The extraordinary legacy of Jim Frecklington

William James (Jim) Frecklington MVO OAM FAIHA 29 April 1950 – 11 September 2026 Born in Parkes, NSW on 29 April 1950, Jim Frecklington grew up on his parents’ rural property where his family ran sheep and cattle and attended the local primary school in Peak Hill. Jim had a Shetland pony that refused to accept a rider, so at the age of eight he resolved this challenge by building a cart and coaxing the pony into towing the small trailer. It was his first horse-drawn project and an accomplishment that added carriage driving to his horse riding skills. A photo of the Frecklington family riding in Jim's first horse-drawn cart he built at the age of eight, that appeared in the Peak Hill Express. An auspicious start to a life of adventure and challenges, culminating in the inspiration to design and build not just one, but three magnificent Royal coaches. After graduating from The Scots College in Sydney in 1968 Jim travelled overseas, initially working in the Arctic region operating heavy equipment used in the construction of airstrips built for oil drilling company transport planes and for passenger jets to utilise in case of an emergency. In 1972 Jim moved from the Polar North to England and was initially engaged at Windsor Castle, looking after the Duke of Edinburgh's four-in-hand team of horses. Later he moved to the Royal Mews in London where he looked after the Royal ceremonial horses of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II and travelled around England, France and Switzerland to various shows and competitions. During his time at the Royal Mews, Jim also drove the carriages on ceremonial occasions and served as an outrider at Ascot. He relocated to Canada where he worked as a tour operator in the Rocky Mountains. In 1977 Jim was invited to manage Queen Elizabeth’s Silver Jubilee Exhibition during its tour of Australia, showcasing the Glass Coach and the Edward VII Landau, two of the most famous Royal carriages. In 1981 he assisted with the processional at the wedding of HRH Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer. In 1986, inspired by Australia’s forthcoming bicentennial and recognising the diminishing resources and skills required in the art of carriage building, Jim launched a visionary project to design and build his inaugural masterpiece. The six-horse-drawn Australian State Coach was presented to Queen Elizabeth II as the official gift to mark the Australian Bicentennial of 1988 and is now regularly used for the British State Opening of Parliament and other special events. His next undertaking was even more ambitious. Jim recruited a variety of master craftsmen to assist in the construction of another six-horse-drawn carriage - the Diamond Jubilee State Coach – a superb ‘time capsule of British history' on wheels containing more than 100 artifacts of British history, subsequently acquired by the Royal Collection Trust. Jim’s fascination and respect for historical artifacts was legendary. In the lead up to Australia’s centennial commemoration of the end of World War I, Jim restored a gun and limber on behalf of the Royal Australian Artillery Historical Company (RAAHC). The gun was one of many brought back to Australia after World War I to equip our local forces and was in service up to and during World War II. In 1939 the 18-pounders were converted from wooden wheel guns to pneumatic tyres so they could be towed behind motorised vehicles. Following this, the gun was used as a funeral gun and in the 1980s when these were replaced with 25-pounders the gun was given to the RAAHC. Several years later the pneumatic wheels were removed and the gun brought back to its original wooden wheel pattern. However, the conversion wasn't precise and Jim was asked to fully restore it so it could be used as the Centenary of Anzac Gun. Jim's conversion was 100 per cent accurate. The limber was also restored and Jim went several steps further. He gathered projectiles from all the battlefields where Australian troops served in World War I, refurbished them and these were placed in the limber. The gun was displayed during the centenary period and a horse team trained so the gun could be seen as it was during World War I. It was also able to fire blanks, and this occurred on several occasions. The gun and limber are now on display in the Army Museum at Puckapunyal in Victoria. Jim working on the Commonwealth Royal Coach in November 2022. Jim’s pinnacle project To build a Royal coach, Jim instinctively recognised the necessity to assemble a team of especially gifted artisans and master craftsmen, possibly the last remaining exponents of their crafts. Combining his own unique talents, patience and meticulous attention to detail - and driven by his passion to showcase Australian workmanship and the skills of this unique team - Jim