Person

Hardie, James (Jim) (1851 - 1920)

Born
27 July 1851
Linlithgow, Scotland
Died
20 November 1920
Poowong North, Victoria, Australia
Occupation
Merchant

Summary

James (Jim) Hardie migrated to Australia in 1887 and established his first business within 5 months. From his Flinders Lane shop he bought and sold consumables for the tanners' and curriers' trades. On 1 January 1896 Hardie went into partnership with businessman Andrew Reid and established "James Hardie & Co.". In 1903 James Hardie travelled overseas and formed a partnership with the "Fibro-Cement Company" (Poissyo-cement become the core business of James Hardie & Co. To overcome the short fall in supply due to World War I, the company were forced to manufacture fibro-cement in Australia. The first plant opened in New South Wales in 1917 and within 11 years James Hardie & Co. had another four plants in operation, including one in New Zealand.

Details

James Hardie retired in 1912 and the James Hardie & Co. was retrospectively dissolved from 30 June 1911. Hardie spent his retirement enjoying family life and working for the community. He died of heart failure and arteriosclerosis in 1920. Andrew Reid and his descendants continued to run James Hardie & Co. until 1995. The business, changed its name to "James Hardie Industries limited" and in 2001 established a parent company in the Netherlands called "James Hardie Industries NV".

Chronology

14 August 1887
Life event - Arrived in Australia (Melbourne) on the Oroya
December 1887
Career position - Flinders Lane, Melbourne business opened which serviced the tanning and curriering trades
11 January 1893
Life event - Married Clara Buncle
1 January 1896
Career position - James Hardie & Co established at 581-583 Little Collins St in Melbourne
1903
Career position - Imported fibro-cement from France
30 June 1911
Career position - Dissolved partnership with Andrew Reid (retrospectively)
1912
Life event - Retired
May 1917
Career position - First fibro-cement manufacturing plant opened in Camellia, New South Wales
1921
Career position - Fibro-cement manufacturing plant opened at Riversdale, Western Australia
1927
Career position - Fibro-cement manufacturing plant opened at Brooklyn, Victoria
1934
Career position - Fibro-cement manufacturing plant opened at Newstead, Queensland
1938
Career position - Fibro-cement manufacturing plant opened at Penrose, New Zealand

Published resources

Book Sections

  • Lack, John, 'Hardie, James (Jim) (1851-1920), businessman' in Australian dictionary of biography: supplement 1580 - 1980, with a name index to the Australian dictionary of biography to 1980, Christopher Cunneen, ed. (Melbourne: Melbourne University Press, 2005), p. 164. http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biogs/AS10205b.htm. Details

Resources

See also

Rosanne Walker

EOAS ID: biogs/P003598b.htm

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