James Fletcher (Australian politician)
Encyclopedia
James Fletcher was an Australia
n coalminer and owner, newspaper proprietor and politician.
Fletcher was born in Dalkeith
, East Lothian
, Scotland
and migrated to Australia in February 1851, first working in the goldfields and later in the Newcastle
area as a coalminer. He married Isabella Birrell in 1854. In 1860 he was elected chairman of the new Hunter River Miners' Association, which soon became involved in New South Wales
's first serious industrial action, when the mineowners tried unsuccessfully to reduce payments to miners by twenty percent. The union then attempted to establish a mining cooperative, New South Wales Co-operative Coal Co, under Fletcher's leadership, but it failed. He then managed a mine at Minmi
, but returned to manage the cooperative—which had been revived—until 1880. He also managed the Wickham and Bullock Island Coal Co. and was part-owner of Ferndale Colliery. He was mayor of Wallsend
in 1874 and 1875 and nearby Plattsburg in 1876. In 1876-89 he owned the Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate
.
Fletcher was elected as a Protectionist Party
member for Newcastle
in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
from 1880 until his death. He became Secretary for Mines in February 1886 in Patrick Jennings government, but resigned in December. He was Secretary for Public Works from January to March 1886 in George Dibbs
's second government.
Fletcher died from heart disease
and apoplexy
in Melbourne
, survived by his wife and by six sons and three daughters.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n coalminer and owner, newspaper proprietor and politician.
Fletcher was born in Dalkeith
Dalkeith
Dalkeith is a town in Midlothian, Scotland, lying on the River North Esk. It was granted a burgh of barony in 1401 and a burgh of regality in 1540...
, East Lothian
East Lothian
East Lothian is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland, and a lieutenancy Area. It borders the City of Edinburgh, Scottish Borders and Midlothian. Its administrative centre is Haddington, although its largest town is Musselburgh....
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
and migrated to Australia in February 1851, first working in the goldfields and later in the Newcastle
Newcastle, New South Wales
The Newcastle metropolitan area is the second most populated area in the Australian state of New South Wales and includes most of the Newcastle and Lake Macquarie Local Government Areas...
area as a coalminer. He married Isabella Birrell in 1854. In 1860 he was elected chairman of the new Hunter River Miners' Association, which soon became involved in New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
's first serious industrial action, when the mineowners tried unsuccessfully to reduce payments to miners by twenty percent. The union then attempted to establish a mining cooperative, New South Wales Co-operative Coal Co, under Fletcher's leadership, but it failed. He then managed a mine at Minmi
Minmi, New South Wales
Minmi is an outer western suburb of Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia, located from Newcastle's central business district. It is part of the City of Newcastle local government area....
, but returned to manage the cooperative—which had been revived—until 1880. He also managed the Wickham and Bullock Island Coal Co. and was part-owner of Ferndale Colliery. He was mayor of Wallsend
Wallsend, New South Wales
Wallsend is a western suburb of Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia, located from Newcastle's central business district. It is part of the City of Newcastle local government area.- Origins :...
in 1874 and 1875 and nearby Plattsburg in 1876. In 1876-89 he owned the Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate
The Newcastle Herald
The Newcastle Herald is a local tabloid newspaper published daily, Monday to Saturday, in Newcastle, New South Wales, the largest non-capital city in Australia. It is the only local newspaper that serves the entire Hunter and Central Coast regions six days a week...
.
Fletcher was elected as a Protectionist Party
Protectionist Party
The Protectionist Party was an Australian political party, formally organised from 1889 until 1909, with policies centred on protectionism. It argued that Australia needed protective tariffs to allow Australian industry to grow and provide employment. It had its greatest strength in Victoria and in...
member for Newcastle
Electoral district of Newcastle
Newcastle is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales named after and including Newcastle. It is represented by Tim Owen of the Liberal Party of Australia.-History:...
in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
New South Wales Legislative Assembly
The Legislative Assembly, or lower house, is one of the two chambers of the Parliament of New South Wales, an Australian state. The other chamber is the Legislative Council. Both the Assembly and Council sit at Parliament House in the state capital, Sydney...
from 1880 until his death. He became Secretary for Mines in February 1886 in Patrick Jennings government, but resigned in December. He was Secretary for Public Works from January to March 1886 in George Dibbs
George Dibbs
Sir George Richard Dibbs KCMG was an Australian politician who was Premier of New South Wales on three occasions.-Early years:Dibbs was born in Sydney, son of Captain John Dibbs, who disappeared in the same year...
's second government.
Fletcher died from heart disease
Heart disease
Heart disease, cardiac disease or cardiopathy is an umbrella term for a variety of diseases affecting the heart. , it is the leading cause of death in the United States, England, Canada and Wales, accounting for 25.4% of the total deaths in the United States.-Types:-Coronary heart disease:Coronary...
and apoplexy
Apoplexy
Apoplexy is a medical term, which can be used to describe 'bleeding' in a stroke . Without further specification, it is rather outdated in use. Today it is used only for specific conditions, such as pituitary apoplexy and ovarian apoplexy. In common speech, it is used non-medically to mean a state...
in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, survived by his wife and by six sons and three daughters.