Born on 17 January 1809 in London, England, the son of the Rev. William West and his wife Ann, nee Ball. Entered the ministry in 1829 at Thetford, Norfolk. Home missionary at Great Wakering, Essex to 1834. Later at Southam (1834) and Coleshill (1834-38), Warwickshire. He married in England, Narcissa Sarah Lee, daughter of Thomas (Lee?) and his wife Mary. Arrived at Hobart, Van Diemen's Land, in 1838 per "Emu" as a Colonial Missionary Society missionary. Appointed to St. John's Square Chapel, Launceston c1842. Arrived at Melbourne on 19 January 1851 per "Shamrock" from Launceston to campaign against the transportation of convicts. Founder of the anti-transportation "Australasian League" which used a flag very similar to the Australian flag. Published "The History of Tasmania" in 1852. Editor of the "Sydney Morning Herald" newspaper from November 1854 to 1873. One of the founders of the Camden College which trained young men for evangelical work. Died on 11 December 1873 at his residence, 'Westbourne', Point Piper Road, Woollahra, Sydney, New South Wales, and was buried on 13 December 1873 at the Necropolis, Sydney, N.S.W.

[death certificate; Dr. Williams's Library; Australian Dictionary of Biography (Vol. 2); Serle Dictionary of Australian Biography; Sutherland Victoria and Its Metropolis (Vol. 1); Souter Company of Heralds]

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