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James Thomas (Jim) Coulthart (1911–1974)

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James Thomas (Jim) Coulthart (1911-1974) tramway employee and trade union leader 

Birth: 20 October 1911 at Lautoka, Fiji, son of James Coulthart (1871-1940), born in West Derby, Lancashire, England, and Sydney-born Anne Elizabeth, née Lyons (1880-1943). Marriage: 25 June 1932 in St Patrick’s Catholic church at Bondi, Sydney, New South Wales, to native-born Dorothy Edna Molloy (1907-1999). They had two sons. Death 18 January 1974 at North Bondi, Sydney, NSW. Religion: Catholic. 

  • Joined Sydney Tramway service in 1928. Worked in Permanent Way section, transferred to electrical shed, later tramway conductor and driver, Waverley depot.
  • In 1939 vice president, 1945 president of Australian Tramways and Motor Omnibus Employees’ Association [Tramway Union]. From 1945 to 1953 was full-time organiser.
  • 1953-1974, federal secretary/organiser of Bus Employees’ Union.
  • Active in Australian Labor Party, Bondi Central branch, and in 1967 was elected to NSW ALP executive as junior vice-president, later senior vice-president.
  • Represented NSW branch of the ALP at many Federal conferences.
  • Cause of death: myocardial infarction.

Sources
ATMOEA NSW Branch Journal, Feb 1974; ALP Year Book (NSW Branch) 1967.

Citation details

'Coulthart, James Thomas (Jim) (1911–1974)', People Australia, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, https://peopleaustralia.anu.edu.au/biography/coulthart-james-thomas-jim-33108/text41283, accessed 20 April 2024.

© Copyright People Australia, 2012

Life Summary [details]

Birth

20 October, 1911
Lautoka, Fiji

Death

18 January, 1974 (aged 62)
Bondi, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Cause of Death

heart disease

Cultural Heritage

Includes subject's nationality; their parents' nationality; the countries in which they spent a significant part of their childhood, and their self-identity.

Religious Influence

Includes the religion in which subjects were raised, have chosen themselves, attendance at religious schools and/or religious funeral rites; Atheism and Agnosticism have been included.

Occupation
Key Organisations
Political Activism
Workplaces