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Portrait of Roger Jose

Roger Jose

1863 – 1963

Labourer and hermit in Borroloola Northern Territory (c1893-1963)

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About Roger Jose

Lived 1863 – 1963 (aged 99–100). Roger Jose was an Australian hermit.

Roger Jose ( – 7 October 1963) was a hermit and labourer who spent much of his life in Borroloola in the Northern Territory of Australia. He was a self-acknowledged eccentric and one of the region's most famous outback characters.

Life in the Northern Territory

Little is known of Jose's early life and it is thought he was likely born in New South Wales, but details of who his family were are unknown. Jose also wrote frequent letters to the editor of The Northern Standard.

In 1933 Jose was featured in an article written by Ernestine Hill entitled "The last of the Beachcombers" in which she frequently compares him to Bill Harney and says that:

In 1962 Jose was interviewed by David Attenborough and featured in an episode of Quest Under Capricorn called "Hermits of Borroloola". This episode was first broadcast in 1963.

He was the subject of a song "Roger was no death adder" by Ted Egan.

He died at his home on 7 October 1963 and was survived by his wife Biddy.

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Important facts

Born
1863
Birth century
Died
1963
Occupation
Hermit
Nationality

People in Roger Jose's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Roger Jose's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Roger Jose?

labourer and hermit in Borroloola Northern Territory (c1893-1963)

When was Roger Jose born?

Roger Jose was born in 1863.

When did Roger Jose die?

Roger Jose died in 1963.

What was Roger Jose's occupation?

Roger Jose was a hermit.

What nationality was Roger Jose?

Roger Jose was Australian.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Roger Jose

· Wikidata: Q131618578

· DBpedia: Roger Jose

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Roger Jose. https://biography.guide/roger-jose/

MLA: "Roger Jose." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/roger-jose/.

Chicago: "Roger Jose." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/roger-jose/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

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