James Walter (Jim) Brokenshire

  General Notes:

JAMES WALTER BROKENSHIRE was born at Bishops Bridge near Maitland NSW on 11 May 1911 - the youngest of 11 children. One brother Frank died as an infant and another brother Harry Wallace was killed in World War 1 at Polygon Wood near Ypres,

Belgium aged 20.



James' father,William died when Jim was 13 and Jim left school and went to work at Maitland Mercury where he obtained an apprenticeship as a Linotype Operator at which he became very

proficient.



On 10 October 1936 he married Alice Josephine Stacey at the Bishops House, Pro-Cathedral, Maitland.



Alice was a Catholic and at that stage could not marry a non-Catholic in the church. Following their marriage Jim went to work as a linotype operator for Newcastle Morning Herald and Jim and Alice moved to Janet Street, Merewether, Newcastle.



Following the birth of their first daughter Rosemary Ellen on 21 October 1937 they purchased a house at 26 Frederick Street, Merewether where they lived till October 1948. A second daughter was born at Hillcrest Hospital on 27 November 1941.
Jim was drafted into the Army during World War 11 and trained in the Signals Corps which gave him an added interest in radio and electronics on his return to civilian life.



Jim was to have gone to New Guinea during the war but became ill, had his tonsils out and stayed in Australia. Was stationed at one stage near Wallangarra where Alice and children went to visit

him.



After the war Jim returned to Newcastle Morning Herald where he was well known even after he left there for his speed and proficiency on the linotype, and it was certainly in his blood.



Suffering from lead poisoning he resigned from the Herald, sold the house in Frederick Street and purchased a general store at Pretty Beach, on Brisbane Water, 16 miles from Gosford.



The family lived there until 1951. Alice had suffered illness over many years and during her time at Pretty Beach was hospitalised 3 times. The last time she was admitted to Gosford Public Hospital on 29 January. She died of pneumonia which
developed during her stay in hospital at about 5.30 am on Saturday 3 February 1951. Alice was buried on Monday 5 February at Campbells Hill Catholic Cemetery alongside her mother and father's grave.



After Alice's death Jim sold the store in Pretty Beach,bought a caravan and with Rosemary and Margaret left Pretty Beach in May 1951 and travelled up the east coast visiting relatives and friends at Maitland and Newcastle, continuing to
Mullumbimby on the Far North Coast with the intention of looking at purchasing the Mullumbimby Star Advocate from David Harrison - the business was virtually broke but Jim who had worked in newspapers most of his working life saw it as a
challenge.



Jim purchased the business, a newspaper, printing works and stationary shop in Burringbar Street, Mullumbimby. The family lived in Brunswick Heads for a few months then moved to various rented addresses in Mullumbimby (Argyle Street, Station
Street and a flat in Stuart Street in the same building as the newspaper.) The newspaper, a bi weekly published Tuesdays and Fridays, flourished with Jim at the helm and eventually became a free paper delivered to many areas of the Far North
Coast.



Both daughters worked with Jim in the business at various stages before leaving to work elsewhere. Golf became Jim's only outlet and he became quite proficient at the game. On 19 December 1956 Jim married Beryl Joyce Croll (nee McPaul) at the
Methodist Church, Mullumbimby. Joy had a daughter Lynn, from a previous marriage who was then 12 years of age. Joy was also an active golfer so the couple shared this interest.



At 60 Jim began to suffer bad attacks of asthma

which hospitalised his several times. At 65 Jim he sold the Mullumbimby Advocate to Norther Star Newspapers but remained as manager until he retired aged 70.



Following his retirement Jim set about writing a history to the Brunswick River area which had become very dear to his heart being a complete contrast to the farming area he had grown up in.

During the time Jim was writing his book his heart deteriorated and just before it was published was hospitalised with two heart attacks.



But with his usual tenacity and stubborness he signed himself out of hospital and continued to oversee the publication. Following the publication of his book which had a printing of 1000 copies Jim's health detiorated and he died on 13 May 1993
at his home in New City Road of cardiac arrest two days after his 82nd birthday. He was buried at Mullumbimby Cemetery on 17 May 1993. A further edition of his book "The Brunswick River and its People" is being printed in 1997.

  Noted events in his life were:

• Occupation: Linotype operator; storekeeper; newspaper proprietor.

James married Alice Josephine Stacey, daughter of James Harold Theodore Stacey and Mary Sharkey, on 10 Oct 1937. (Alice Josephine Stacey was born on 11 Jun 1909 in Maitland, NSW Australia and died on 3 Feb 1951 in Gosford, NSW Australia.)

James next married Beryl Joyce (Joy) Croll on 19 Dec 1956 in Mullumbimby Methodist Church, NSW Australia. (Beryl Joyce (Joy) Croll was born on 6 Apr 1922 in Mullumbimby, NSW Australia.)