Born 21 April 1889 in Norwood, South Australia [55]
Son of builder Duncan Henry BRAIDWOOD and Isabella Catherine MAYNE [P488]
He completed a six year engineering apprenticeship with Perth Trams [30: item 3111601]
As a volunteer he served in the Citizen Military Forces for eight years [30: item 3111601]
Resided in Perth, Western Australia in 1912 and 1913, during which time he was the owner of 449 acres of farmland in Carnamah [44]
From 1910 to 1913 his mother was the owner of a further 2,278 acres of land in Carnamah [44]
During one year both he and his mother were jointly listed as the owners of their collective 2,727 acres [44]
The 2,727 acres was Conditional Purchase leases 4845/56, 17284/55, 17285/55, 17286/55, 17287/55, 17288/55 & 4226/68 [44]
Their collective land was declared abandoned in September 1912 due to arrears on rates to the Upper Irwin Road Board [44]
By the end of the 1912-13 financial year most of their former Carnamah land had been taken up by Mrs Florence NEWMAN [44]
Farmer of Sunnyside Farm at Stoney Crossing in East Brookton in 1913 and 1914 [30: item 3111601] [80: 28-Oct-1925] [392]
He farmed in partnership with his future brother-in-law John Hamilton MARTIN as "Braidwood & Martin" [391: 13-Jun-1914]
Together they had the registered horse and cattle firebrand of JA6 for use on Sunnyside Farm [80: 28-Oct-1925]
They were both members of the Stoney Crossing Cricket Club in 1913 [392: 7-Apr-1913]
He was admitted as a member of the Stoney Crossing Farmers & Settlers' Association on 31 May 1913 [392: 9-Jun-1913]
Member of the Stoney Crossing Tennis Club - was Vice President in 1914 [392: 3-Sep-1914]
Enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (A.I.F.) on 29 August 1914 [30: item 3111601]
He was 5 feet 10½ inches tall with brown eyes, dark hair, a dark complexion and two gunshot wounds to his upper right arm [30]
After training was completed he was issued with a equipment, uniforms, rifles and a horse to be cared for until embarkation [P488]
He returned to Brookton after his training was completed and then rode his horse with his equipment all the way to Fremantle [P488]
Embarked from Fremantle, Western Australia for active service abroad on the Transport A7 Medic on 2 November 1914 [18]
Sergeant 1773 in the 8th Battery of the Field Artillery Brigade on the Gallipoli Peninsula in Turkey during the First World War [30]
He wrote a note on his wallet that in the event of his death could it and its contents please be sent to Miss Ethel GEDDES [P488]
Ethel's address, also written on the wallet, was Fitzroy Street, Victoria Park in Perth, Western Australia [P488]
He was wounded in the left buttock at Gallipoli on 13 May 1915 and following treatment in Egypt was returned to Australia [30]
Received a mention in despatches "for acts of conspicuous gallantry or value service" at Gallipoli during May 1915 [30]
Discharged from the A.I.F. in Perth on 26 July 1916; received the 1914/15 Star, British War Medal and the Victory Medal [30]
He was also awarded the Military Medal for "bravery in the field" [30]
His name appears on the Stoney Crossing Roll of Honour [P488], which was designed and made by his father [392: 19-Jul-1917]
Re-enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (A.I.F.) in Belmont on 1 August 1916 [30: item 3111601]
He was considered unfit for active service but was appointed to and served with Headquarters Staff in Perth [30]
In 1917 he was living at the Goldfields Club Hotel on Pier Street in Perth [30]
He handed back his uniform and was discharged from the A.I.F. at his own request on 30 September 1917 [30]
Married Ethel GEDDES on 20 June 1918 at the Anglican Church in the Perth suburb of Victoria Park [81: 14-Jul-1918]
During the war he'd carried a photo of Ethel's missing brother, hoping he'd be found alive, but sadly he never returned home [P488]
Resided at 47 Berwick Street in the Perth suburb of Victoria Park in 1919 and 1920 [30: item 3111601]
Later briefly resided in North Perth before shifting to Moora [120: 28-Oct-1920]
Farmer of Ucarno Downs Farm in Moora 1920-1922 [50] [120: 28-Oct-1920]
He farmed the property in Moora in partnership with Clarence W. PRIOR as "Braidwood & Prior" [80: 28-Oct-1925]
They had the registered horse and cattle of firebrand of U6D [80: 28-Oct-1925]
In June 1921 they advertised that they were wanting to let a contract for ploughing in Moora [10: 3-Jun-1921]
He wrote a letter to The Moora Herald in 1922 criticising remarks that farmers were apathetic to the district's welfare [10]
In his letter he pointed out that those in town worked 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. while many farmers worked 14 to 16 hours [10: 16-Jun-1922]
Along with two others they received permission in 1923 to erect a telephone line off the Berkshire Valley Road [9: 19-Oct-1923]
In 1925 he was working as a Carpenter and living with his wife and daughters at 5 Edward Street in the Perth suburb of Nedlands [50]
Putting to good use skills learnt from his father, he eventually became a builder and worked all over Western Australia [P488]
He built himself a house at 88 Tyrell Street in the Perth suburb of Nedlands, which he lived in until 1955 [P488]
Among many others, built town halls in Quairading, Narembeen and Pingelly; and a shop and house for his sister in Corrigin [P488]
His wife, late of Nedlands passed away from a blood clot at the age of 41 in 1934 and was buried at the Karrakatta Cemetery [P488]
Following the death of his wife he raised their three daughters on his own [P488]
His elder daughter looked after the younger two when he was away as "if you didn't travel you would miss out on the work" [P488]
From 1953 to 1955 built a house for his daughter Ida and son-in-law at 7 Hesford Avenue in Perth suburb of Mount Pleasant [P488]
He spent about equal time living with each of his daughters from 1955 - Ida in Perth and Mignon and Joy in Sydney [P488]
He'd move between each side of the country by driving his Wolseley Sedan car from Perth across to Sydney [P488]
He was a Life Member of the East Perth Rifle Club [P488]
Died 25 July 1963; buried at the Karrakatta Cemetery in Perth, Western Australia (Anglican, XC, 345) [2]
Reference: Carnamah Historical Society & Museum and North Midlands Project, 'James Roy Braidwood' in Biographical Dictionary of Coorow, Carnamah and Three Springs, retrieved 15 November 2024 from www.carnamah.com.au/bio/james-roy-braidwood [reference list] |
Use the below form or email history@carnamah.com.au |