Josiah Prentice (1870 - 1948)

Born 1870 in Dean, Victoria, Australia

Husband of Jessie (Richmond) Prentice — married 1900 in Victoria, Australia

Died 7 Aug 1948 at about age 78 in Daylesford, Victoria, Australia

Biography

Josiah was born in 1869 in Dean, Victoria, the son of John Prentice and his wife Jane, nee Russell.^[1]

Josiah married Jessie Richmond in Victoria, probably in Melbourne in 1900.^[2] They had at least 5 children. The first was born in Brunswick, VIC and the others were born in Daylesford, VIC from 1902.

Josiah objected to pay a union levy ahead of strike action when it was threatened in Daylesford in 1910.^[3] The threatened strike did not proceed and he received a qualified apology from the Union after they had threatened action. In 1912 he lost a test case brought against him by the Amalgamated Mining Employees Association over his refusal to pay a compulsory levy to support striking miners at Mt Lyall.^[4]

During WW1 Josiah would have been too old to enlist so he enrolled as an Australian War Worker on 07 May 1917, to work in the UK as a labourer or navvy on War related work under a joint Australian government/ British government scheme. He was accepted and was issued with Australian War Worker Badge No. 711.

He embarked on the "Clan MacGillivray" at Fremantle, western Australia on 22 May 1917 and disembarked at Plymouth, England on 28 Jul 1917.

Josiah was employed with Messrs Boot & Co at Ramsgate as a labourer from 01 Aug 1917. He was transferred to the Chepstow Camp near Monmouth in Wales on 29 May 1918.

He returned to Victoria on the "Barambah", embarking at the Royal Albert Docks in London on 23 Dec 1918. After disembarking in Melbourne on 22 Feb 1919 his agreement was terminated as complete the same day.

He died in Daylesford, VIC in 1948.^[5][6][7]

Sources

1. ↑ Birth - Victoria BDM Birth index - Event: births; Registration number: 21731 / 1869; Family name: PRENTICE; Given name(s): Josiah; Place of event: CRESWICK, Australia; Personal detail Mother's name: Jane; Mother's family name at birth: RUSSELL; Father's Name: John
2. ↑ Marriage - Victoria BDM Marriage index - Event: marriages; Registration number: 2600 / 1900; Family name: PRENTICE; Given name(s): Josiah; Personal detail Spouse's family name: RICHMOND; Spouse's given name(s): Jessie
3. ↑ THE THREATENED STRIKE AT DAYLESFORD. (1910, September 12). The Age (Melbourne, Vic. : 1854 - 1954), p. 8. Retrieved March 26, 2024, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article191350034
4. ↑ INDUSTRIAL AFFIARS. (1912, February 2). Bendigo Advertiser (Vic. : 1855 - 1918), p. 6. Retrieved March 26, 2024, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article89714928
5. ↑ Death - Victoria BDM Death index - Event: deaths; Registration number: 20471 / 1948; Family name: PRENTICE; Given name(s): Josiah; Place of event: DAYLESFORD, Australia; Personal detail Mother's name: Jane; Mother's family name at birth: RUSSELL; Father's Name: PRENTICE John
6. ↑ Death Notice - Family Notices (1948, August 9). The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), p. 8. Retrieved March 25, 2024, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article22687225
7. ↑ burial/Memorial - https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/244985878/josiah-prentice

• WW1 Australian War Worker Service File - National Archives of Australia - Prentice, Josiah - 711 - https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=6440365