Australia’s Councillor James Chiam elected into the Maryborough Town Council in 1861: the first Asian elected in Australia.



Maryborough crowds attend Councillor George Seymour's Local History Talk on James Chiam

Maryborough held it first municipal elections in 1861 and a few months later James Chiam was elected to fill a vacant seat on Council. This was a milestone, as it was the first time someone of Asian background had been elected to public office in Australia.

James Chiam migrated to Australia as an indentured labourer. He immigrated on the Ganges to Sydney on January 26^th, 1852 with 213 other men (Slocomb, 2014, p. 269).  He was a shepherd on Boondooma Station from 1852 to 1857 (Slocomb, 2014, p. 269:p. 202). After he had paid his debt he became a butcher.

Bettany, G. (1888). Image 880.

He was one of the first local Chinese men to be naturalised and was able to do this without being married as he did it just before an ammendment to the Alien’s Act found here.This required Chinese men marry in order to be naturalised. 

James did this by taking "an oath of allegiance in Maryborough before the Police magistrate, Arthur Holloran, in September 1858"(Slocomb, 2014, 233). James was considered clever but highly strung and somewhat of a rogue. As a result he has a number of Chronicle articles detailing run-ins with the court. The first beginning three days after he reached Boodooma Station.


Others included:
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/147938827?searchTerm=james%20chiam&searchLimits=l-state=Queensland|||l-decade=186|||l-title=731

http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/150314276?searchTerm=james%20chiam&searchLimits=l-state=Queensland|||l-decade=186|||l-title=731

http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/147938636?searchTerm=james%20chiam&searchLimits=l-state=Queensland|||l-decade=186|||l-title=731

http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/150317467?searchTerm=james%20chiam&searchLimits=l-state=Queensland|||l-decade=186|||l-title=731

Slocomb (2014, p. 269) claims he was in custody in December, 1857 charged with assault with the "intent to commit a rape" of married women. He was found guilty of the lesser charge of common assault and spent four months in prison (Slocomb, 2014, p.272).

This did not stop him being able to be the first naturalised Chinese man in the region or stop him being elected to Council.

His nomination for Alderman gives insight into how the community views his character and can be found here.

He was elected as the Alderman in October 1961 with more than twice the votes of his closest opponent. His maiden speech found here gives great insight into how this Chinese Australian viewed the new settlement.

James was married to Sophia Chiam. It can be assumed it was a stormy union, as after appearing as witness in Court cases, on Thursday the 13^th November, 1962 James Chiam was bound over in the sum of £40 to keep the peace towards Sophia Chiam for a period of six months.

They separated 12 February, 1863 and this is detailed in this link.

He finished his career as an Alderman just over a year after being elected. His resilience and capability was demonstrated in his ability to conduct successful businesses and be elected to Council. His nature and regular court attendance either as a claimant or being prosecuted damaged his reputation and he was always considered with the same suspicion as many of his Chinese counterparts. His burial plot is in the Maryborough cemetery and he died January, 1883, aged 51 (Slocomb. 2014, p .273).

Do you know any stories about any other Chinese members of our community?



References

Bettany, G. (1888). The world's inhabitants, or Mankind, animals, and plants. London: Ward, Lock.

Christina, E. (2015). Communities of Interest Indentured Chinese Labourers Local Studies Talk SLQ. Bankfoot House.

media.sclqld,. (1867). v01_pp523-528_Aliens_Aliens Acts, 1867 to 1958.pdf. Melbourne.

Slocomb, M. (2014). Among Australia's pioneers. Bloomingdale: Balboa Press

Trove.nla.gov.au,. (2016). Home - Trove. Retrieved 7 January 2016, from http://trove.nla.gov.au/

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