Notes from St Lucia History Group Meetings
Volume One of Three 2005 to 2011
SLHG Meeting Notes Volume One 2005 to 2011
The St Lucia History Group was established in March 2002 when the St Lucia Community Association was re-formed after a number of years in hibernation. The group has been meeting ever since, for the first couple of years monthly, and more recently bi-monthly. This volume is part of the consolidated record of the topics discussed at these meetings, those immediately available in electronic format.
The group decided early on not to adopt a constitution or any particular organisation structure so formal minutes of proceedings have not been kept. In their place are a set of summary Notes which are representative of the main points of discussion at our gatherings. The focus for the group is the history of St Lucia although on occasion the field of study slips over the line and includes adjoining communities when this is relevant. Whilst meetings often include some form of presentation by individual members or guests they are open discussion rather than formal lecture format.
Members of the group have researched and prepared a number of Papers and Research Notes on a variety of topics and these are available on line or as print copies in the Toowong and Indooroopilly Branches of the BCC Library. Sometimes predating, sometimes postdating their issue, these meeting notes complement this research and include otherwise undocumented material.
Thanks is extended to the various individuals who have contributed to the group’s research.
Andrew Darbyshire Co-ordinator, St Lucia History Group
February 2021
PO Box 4343, St Lucia South, QLD 4067 [email protected] https://brisbanehistorywest.wordpress.com/
Cover – base image Google Earth Pro
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SLHG Meeting Notes Volume One 2005 to 2011
St Lucia History Group meeting topics – Volume One
Meeting Topic Date Page Paper
Volume One
Games and Pastimes Sep 2005 4 Oct 2005 8 18 Living in St Lucia Part 2 St Lucia during wartime Oct 2010 65 34 St Lucia at war Guyatt family Mar 2007 19 35 St Lucia families – The Guyatts Pollard family Mar 2007 19 35 St Lucia families – The Guyatts
03 Farming sub-division 1852 to 1881 Carmody family Apr 2007 21 14 Living in St Lucia Part 1
03 Farming sub-division 1852 to 1881 McCaffrey family Apr 2007 21 Living in St Lucia Part 1
Railway Toowong to 27 Southern & Western Railway – May 2007 23 Indooroopilly Brisbane Extension
Greater Lang Farm Oct 2008 30 02 Lang Farm and Glenolive St Lucia Road Apr 2009 34 12 History of roads and street names Show and tell Jun 2009 36 11 Residential development after the Jerdanefield Aug 2009 39 1880s Aug 2009 39 Capemba 36 Capemba – the first two residents Aug 2010 57 Long Pocket Oct 2009 41 21 Long Pocket Ygosse boatyard Dec 2009 43 15 Industrial and retail development
19 Education in St Lucia St Lucia Pre-School Feb 2010 47 28 St Lucia Pre-School 1948 to 2000 UQ – the move to St Lucia Apr 2010 52 19 Education in St Lucia TJ Rothwell Aug 2010 57 36 Capemba – the first two residents Early aviation Apr 2011 69 Middenbury Jun 2011 76
Volume Two Mar 2014 May 2014 Sep 2014 1914-18 War centenary Dec 2014 Mar 2015 Jul 2015 Sep 2015 BVN Architect’s archive Mar 2016 Cunningham laboratory Mar 2016 CSIRO
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Ironside School May 2014 19 Education in St Lucia Lingering Doubts Dec 2014 Local artists Dec 2015 Local government Mar 2012 06 Representing St Lucia Long Pocket Sep 2013 21 Long Pocket Portion 9 Jun 2012 23 Portion 9 Parish of Indooroopilly Robert Emmerson Curtis Mar 2015 Sand gardening Jul 2015 St Lucia Gazette Apr 2016 The Avalon Sep 2016 17 Community organisations 11 Residential development after the WA Back Sep 2014 1880s
