James Tasman Campbell was born at Cressy on 22 Oct 1868, the eldest of four sons born to Donald Campbell (1834-1907), general storekeeper, and his second wife Elizabeth Brumby. Donald sailed from Scotland to Tasmania with his family on the Storm Cloud in 1855. He met his first wife Sarah Ryley on the voyage and they married the following year. Donald and Sarah had four sons before Sarah died in 1865 aged 31. Donald married Elizabeth Brumby on 28 Oct 1865. She was a daughter of William, and granddaughter of James Brumby, an early settler in Northern Tasmania.
James Campbell was educated at Horton College, Ross, after which he entered employment with Messrs Dodgshun & Sons at their Launceston warehouse. He was transferred to their Melbourne office after his marriage to Olive Grace Sidebottom on 28 Oct 1897 at St John's Church, Launceston. They left by the Coogee for their honeymoon in Melbourne. A year later their daughter Olga was born at 45 Auburn Road, Auburn, Melbourne. James subsequently became a manager of Robert Reid & Co. in Sydney. By 1903 the family was living at 'Lachlan', Amhurst Street, Crow's Nest, North Sydney. James died aged 66 in May 1934. Olive Sidebottom and James' brother Samuel are also pictured in the Family Album.
Marion Sargent May 2009