launched his third, and ultimately final coach-building project. The Commonwealth Royal Coach. The body of the coach is essentially built in aluminium which, unlike timber, is relatively impervious to extreme variations in temperature and humidity. Traditionally, lead paint and varnish were used on earlier timber coaches but advances in modem materials demanded the latest paint solutions. The painstaking workmanship and brilliant skills of perfectionists including Owen Webb, a leading expert in specialty paints, and highly accomplished artist Paula Church who has exquisitely executed the Royal Coat of Arms and other Royal insignia on both doors and front and back of the coach, have created a stunning exterior of enduring beauty. Around the perimeter of the coach’s roof is an impressive frieze of gilded bronze floral emblems representing Commonwealth member nations. Atop this gallery (roof decoration), sits a gilded Crown carved from timber approximately 1000 years old, originating from the roof of Westminster Abbey. Tailor-made framed miniature portraits of all 42 Kings and Queens feature on the interior of the Commonwealth Royal Coach. Tailor-made framed miniature portraits of all 42 Kings and Queens since William the Conqueror in 1066 to the present day monarch, HRH King Charles III, provide an outstanding feature of the interior Commonwealth Royal Coach. Hand-painted by internationally acclaimed vitreous enamel artist Gillie Hoyte Byrom, each painting is a multi-layered sequence of onglaze pigment applied to a handmade copper enamel base and cured in a warm kiln. Permission for reproduction was given by The Royal Collection and the National Portrait Gallery who house the original paintings in London. The coach interior also features a capsule containing the Westminster Watch, a soldier-issued timepiece worn by Captain Edward Elliott who was killed following a Nazi Luftwaffe bomb attack on the Houses of Parliament in May 1941, and two ‘Dead Man’s Pennies’, commemorative coins honouring the soldiers, doctors and nurses who made the ultimate sacrifice fighting for Britain in World War I. The four external coach Lamps, set within superbly crafted metal frames, are made of the finest lead crystal glass panels, hand-blown and cut by Waterford Crystal. In each Lamp these crystal glass panels are etched with four heraldic symbols – the Dragon (Wales), Lion (England), Stag (Northern Ireland) and Unicorn (Scotland). Jim with the huge golf wheels and crown accessory. The coach has thick polyurethane tyres on its huge wheels and hydraulic stabilisers to stop the body rocking. Red wheel hubs embossed with a gold crown logo do not rotate with the wheels, emulating a feature of modern luxury motor vehicles. The comfort and safety of passengers in the Commonwealth Royal Coach is a paramount consideration. Built to serve the Royal Household for generations to come, the Commonwealth Royal Coach is a work of art intended to remain in use for hundreds of years, enhancing major occasions such as Coronations, the State Opening of Parliament, and official visits by international Heads of State. Upon its imminent completion, the Commonwealth Royal Coach will fulfil Jim’s dream of creating a tangible record and acknowledgement of the exceptional talent and skills involved in carriage and coach building. A unique legacy honouring a truly remarkable man. Jim passed away after a long battle with cancer just before its completion, with his team adding the finishing touches before it is transported to London. The labour of love continued on the Commonwealth Coach in August 2023. The world mourns From the Governor-General of Australia Sam Mostyn Australia has lost an extraordinary craftsman whose work forged a lasting link between Australia and the Crown. Jim Frecklington MVO OAM, a longtime Manly resident, brought Australian craftsmanship to the world stage through his work for the Royal Household. His creations included the Australian State Coach, presented to Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II for Australia’s Bicentenary, and the Diamond Jubilee State Coach, first used by The Queen at the State Opening of Parliament in 2014. Through his craftsmanship, dedication and vision, he helped preserve traditional skills while creating enduring symbols of royal and national significance. The Governor-General extends her sincere condolences to Jim’s family, friends and colleagues. Social media comment from Bruce de Graaf of Sydney Jim Frecklington was an enigma. They broke the mold when they made him. His skill, his eye for detail, his passion and the generosity of his time and knowledge was the hallmark of a man who did what he loved and loved what he did. The last real coach maker has gone to the next realm, and weren't we richer for knowing him. Enormous respect and condolences to family and friends.