Background
James Hipwood was born in Sydney in 1842, the son of William Hooper Hipwood and Mary Ann (née Hayes).
Alderman director politician president
James Hipwood was born in Sydney in 1842, the son of William Hooper Hipwood and Mary Ann (née Hayes).
He was educated to age 13 at Street Andrew"s School.
He was an alderman on the Brisbane Municipal Council from 1884 to 1897, and mayor of Brisbane, Queensland from 1886 to 1887. Business James Hipwood was a brassfounder and coppersmith. Having left school at age 13, he worked for P.N. Russell and Company, ironfounders and shipbuilders, where he became a foreman.
Coming to Brisbane in 1870, he joined Joseph William Sutton in the firm Hipwood & Sutton in Eagle Street.
He was one of the founders of Queensland Trustees Limited and the South Brisbane Milling Company. He was also involved in the formation of the Queensland Mutual Insurance Company and the Queensland Deposit Bank.
He was a director of the Queensland Brewery Company (eventually merged into Carlton & United Breweries). James Hipwood was an alderman of the Brisbane Municipal Council from 1884 to 1897 and mayor in 1886 and 1887.
He served on the following committees:
Finance Committee 1884, 1885, 1888, 1890, 1891, 1893, 1895
Health Committee 1884, 1886, 1887, 1888, 1890, 1891
Legislative Committee 1885, 1886, 1888, 1889, 1891, 1893, 1895, 1897
Works Committee 1886, 1887, 1888, 1889, 1891, 1894, 1896
Town Hall Committee 1886, 1887
Street Lighting Committee 1891
Parks Committee 1896
He was president of the Traffic Board in 1894 and 1895.
James Hipwood was also a member of the Coorparoo Shire Council from 1888 to 1891 and its President in 1890.