He was 55.
Born London, England.
Trade - Bricklayer
Trained as a Furnace Builder.
Wife - Ada Martin of 89 Rathmines Road, Auburn, Victoria.
Served apprenticeship in London and the Midlands, England. Worked 16 years in America and Canada and about 12 years in Australia.
Worked at Cordite Works, Maribyrnong, Victoria, Australia and at Explosives Depot, Deer Park, Victoria, Australia.
Engaged on General Furnace building in Queensland, Victoria, Western Australia, South Australia and West Coast of Tasmania.
He embarked from Mebourne, Australia on 19 January 1918 per SS "Beltana" and arrived in England on 20 March 1918.
Badge No. 3695
He was found dead at the Railway Tavern, Andover.
Apparently he tried a few times to enlist but was rejected because of his age. He and his wife had no relatives in Australia and apparently were doing it tough. He pawned his gold Albert watch and chain and had not paid his newspaper bill which was sent to his wife to pay after his death. She also had to repay an overpayment made to her husband at 2 shillings and sixpence per week. At the time she was earning 25 shillings per week as a housekeeper.
His wife said
"He was most anxious to 'do his bit', he tried three times to enlist but being over age, 58 years at the time of his death."
One of his friends, Charles Natt, a carpenter, said of him
"He had never known a stronger man in his life. In Victoria James Martin was a furnace builder and was disappointed when he got to England to find that he had not been put at his job and that Messrs. Mowlem & Co. could not release him for work elsewhere. In Australia he was about to float a company for the working of a patent of his in connection with boilers, when war broke out and he lost the chance of making money for his patent."
Born London, England.
Trade - Bricklayer
Trained as a Furnace Builder.
Wife - Ada Martin of 89 Rathmines Road, Auburn, Victoria.
Served apprenticeship in London and the Midlands, England. Worked 16 years in America and Canada and about 12 years in Australia.
Worked at Cordite Works, Maribyrnong, Victoria, Australia and at Explosives Depot, Deer Park, Victoria, Australia.
Engaged on General Furnace building in Queensland, Victoria, Western Australia, South Australia and West Coast of Tasmania.
He embarked from Mebourne, Australia on 19 January 1918 per SS "Beltana" and arrived in England on 20 March 1918.
Badge No. 3695
He was found dead at the Railway Tavern, Andover.
Apparently he tried a few times to enlist but was rejected because of his age. He and his wife had no relatives in Australia and apparently were doing it tough. He pawned his gold Albert watch and chain and had not paid his newspaper bill which was sent to his wife to pay after his death. She also had to repay an overpayment made to her husband at 2 shillings and sixpence per week. At the time she was earning 25 shillings per week as a housekeeper.
His wife said
"He was most anxious to 'do his bit', he tried three times to enlist but being over age, 58 years at the time of his death."
One of his friends, Charles Natt, a carpenter, said of him
"He had never known a stronger man in his life. In Victoria James Martin was a furnace builder and was disappointed when he got to England to find that he had not been put at his job and that Messrs. Mowlem & Co. could not release him for work elsewhere. In Australia he was about to float a company for the working of a patent of his in connection with boilers, when war broke out and he lost the chance of making money for his patent."
He was 55.
Born London, England.
Trade - Bricklayer
Trained as a Furnace Builder.
Wife - Ada Martin of 89 Rathmines Road, Auburn, Victoria.
Served apprenticeship in London and the Midlands, England. Worked 16 years in America and Canada and about 12 years in Australia.
Worked at Cordite Works, Maribyrnong, Victoria, Australia and at Explosives Depot, Deer Park, Victoria, Australia.
Engaged on General Furnace building in Queensland, Victoria, Western Australia, South Australia and West Coast of Tasmania.
He embarked from Mebourne, Australia on 19 January 1918 per SS "Beltana" and arrived in England on 20 March 1918.
Badge No. 3695
He was found dead at the Railway Tavern, Andover.
Apparently he tried a few times to enlist but was rejected because of his age. He and his wife had no relatives in Australia and apparently were doing it tough. He pawned his gold Albert watch and chain and had not paid his newspaper bill which was sent to his wife to pay after his death. She also had to repay an overpayment made to her husband at 2 shillings and sixpence per week. At the time she was earning 25 shillings per week as a housekeeper.
His wife said
"He was most anxious to 'do his bit', he tried three times to enlist but being over age, 58 years at the time of his death."
One of his friends, Charles Natt, a carpenter, said of him
"He had never known a stronger man in his life. In Victoria James Martin was a furnace builder and was disappointed when he got to England to find that he had not been put at his job and that Messrs. Mowlem & Co. could not release him for work elsewhere. In Australia he was about to float a company for the working of a patent of his in connection with boilers, when war broke out and he lost the chance of making money for his patent."
Born London, England.
Trade - Bricklayer
Trained as a Furnace Builder.
Wife - Ada Martin of 89 Rathmines Road, Auburn, Victoria.
Served apprenticeship in London and the Midlands, England. Worked 16 years in America and Canada and about 12 years in Australia.
Worked at Cordite Works, Maribyrnong, Victoria, Australia and at Explosives Depot, Deer Park, Victoria, Australia.
Engaged on General Furnace building in Queensland, Victoria, Western Australia, South Australia and West Coast of Tasmania.
He embarked from Mebourne, Australia on 19 January 1918 per SS "Beltana" and arrived in England on 20 March 1918.
Badge No. 3695
He was found dead at the Railway Tavern, Andover.
Apparently he tried a few times to enlist but was rejected because of his age. He and his wife had no relatives in Australia and apparently were doing it tough. He pawned his gold Albert watch and chain and had not paid his newspaper bill which was sent to his wife to pay after his death. She also had to repay an overpayment made to her husband at 2 shillings and sixpence per week. At the time she was earning 25 shillings per week as a housekeeper.
His wife said
"He was most anxious to 'do his bit', he tried three times to enlist but being over age, 58 years at the time of his death."
One of his friends, Charles Natt, a carpenter, said of him
"He had never known a stronger man in his life. In Victoria James Martin was a furnace builder and was disappointed when he got to England to find that he had not been put at his job and that Messrs. Mowlem & Co. could not release him for work elsewhere. In Australia he was about to float a company for the working of a patent of his in connection with boilers, when war broke out and he lost the chance of making money for his patent."
Inscription
Australian Munition Worker
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Explore more
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
