People Australia

James Pryde, n.d.

James Pryde (1858-1929) coalminer and trade union official

Birth: 25 October 1858 at Tranent, Haddington, East Lothian, Scotland, the son of Mary Pryde (1838-1911 and, reputedly, James Whitelaw (1839-1867). Marriage: 31 March 1881 at the Christadelphian Church, Tranent, to Jane Drysdale Russell. They had five daughters and three sons. Death: 12 September 1929 at Clifton Street, Booval, Ipswich, Queensland. Religion: Christadelphian. 

• Was a coal miner at Inveresk, Midlothian, Scotland, in 1881. Arrived in Queensland with his wife and elder children aboard the s.s. Marcara on 24 November 1889.
• Coalminer at West Moreton, Queensland. Union activist from 1890s. Founding member of the West Moreton District Coal Miners' Union (subsequently Queensland Colliery Employees' Union (QCEU)).
• Chairman, Box Flat miners' branch; served several terms as union president between 1904 and 1915. Represented union on first Wages Board; also served as committee member, trustee and vice-president.
• With David Gledson exerted marked influence on union in formative period: "He was fired by humanitarianism but with a limited, indeed, conservative outlook". Resisted closer ties with other sections of the labour movement and federation with New South Wales mining unions.
• Retired from QCEU committee of management in 1917, but continued to take an interest in union affairs until death.
• Cause of death: cerebral thrombosis, exhaustion and heart failure.

Sources
Edgar Ross, A history of the Miners' Federation of Australia ([Sydney] 1970); Pete Thomas, The coalminers of Queensland: a narrative history of the Queensland Colliery Employees Union. Volume 1 Creating the traditions (Ipswich, 1986); information from E. Ross, 1990.