[1] His parents, Thomas Plummer Addison and Eliza, arrived in South Australia aboard the Pestonjee Bomanjee, during October 1838.

[4] He was educated at St Peter's College, and on leaving found employment with Younghusband and Cadell's River Murray Navigation Company.

He owned a number of thoroughbred horses, one in particular, Vistula, which won the ARC Grand National Hurdles in 1891 and the Great Eastern Steeplechase at Oakbank in 1892.

A son, Walter Colman Addison (died 18 July 1951), was a champion target rifle shooter, winning the King's Prize at Bisley in 1907.

[8] He married Meta Louise Nixon, née Pelzer, (his second wife, died 8 January 1934)[9] on 1 March 1904[10] after considerable publicity, she having been the subject of attempted murder by her first husband.