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on the Western Australian Goldfields

Coolgardie > Mayors of Coolgardie


Mayors of Coolgardie

Western Australia

James SHAW 1894-1895

Cr McDONALD 1895-1897

A G JENKINS 1897-1898

J T GLOWERY 1898-1899

C SOMERS 1899-1903

A P WYMOND 1903-04

C McDOWELL 1904-05

W. G. AITKEN 1905-06

B W McCORMICK 1906-08

A MERCER 1908-10

J MONOGHAN 1910 - JULY 1912

W FAAHAN JULY 1912-1913

D McPHERSON 1913-15

E J HANLEY 1915-16

W TINDALL 1916-17

W P M STROTHER 1917-19

William M FAAHAN 1919-21 LAST MAYOR

From 1921 the Municipality became the Coolgardie Road Board eventually changing to Shire of Coolgardie in the 1960’s

James Shaw

First Mayor of Coolgardie

James Shaw was born 6th May 1846 in Belfast Co Down Ireland and died 15 Sept 1910 London

His father Hugh Shaw was an Engineer and James married 1875 in Victoria to Margaret nee SHAW In 1864, age 18 James Shaw sailed to Auckland New Zealand, started contracting business which was most successful, he also won a service medal for fighting in the Maori Wars.

He arrived in South Australia from New Zealand in 1871, left South Australia for Victoria in 1875 for a short period of time then returned to Adelaide where he was the Mayor of Adelaide in 1889, then arrived in Coolgardie Western Australia on 22 March 1894 His occupation in South Australia was Builder & Contractor and was the Builder of the South Australian Houses of Parliament and many other handsome buildings in Adelaide which includes 'Marble Hill' the Governors's summer residence near Ashton in teh Adelaide Hills.

He was a Councillor of the City of Adelaide Council for 13 years, then an Alderman and in 1889 Mayor of Adelaide. When James Shaw arrived in Coolgardie he was a Director of Cosgroves.

James SHAW was a quiet unostentatious person who was highly respected in Coolgardie: Mining Warden John Michael Finnerty and James Shaw were close friends. He was a Freemason of the 18th degree of the Rose Croix Lodge. He was one of the owners of the Londonderry Gold Mine which floated for 700,000 pounds. His share was register 4 Aug 1894 - he had 40 shares valued at 190 pounds per share. After Lord Fingalls visit to the Londonderry Gold Mine which was known as The Golden Hole, Shaw organised the shaft to be surrounded by a 6ft corrugated iron fence and also an iron & timber house to be built at the mine.

James Shaw was elected as the first Mayor of Coolgardie in August 1894

On 8 Nov 1894 as Mayor laid the foundation stone for the first two storey building in Coolgardie which was to include shops & offices and to cost 7000 pounds.

On 12 Nov 1894 as Mayor he opened the Coolgardie State School which was a large tent with Mr Crabbe as schoolmaster.

Son Hugh Hamilton Shaw was born in Kyneton Victoria 1875, he died 23 Dec 1894 in Coolgardie age 18 from Typhoid Fever and is buried in the Coolgardie Cemetery Wesleyan Section Grave A 53 - There is a photograph of James SHAW standing at his sons grave.
As he had been ill since the death of his son James Shaw tendered his resignation as Mayor of Coolgardie but the Coolgardie Council will not accept his resignation instead preferring to grant him leave of absence for a period of time.

April 1895 James Shaw Mayor of Coolgardie was present at the opening by Mrs Finnerty of the Great Boulder Battery.

May 1895 Mayor Shaw called a public meeting in Coolgardie to consider what action should be taken to hasten the construction of the railway. Resolutions were passed at the crowded meeting that the WA Government be urged to speedily complete the railway to Coolgardie and to reduce the cost of freighting goods from Fremantle to the Goldfields.

In Nov 1895 the Mayor was injured while fighting a fire but not too seriously.

James Shaw retired as Mayor and gives a banquet on 15 Nov 1895 for all Councillors and leading citizens of Coolgardie- 21 Jul 1897 James Shaw returned to Coolgardie for a visit after many months absence.


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