Born on 29 September 1869 at Inverness, Scotland, the son of Francis William Wisdom and Mary, née Cameron. He attended his education at Inverness and Edinburgh. After his education he served in a militia infantry battalion and was later transferred to the Midlothian Coast Artillery.[1]
He emigrated to Australia in 1891 to seek his fortune and settled in Western Australia, where he began as a prospector to Southern Cross at Yilgarn. In 1892, with the discovery of gold at Coolgardie, he went prospecting and found success.[1] With the money made from his prospecting, he opened a store at Coolgardie. He later joined the gold rush at Kalgoorlie and again had success. He acquired extensive mining interests and set up the Exchange Hotel at Kalgoorlie.
Travelling back to Scotland in 1894, he married Agnes Bell Jackson on 16 April 1895 at Edinburgh. Together they emigrated to Western Australia and bought a house at Claremont, Perth. Retaining his business interests in the goldfields, he became active in the Citizens Military Force upon creation and was appointed lieutenant in the Western Australian Mounted Infantry, with the command of the Cannington troop. Promoted to captain in 1903 and in 1904, he was posted to militia headquarters in Perth. He later became the brigade major of the Western Australian Infantry Brigade in 1908. Fostering a desire to enter politics, he became the mayor of Cottesloe between 1908 and 1913 and later went on to be the Liberal member for Claremont in the Legislative Assembly in 1911–17.[1]
Travelling back to Australia in December 1919, he was appointed to the chairmanship of the Central War Gratuities Board in May 1920. He was successful in applying for the post of administrator of the Mandated Territory of New Guinea at Rabaul and served this role from 21 March 1921 until 13 June 1933. As administrator of New Guinea, Wisdom protected a system of indentured labor that allowed planters, traders and mining companies to extract the resources of New Guinea.[6]
His wife took ill during his appointment and they travelled to Sydney, where she died in November 1931.[1]
He went on to resuming his business interests in Western Australia, while living in Melbourne. He died without issue on 7 December 1945 at St. Andrews Hospital in Melbourne and was cremated.[1][7]
