Ralph Cowper JULIUS [887]

  General Notes:

Ralph from leaving school worked on his fathers grazing run "Eloura" between Ashford and Emmaville. He and his brother Jack were responsible for erecting many miles of fencing on the property which contained some very rugged country.
During the Depression the Ottery tin and arsenic mine at Tent Hill, near Emmaville, was closed by the parent company. Ralph became a partner with his father Archibald, and brother Jack, in taking over the lease of the mine where he worked the underground jackhammer.
Ralph joined the Australian Infantry Force (A.I.F.) in 1940, was posted overseas, where he became a prisoner of war in February 1941 in Singapore.
He worked on the infamous Burma Railway and was to be shipped to Japan on the "Hell Ship" which was sunk by the Americans with most on board drowning. However as he was suffering from both berri-berri and malaria he was thrown into Changi prison and left for dead by the Japanese. In later life he was known to say that he "wouldn't die to please the bastards" and so went on not only to survive, but to marry twice, have five sons, ten grandchildren and six great grandchildren,
After the war Ralph worked at Cobar Mines underground as a machine man for a short period before to taking up land at Ashford under the Soldiers Settlement Scheme in 1945. He sold the property and retired to live in Ashford in the 1980's

Taviton, Ashford,
Taviton Estate, near Ashford, has been approved by the Minister for Lands (Mr. Sheahan) for soldier settlement.
That was announced to-day by the Member for Barwon (Mr. S. R. Heferen, M.L.A.), after he was advised of the Minister's concurrence in the purchase of the property.
The vendor, Mr. Heferen said, was the executrix of the will and codicil of William Dunlop (deceased)
and the applicants were Messrs. H. G. A., J. F„ and R. C. Julius, of Ashford.
The Inverell Times (NSW)
27 Feb 1948.

Brisbane Wool Sales
Mactaggarts F. & G. Wool Selling
Co-operative Limited.
Approximately 69,000 bales of wool were submitted to auction at the fourth series of Brisbane Wool Sales held from the 15th to the 18th November. The selection was considerably better than that of the previous Brisbane Sale held in October. The overall standard on this occasion being principally of good topmaking to best topmaking style wools. Although a considerable portion reflected the state of the season in shorter length of staple, soft handling and freeness from vegetable fault features were very much in evidence. Generally speaking the most drought affected wools tended to be drawn from the Northern and Central areas of Queensland, these at times being dusty in condition and of weak staple. The sales opened on the Monday with good wide-spread competition from Japan, the Continent and Britain with useful support from the Australian Mills. However, prices were not quite as high as earlier anticipated due to the easing of the market at the close of Southern Sales during the previous week. Values compared to Sydney Sales were generally unchanged whilst compared to the previous Brisbane Sale were from par to 21 per cent. dearer for most descriptions. As the sale progressed over the week, there was a further slight easing in values concluding with prices generally 23 per cent. below opening rates on Monday. At times there was irregularity In the sale of dusty and doubtful yielding wools and these showed the greatest depreciation in values.
Our own catalogue did not possess a substantial quantity of lower style wool, the selection being mostly of best to good topmaking with wools drawn principally from the Downs, Northern New South Wales and South Western areas of Queensland. Our top price was 93¼d per pound for 6 bales branded AAA EM & AAA M submitted on account of Messrs. H. G. A. and G. A. Julius, Strathsevern, Ashford, N.S.W. This wool was of spinners' style, of superfine qualities, showing good length of staple, practically free from vegetable fault and possessing good yielding properties. . . . . .
Some prices realised in our Catalogue this week were . . . . .

A/c. R. C. Julius, Taviton, Ashford, N.S.W., 5 AAA 82¾d, 6 AAA 81d, 5 AA 74½, 5 bkn 64¼d, BBB 74¾d, pcs 50d, LOX 34d, bls 40d, LMS 66d, LMS bkn 44¾d, CRTS 37¾d.

  Medical Notes:

Ralph became an insulin dependant diabetic.

  Other Records

1. Ralph Cowper Julius: Images.
Ralph with his son James, his grave at Ashford NSW.

Ralph married Isabel Margaret HENDERSON [4462] [MRIN: 1532] on 28 Dec 1946 in Brisbane Queensland Aust. (Isabel Margaret HENDERSON [4462] was born on 7 Feb 1897 and died on 30 Jul 1954 in "Taviton" Ashford N.S.W..)

Ralph next married Living