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Jimmy Melbourne Jimmy Melbourne i(8888621 works by) (a.k.a. James 'Jimmy' Melbourne)
Born: Established: 1876 York, York area, York - Brookton - Quairading area, Northam - Southern Cross area, Southwest Western Australia, Western Australia, ; Died: Ceased: 13 Dec 1937 Melbourne, Victoria,
Gender: Male
Heritage: Aboriginal
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BiographyHistory

Jimmy Melbourne was the first Aboriginal to play in the West Australian Football League in the early 1900s. Borne to Sarah and Charles Melbourne at the York Hospital in Western Australia. In the early 1880's Jimmy was placed in the Native and Half Caste Mission in Perth where he remained for several years before returning to York. Form the mid-1890s, Jimmy became a prominent sportsman in horse racing, Australian rules football, athletics, boxing and cricket. Melbourne had also enlisted in the AIF during the First World War, but after contracting tuberculosis was discharged in July 1917.

(Source: 'The Legendary Life of Jimmy Melbourne', Koori Mail, 9 September 2015, p.21)

Most Referenced Works

Last amended 18 Sep 2015 12:05:15
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