The Cairns Post, Monday 21 July 1919
(Adelaide, South Australia)

OBITUARY
Mr. William John Binney
With painful suddenness, death claimed Mr. William John Binney, of “Oaklands,” Esplanade, Cairns, at an early hour on Sunday morning, at the Cairns District Hospital, after a brief illness. He had been ailing for about six months. On July 9, the day on which his second soldier step-son returned home from the war, he had a sudden seizure, and both of his boys, in whom he took a great pride and interest, stayed by his bedside all night long, and he was shortly after removed to the Cairns District Hospital. On Friday morning he was almost quite well, and was up and about at the hospital, but another sudden attack intervened, and he passed to the sight of his Maker at 2.30 in the morning, at the age of 72 years. The flag at the soldiers’ rest home was lowered as a mark of respect.
The late Mr. Binney was born in Cornwall, England, on May 17, 1847, and came to Australia 53 years ago. He settled in South Australia for about a dozen years, and came to North Queensland in 1879. He followed the diggings, and was at the Peak Downs, Herberton, Irvinebank, Stannary Hills, Mungana and Chillagoe fields. About five years ago he came to Cairns. He was always a strong, active man, and lived an open-air life. His home was his castle, and his eight step-children, who survive him, will miss his cheerful presence and his ready advice and sympathy. He was a staunch Liberal, and a member of the Loyal Orangemen’s Lodge. Besides his widow, for whom great sympathy will be felt, the following step-children survive Mr. Binney:—Mrs. Thomas Carrick, Evelyn Scrub; Mr. Walter Nicholls, Aloomba; Mrs. M. Freeman, Cairns; Mrs J. Rolley, Herberton; Mrs. R. Cremer, Innisfail; Herb. Nicholls (late 31st Battalion, who had the misfortune to lose the sight of one eye on the battlefield in the famous Mont St. Quentin sector); Arthur Nicholls, late 47th Battalion, who returned from a long spell of active service recently; and Mrs. Charles Gough, whose marriage was celebrated a fortnight ago.
Owing to there being but little means of advising the funeral, it was attended only by the immediate connections of the family. The chief mourners were the widow, Mrs. Binney, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Gough, and Herb. Nicholls. A party of Orangemen attended, under the W.M. (Mr. Mark Paulsen), and there was a detachment of returned soldiers, under the Cairns secretary, who represented the local branch of the Returned Sailors’ and Soldiers’ Imperial League of Australia, with whom the Nicholls brothers are very popular. There was a short service at “Oaklands,” and the last mortal remains were solemnly interred in the new cemetery, Martyn Street. The burial service was read by the Rev. F. J. Harris, and W.M. Bro. Paulsen read the Orange funeral service. Six Orangemen acted as pall-bearers. Wreaths were sent by the following: Loyal Orange Lodge, Returned Sailors’ and Soldiers’ Imperial League, Mrs. W. J. Nichol, Mr. and Mrs. E. M. Tredrea and family, Returned Soldiers’ President Walter Gibbs, and Mrs. Gibbs.

Contributed by Bob Bolitho