James Leslie Woodward
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Born: January 9, 1917
Died: May 19, 2011
Funeral:St Augustine’s Church, Merewether, May 23
James Woodward was one of the world’s oldest known financiers when he retired from Newcastle’s RBS Morgans at 92, but he started life as the son of an animal skin trader.
His life was sprinkled with the remarkable, and rolled with satisfaction in his work.
Woodward worked more than 50 years as a stockbroker, but only started when he was 40.
Those first four decades were crammed with cricket feats, a World War II tour of New Guinea and two marriages.
James Leslie Woodward was born in 1917 outside of Guyra, between Armidale and Glen Innes, to Irishman William and Scotswoman Alicent.
William was one of the first men in that part of New England to own a car, and drove it into Guyra to trade animal skins.
It soon became obvious that young James was some athlete.
He was the first choice to catch a chicken whenever someone decided they wanted it for dinner.
William entrusted his son with his first gun at age eight, with the promise it would stop being his if it were pointed at anyone, loaded or not.
James would shoot rabbits on hunting expeditions with his fox terrier Nat, and sell them for sixpence in town.
His burning love for cricket was matched by his talent as an all-rounder, and James was part of Guyra’s first team at age 12.
As a teenaged swing bowler he took all 10 wickets in an innings against Ryanda, signing off with a caught and bowled popped from the splice of a tailender’s bat.
The local paper reported that ‘‘a meritorious performance was recorded by ‘Midget’ Woodward, who took all Ryanda’s wickets for a meagre 19 runs. This is certainly an outstanding effort, and it is doubtful if such a performance has ever been registered at Guyra’’.
James was picked for a Northern NSW team to play an Australian XI, and took two wickets and made a start with the bat.
Those close to him recalled one of the wickets to be Stan McCabe.
James enrolled in North Sydney Boys’ High and virtually walked into the first grade rugby team, but returned to Guyra when he finished his leaving certificate.
The outbreak of World War II brought him to Newcastle for basic training at Birmingham Gardens, and Private Woodward served in New Guinea for four years.
One of his unit’s last jobs was to clear enemy troops from the islands following the war’s end, and Woodward kept the letters informing Japanese soldiers of their country’s surrender.
Woodward’s job as an articled clerk in Newcastle evaporated when the firm collapsed after the war.
He married Violet Anderson, and the couple had two daughters named Suzanne and Christine before Violet died of cancer aged 26.
Woodward took a job at the RAAF Base at Rathmines and married his second wife Beatrice, but grew bored with his career and started accumulating shares.
He applied for a job with Newcastle stockbroker Norths.
Asked why he thought he would be any good, he displayed his portfolio.
Woodward got the job and was promoted to manager when Norths was bought by RBS Morgans.
His 50-year stockbroking career was marked by a reluctance to take risks, and a preference for safe products and industries.
‘‘No matter what happens, we’ll always need food,’’ he would tell clients, and recommend shares in Coles and Woolworths.
James died last month, a fortnight after Beatrice.
He is survived by Suzanne, Christine, his step-sons Phillip and Warwick and several grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
