James Hebbard

James Hebbard (July 1862 – 29 November 1941) was a miner who became manager of the Great Central Mine, Broken Hill.

History Hebbard was born in Bendigo, Victoria, in July 1862, the fourth son of Mary "Martha" Hebbard, née Kitto, (15 September 1827 – 12 December 1920?) and John Hebbard (c. 1823 – 20 August 1886), a Cornish miner, who married in England in 1847.

Hubbard was educated at Kennedy's Collegiate School and the Bendigo School of Mines, then at age 16 began night work underground at the United Hustlers and Redan mines at Long Gully, Bendigo, taking his classes during the daytime. He also worked at Johnson's Reef Extended whose manager was Richard Pope, and whose daughter he later married.

In June 1884 Hebbard began work underground at the Hen and Chickens mine, Broken Hill, when the famous W. R. Wilson was manager. He had only been there a few weeks when Wilson recommended him to Crisp Brothers as manager of their Lubra mine at Purnamoota. Hebbard took the job and held it for six months.

In 1891 he accepted a Government job as Inspector of Mines, hailed by the press as a good appointment.

In 1901 he left the Public Service for the Sulphide Corporation's Central Broken Hill Mine as assistant general manager to C. F. Courtney, whom he succeeded in 1903, when Courtney became general manager of the Corporation in Australia. At some stage Hebbard moved into the Central Mine Manager's Residence on Piper Street, South Broken Hill, now on the New South Wales State Heritage Register.

The mine was periodically affected by "creeps" (ground movements) which resulted in destruction of the mill, threatened other buildings on the town side of the workings, and resulted in the death of at least one man. At great expense they rebuilt the mill, administration block, power house, and all other such facilities on the South Broken Hill side of the mine. The gamble paid off, as no further such losses occurred.

James Hebbard died in Adelaide on 29 November 1941.

Other interests He was a member of ... Australasian Institute of Mining Engineers and their president 1913 American Institute of Mining Engineers Mining Managers' Association when BHP, Block 10, and British mines withdrew from negotiations with the unions At his suggestion, surplus funds raised during Queen Victoria's jubilee were devoted to an ambulance for injured miners. He was also ... a fine amateur musician, he conducted a 100-voice choir on the central reserve as a benefit for the hospital. He was associated with the Broken Hill Choral Society, and the choir of the Sulphide Street Wesleyan Methodist Church. a keen gardener.

Family James Hebbard married Olivia Pope ( – 5 July 1947) in December 1887; married Sarah Matthews (c. 1854 – 8 December 1898) in 1872 William Hebbard (1 September 1850 – 20 July 1901) married Janet Reid Jamieson in 1874 Sarah Jane Hebbard (30 August 1852 – 1854) born in Adelaide, died in St Kilda, Victoria Mary Ann Hebbard (28 August 1856 – 17 October 1916) married William Kerby in 1876 James Hebbard, the subject of this article Thomas Hebbard (1858 in Bendigo – 16 December 1945) married Elizabeth Jane Spargo (c. 1864 – 5 January 1946) of Kadina, South Australia on 22 January 1882, lived corner Piper and Central streets, South Broken Hill. They had five sons and three daughters including: Thomas Hebbard jun. married Margaret Jane Davies ( – May 1916), lived corner Comstock and Hebbard streets, South Broken Hill Francis Hebbard (1864 – ) married Louisa Day Hattersley in 1887 Samuel Hebbard (1866 – 23 April 1936) married Martha Ann Gardner (died August 1954) in 1888, died at Caulfield, Victoria Amelia "Millie" Hebbard (1869 – 18 December 1894) married ?? 26 December 1890