James Joseph Parnell Hall

  Noted events in his life were:

• source. Doug Hooper who notes:
James Joseph Parnell HALL married Lesley Florence HECKER. He was born on 9 May 1911 at Broken Hill, New South Wales, Australia. He died on 25 May 1998 at Bendigo, Victoria, Australia, aged 87. He is buried in the Bendigo cemetery. He was born whilst his mother was married to another man. She followed her son's father to Western Australia and James was taken by Mrs Hall, the Hooper family house keeper, to Bendigo. This occurred after the death of Mr Hall and there is no certainty that an official adoption took place.

The following article appeared in the Bendigo newspaper.

'Bendigo personality James Joseph Hall has been made a life member of the Australian Railways Union. Mr Hall 82, who is known far and wide as Joe, gave sterling service to the union during his working days, and has long been regarded as the battlers' friend. He joined the railways in 1940 and from the outset took the cudgels in support of fellow workers.
He stood firm in his belief that the battler should be protected, and on retirement continued this philosophy with outstanding service to the district's pensioners. To many district residents, Joe Hall has been the guardian angel to the district's needy.

Joe Hall has stood the test of time, he has outlasted his opponents, and many a districts family is better off thanks to the diligence of Joe Hall. Joe, who lives in Churchill Ave, was a prominent face around the Bendigo Trades Hall. He was a proud unionist, a man prepared to speak up and if he stood on a few toes along the way, that was the way he operated. A strong believer in Labor causes he worked long and hard for Labor candidates, mostly behind the scenes.

Born in a strong union town, Broken Hill, Joe Hall came to Bendigo in 1919. He has always been a union man through and through, and although the recognition of his outstanding service to the Australian Railways Union (ARU) has been a long time in coming, it has been fully justified.

On retirement, Joe Hall did not stop helping his fellow citizens. He merely transferred his allegiance to the Bendigo branch of the Combined Pensioners' Association (CPA), where he served many terms as president and vice-president. He has been a regular sight around Bendigo as he peddled his bicycle to various places of importance, knocking on many doors, seeking help for the under privileged.

The Bendigo CPA prospered under his leadership, membership grew and the regular meetings became enjoyable occasions.

His continued service to the pensioners was acknowledged when he was made a life member of the CPA. From the earliest days of his union membership Joe Hall has been prepared to fight to get a better deal for those whom he considered were in need. Even today, Joe Hall Is prepared to put his foot down firmly when the situation needs it. His record of service to the needy, unemployed and pensioners stretches more than 55 years.

He was presented with his life membership at a recent gathering at the VRI Hall, in Mitchell St.'

James married Lesley Florence Hecker. (Lesley Florence Hecker was born circa 1950.)