Background
Blacker was born at Radstock, Somerset in the United Kingdom, and migrated to South Australia with his family in 1855.
Blacker was born at Radstock, Somerset in the United Kingdom, and migrated to South Australia with his family in 1855.
His family settled at Yankalilla, where he was educated.
He was colloquially known as "Old Bill Blacker". He farmed at Yankalilla for 16 years, and in 1871 took up his own farm at Willunga, which he held for the rest of his life. He also operated an auctioneering business for around thirty years, which he later sold to Bagot, Shakes & Lewis.
He was also active in local government, serving variously as councillor, auditor and clerk of the District Council of Willunga.
He was elected to the House of Assembly in an 1892 by-election, and was re-elected in that seat three times, topping the poll on each occasion. In parliament, he was a leading advocate of the construction of the Willunga railway line.
He died in office while visiting McLaren Flat in 1913, having been in poor health for some time. He was buried in the Willunga Anglican Cemetery.
Upon his death, The Chronicle stated of Blacker that there were "few centres in the country in which Mr.
Blacker was not well known and popular". The newspaper described Blacker as having "a ragged speaking style, and made no attempt at rhetoric, but he had a spontaneous eloquence which always ensured a hearing, and his utterances in the House were greatly enjoyed".
In public life, he was a member of the volunteer force at Yankalilla until its disbandment, was secretary of the local agricultural and horticultural society for more than twenty years, was a justice of the piece for thirty years, secretary to the agricultural bureau for six years, and was chairman of the Willunga School Board of Advice for eleven years. He was described as a "staunch liberal" and a member of the country grouping of members with Richard Butler and Archibald Peake.
