Search Result
183679
Surname: Fletcher
First Name: James
Ship: 1851
Date: 1834 - 1891
Place: Newcastle
Source: Biographical Register of the New South Wales Parliament 1856-1901 C.N. Connolly (Online)
Details: James Fletcher - Mine manager, mine owner and newspaper proprietor. Born August 1834 Dalkeith, E. Lothian, Scotland, son of William and Ann, nee Crawford. Arr. Aust. Feb. 1851. Married in 1854 at Wallsend, Isabella, daughter of James Birrell. Died 19 March 1891 Melb., Vic. Worked in coal mines as boy. Went to gold diggings on arrival. Settled at Newcastle, working in Burwood and Borehole Collieries. Chairman new Hunter R Miners Assn 1860; Chairman NSW Co-op. Coal Co., established by union 1861, when it failed, managed Minmi Collieries for J. & A. Brown. Managed revived Co-op. mine until 1880 Managing director Wickham and Bullock Island Coal Co. Part owner Ferndale Colliery. Proprietor Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners Advocate 1876-89. In financial difficulties in last years. Responsible for Aust. Agric. Co.s sick and accident fund; helped found Coal Masters Assn. Freemason. Master St James Lodge, Plattsburg. Member Lodge Harmony, Newcastle. Frequently acted as mediator between colliery owners and miners. Leading force behind owners adoption of the vend. Estate valued at £858. Mayor, Wallsend 1874-75, Plattsburg 1876. MLA for Newcastle 22 Nov. 1880-19 March 1891. Sec. for Mines 26 Feb.-23 Dec. 1886. Sec. for Public Works 17 Jan.- 7 March 1889.