Joseph James POYNTON
Born 1870 in Illabrook, Victoria, Australia [4: 20-Aug-1938] [15]
Son of Alexander POYNTON and Rosanna MCFADDEN [15]
Worked as a Railway Clerk in Victoria and rose through the ranks to become Logistical Manager of the Trans Australia Railway [P226]
He began working in the clerical division of the Victorian Railways at the age of 16 years in 1886 [30: item 5325]
In 1909 he was Chief Assistant to the Superintendent of Goods Train Services in Victoria, a position he had held for 5½ years [30]
Later worked as head of the transportation and stores branches of the Kalgoorlie-Port Augusta railway line in Western Australia [10]
In 1920 he was appointed General Manager of the Midland Railway Company in Western Australia [P226] [5: 16-Sep-1932] [10: 12-Nov-1920]
General Manager 1920-1938 and Attorney 1926-1938 of the Midland Railway Company in Western Australia [4: 20-Aug-1938]
Accompanied the Commissioner for Railways on a tour of the Midland Railway line by rail in September 1921 [10: 30-Sep-1921]
On Monday 23 October 1922 accompanied Government officials on a tour of inspection of the Midland Railway line [10: 27-Oct-1922]
Married (1) Minnie TEATHER [P226]
He and his wife Minnie adopted his orphaned nephews Irwin Hartley STOKES and Joseph Clement Hartley STOKES [P226]
Irwin and Joseph were sons of his late sister Mrs Laura G. STOKES and on adoption their surname changed to POYNTON [P226]
He inspected the Carnamah district during February 1926 and was "agreeably surprised at the progress made" [9: 12-Feb-1926]
"J. J. Poynton & Company took up a property of about 20,000 acres near the Bellaranga Hills in Arrino around 1928 [120: 27-Dec-1928]
In late 1928 it was reported that his company's property in Arrino was being extensively developed [120: 27-Dec-1928]
416 acres of heavy Salmon Gum and York Gum scrub was cut down on his property in Arrino towards the end of 1932 [5: 17-Feb-1933]
The felled scrub was burnt on Saturday 4 February 1933 and contractors began preparing the land for ploughing [5: 17-Feb-1933]
The land clearing on his property was the only clearing done in all of Arrino during the year 1932 [5: 17-Feb-1933]
5,000 acres of wheat crop was planted on his Arrino property Bellaranga in 1933 [5: 17-Mar-1933]
2,500 acres of the farm was planted by share-cropper C. RYAN using two crude oil tractors and big implements [5: 17-Mar-1933]
C. RYAN began seeding his 2,500 acres in April 1933 and was the first to begin seeding in Arrino for the 1933 season [5: 17-Mar-1933]
Patron of the Mingenew Football Club in 1930 [39: 3-Apr-1930]
Officially Opened the first Coorow-Waddy Agricultural Show on Thursday 8 September 1932 at Maley Park, Coorow [5: 16-Sep-1932]
Patron in 1933 and Vice Patron in 1935-1937 of the Carnamah District Agricultural Society [5: 26-Apr-1935, 22-Nov-1935, 22-Jan-1937] [13]
Vice Patron of the Coorow-Waddy Forest Districts Agricultural Society in 1933[5: 23-Dec-1932]
Poynton Parade running along the east side of the railway line in the Coorow townsite is believed to have been named after him [--]
He was the Mayor of the Municipality of Midland Junction 1930-1933 and the Lord Mayor of Perth 1934-1937 [4: 20-Aug-1938]
The Carnamah District Road Board sent him a congratulatory telegram following his election as Lord Mayor of Perth [5: 21-Dec-1934]
In December 1934 the Three Springs Road Board sent him a congratulatory letter on his election as Lord Mayor [5: 14-Dec-1934]
Lord Mayor of Perth until resigning in September 1937 [4: 20-Aug-1938]
A meeting was convened by John BOWMAN in Carnamah on Monday 8 April 1935 to discuss the issue of bulk wheat handling [5]
Those at the meeting voted to send a deputation to him to push for bulk wheat handling on the Midland Railway line [5: 12-Apr-1935]
It was believed his response would be a favourable one because of "His absolute fairness in all decisions and the sympathetic [5]
manner in which he has always received deputations and requests from farmers and business people on the Midland line and [5]
his ever ready desire to do anything which would be for the benefit of the people served by the Midland Railway." [5: 12-Apr-1935]
The North Midland Districts Bulk Handing Deputation waited on him on Friday 16 August 1935 [5: 16-Aug-1935]
During his tour of the Midlands he was entertained at a dinner in Carnamah on Saturday 13 July 1935 [5: 19-Jul-1935]
The dinner was attended by members of the Carnamah District Road Board, after which he proceeded to Waddy Forest [5]
Patron of the Three Springs Agricultural Society in 1935, 1936 and 1937 [5: 10-May-1935, 1-May-1936, 25-Mar-1937]
He was interviewed by two members of the Winchester Parents & Citizens Association in October 1935 [5: 1-Nov-1935]
The two men, Howard H. CHAPPEL and William J. PETHICK, requested additional trucking yards at Winchester [5]
On behalf of the Midland Railway Company he granted their request, which also included the division of the existing yard [5]
Accompanied the Commonwealth Grants Commission on a tour of the Midlands on 20 and 21 November 1935 [5: 22-Nov-1935]
They travelled to Mingenew, Morawa and Carnamah where they were met by members of the Carnamah District Road Board [5]
From Carnamah they were taken on a tour of Winchester, Coorow and Waddy Forest by Waddy farmer Angus A. N. MCGILP [5]
After afternoon tea at MCGILP's homestead they returned to Coorow for dinner at the Coorow Hotel [5: 22 & 29-Nov-1935]
