People Australia

Pavel (Paul) Yolkin (1896-1982) dairy farmer, fish shop proprietor and Communist

Birth: 3 July 1896 at Toorashi (Vyatka, later Kirov) then in Kazan Province in the Russian Empire, son of Ivan Yolkin, a merchant, and Mary, née Marslova. Marriage: 15 September 1939 at the District Registrar’s Office, Woollahra, Sydney, New South Wales, to Queensland-born Gladys Josephine, née Prolinsky, late Rattasepp known as Polleski (1898-1942), a widow, born at Rockhampton, Queensland. Death: 6 July 1982 in Bulli District Hospital; usual residence Hospital Road, Bulli, New South Wales. 

• Grew up on a farm shared by his father and his father’s three brothers. Started school at 8 years of age in Solibatar in a church building. Paul and five other boys attended with them all living there six days a week during the winter months with the priest acting as a teacher. In summer the boys worked in the fields. Left school after two years to work on the family’s farm, as the family’s fortunes plummeted after a robbery. Moved to Harbin on the Sungari River in Northern Manchuria, aged 14, to work in his mother’s brother’s shop in 1910. Soon after he ran away and managed a bottle shop.
• Became involved with several revolutionary organisations, particularly the anarchists who were the largest and most active group. Decided to leave Harbin with others to avoid conscription into the Tsar’s army in anticipation that war was imminent in 1912.
• Boarded a ship for Brisbane, Queensland, arriving in January 1913. At the employment exchange he was advised to go to Bundaberg. Met other Russians in Bundaberg and they did odd jobs around the town. Was a canecutter in Bundaberg and joined the Australian Workers’ Union. Became active in the Russian Socialist Group meeting up with a friend from Harbin, Peter Simonov, who later became the first Soviet government representative in Australia. Moved to Mt Chalmers to work in copper mines and became involved in his first union dispute.
• Travelled to Albany, Western Australia, in 1914 and cut timber for railway sleepers, and then went to Boulder City and maintained contact with the Russian Socialist Group. Distributed anti-war material and experienced harassment by police who eventually ordered him out of town. Shifted to Kalgoorlie and worked on the construction of the trans-continental railway. Met Monty Miller, who claimed to have been on the Eureka Stockade and was a leader of Industrial Workers of the World. Yolkin considered Miller to be a large influence on him. Participated in marches and demonstrations around the 8-hour day. Left the railway work in 1915.
• Moved to Port Pirie, South Australia, Mildura, Victoria, and in 1916 went to Broken Hill, New South Wales. Worked in and around the mines. Met up with other Russians who had formed a socialist group. They were refused permission by the authorities to carry red flags on a street march in celebration of the Russian Revolution, so instead Yolkin wore a red shirt. He befriended Percy Brookfield.
• Participated in a major strike in 1918 which lasted 18 months but left Broken Hill before the strike was over. Initially went to Cobar and raised money for strikers and their families then went onto Coonabarabran where he worked on the railway for 3 months. Reached Sydney in 1920 where he made contact with the Russian Socialist Group becoming an active member and met Glad Polleski who became his partner in life.
• Became a wrestler at the Hippodrome as he kept himself fit even though he was small in height and weighed nine stone (57 k). Also worked on a fruit barrow and later developed his own barrow business. Worked at Mortlake gasworks as a painter and became job delegate. In 1922 when the Communist Party of Australia (CPA) was formed, Paul joined along with other members of the Russian Socialist Group.
• Shifted to Bulli on the south coast in 1923. Worked at the Old Bulli mine. Distributed CPA newspaper, The Redleader, to workmates. Paul and Glad Polleski, together with Jack and Maude Hitchens and others, formed a branch of the CPA in Wollongong.
• Began a small poultry farm in Bulli. Later began to enter poultry in shows and won several prizes including blue ribbons at local and Sydney shows. Became judge of poultry at the Sydney Show and a representative of Australia at a meeting of World Poultry Conference.
• Became “dusted” in the coalmine. Left on compensation and put his savings into developing a fish and chip shop in Bulli. They had two shop windows, one displaying their fish and the second the Tribune and other CPA publications.
• His partner Glad became ill in 1942 developing kidney disease while 7 months pregnant with their first child, and died as did the baby. Yolkin sold the shop and lived on compensation payments and savings. He bought a large tract of land in Bulli, where he built himself two houses and a set of tennis courts. This brought him further work as many people called on his assistance and expertise as a carpenter. Built the Wollongong Workers' Club and Marx House, the CPA head office in Sydney. Was naturalised on 24 February 1944.
• Active in the Combined Pensioners Association from 1960 (later a life member) and the Australian-Soviet Friendship Society.
• Travelled to the Soviet Union in 1965 and visited his 93-year-old mother and two sisters after a fifty-year absence; his mother died soon after.
• Yolkin returned to Bulli and continued to support the Communist Party and other interests.
• Cause of death: broncho pneumonia (1 week), acute renal failure (1 week), fractured left hip, left Austin-Moore prosthesis (2 weeks) and congestive cardiac failure (years).

Sources
Tribune, 28 July 1982; David Bowen (ed), Paul’s Progress, Intervention Printery 1980, pp 1-31; Pavel (Paul) Yolkin collection, PXB 303: PN 166 State Library of NSW.