Grand Old Pioneer

Although he will be 95 years of age in November next, Mr. James Walker Waldron, one of Queensland’s grand old pioneers, now living in Gympie, is enjoying splendid health. Now in the quietude of old age, he can recall from the storehouse of an excellent memory the salient features of a long and useful career that was crowded with incident, variety, and achievement, during which he played his part in developing the State.

Mr. Waldron came to Australia on August 13, 1861, when he was 22 years of age, and in the following year he and his young brother began cotton and sugar growing at the Albert River. Mr. Waldron recalls with pride the fact that from the first crop of cotton (Sea Island) grown in 1864 from 20 acres he and his brother sent 20 bales, equal to 3001b. weight, to London. They ginned their own cotton, using a 2½ h.p. engine. The return for this consignment was 3/6½ a lb., with a bonus of 8d. a lb. from the Government. The plantation was left in charge of his brother, and Mr. Waldron entered the employ of Mr. E. B. Southerden, a Queen Street draper, as clerk. Subsequently Mr. Waldron accepted a position as bookkeeper and accountant with Mr. W. B. Brooks, Elizabeth Street, Brisbane, with whom he remained till 1870. Again answering the call of the land, Mr. Waldron and his brother sold their cotton plantation and commenced dairy-farming at Slack’s Creek. In 1871 Mr. Waldron acted as cotton-buyer for Geo. Raff and Co., and purchased between 2000 and 3000 bales. The cotton was loaded on the Young Australia, which was wrecked off Cape Moreton, all the cargo being ruined, and the growers lost heavily. This was the last year, Mr. Waldron recalled, in which the bonus of 3d. per lb. operated, and very little cotton was grown afterwards.

Call of Journalism

After a successful period as a dairy farmer, during which he also went in for pig-raising, Mr. Waldron sold his farm and re-entered mercantile life, holding the position of book-keeper and accountant with the firm of Boxons, in Brisbane, for about five years. Then he heard the call of journalism, which, perhaps, was his true metier. Over 50 years ago he joined the staff of the “Observer” as a reporter. He acted as Parliamentary reporter, and subsequently joined the “Courier” staff, and reported the sittings of both the Legislative Assembly and the Legislative Council. He generally had several columns in the “Courier” each day. Later, Mr. Waldron was Supreme Court reporter for the “Courier”, and subsequently became telegraphic and cable editor. About this period Mr. Waldron commenced on his own account, starting the “Cleveland and Tingalpa News”, rejoining the “Courier” staff later. Subsequently he wrote racing notes for the “Telegraph” under the pen-name of “The Early Bird”, succeeding Nat Gould, who had gone to London to publish his racing novels.

Relinquishing reporting, Mr. Waldron went to the Tweed and resumed dairying, but ill-health forced him once again to seek a change of occupation, and he commenced an auctioneering and commission agent's business at Murwillumbah. Later, he was requested by Isles, Love, of Brisbane, to take charge of their country lands department, which position he held for about nine years. He retired from active work in 1918, being then in his 80th year. For a time he resided at Sandgate, but the sea air did not agree with him, and he settled in Gympie, where he has since resided, being still hale and hearty despite his advanced age. Mr. Waldron is an honorary life member of the East Brisbane and Gympie bowling clubs.

The above was extracted from The Brisbane Courier of Thursday, 29 June 1933, Page 20.