Biographical informationFrank Barnett Carl James (1861-1929) married Amy Ann Ougden (?-1932) in 1884. They had seven children: Charlotte Elizabeth "Norah" (1885), Lucy Emma Senior (1887), Harry Edward Ougden (1889), Muriel "Kate" Thornlie (1892), Selby Hartwell Charles (1895), Gladys Amy "Corona" (1900), Dorothy "Madge" Francisco (1902).Amy Ougden was the neice of Walter Padbury. Padbury arranged for Frank James to manage his new proerty"Thornlie" on the Canning River. A farming enterprise was established on the property, with the clearing done by Chinese labourers.
Ownership of Thornlie passed to Amy James on the death of Walter Padbury in 1907 and she and Frank, with their family of seven children, continued to work the farm until the late 1920s.
The estate was managed by their youngest son Selby, after his parents' death, until it was sold in 1937. It was later subdivided to become the suburb of Thornlie.
He employed Ah Coon (2), Go A Kai, Ly Ah Chang, Ng Hiap Sui, Ah Chiu, Ah Soon (8)