George Grimes (Queensland politician)

Grimes was born in Ashby-de-la-Zouch, Leicestershire, the son of William Grimes and his wife Mary (née Douglas). After arriving in Australia in 1849 on board the Chaseley, he took up farming at Kurilpa with his brother Samuel in 1857 before moving to Coongoon at Fairfield where he grew arrowroot and sugar in 1863.

On 16 June 1863 Grimes married Mary Rogers (died 1919) and together had a son and five daughters.^[2] Grimes died in January 1910^[1] and his funeral proceeded from Ashby House, his residence at Fairfield to the South Brisbane Cemetery.^[3][4]

Following the death of the sitting member for Bulimba, James Johnston, Grimes won the November 1876 by-election^[5] defeating his opponents McMaster and Thorne. He was defeated at the 1878 Queensland colonial election by Frederick Swanwick.^[6] Grimes had also served as a councilor on the Stephens Shire Council.

His brother, Samuel Grimes, was a long-serving member of the Queensland Parliament having represented the seat of Oxley for over 23 years.^[7]