James were one of four children of John Jelley, boring inspector, and Mrs. Elizabeth Stevenson Jelley who migrated to South Australia from Scotland around 1879, living initially in Wallaroo, then Port Adelaide, finally settling around 1884 at Stanley Street, Woodville. James was born in Scotland in 1873, and after arriving with his parents in South Australia in 1879 attended Lefevre Peninsula, Port Adelaide and Woodville Public Schools. He served an apprenticeship as a cabinetmaker and joined SA branch of the Furniture Trade Society of Australasia.
Politics
James was elected to the Woodville Council in 1909 and served until 1911. He had joined the Labor Party at the age of 19, and was to become president of the Eight Hours Union and president of the Woodville branch of the party. He was selected to contest the Australian House of Representatives seat of Boothby in 1911 but was unsuccessful. He was elected to the Legislative Council in 1912 on one of the Central district seats, and held the seat for 21 years. He served on the Cabinets of two Labor administrations: as Minister for Railways and Chief Secretary during the Gunn ministry, then Chief Secretary and Minister of Local Government, Immigration, Repatriation and Irrigation in the second Hill ministry. He resigned from Cabinet in 1933 in protest at the appointment of the Premier, Lionel Hill, as Agent-General in London. He retired from parliament in 1933, and the same year was appointed chairman of the Betting Control Board, holding the post until 1939. He continued as a member of the BCB until December 1953, when failing health forced his resignation. He was buried privately, his family having refused the Government's offer of a State funeral.
Family
His parents John Jelley and Elizabeth Stevenson Jelley had four children:
eldest son Hugh Jelley
David Jelley migrated with his parents from Scotland to South Australia and attended LeFevre's Peninsula, Port Adelaide and Goodwood State schools and served an apprenticeship as ironmoulder. He joined the Ironmoulders' Trades Society and won the Central district seat on the Legislative Council. He died after only attending one session of Parliament. He married Elizabeth "Lizzie" Fee on 2 December 1896, resided at Sheridan Road, Woodville North, left a widow and three children, the fourth, a daughter, was born a few months later. See main article
James Jelley married Alice Maud Whitwell on 11 February 1902, lived at 35 Park Terrace, Eastwood.
