Parsons Family Archive
Charters Towers identity, James Chambers Parsons, was born in Buninyong, Vic., on 23 June 1861 and died in Charters Towers, Qld, at the age of seventy-one on 27 July 1932. Parsons married Alison Sagar of Millchester, Charters Towers, in 1883 and they had seven children, three sons and four daughters. Though his eldest son, W Parsons, died in 1930, James Parsons was survived by his wife Alison, two sons, Ralph and John (Jack) Parsons, and four daughters – Mrs H J Nix of Rockhampton, Mrs G Young of Home Hill, Miss Grace Parsons of Millchester, and Mrs J Gorman of Home Hill. Alison Parsons died on 18 August 1951, survived by the six children and many grandchildren.
Parsons, who began working in the mining industry at fifteen years old, moved to Charters Towers on 24 May 1882. In 1900, along with William Bray and Fred Atkins, he left to spend two years at the Raub Gold Mines in the Malay Peninsula before returning to mining at Charters Towers. Parsons was also a foundation elder of the Queenton Presbyterian Church and had an extensive involvement with local lodges.
This collection ranges from the early twentieth century to the early 1970s and includes personal correspondence, financial records, cards and photographs.Archive Location: 194R
Detailed Listing
PARS/1/ Financial Records: college fees, tax receipts, notices for payment of income tax
PARS/2/ Financial Records: Presbyterian Church of Queensland: picnic donations, Welfare of Youth Department receipts, book depot receipts, other donations
PARS/3/ Financial Records: receipts from various business establishments in Townsville and Charters Towers
PARS/4/ Public Curator Office letter regarding estate of Grace Parsons, 3 November 1969
PARS/5/ ID-related Records:
i. Driver's License for Ralph James Parsons, 30 April 1971
ii. Unemployment Insurance Contributions Book belonging to J.C. Parsons, 1929
iii. Identity card belonging to Grace Parsons, April 1942
iv. Identify card belonging to Alison Parsons, April 1942
PARS/6/ Loyal Orange Institution of Queensland, Charters Towers District Lodge, No. 2 - invitation for Thanksgiving Service, 12 July 1914
PARS/7/ Notebook titled 'Whoop Mine G.M.L. 2839', belonging to John Watson Parsons
PARS/8/ Maps belonging to JW Parsons according to inscriptions on back:
i. Hand-drawn map on cloth-type material, depicting main shaft and bore hole details
ii. Plan of Charters Towers Gold Mining Leases (date obscured)
PARS/9/ Booklets
i. Five Royal Family miniature booklets
ii. 'This Souvenir of The Royal Visit to Australia 1954'
iii. Constitutions of the Grand, District and Subordinate Lodges of the Independent Order of Good Templars (1901)
iv. Les Mathieson, Dual Control Driving School [traffic regulations]
v. Instruction Folder for your new Remington Speedmaster: Model 552 22 Caliber Autoloading Rifle
vi. Memo book
PARS/10/ Correspondence/1-25/ 'Many Happy Returns'-type cards
PARS/11/ Correspondence/26-33/ 'Sympathy'-type cards
PARS/12/ Correspondence/34-70/ 'Good Wishes' and 'Happy Christmas'-type cards
PARS/13/ Correspondence/71-85/ 'Souvenir' and 'Post Card'-type cards
PARS/14/ Correspondence/86-95/ Original letters from and to members of the Parsons family
PARS/15/ Photographs/1-7/ Depictions of mainly rural, railway, port and beach vistas, undated; 1 is titled 'In the Cane Fields, Bundaberg'
PARS/16/ Miscellaneous: badges, cards, empty envelopes, toast list, tickets
