WOLLONGONG ADVERTISER

James Kirby was born in 1860 in Sydney and trained as a bootmaker as a young man.

He married Isabella Philomena Stewart in June 1883 in Sydney.

Isabella Kirby was born in Wollongong in 1861, the eldest of two daughters of Alexander Stewart who narrated Wollongong's early history, published in a series in the Illawarra Mercury in 1894.

The Kirbys had two children before settling in Wollongong.

Before May 1891, James Kirby was the manager of the Cash Boot Company shop next door to Cochrane's Commercial Hotel on the corner of Crown and Church streets.

In May 1891, he called a mass meeting of miners and public at his boot shop to sell boots at good prices.

At the same time he would thank the public of Wollongong for their patronage when he ran the Cash Boot Company (but continued to remain involved with bootmaking and repairs for many years).

Then, by November 1891, he advertised that he had opened a tobacconist shop in premises at Lower Crown Street, just west of the Royal Hotel and Andrew Moran's Kembla Boot Shop.

By 1895 he was an alderman on Wollongong Council, a position he held until 1904. In all, he and Isabella had nine children - the last were twin daughters Millicent and Philomena, who were born in 1901.

When the twins were just four-weeks-old, Isabella Kirby, 39, died of septicaemia resulting from the twins' birth.

Although the babies received the best of care after the death of their mother, they only lived for five months before they died, a day apart, in December 1901.

Two years later, Mr Kirby married his sister-in-law Annie Matilda Stewart in May 1903 in Sydney.

Again he was elected alderman on Wollongong Council in 1912, a position he held until 1922. For a time he was the acting mayor while mayor Norman Smith was on active service.

He was appointed Deputy Coroner on October 22, 1914, a position he held for almost 20 years.

The following year, he ceased his bootmaking and shoe repair business when he became secretary of the School of Arts.

Three sons enlisted in World War I. However, Alban, who enlisted in 1914 and served at Gallipoli, was killed in France in August 1918 aged just 23.

Both James and Annie continued to live at 57 Crown Street.

Mr Kirby received another appointment as Deputy Sheriff of Wollongong in February 1924 but that the same month his second-eldest daughter Celia died.

A keen sportsman in his younger days, he was well known as a foot runner of note winning many awards and took a keen interest in playing in the local cricket team.

James Kirby died at Wollongong Hospital on December 18, 1940, aged 80.

Annie continued to live in the family home after James died and died in Wollongong Hospital in May 1941 at the age of 76, just five months after her husband.

In November 1941, just five months after Annie Kirby's death, Frank Bevan and Sons sold the family home to A. F. Hale.

James Kirby JP was an arduous worker for the welfare of the town and district.

He was deeply involved with friendly societies, even to the point of establishing the first co-operative society in Wollongong.

He would have to be remembered as the manufacturer of the "Kirby runner" - specially designed running shoe.

Athletes who wore these shoes considered it gave them an advantage over their opponents.

Information courtesy of Carol Herben OAM.  Call 0409 832 854 or email sycado6@bigpond.net.au