Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

My Great Grandad worked in the gold mines at Waratah and Mt Bischoff, then to West Australia, Kalgoorlie, Boulder City and Coolgardie gold mines.

After he moved to Stowport, Tasmania he farmed in the district from 1905 and he named his farm "Mouquet Farm" after a town in France, where he saw active service (the troops also referred to it as "Mucky Farm" and "moo cow farm".

Then he met the lovely Ruth Belton and had to elevate himself from miner to be considered suitable to marry her. Ruth's father, James Belton thought him to be husband material if he were to enter Parliament, which he did, and with great enthusiasm. For thirteen years James served and was never voted out, but came to an end when James discovered mismanagement at a mining lease on the Pieman River and started causing waves. So someone decided it would be more convenient if he was living elsewhere! As an inducement he was offered a good job with big money in Queensland, with tickets and money to be collected in Melbourne.

On their arrival in Melbourne the whole family found themselves destitute with none of that which was promised forthcoming. Luckily the Devlins, their cousins, offered accommodation amongst their families.

James was active in the union movement, Workers Political League, Boulder City Rifles, Australian Natives Association, and various sporting bodies including Stowport Football Club. He was on the standing committee of Public Works, was an organizer of the Melbourne Lord Mayor's Fund, and was President of the Yarragon R.S.L at the time of his death on 1st April 1964.

He was a member of the House of Assembly for Darwin (Tas) form June 1910 to April 1912 and then May 1919 to June 1926. he contested Darwin in April 1909 - April 1912 and January 1913. Wilmot, November 1914. He contested Senate 1913 - 1917, Darwin 1917.

James Abraham Hurst enlisted in World War 1 in 1915 and served with the 15th and 47th Infantry Battalions. He saw active service at Gallipoli at Anzac Cove and was entitled to wear an "A" on his Returned Servicemans badge.

Notes for James Abraham Hurst:

Tasmanian Pioneer Index has birth registration as James Henry Hurst,born 29/12/1880 at Emu Bay. I remember him to be a kind gentleman and I loved him.

When James Henry (Abraham) Hurst was born on December 29, 1880, in Zeehan, Tasmania, his father, John, was 29 and his mother, Ellen, was 20.

He married Ruth Belton in 1907 in Tasmania.

They had eight children in 18 years.

He died on April 1, 1964, in Warragul, Victoria, at the age of 83

For many years of his life, he resided at his native place, where he attended the State school, and then went to Zeehan, continuing his studies at the first school established there, and subsequently at the State School in that town. During his sojourn in Zeehan he took a keen interest in athletic sports, and was secretary of the local cricket and football clubs. He was also a prominent member of the Manchester Unity Order of Odd fellows while on the West Coast. In 1900 he migrated to West Australia, and was engaged in mining pursuits in the Kalgoorlie goldfield for a period of three years. He became connected with the Labor movement in that State, and since his return to Tasmania has been an active advocate of 'The Cause.' Mr. Hurst has been a member of the central executive committee of the State Labor Party for the past four years, and was one of the delegates to the Brisbane conference in 1908, when the present Federal platform was drawn up. At Stowport he has been closely identified with the Labor League since its insertion there five years ago, and has acted as its secretary during that period. The new member is well known in Burnie, where he has occupied the position of president of the local branch of the A.U.A. for the past 12 months, and is a member of the Rifle Club. To those of his critics who have charged him with disloyalty, Mr. Hurst points to the fact that he served five years in the Burnie corps of the Tasmanian Rangers, and retired with the rank of sergeant. The hon. member owns a farm at Stowport, where he has for several years past followed agricultural pursuits with considerable success. His father and brothers are also successful farmers in the same locality while in the Wynyard and Ulverstone districts he has numerous relatives, who are likewise engaged in the agricultural industry.