Brisbane Courier (Qld. : 1864 - 1933), Saturday 23 January 1926, page 9


THE LATE MR. JAMES HIPWOOD.

Mr James Hipwood, for many years a leading figure in the business and muni-cipal life of Brisbane, and twice Major of the city passed away at Wynnum yesterday, where he had been staying with relatives. His family comprised six daughters and one son. He leaves three unmarried daughters. His son (Mr. James Hipwood) succeeded him in his business. His third eldest daughter, Mrs. H. W. Atkinson, who is so well remembered in philanthropic circles, died about six

years ago.

Few men in Brisbane have been held in greater privates or public esteem over a long period of years than the late Mr.

THE LATE MR. JAMES HIPWOOD,

Hipwood. His services in the municipal sphere were vividly recalled in November last, when the Mayor of Brisbane, at the reception of the "Greater Brisbane"

scheme, entertained the past Mayors of the city. Two former mayors--Mr. James Hipwood and Mr. John A. Clark (Syd-ney)--were unable to attend, but after the ceremony Mayor Jolly and Alder-ment H. J. Diddams, C.M.G., H. Doggett, and G. down visited Mr. Hipwood at the residence of his son-in-law, Mr. P. W. Watts. It was then recalled that Mr. Hipwood became an alderman in 1884, and had sat in the City Council for 14 years. He was Mayor in 1886, and in the Queen Victoria Jubilee year following (1887). In that year a great Mayoral ball was given by Mr. Hipwood in the then Exbibition Hall, at which there were 1470 guests including the then Governor Sir Anthony Musgrave and Lady Musgrave. Mayoral hospitality in those days was on a personal and lavish scale and this par-

ticular ball is remembered by many people as the biggest social function of the period.

In addition to his municipal duties Mr. Hipwood was for years a member of the Coorparoo Shire Council of which he be-came Chairman. Born in Sydney in 1842, young Hipwood was educated at St.

Andrew's School, and at the age of 13

years went to work for the well-known firm of P. N. Russell and Company, iron founders and shipbuilders, of which he became foreman. In 1870 he came to Brisbane and joined J. W. Sutton in the firm of Hipwood and Sutton. The part-nership was dissolved, and Hipwood Bros. succeeded to the business in Eagle-street.

The training he acquired as a successful business man, and his irreproachable char-acter and integrity, admirably fitted him for the positions of trust and responsi-

bility to which he attained after his more active connection with business and muni-cipal life. He was president of the Traffic Board in 1894 and 1895, one of the founders of the Queensland Trustees Ltd.,

and of the South Brisbane Milling Com-pany, and a director of the Queensland Brewery Company. He also took part in the formotion of the Queensland Mutual Insurance Company and of the Queensland Deposit Bank.

A tribute to the splendid work of Mr. Hipwood and others of the "old school" in establishing the foundations of civic life was paid by Ald. Jolly yesterday.

"He was one of the old school" the Mayor remarked, "and I regret his pass-ing away. We of to-day are deeply in-debted to men of his kind for having laid the foundations of civic life on sound and honourable lines. Perhaps the finest monument to his life was the splendid family he left behind him."

His funeral (motor service) will leave the deceased gentleman's late residence Mokoia, Edith-street, Wynnum South, this afteroon, at 3 o'clock, arriving at the Bulimba Cemetery at 3.45 o'clock.