91After serving his apprentice-ship with a carpenter/builder, he was a
successful builder in Adelaide until recession and a bank failure made
him insolvent. After the crash the family settled on a piece of land on
the valley road between Aldgate and Mylor where Douglas, James and
Cordelia were born. At first he found work in the Wimmera district of
Victoria but in about 1896 ( Mary was born in BH in 1897) he went to
Broken Hill and soon became the leading builder and contractor there,
erecting major structures (heavy timber, especially) on the developing
mines, and building houses.
All his sons learnt a building trade.
He retired to Linden Park, Adelaide, c. 1930(?). He was buried with his
first wife, as was his wish, to his surviving widow's disappointment.
He was a stern, hard man, mean with money, but he did successfully
provide for a large family.