JAMES WILSON DRAPER

By Helen Trustum

James Wilson Draper was born at Murwillumbah on the 8th February 1916. Wilson as he was known was the second son to Mary Adeline, nee Johnston and Oswald George Draper. His maternal Grandparents were Andrew and Catherine nee Noble Johnston, who were one of the original selectors at Eureka in 1881.

James Wilson Draper was known by his second name because of the Scottish naming system, as his Great –Grandfather and Uncle were also called James.

Wilson frst attended school at Eureka then the family moved to a property at Tamrookum, near Beaudesert. After a few years the family moved back to Eureka. The extended family enjoyed many days of activities all together such as cricket, tennis, and many picnic days.

Wilson met up with Evelyn Marion James, while both attended High School, which was known as the Lismore Rural School on the corner of Magellan and Keen Street.

Wilson enlisted in the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) on the 13th July 1941 and with three months training became a radar operator and was posted to New Guinea. During his service Wilson rose to the rank of Corporal. Despite the tyranny of distance, the War bought Wilson and Evelyn closer together with the writing of many letters to each other. When Wilson came home on Harvest leave, he proposed to Evelyn. They were married at the Lismore Methodist Church on 20th September 1944 whilst Wilson was still in the RAAF. They were on their honeymoon when word came through, that he was discharged from the RAAF.

Wilson and Evelyn started their married life on a dairy farm called “Cedar Vale”, Possum Creek. They purchased the property for £ 2,750 pound complete with a homestead. At “Cedar Vale” they operated the dairy and a pure bred Large White piggery.

Wilson and Evelyn left “Cedar Vale” in February

1950 and moved to another dairy farm at Pumpenbil on to another dairy farm. They sold that farm in 1954 and moved to Bangalow in November 1954. Wilsons father, Ozwald was on the Murwillumbah Shire Council from 1951 -1954 and his Grandfather George Draper was an Auctioneer at Tyalgum. Their family: Marion born 1945, Ray 1946, Colin 1949, Alison 1951, Narelle 1953 and Beverly 1955.

In 1955 Wilson purchased a business from Vic Graham, who ran a Saturday morning auction of a variety of goods including live poultry, household items and backyard grown vegetables. In those purchase an auctioneer’s licence and not have to be trained or do a government approved course. Vic Graham’s business was operating who conducted a mixed business during the War. He kept an “Anthony Hordern” type business, well noted for service.

William Slattery, J.G.

days you were able to out of a building that was in the main street of Bangalow, next door to the Funeral Parlour. The rental for the building was a pricely sum of £1/17/6 ($3.75) a week. Wilson’s Auctioneering Licence was granted on 23rd March 1956.

In 1958 Wilson purchased a store for £350 pound ($700) which included a residence attached at the rear from Mr J. Black who had won it in a game of cards. During the time that Mr Black owned the building, he always rented it out. One well remembered tenant was Harry Lakis,

Farquharson, S. Wiley, J. N. Ferguson and Ben Bannister were Auctioneers in the early days of Bangalow along with Virtue, Noble and Weir whose business was below Wilsons building in Byron Street.

At this stage Wilson could only show his love of Auctioneering by holding disposal sales and continuing the Saturday Morning Goods and Chattel Sales. By 1964, Wilson was applying to gain entry into the Bangalow Saleyards which were situated on the Bangalow Showground. Byron Shire Council and the Showground Management Committee were the deciding factor whether he could gain admittance to the