Funeral of the Hon. James Tolmie

The esteem in which the late Hon. James Tolmie was held was evident when his funeral took place on Thursday from his late residence, Hill-street, to the Toowoomba Cemetery. All sections of the community were represented and the floral tributes were numerous and beautiful. A short service was held at the house. It was conducted by the Rev. D. S. Jones. Mr. Jones also officiated at the graveside.

The late Mr. Tolmie was a foundation director of the Darling Downs Building Society. He rendered very valuable service during his term. As a token of respect the usual Board meeting, which was to have been held at 2.30 p.m. on Thursday, was postponed.

In a short service at the house, the Rev. D. S. Jones said that at such times they turned to the Word of God which Mr. Tolmie loved, to find words of comfort and assurance. In the Old Testament they found words of comfort in the Psalms, written by men who knew nothing beyond the grave. But they expressed themselves with confidence because they had learned that God was good and that God cared for them. They therefore trusted in Him. It seemed to them that when death came it was just God taking man back to Himself. Another psalmist, who had been a shepherd boy, wrote the 23rd Psalm, "The Lord is my Shepherd." There was no arguing about God. They trusted God with the full assurance that He was worthy of all confidence.

In the New Testament they had a message which had brought great comfort to more men and women than any other message that had ever been given. Jesus said, "Let not your heart be troubled. Ye believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father's house are many mansions. If it were not so I would have told you, because I have gone to prepare a place for you. I will receive you unto Myself, so that where I am there you may be also." That was the message to them that day.

One had departed from them. He had gone from them to God. He had returned to the God that had given him being — a God of love and compassion and tender pity. He had gone to a place that Christ had made ready for him. He had been received with the words, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of thy Lord."

At the graveside Mr. Jones said they were laying in the grave a man of excellent character. The late Mr. Tolmie was a God-fearing man. He was a man who built his life and principles on Jesus Christ and on the Word of God which he so greatly loved. His was a difficult life. He had to face great problems in youth and onwards. The words that comforted and strengthened and inspired him throughout life were the words of the 46th Psalm, "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble." The Bible was a book Mr. Tolmie knew well. He found strength and inspiration in the Bible through the whole of his remarkable career. Now he had come to the grave. And the message was for all that one day their lives would be brought to a close and their bodies would be laid in the bosom of Mother Earth.

The pall-bearers were Dr. Derick Yeates, Messrs. Alan Frazer, H. M. Yeates, Fergus Yeates, Keith Frazer and Neil Yeates, all nephews of the late Mr. Tolmie.

Beside the relatives among those present were Messrs. W. C. Peak (Darling Downs Building Society and R.A. Society), Brigadier-General J. C. Robertson (Darling Downs Building Society and R.A. Society), David Cramond (R.A. Society), Dr. E. Bruce Smith, Messrs. W.H.A. Dunn (Managing Editor "Toowoomba Chronicle"), J. W. Armitage (Queensland Country Press Pty. Ltd. and Queensland Country Press Association), H. T. Symington (Empire Theatre), R. G. F. O'Bryen, W. Harris, Kenneth Yeates, Aldermen J. D. Annand (Mayor of Toowoomba), J. Platz, John Robinson, F. B. Common, K. Macfarlane, W. H. Brose and A. A. Griffiths (Toowoomba City Council), F. H. Merritt (Town Clerk), L. A. Boyce (Chamber of Commerce), G. A. Leichney (Toowoomba Fire Brigade Board), J. R. Phillips ("Fathers" Association), F. J. Paterson, A. R. Godsall, J. Provan, A. R. Eisner, T. W. Allen (Greenmount), P. A. Atkinson (R.S.S.I.L.A.), J. R. W. Kennedy (secretary, R.S.S.I.L.A.), H. W. Wagner (Withcott), F. Bunce (Queensland Trustees), A. J. Symes, A. A. Hall, James Dunn (Session Clerk, St. Stephen's Presbyterian Church), S. G. Stephens (Darling Downs Building Society), D. H. Stewart (Toowoomba Rotary Club), M. J. O'Sullivan, W. Thorburn, Inspector W. H. Lipp and Detective-constable R. J. Nesbitt (Police Department), Julius Cohen (Church of England Schools), H. E. Roberts and L. W. A. Scott (Toowoomba Grammar School), G. Y. Knight, T. Griffin, H. Obst, H. McPhie, John Hill, B. N. Harders, L. W. Corderoy, D. Dellar, W. Dow, A. E. Dent, W. Cody, J. J. O'Reilly, R. D. Crombie, W. Bowman, W. J. Crawford (who went to school with the late Mr. Tolmie), Dr. Aeneas J. McDonnell, Messrs. John McDonnell, W. T. Heeney, G. Hopkins, Mrs. J. Ellis, Miss L. Bailey, Mrs. H. Hatton.

