James and his older brother grew up in Dorking and both made their homes there when married. James married Jane Razell/Wrassell in 1828. James worked as a farm labourer and teamster, between Dorking and London. He lived with his wife and five children at Back Lane, Dorking.
Both James and William and their families decided to emigrate to Australia, it would have been a difficult decision to make, leaving their friends, relations and familiar surroundings. Perhaps the fact that several other Surrey families were also emigrating to the same place, may have helped to influence them. They were engaged to come to Australia to work for Henry Dendy.
James and his brother William along with their wives and children left London on the 10th of February 1842 on the ship "Earl of Durham".
It was to Brighton, James and his brother William were destined, along with other Surrey families, all expecting to be employed and housed by Mr Dendy. After a journey lasting four months, they found that he was no longer in a position to help them and could not give many families work or lodgings, as he was required to do by law. Most of the emigrants decided to go to Brighton anyway, although only a few were to be employed by Mr Dendy, the rest were thrown on their own resources. They left the ship in batches, James and Jane and their children left the ship on the following Monday after the ship arrived in port.
James worked at a variety of jobs in the early years, labouring,carting and farming.
| Thomas born 3 September 1828, Dorking, Surrey, England |
| Elizabeth born 1831, Dorking, Surrey, England |
| James born 1835, Dorking, Surrey, England |
| Jane born 1838, Dorking, Surrey, England |
| Fanny born 1840, Dorking, Surrey, England |
| John born 28 May 1842, on board "Earl of Durham" |
| Emily Phoebe born 1844, Brighton, Victoria, Australia |
| Sarah born 1847, Brighton, Victoria, Australia |
| Charles born 31 January 1850, Brighton,Victoria, Australia |
After their arrival in the Colony, Jane had given birth to 3 more children, Emily, Sarah and Charles. James and Jane had their share of heartbreak during their 24 years in Brighton, 4 of their children had died,Sarah in 1848 aged 1yr7mths, Emily in 1853 at 8yrs of age and Fanny died in 1857 when she was 16. Elizabeth died after the birth of her daughter in 1865. James and Jane also suffered the loss of eight grandchildren, some as babies, others as young children, added to this was the death of a little daughter who had died in England. On the 12th of August 1866, James wife Jane died, she was 55 years old. At the time of her death James and Jane had been married 38 years. Jane was buried in St Andrews Churchyard at Brighton, Victoria, Australia.
A year later, on 10 July 1867, James remarried to Rachel Tattersall. In his latter years James worked as a gardener and lived with his son Charles in William Street Brighton.
James died at his son Charles residence in William Street Brighton, on 7th January 1904. He had reached the great age of 96. James had remained mentally and physically active until a couple of years before his death. He is buried in the Brighton General Cemetery. At the time of his death he was the oldest resident in Brighton and had lived there for nearly 62 years.
