Obituaries Australia

Mr. Charles Edmund James, of Goulburn-street, Abermain, who died recently at the age of 76, started work in a coalmine in South Wales on April 1, 1878, when he was 10 years of age. He left for Australia in 1883 in the sailing vessel Ravenscraig, arriving in Queensland nearly 3½ months later. He worked on the new line 250 miles from Rockhampton, and later followed mining in Queensland. After a brief stay in Greta he returned to Queensland, and from there went to Victoria in 1897. He resigned the position of treasurer of the Victorian Coalminers' Association in May, 1904, to take up a position at Abermain No. 1, and he was a member of that lodge for 40 years.

Mr. James was in retirement from 1932 to 1941 when he returned to light work at Greta Extended colliery, retiring again a few months ago. He was Secretary of Abermain No. 1 miners' lodge from 1913 to 1918, Secretary of Abermain School of Arts Building Committee, a foundational member of Abermain A.L.P. branch, and took a keen interest in patriotic and progress bodies. He acted as returning officer for his area for 30 years.

The late Mr. James, who was buried in the Baptist portion of Kurri Kurri cemetery, left six daughters and one son, 32 grandchildren and 10 great grandchildren.