JAMES MAYZE   (Betty Miles)

James Mayze, known as "Jas." was a native of Scotland and was born in 1863.  As a child, he went with his parents to New Zealand and they settled in Invercargill.   When his school days were over, he was apprenticed to the blacksmithing and general coach building trade, where he became a skilled workman, and he remained in the same line of business throughout his life.

In 1886, he sailed for Australia and landed in Victoria; after spending a year at Moonee Ponds, he came to Traralgon where he settled down to do his part in creating a prosperous town and district.

It was in Traralgon that he met and married Edith, daughter of the late Mr. Geo. Scales of Flynn, and they lived in a modern house of the time, in Kay street where the new St. Michael's Presbytery  is today.   They had 6 children - Thomas, Arthur, Ethel, Agnes, Dorothy, and James William.  When James Jnr., was just 3 months old, his mother died at the early age of 34, and he was then lovingly cared for by his Aunt Ella who later became his stepmother.  Of this union there were 4 more children - Viola, Allen, Irene and Ernest.

In the early days, Jas. Snr., became associated, in partnership, with the late Mr. Walter West, as Coachbuilder and Blacksmith.  Their smithy was in Seymour Street, at the rear of where the National Bank is today.  Whilst in partnership, they made a great success of the coachbuilding business, winning 6 prizes at the Traralgon Show in 1888.  Jas. Snr. continued to win prizes for the next 30 years.  Prizes were for machinery as well as vehicles and here is one report of their wins:

"West and Mayze had a splendid collection of buggies and other vehicles; this firm showed a very handsome double- seated buggy with hood, which received 1st Prize.  They also won 1st Prize  with a double seated canoe- front wagonette and their other exhibits were models of skill and taste."

The partnership was dissolved when Mr. West accepted the position of Secretary to the Shire of Traralgon.  Jas. Snr. carried on and, after a short while, the shop was shifted to Princes Street.  As the business grew, another move became necessary, and in 1898, the following notice appeared in the Traralgon Record:

"Town Improvements.
Mr. Jas. Mayze, who recently purchased the site of Mr. McMahon's buildings in Franklin Street, has erected a very large workshop, the front portion of which will be used as a showroom.  He has only recently entered his new premises and is prepared to general repair work of every description and also painting and trimming.  We have little doubt that Mr. Mayze's enterprise will meet with the success it deserves and that old customers will rally round him."

This shop was situated where the State Electricity Commission is now.  They were bigger and better premises and a large staff was employed - at one time there were twelve tradesmen working. "& Sons" was added to the sign above the door.

Photo, left of these premises from the Society's archives.

After completing his schooling, James William, Junior, joined his father in the business in 1915.  He learned all aspects of the blacksmith trade.   The manufacture and repair of buggies, wagons, and jinkers was a major industry in those days.  Bullock wagons were built for such stalwarts as the Graham brothers, William, Harry, and Robert, who were renowned for the carting of split paling from the area of Balook and Blackwarry.   Mr. J. Dwyer, famed for his excellent bullocks, was also a notable customer for wagons.  Furniture removal vans were built to order; many Indian hawkers called in for repairs to their wagons and to have horses shod.   Shoeing was also a major industry.

Tradesmen employed in the different branches of the trade were: the coach-builder, who carried out all the woodwork; the blacksmith, who made and fitted the iron-work; the trimmer, who made the upholstery and fitted it into the vehicle; and the the coach-painter, who finished off the job with his great skill and beautiful line-ing and scroll work.  Most vehicles received about 5 to 6 coats of paint and were finished off with a coat of varnish.

In 1925 James William (Jim) married Bessie Templeton, and of this union there were two children, Noel and Betty; they lived in what was then Railway Street but is now Queens Parade, after a visit from the Queen in 1954.  By this time, James Snr., had seen many changes in the coachbuilding and smithy trade. These he accepted with a smile, knowing that the wheels of progress could not, and must not, be halted.   The days of the coach became numbered, but, with altered plans the business continued to flourish.

It was in 1937 that once again progress stepped in and the premises were sold to the S.E.C.
J Mayze & Sons shifted further north in Franklin Street, opposite Ryan's Hotel.   Several buildings were erected, and blacksmith shop was sited around the corner in Mitchell Street.  Bellows were used in the early days to supply draught for the forge,  then came the hand-blower, but in these new premises the forge was power-blown and all "mod. cons." of that era were installed.  Business continued to flourish in the 1930's with repair work to farm machinery, horse-shoeing, agencies for farm equipment, etc., being attended to.

In 1939 James Mayze, Snr., passed away after a short illness and the business was carried on in partnership by Arthur and Jim. But with the advent of the motor car, business started to decline, and in 1941, Jim joined the Australian Military Forces in the 2nd. Field Co. and Arthur went to work for Australian Paper Manufacturers.

Jim was away for 4 years, 2 of which he served overseas in Egypt and Syria.   During this time the shop remained closed, but on Jim's return, the partnership was dissolved and Jim carried on alone, mainly doing repair work, with occasional horse-shoeing.  He still made a good living from the business.  It is known that after Jim's return, he burnt 2 buggies because they could not be sold, and they were taking up valuable space.

At last, in about 1970, the doors were finally closed as age had caught up with Jim and the hard work of the forge became too much.

Jas. Snr. and Jim were so alike in many ways.  Jas., in his early days, took an active interest in public affairs.  As Captain of the fire brigade, he was an efficient fireman and won many trophies; likewise Jim followed closely in his father's footsteps.  He became champion 1-man Marshall of the State in 1929, was Secretary and a driving force in the brigade for many years.  In 1956 he was made a Life Member of the Brigade.  They had both been active members of the Masonic Lodge and both had been Worthy Masters and Past Grand Standard Bearers.

I have obtained most of my information from items that were printed in the Traralgon Record, from as far back as 1887.  After my father's death, I felt that I wanted to put something down about him for its historical value in years to come.  They were two such wonderful men, and both had done their fair share in making Traralgon in the early days.

How proud my father would have been to see the Firemen honour him at his funeral, when men who hadn't even known him were willing to form a   guard-of-honour and pay their last respects to a man who had served the Brigade for so many years.