James Keogh (Australian politician) explained

James Keogh
Constituency Am1:Merthyr
Assembly1:Queensland Legislative
Term Start1:11 June 1932
Term End1:31 August 1940
Predecessor1:Patrick Kerwin
Successor1:William Moore
Birth Date:1888
Birth Place:Thurles, Tipperary, Ireland
Death Date:31 August 1940 (aged 52)
Death Place:Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Restingplace:Nudgee Cemetery
Birthname:James Patrick Keogh
Nationality:Irish Australian
Party:Labor Party
Spouse:Clara Ethel Clifford (m.1918 d.1978)
Occupation:Miner

James Patrick Keogh (1888 – 31 August 1940) was a member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly.[1]

Biography

Keogh was born in Thurles, Tipperary, the son of William Keogh and his wife Mary (née Maher). He arrived in Queensland around 1902 and worked as a miner in north Queensland before serving in the 1st AIF assigned as a gunner to the 3rd Battery Australian Field Artillery Regiment in World War I.[1] Here he was one of the original Anzacs who fought at Gallipoli. Later in the war he was gassed, wounded and reported dead while serving in Belgium and finally invalided back to Australia.[1] In the 1930s he was once again reported dead from the pulpit of his local church but when friends went to his home to offer their condolences they found him mowing his lawn.[2]

On 20 December 1918 he married Clara Ethel Clifford[1] (died 1978)[3] in England and together had three sons and three daughters. Keogh had been ill for some time before dying at the Rosemount Military Hospital in August 1940.[2] It is thought that the effects of the gassing and injuries he received in World War I hastened his death.[1] He was buried in the Nudgee Cemetery.[4]

Public career

Keogh was an alderman on the Brisbane City Council, representing the ward of Fortitude Valley from 1925 until 1931. During that time he served on nearly all of the council's committees.[2]

From 1932 until his death in 1940 Keogh was the member for Merthyr in the Queensland Legislative Assembly. He was the government representative on the Metropolitan Fire Brigade Board.[1]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Former Members. Parliament of Queensland. 2015. 10 April 2016.
  2. News: Late News . . 2183 . Queensland, Australia . 31 August 1940 . 10 April 2016 . 1 . National Library of Australia.
  3. https://www.qld.gov.au/law/births-deaths-marriages-and-divorces/family-history-research/ Family history research
  4. http://vmsos.catholic.net.au:8008/mapguide/nudgee/public/?s=09BCB110171BB75BFF0A7A4A05C3734C819F52F8 Welcome to the Nudgee Cemetery Mapping Interface