While at the Coorow Hotel he received word of his re-election for a second term as the Lord Mayor of the City of Perth [5]
In December 1935 sold 282 shorn wethers from his Arrino property - 75 at 13/10, 83 at 11/1, 47 at 9/10, and 77 at 8/19 [5: 13-Dec-1935]
Advertised in The North Midland Times for tenders for the cultivation and sowing on his Bellaranga property in Arrino [5: 20-Dec-1935]
The tenders were for 500 acres of lupins and oats, to be cultivated and sowed between 15 March 1936 and 15 April 1936 [5]
Received a deputation about rail stock trucks at his office in Perth at 10 a.m. on Monday 27 January 1936 [5: 24-Jan-1936]
Among the deputation were representatives from Moora and Baxter D. BOTHE of the Carnamah District Road Board [5]
With the Commissioner for W.A. Railways and those accompanying them passed through Carnamah in March 1936 [5]
While in Carnamah they were met by Walter J. COHN, Acting Secretary of the Carnamah District Road Board [5: 20-Mar-1936]
Following discussions with Carnamah farmer John BOWMAN he travelled to Carnamah for a meeting on Friday 31 July 1936 [5]
The meeting was to discuss the question of the installation of bulk wheat handling facilities along the Midland Railway line [5]
The meeting was attended by 200 farmers along the Midland Railway line from Moora through to Mingenew [5: 31-Jul-1936, 7-Aug-1936]
Responded to a claim he didn't comprehend the wheat industry by pointing out he was likely the largest wheat grower present [5]
The meeting led to the Midland Railway Company agreeing to provide bulk handling facilities from Marchagee to Mingenew [5]
The service carried a charge of 1/6 per ton above existing charges reducible by ½d. per 1,000 tons after 30,000 tons per siding [5]
Met with delegates from the Road Board districts the Midland Railway line passed through in August 1936 [5: 19-Jun-1936]
The purpose was to try and obtain a uniform level of rating for the Company's railway land owned through various districts [5]
The meeting was held just prior to the Road Board Conference when delegates from the Road Boards were already in Perth [5]
Attended the Carnamah District Agricultural Society's Official Luncheon & Annual Show on Thursday 10 September 1936 [5: 4-Sep-1936]
Officially opened the Show, during which he expressed his privilege and pride at being associated with the district [5: 11-Sep-1936]
He remarked he had seen the production of Carnamah grow from 7,000 bags of wheat per year to more than 200,000 [5: 18-Sep-1936]
He'd been associated with the men who built up the district, and believed it would become one of the most important in WA [5]
Awarded prizes in the Horses in Action and Grain & Fodder sections of the Three Springs Agricultural Show on 17 September 1936 [5]
Won 1st prizes for 14 stone Gentleman's Hack, Maiden Hunter and 2nd for the Flag Race and the Hat Coat and Cigarette Race [5]
In the Grain & Fodder section received 1st prizes for Green Wheat for Hay and for Green Wheat for Grain [5: 25-Sep-1936]
He was one of the speakers at the Three Springs Agricultural Society's Official Dinner held during the evening of the Show [5]
Messrs TAPLIN and DRAKE of Midland Junction paid a visit to his Bellaranga property in Arrino in mid October 1936 [5: 23-Oct-1936]
Married (2) Nina Florence JACKSON in Perth on 27 February 1937 [66] [196]
Attended the funeral of Coorow stationmaster William C. Cox at the Karrakatta Cemetery in Perth on 4 November 1937 [5: 12-Nov-1937]
Resided of late at Mungedar House at 12 Richardson Avenue in the Perth suburb of Claremont [4: 20-Aug-1938] [86: 10-Nov-1938]
Died 14 August 1938; buried at the Karrakatta Cemetery, Perth, Western Australia (Anglican, EA, 105A) [2]
From The Moora Herald and Midland Districts Advocate newspaper, Friday 12 November 1920:
Personal
"Mr J. J. Poynton has been appointed to fill the position of General Manager of Midland Railways, rendered vacant by the retirement, owing to ill-health, of Mr Stead. The position carries a salary of £1,750. Mr Poynton is a brother to the Commonwealth Minister for Home Affairs, and had been for some time past head of the transportation and stores branches of the Kalgoorlie Port Augusta line."
From The Irwin Index newspaper, Saturday 20 August 1938:
Death of Mr. J. J. Poynton
"The death occurred on Sunday afternoon at his residence, Mungedar, Richardson Avenue, Claremont, of Mr. J. J. Poynton, General Manager of the Midland Railway Company. Mr. Poynton had been seriously ill for some weeks. He was born in Illabarook (Victoria) and joined the Victorian Railway Department at an early age, and rose to a responsible position. Later he joined the Commonwealth Railways. In 1920 he accepted an appointment as general manager of the Midland Railway Company. He interested himself in local government, first as Mayor of Midland Junction from 1930 to 1933. Under his capable direction the finances of that municipality were placed on a sound basis. When Mr. J. T. Franklin retired from the position of Lord Mayor of Perth in 1934 Mr. Poynton successfully contested the election. He held that position until September, 1937, when he resigned. The funeral took place on Tuesday at the Church of England Cemetery, Karrakatta."
| Reference: Carnamah Historical Society & Museum and North Midlands Project, 'Joseph James Poynton' in Biographical Dictionary of Coorow, Carnamah and Three Springs, retrieved 15 November 2024 from www.carnamah.com.au/bio/joseph-james-poynton [reference list] |
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