Wreaths were received from the following: All his loving sisters; Mr. and Mrs. T. D. Frazer and family (Brisbane), Mr. and Mrs. Geo. Wieneke and family (Roma), Peggy and Herbert, Derick, Bert, Fergus and Neil; Dr. Jim Yeates (London), Cousin Belle Macdonald (New Zealand), Aunt Jeannie Finlayson and Cousins Isabel and Margaret (London); "Tiger" and "Bisto"; Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Yeates and family; Mr. and Mrs. W. H. A. Dunn; Mrs. J. O. Frith ("Rodway"); Dollie Henderson; Mr. and Mrs. W. McLennan; the Paterson Family; Mr. and Mrs. J. E. Strong and family; Gertie and Ken Kemp; Mr. John Provan and family; Dr. A. J. McDonnell; the Chamberlin and Short families; Mr. and Mrs. W. A. Henderson; Mr. and Mrs. W. C. Peak; Mr. and Mrs. M. G. C. Pasco and Crawford; Alderman and Mrs. J. D. Annand and family; Teresa Conroy; Mr. and Mrs. A. R. Godsall; Mrs. J. M. Yates and Miss Yates; Mr. and Mrs. Hugh T. Symington; Mrs. J. H. Munro; Dr. and Mrs. M. Sinclair and family; Dr. and Mrs. T. A. Price; Mr. and Mrs. Leslie Boyce; Mr. and Mrs. W. D. Kenyon; Mr. and Mrs. R. D. Crombie and Mr. Colin Graham; Mr. and Mrs. Edward King; Mrs. Jessie Ellis and Miss L. Bailey; Mr. and Mrs. H. Gordon; Mrs. Newman (Wyreema), A. McPhie and family; Mr. S. G. Stephens and Miss M. R. Stephens; Mrs. Izatt and Arnold; Mr. Andrew Dunn (Rockhampton); Mrs. David Cullen; Mr. J. Fitzpatrick and family; Mr. and Mrs. H. E. Roberts (Toowoomba Grammar School); Miss Edie Robinson; Misses Anderson ("Rathgar"); Dr. and Mrs. E. Bruce-Smith; T. A. Margetts; Mr. and Mrs. B. J. Beirne; the Allen family; E. A. Gullett; Dr. Graham Wilson; Mrs. Wonderley; Jessie Robertson; the Wonderley family (Stuart-street); Mr. and Mrs. J. W. Armitage; Mr. and Mrs. Julius Cohen and family; Mrs. John Rosser and family; Mr. and Mrs. John Robinson and Neil; Mr. and Mrs. R. W. Winter and family; Mr. and Mrs. G. Eiser and family; Mrs. Tod and family; directors and staff "Toowoomba Chronicle"; Mayor and Aldermen, Toowoomba City Council; South State Boys' School; St. Andrew's Private Hospital; Toowoomba Caledonian Society and Burns Club; Old Boys' Association, South State School; directors and staff of the Darling Downs Building Society; members of Downs Club; directors of the Empire Theatre Pty. Ltd.; Queensland Country Press Association; South Boys' State School Committee; directors Queensland Country Press Pty. Ltd.; Girl Guides' Executive and Local Association; G. Searle and Sons Ltd.

