Obituaries Australia

James Wilkinson, by Swiss Studios, 190?

National Library of Australia, 23515840

Alderman James Wilkinson was seized with a paralytic stroke early yesterday morning (as reported in "The Daily Standard" yesterday), and passed away at a quarter past 1 in the afternoon. Immediately after the seizure he lapsed into unconsciousness, from which he never rallied. The remains will be interred in the Ipswich Cemetery this afternoon, the funeral procession moving from Martin-street, Ipswich, at 4 o'clock.

The late James Wilkinson had just passed his 60th year, having been born in Ipswich on November 30, 1854. He led a very active life, giving much of his time to Labor politics and trade unionism. In 1879 he joined the locomotive branch of the Railway Department, and in the early eighties was very prominent in the organisation of the Drivers and Firemens' Association. He held the position of secretary for a number of years, and during this time persistently advocated the formation of the whole of the employees of the Queensland railways into one union. As the result of a conference it was decided to form the Queensland Railway Employees' Association, and so large did the membership grow that it became imperative to employ a permanent general secretary.

On October 1, 1889, Mr Wilkinson left the Railway Department to take up the general secretaryship of the union. The membership of the association at this time stood between 2000 and 3000. With the formation of the Q.R.E.A. the Queensland "Railway Times" was established, and it is claimed for this journal that it "was really the first Labor paper, published in Queensland, the "Worker" not seeing the light till 1890. It is worthy of note that the oldest son of the late Mr. Wilkinson (Mr. Luke W. Wilkinson) was the first boy employed by the "Worker" and he saw the first issue published.

In 1890-91 Railway Commissioners Mathieson and Gray endeavored to introduce compulsory insurance in the Railway Department. Although Mr. Wilkinson was confined to his bed for 10 months through a severe illness he fought the scheme with his pen, and eventually defeated it. Seeing the great power of the organisation at that time the famous order was issued whereby stationmasters and others in charge of men were informed that they must withdraw from the association. The result was that the membership of the association decreased considerably, and could no longer support a general secretary. Mr. Wilkinson thereupon took over the "Railway Times" and conducted it right up to the day of his death. Mr. Wilkinson was one of the first in the Ipswich district to assist in the formation of the Workers' Political Organisations. He sat at the first Labor conference, and there assisted in framing Queensland's first Labor platform. It was upon this platform that the 1893 elections were fought. In 1893 he contested the Ipswich seat. The seat carried two members at that time, and the results were: A. H. Barlow (the present Minister), who polled 960 votes; John McFarlane, 745; J. Wilkinson; 712; and J. Farrelly; 522. Thus, on that occasion Mr. Wilkinson was defeated by 33 votes. In 1894 Mr. John McFarlane died, and at the by-election Mr. Wilkinson defeated the late Mr. A. Stephenson by 189 votes, thereby becoming the first Ipswich native to represent Ipswich in the State Parliament.

In 1896 Mr. Barlow retired and Messrs. T. B. Cribb and A. J. Stephenson defeated Messrs. J. Wilkinson and W. H. Summerville.

During the next few years federation was the all-absorbing topic, and Mr. Wilkinson wrote and spoke much in favor of it. He was an ardent federalist, and was much sought after at the time as a public speaker. When the first Federal elections were held he contested the Moreton seat as a follower of Mr. Alfred Deakin, and won the seat. Before the close of the Parliament, however, he became dissatisfied with Mr. Deakin's conduct of affairs, and joined the Labor party. At the 1903 elections he contested the Moreton as a Labor candidate, and won it comfortably. Owing to a redistribution of seats in 1906 the Moreton electorate was considerably altered, many Labor centres being cut out, and some conservative strongholds included. As a consequence the Moreton became strongly anti-Labor, and Mr. Wilkinson was defeated by Mr. H. Sinclair in 1906.

In 1914 Mr. Wilkinson was elected an alderman of the Ipswich City Council, and it was practically settled that the Mayoralty for 1915 was to be offered to him.

On November 5, 1874, Mr. Wilkinson married Louisa, daughter of Mr. Luke Smith, of Hurrisville, who survives him. Five sons and three daughters were born to them, of whom three sons and two daughters are now living.