James Shuttleworth was the son of Joseph Shuttleworth (a carpenter) and Mary Goodman who were married in Leicester on 7 June 1808. He was christened in Great Packington, Warwickshire, on 11 January 1823. Church records giving the date of their baptism indicate that his siblings include the following: Charles (27 May 1813), Edward (2 February 1815), Eliza (9 February 1817), Anne (10 July 1819), William (29 July 1921), Henry (11 May 1825), Sabina (14 April 1827) and Daniel (14 April 1827).

It was in his birthplace on 9 February 1859 that James married a local woman, Catherine Mayou (bap. 7 August 1824), the daughter of William and Catherine (née Hinks) Mayou. When the English census of 1861 was taken, the following record of their household at Warren Farm, Great Packington, was produced: James (38, head of the household, farmer of 116 acres), Catherine (36, wife), James (2, son), Catherine (daughter, 1 month), Joseph (78, father, retired farmer), Mary (76, mother), James Cooke (19, servant, carter), and Ellen Harris (16, servant).

James and Catherine and their by then four children—James (bap. 15 May 1859), Catherine (bap. 2 June 1861), Elizabeth (bap. 23 August 1863) and Charles (bap. 27 March 1865)—emigrated to Australia on the 766-ton Black Ball ship, Young Australia (Lieutenant Charles Grey RNR), which left Gravesend on 8 June 1866 and, having sailed around the Cape of Good Hope and without calling at any ports en route, dropped anchor in Moreton Bay on the evening of 9 September 1866. According to the Brisbane Courier report, the 309 passengers were ‘a fine class of people’ who travelled on a ‘well known and favourite little vessel, so remarkable for her regular passages’. The health officer who inspected the vessel also gave a good account of the travellers: ‘The Immigrants generally were robust and healthy and in appearance were much superior to those who have lately come out’.

James purchased Portion 55 of the Eight Mile Plains Agricultural Reserve—a property of 37 acres 2 roods 32 perches. The Shuttleworths settled in School Road, Eight Mile Plains, where their farming activities included an orchard, poultry and a dairy herd. They supplied the Kingston Butter Factory. Another child, Sabina, who was named after her father’s sister, was added to the family on 2 April 1869.

Catherine Shuttleworth died on 5 December 1898 and was buried in the Cooper’s Plains Cemetery on the following morning. The service at the graveside was conducted by the Reverend Alexander McWatt Allan (Presbyterian minister) in the presence of Alfred Cannon (undertaker), and Charles Campbell and Edwin Suckley (witnesses).

James Sr died intestate on 16 March 1899 at the age of 76 and was laid to rest in the Cooper’s Plains Cemetery on the following afternoon. Those who were present at his burial in an official capacity were: Alfred Cannon (undertaker), the Reverend Alexander McWatt Allan (Presbyterian minister), John Bruce and James Bright (witnesses).

At this point it might be helpful to record a few details about James and Catherine’s children, only one of whom, James Jr, married.

James Shuttleworth Jr of Eight Mile Plains married Emily Mary Ann Bowers, the daughter of Edward Hunn and Mary Ann (née Weight or Wright?) Bowers, on 13 October 1896. Their children were: Emily Mary Anne (b. 18 September 1897) who married Sydney James Broad on 23 November 1929; and James Baden (b. 1 June 1900; bur. 17 May 1978) who, at the age of 44, married Gloria Therese Murphy (b. 8 November 1913; bur. 19 June 1992), the daughter of John and Annie Louisa (née Walsh) Murphy.

James Shuttleworth Jr died aged 82 on 29 July 1941 and was buried in the Mount Gravatt Cemetery on the following day in the grave (mon. 3A 1 125) that would later receive the remains of his wife Emily Mary Ann (d. Christmas Day 1941) and their grand-daughter Lynda Mary Shuttleworth of School Road, Rochedale (d. 23 January 1956 aged 5).

Catherine Shuttleworth, who lived in Strath Street, Highgate Hill, died on 19 December 1938 aged 77 and was buried from the Bethany Gospel Hall, Annerley Road, South Brisbane, two days later in the South Brisbane Cemetery (U 363).

Elizabeth Shuttleworth died on 19 March 1942 at the age of 79 and was laid to rest on the following day from the Bethany Gospel Hall, Annerley Road, in the South Brisbane Cemetery (N 112E).

Charles Shuttleworth died on 6 January 1950 and was buried on the following day in the South Brisbane Cemetery (4A 201A) aged 84.

Sabina Shuttleworth of Kuraby died on 25 March 1940 aged 71 and was laid to rest in the South Brisbane Cemetery (U 420) on the following day. The funeral left from ‘Lisronagh’ (named after a village in County Tipperary), the residence of Mr McCorkell.