Harold Cameron ANDERSON (Jim) Jessica MILLIGAN (nee SHEPHARD)
b.27th January 1909 b.5th January 1913
at Berry, NSW at Tinonee, NSW
d.30th April 1972 d.12th May 1987
at Tully, NSW at Tully, NSW
Jim left school and commenced work as a sleeper cutter at the age of 14. Jim, Wally and Jean lived at home and contributed to the household and helped with the younger children until Jim was 21. He was always a keen footballer and played in teams around Coffs Harbour. He also enjoyed boxing and would later teach his sons to box and insured they had a keen interest in football. Even Jim and Jess’s daughters were encouraged to play ‘touch football’ in family games. Jim met Jess whilst timber cutting at Hogarths Range around Kyogle during the war years.
They were to later marry at Kingaroy, QLD on the 26th November in 1945. Jess was the daughter of George Anderson MILLIGAN (b.19th January 1874 at Kangaroo Valley, NSW and d.1952 at Wellington, NSW) and Jessie BLOOMFIELD (b.3rd October 1875 and d.12th June 1938 at Casino, NSW). Jess also brought three children into the marriage from her previous marriage, John, Anne and Marcia. They later moved to QLD and lived around Gympie, Blackbutt and Kingaroy for several years.
Jim went to North Queensland inOctober 1946, this was supposed to be a six week trip, but eventuated into a lifetime spent in Far North QLD. Jim returned to Gympie in April 1947 to collect Jess for the trip to Far North Queensland and to see his new son George – who was by then six weeks old.
They travelled to Gordonvale by train and lived in the Wrights Creek area. Jim spent six weeks at a time camped in the bush and Jess had the responsibility of raising the family. Jim’s brothers Snow, Ken and Laurie moved north also and were involved in timber cutting too. Very large Christmas’s were often held with several of the families getting together, sometimes on the bank of a cool creek, on a hot Christmas day. Jim purchased his first vehicle in 1949 or 1950. This enabled him to commute more freely to and from work. He loved cars and purchased many over the years. Jim and Jess often returned to NSW to visit Jim’s parents and family. Jess and Jim’s mother, Jane, were good friends and enjoyed each others company.
Jim continued cutting timber in the north of QLD for twenty years, cutting in areas such as the Mulgrave River, Kuranda, Innisfail, and Bloomfield. Jim and Jess lived at Herberton on a farm they owned for a few years and then returned to Gordonvale. In 1965 Jim moved to Mission Beach to cut timber and helped to operate a small timber mill. The family moved there after school finished in 1965 and spent 1966 there also.
In March 1967, Jim suffered a severe heart attack in Victoria, and on returning to Tully suffered a severe stroke. He recovered well but was forced to retire. Jim spent his time gardening at the home they had brought outside Tully. He continued his lifelong love of football and travelled extensively with his family, watching all the local competitions. Jim died with his family around him at a football match, whilst watching his son Ron play in the local team. The Tully Football team formed a guard of honour at his funeral. Jess moved to Cairns for many years, later returning to Cardwell for four years before dying of a brief illness whilst in Tully District Hospital. They are buried side by side at the Tully Lawn Cemetery.
Anderson Family Reunion 