In 1882, Charles Vance Hunter was born to Irishman James Hunter and Norwegian Anna Bertina Christiansen. He was the fifth of eleven children born in Charters Towers. This North Queensland town was a burgeoning gold mining town, and in 1882 was undergoing significant growth. The completion of the railway line from Townsville to Charters Towers that year boosted its prosperity, leading to increased mining activity and a surge in population. The town was already a major mining and business centre due to the rich gold deposits discovered in the 1870s.
Presumably because his father was Irish, Charles gained the nickname, ‘Paddy’. On the electoral roll of 1903 Charles was listed as a miner living at 21 Hunter Street, Charters Towers. Also listed as electors in Hunter Street were his brother Albert Nicholas, 28, a miner, his mother, Anna Bertina, 47, his sister Anna Elizabeth 26, his father, James Nicholas, 60, a miner, and his bother William James, 23, an engine driver. Women were given the right to vote in Federal elections in Australia in 1900 but didn’t gain that right in Queensland elections until 1905. It is interesting to see that the family members were keen to enroll.
Charles Vance (Paddy), must have moved to Townsville where he met Julia Anne Walsh. They married on the 22nd October 1906 which was the same day their first child was born, Anna Elizabeth Hunter. The couple were to have five more girls and three boys between 1906 and 1924. The only child not born in Townsville was Julia Veronica who was born in Charters Towers in 1912. From the electoral rolls it appears that in 1913 the family were in Hughenden living at Railway Reserve while Paddy was a contractor.
On the Charters Towers updated Electoral Roll 1913 Charles Vance and his wife Julia, his mother Anna Hunter, and a woman Marian Jane (probably his sister Maria Jane) were listed as having left the district. Nicholas James Hunter, Charles’ father was listed as dead, He died in 1912.
Charles (Paddy) seemed to be associated with the Rainbow Push a group who were concerned with civil rights and social justice. In 1907 he was involved in a fracus which was saw him end up in the Charters Towers court. Later in 1916 he was again before the courts this time in Townsville in a matter related to the referendum on conscription. I would hazard a guess he was against conscription.
From tracking electoral rolls it appears that the family were living at 11th Avenue South Townsville as early as 1917. Julia was 30, Paddy, a contractor was 35 and there were other Hunters living in the same street. Paddy’s younger brother Alfred, a labourer and his older brother William James 37. Anna jun. is listed and I believe that would be William’s wife Anna Purcell whom he married 3 July 1909. She died 21 December 1946. Members of the family continued to live at 11th Avenue up until 1954.
The Tagney Hood 