William Light was a soldier, surveyor, linguist, reporter and competent artist. The son of Captain Francis Light and Martinha Rozells, William was born 27 April 1786 in Malaya. In 1812 as a junior staff officer at Wellington's Headquarters he was employed in mapping, reconnaissance and liaison duties. He travelled widely in Europe from 1827 to 1836 and was appointed Surveyor General of South Australia in 1836.

This mammoth task was handicapped by pressures of time, dissention, and inadequate and poorly equipped staff. In 1838 Light's trigonometrical survey was replaced by a quicker method. Light resigned and attempts to reinstate him failed. He became the principal partner in Light, Finniss & Co. Rapidly deteriorating health forced him to live as an invalid. He died of tuberculosis in 1839 and is buried in Light Square, Adelaide.

James & Luke G. Hansard & Sons

Light, William, 1786-1839

Allen J and V Sitters. 'Treasures of the Society: aspects of Light', Geonews vol. 7 no. 3, July-Aug 2000, p. 4-6

['Report on the survey of Adelaide'] South Australian Record vol. 1 no. 3 (27 November) 1837, p. 23-24. John Morphett's report to the Colonial Commissioners.

'Col. Light and Mr. Kingston' South Australian Gazette and Colonial Register 16 June 1838, p. 2, cols. c-d. Reflections on GS Kingston's ability as a surveyor.

Kingston, George Strickland 'The site of the City of Adelaide' South Australian Register 21 May 1877, p. 6, cols. e-f. Kingston details his participation in the selection of the site of Adelaide.

Light, William William Light's brief journal and Australian diaries with an introduction and notes by David Elder. Adelaide: Wakefield Press, 1984

Mayo, MP The life and letters of Col. William Light Adelaide: FW Preece & Sons, 1937

Johnson, Donald Leslie and Donald Langmead The Adelaide City Plan: fiction and fact Adelaide: Wakefield Press, 1986

Dutton, Geoffrey and David Elder Colonel William Light: founder of a city Carlton, Vic.: Melbourne University Press, 1991

Johnson, Donald Leslie 'The Kingston/Light plan of Adelaide and founding the city' Journal of the Historical Society of South Australia no. 32, 2004, p. 5-18

State Library of South Australia, Treasures Wall Light, William

Colonel William Light

Adelaide City Council Archives: Civic Collection: Colonel William Light's artefacts

Dictionary of Australian Biographysee: Light, William

Holdfast Bay database South Australia: Colonel William Light

National Portrait Gallery [London] see: George Jones' portrait of William Light.

Bowe, Chris 'A history of the Kingston plan of Adelaide'Adelaide review July 2004

Bowe, Chris 'The Light myth' Adelaide review July 2004

State Library of South Australia, Treasures Wall Light, William

State Library of South Australia, Treasures Wall William Light Collection