Telegrams and messages of sympathy were received from Doris and Iris; Mardie; Lorna and Bert; Laurie, Jessie and Jean; Evan, Jim; the Chief Justice (Sir James Blair) and Lady Blair; the Premier (Hon. W. Forgan Smith) and Mrs. Forgan Smith; Canon Garland; Dr. A. J. McDonnell; Dr. and Mrs. T. P. Connolly; Dr. and Mrs. E. Bruce Smith; Dr. Harlin; Dr. A. W. Row; James Taylor; Alex McPhie; F. J. Paterson; J. H. White; A. W. Fadden; John Robinson; John Provan; Martin Boulton; Malcolm Brodie; Mr. and Mrs. W. C. Peak; Mr. and Mrs. M. J. O'Sullivan; G. A. Leichney; H. F. W. Foster; Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Hall; Mr. and Mrs. David Cramond; Mr. and Mrs. A. E. Lavers; Mr. and Mrs. T. H. Ludgate and family; Mr. and Mrs. F. H. Merritt; L. W. Corderoy; Arthur Gore, Cambooya; Mr. and Mrs. J. Purcell; Mr. and Mrs. C. C. Dixon; Mr. and Mrs. C. W. Prentice; Mr. A. R. Godsall; Mr. Geoffrey Godsall, Brisbane; James Geraghty, Woolloowin, Brisbane; Mr. and Mrs. T. P. O'Brien; L. W. A. Scott; M. L. Reading; W. T. Vowles; J. Shaw Thompson, Dalby; Mrs. J. C. Allen, senr., and Mr. Tom Allen; Mr. W. Bebbington and Mrs. Watts; Mrs. Wonderley; Mrs. A. H. Lindley and family; Pastor Gutekunst and Mrs. Gutekunst; Alderman J. Platz and Mrs. Platz; Mr. and Mrs. James Shaw, Brisbane; Mr. and Mrs. A. Campbell, Greenmount; Ida Hatton; the Gaydon family, Townsville; all at "Allendale," Greenmount; Mrs. McNaught, Barbara and Margaret, Brisbane; the Hogg family; Fortescue family; Jessie Robertson; W. Knapp; R. F. O'Bryen and family; J. J. O'Reilly; Mrs. Devine, senr.; Donald and Kate Campbell, Greenmount; Sanda Thompson; Miss Bailey and Jessie Ellis; C. J. Dunne; Mr. and Mrs. Dunne and family; Florence Heales; Perrett family; Edith and Muriel Williams, Brisbane; Mr. and Mrs. D. Deller and girls; Ethel O'Keefe, Cambooya; P. McGoldrick and Bea, Brisbane; Mattie and Daisy Boyden; Mr. and Mrs. P. Kenefake and family; Nurse C. Lea; Peggy Kavney; C. H. and U. Davis and family, Cooyar; Mr. and Mrs. Fred Fett; Mrs. Fett, Oakey; John Cordner, Wynnum Central; Campbell sisters, Brisbane; Kelly and Ross; K. Brodie, Brisbane; Jack Bailey; Mother and Vanda, Brisbane; Mrs. E. A. Gullett; Sister Regan; Miss Weir; Misses Anderson; Mr. and Mrs. Laurie Cooke and family; J. C. and U. Scott; Sister Goddard; Mrs. C. L. Hatton; R. and E. Peut and Lily; Mrs. McMahon; Stella and Grace; Mrs. R. Renwick and Lily; Miss Meeks, Brisbane; Mr. and Mrs. J. D. Dick, Brisbane; Mr. and Mrs. Frank Hodgson; Lilian and Evelyn Bowdler; Gilby Peardon, Gladstone; Mrs. M. J. Egan; Mrs. P. Keating, Brisbane; Mr. and Mrs. R. Hobart; Miss Beryl Edwards; Mrs. F. Achilles; Miss Chalferis; Mrs. Curtis; Mr. F. A. Prior; Mr. Cary; Mrs. W. D. Kenyon; Teresa Conroy; Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Rowe and Miss Rowe; the president and members of the West Toowoomba Croquet Club; the president and members, Toowoomba branch, A.N.A.; Mrs. Whalley; Mrs. Richards; Mrs. Betts; A. W. I. King.

The article as it was printed in The Toowoomba Chronicle, 8 April 1939. Scan from Trove, National Library of Australia. (Trove, National Library of Australia)