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Members’ biographical register

James Cornell

House

MLC

Party

Labor until 1917 then National Secretary Eastern Goldfields Australian Labor Federation (ALF) 1908–1912 By 1916 acting secretary Metropolitan Council ALF State Executive Perth and secretary Metropolitan Council Australia Labor Division Perth National 1916

Date first elected

22 May 1912

Year Retired/Resigned

1946

Electorate(s)

South

Inaugural Speech

Cornell, James, Inaugural Speech.pdf

Parliamentary Service

Service

Electorates

MLC South Province, 22 May 1912–25 November 1946

Office

President of the Legislative Council, 25 July 1946–25 November 1946
Chairman of Committees, 2 September 1926–25 July 1946

Historical Notes

Father of the House October–November 1946

Private Member's Bills

Personal Information

Birth date

23 December 1874

Place of birth

Merrijig near Mansfield, Victoria, Australia

Death date

25 November 1946

Cause of death

Place of death

Claremont, Western Australia

Cemetery

Karrakatta Cemetery, WA

Arrived in WA

1897 to WA

Parents

Son of Henry, farmer, and Barbara Jane Brown

Marriage and Family

Married (1) 14 July 1909, St Matthews Church, Boulder, to Mary Ann Beatrice Daws (born circa 1890), daughter of Samuel and Mary Ann Buckland
Children: one son, George Meredith Cornell, accountant and politician
Widowed 22 June 1939
Married (2) 18 May 1940, St Andrews Church, Perth (Presbyterian), to Florence Evelyn nee Bruce (born circa 1891 and died circa 30 August 1965), hospital matron, daughter of Charles Robert and Elizabeth Jane Tusted
No children

Religion

Church of England

Education

Occupation

Miner

Employment History

Station hand on Ashburton, 1897–1900
Worked in Great Boulder Mine, 1900–1907
Amalgamator, 1909
Builders’ labourer, 1910
Enlisted at Kalgoorlie, 1st Australian Imperial Force 17 March 1917, served in France in Tunnelling Co and on staff of the Australian General Base Depot
Promoted Sergeant 25 January 1918
Discharged 28 October 1918

Local Government

Principal Honours

Background/Membership

Joined Shearers’ Union (Wagga Wagga branch), 1890
Trustee, Goldfields Trades and Labor Council, 1904
Secretary, Goldfields Iron and Sheet Metal Workers’ Union
Keen aviarist

References

D Black and G Bolton, eds, Biographical Register of Members of the Parliament of Western Australia: volume one 1870-1930, Parliamentary History Project, Perth, WA, 2001, p. 53. Metropolitan Cemeteries Board website. Accessed 28 June 2022. https://portal.mcb.wa.gov.au/name-search/ns-detail/?id=d153c31f-fa1c-ec11-b6e7-00224814c4b9

Bibliography

Further Information

Battye I, p. 321.
Erickson, Rica. Dictionary of Western Australians 1829-1914, Vol 5, The Golden Years 1889-1914.
West Australian, 16 May 1912, 26 November 1912.