Charles Bunning
{{Short description|Australian businessman}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{infobox person
| name = Charles R. Bunning
| birth_place =
| birth_date = 1 March 1905
| death_place =
| death_date = 3 June 1994 (aged 89)
| occupation = retail businessman
| family = Robert Bunning (father), Arthur Bunning (uncle)
| known_for = Bunnings
}}
Charles R. Bunning (1 March 1905{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article25375925 |title=Family Notices. |newspaper=The West Australian |location=Perth |date=6 March 1905 |accessdate=28 November 2012 |page=1 |publisher=National Library of Australia}} – 3 June 1994{{cite web|url=http://www2.mcb.wa.gov.au/NameSearch/details.php?id=KC00115853|title=Metropolitan Cemeteries Board Record}}) was a West Australian businessman who played an early significant role in the development of major retailer Bunnings.{{cite web|url=http://register.heritage.wa.gov.au/PDF_Files/D%20-%20A-D/Donnelly%20Riv%20Mill%20(P-AD).PDF|title=Assessment Documentation|work=Heritage Council of WA|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080722042820/http://register.heritage.wa.gov.au/PDF_Files/D%20-%20A-D/Donnelly%20Riv%20Mill%20%28P-AD%29.PDF|archivedate=2008-07-22}}
Biography
Charles was a son of Robert Bunning, an English migrant who, with his brother Arthur, formed Bunning Brothers in 1886. The firm developed into one of Australia's largest timber companies.
Charles and his brothers Joe and Tom enlarged the business after their father's death. They made bricks and during World War II joined the rival Perth group Millars at the request of the federal Ministry of Munitions. As shipbuilders they built the small snake boats used by Z force to land on Japanese-occupied land in Asia.{{cite news |url=http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2004/02/27/1077676961652.html|title= BusinessNews |work=The Age | location=Melbourne | date=2004-02-28}}
Bunnings rode the post-War housing boom to become the largest logging operators in Australia. Charles was prominent in the Association of Sawmillers and Timber Merchants during the 1950s and, as president of the Employers Federation, championed the cause of greater national and international investment in West Australian industry.
Charles was instrumental in the construction of the Donnelly River Mill, south-west of Bridgetown, and the Gascoyne River Bridge, 13 km north-east of Carnarvon.{{cite web|url=http://register.heritage.wa.gov.au/PDF_Files/G%20-%20A-D/Gascoyne%20Riv%20Br%20(I-AD).PDF|title=Assessment Documentation|work=Heritage Council of WA|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080727000812/http://register.heritage.wa.gov.au/PDF_Files/G%20-%20A-D/Gascoyne%20Riv%20Br%20%28I-AD%29.PDF|archivedate=2008-07-27}} Both structures are on the Heritage Council of Western Australia's register of heritage places.
In 1931 Charles married noted WA artist Elizabeth Blair Barber (1909–2001) in Melbourne,{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article83897665 |title=Woman's World. |newspaper=The Daily News |location=Perth |date=24 June 1931 |accessdate=28 November 2012 |page=9 Edition: HOME (FINAL) EDITION |publisher=National Library of Australia}} who portrayed scenes of the south-west timber industry.{{cite web|url=http://www.postnewspapers.com.au/20070602/timeout/timeout.pdf|title=Time Out|work=POST Newspapers|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20091011184838/http://www.postnewspapers.com.au/20070602/timeout/timeout.pdf|archivedate=2009-10-11}}
References
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