christine (parent of)
  • Donnelly, Christine (grandparent of)
  • Aiyisha, (relative of)
  • Onus, Isobel (parent of)
  • Kenneth, (grandparent of)
  • Biralee, (grandparent of)
  • Tiriki, (grandparent of)
  • Onus, William Townsend (child of)
  • Onus, Maude Mary (child of)
  • Onus, Bella Elizabeth (spouse of)
  • McGuinness, Bruce (relative of)
  • Onus, Maude (sibling of)
  • McGuinness, John (relative of)
  • Dennis, (relative of)
  • Joe, (relative of)
  • Onus, James (relative of)
Related person groups
  • All Blacks Football Team (associate of)
  • Aborigines Progressive Association (APA) (associate of)
  • Committee for Aboriginal Citizen Rights (associate of)
  • Save Lake Tyers Committee (associate of)
  • Australian Aborigines' League (AAL) (associate of)
  • Victorian Aboriginal Welfare Board (associate of)
  • Victorian Aborigines Advancement League (associate of)
  • Aboriginal Enterprises (associate of)
  • Australian Broadcasting Commission (associate of)
  • Communist Party (associate of)
  • All Blacks Football Team (associate of)
  • Aborigines Progressive Association (APA) (associate of)
  • Committee for Aboriginal Citizen Rights (associate of)
  • Save Lake Tyers Committee (associate of)
  • Australian Aborigines' League (AAL) (associate of)
  • Victorian Aboriginal Welfare Board (associate of)
  • Victorian Aborigines Advancement League (associate of)
  • Aboriginal Enterprises (associate of)
  • Australian Broadcasting Commission (associate of)
  • Communist Party (associate of)
Related works
  • Boomerang by Bill Onus (creator of)
  • Boomerang decorated by Lin Onus (None)
  • untitled (creator of)
Related collections
  • South Australian Museum, Adelaide, SA (collected in)
  • Powerhouse Museum, Sydney, NSW (collected in)
  • Australian Museum, Sydney, NSW (collected in)
  • National Museum of Australia, Canberra, ACT (collected in)
  • South Australian Museum, Adelaide, SA (collected in)
  • Powerhouse Museum, Sydney, NSW (collected in)
  • Australian Museum, Sydney, NSW (collected in)
  • National Museum of Australia, Canberra, ACT (collected in)
Related events
  • Making a show of it: Indigenous entertainers and entrepreneurs in 1950s Melbourne (exhibited at)
  • Making a show of it: Indigenous entertainers and entrepreneurs in 1950s Melbourne (exhibited at)