Obituaries Australia

Mr. James Yard Wardley, one of the pioneers of the trades union movement, who was in his 111th year, died yesterday morning at the residence of his married daughter, 7 Albert-place, South Melbourne. The battle of Waterloo was still vividly fresh in the minds of the warring nations when, on 21st October, 1815, James Wardley and a twin brother were born at Exeter, England. Whilst still a young married man, Mr. Wardley in 1852 came to Australia in the ship Agincourt, landing in Adelaide, and afterwards coming to Victoria, where since the late fifties he had taken a leading part in the fortunes of the Operative Bakers' Society. For many years he was president of the union, and represented it on the Trades Hall Council and the Victorian A.L.P conference. Together with the present secretary (Mr. G. Large) he also represented the union on the wages board for the occupation. Probably one of the secrets of Mr. Wardley's longevity was that he was of a very equable temperament. Mr. Large said yesterday that although Mr. Wardley had presided at meetings of the union when the proceedings were extremely animated, he was never ruffled, and never lost his temper. Evidence of Mr. Wardley's extraordinary virility is afforded by the fact that he reared a family of 21 children, of whom 17 still survive. As all, with one exception, were married, Mr. Wardley must have had some difficulty in remembering the birthdays of his numerous offspring, to say nothing of his descendants. He maintained the full possession of his faculties up to within a few hours of his death. In recent years Mr. Wardley had been a prominent figure in the Eight Hours procession.

The deceased had lived at No. 7 Albert-place, South Melbourne, for over 53 years. Soon after his arrival in Melbourne he tried his fortune on different gold diggings, but was not lucky in those ventures. When he settled down to his trade in Melbourne he became a leading union man and he ever afterwards remained one.

The funeral will leave his residence tomorrow. at 2 p.m., for the Boroondara Cemetery, Kew.