Volume Three Mar 2018 1914-18 War centenary May 2018 Brisbane’s early skating rinks Jul 2017 Harry Angel radio ham Jul 2018 Heritage housing Dec 2019 Hugh Waring sugar industry Jul 2018 North of England canals Sep 2019 Planning of Inala May 2017 Pre-war sport Mar 2019 17 Community organisations Scouting and Guiding Mar 2018 17 Community organisations St Lucia Bowls Club Mar 2019 17 Community organisations St Lucia farm School May 2019 19 Education in St Lucia Taringa Masonic Lodge Dec 2018 War Service Homes Jul 2018 West Furniture and family Sep 2020 37 Karl and Gertrude Langer
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St Lucia History Group Notes on Saturday 3 September 2005 Meeting
Present: Apologies:
Judy Magub (Opening only) Trevor Nicholls Marilyn England Denise Venables Percy Hanlon Peter Brown Ian Venables Myra Shipstone Janet Spillman Lenore Jensen Joan Haig Andrew Darbyshire
Queensland Icons
. Bring back suggestions to next meeting . Submissions close 1 November 2005
St Lucia/Dutton Park Bridge
. Council looking for name . SLHG input if History link to be considered (Dart/Carmody/Sugar etc) . Suggestions next meeting
SLHG Research Papers
. Copy lodged with Toowong Library for Cataloguing . Ian’s Paper on Birds of St Lucia to add (IV > AD)
Games/Toys/Pastimes
. Open Discussion - Refer attached
Odds
. Pre WW2 – Sanitary Cart races Creek to George Street 2am, night shift workers laid bets with bookies . Davies Park swimming pool in fenced off part of river until late 1950’s . Davies Park speedway (prominent role in developing sport), LJ remembers they hired cushions to sit on . Tong Lee and family (Cnr Munro and Macquarie), furniture maker, herbalist and silk worm vendor
NEXT MEETING 12.30 Saturday 1 October 2005
Apologies: Myra S / Lenore J / Judy M
Discussion Topic – St Lucia at War (WW2)
Bring (or send with a friend) – Memorabilia, photo’s, memories, location forces personnel, location temporary camps, souvenirs (no live ammo !) etc
Need Aerial Photos again
(December Meeting: Helen Gregory Presentation)
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GAMES AND PASTIMES
Main list by Joan H with contributions by Group:
Rounders Quoits Cricket Skittles Vigaro (Ladies Cricket with special bat) Bobs Footy Ludo Tennis Snakes and Ladders Bike riding Dominoes Scooter riding Chinese Checkers Soap Box trolleys Cards – various Marbles (See Ian V terms used in Tiddlywinks game) Crows and Cranes (team game) Fiddle Sticks Red Rover Musical Chairs Cowboys and Indians Hide and Seek (with coffin variant) Cubbyhouse building Blind Mans Bluff Paper Chase (Church groups) Pass the Parcel Simon Says Drop the Hanky Spinning tops Pin the Tail on the Donkey Skipping Oranges and Lemons Basketball Blow Football Clay modelling Table Tennis Dolls, prams, cots, dolls houses Yoyos Cock fighting Hula Hoop 3 Legged races Matchbox Rugby Egg and spoon races Model planes Kite making and flying Jacks Sand garden Competitions (Beach) Kit Hat Hopscotch Tubes I Spy Who sees the 1st white horse (car travel game)
The more unusual (mainly around WW2 time):
. Laundry tub regatta after rain where the SL Bowls Club now is . Home made boats (gal iron, timber, tar off roads for caulking) Toowong Creek . Billycarts and canoes from adapted aeroplane auxiliary fuel tanks . Special ‘Blackout packs of cards’ for playing in low light . Cow dung fights with (Admiral) Kelly . Souvenir collecting/swapping, wartime memorabilia . Rocket making (generally wooden with propellant made from Condies Crystals, Saltpetre, Sulphur, Peroxide)
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GAMES AND PASTIMES
Prepared and tabled by Ian Venables:
TERMS USED IN MARBLES
DIBBS General term used for marbles or for the game of marbles.
STONKER Clay marbles, considered inferior and often made in China or Japan. Usually not allowed as marbles to be won.
TAW Marble favoured as a striking marble and released from the knuckles of the player. These were sometimes made of agate or were called agates.
AGATE Marble made of natural stone. Often preferred as a striking marble or taw.
EYE-DROPPER Larger then usual marble used in game of Eye-dropper where the marble is dropped onto a group of centre marbles.
RING A game played where each player puts a marble (not a stonker) into the centre of this ring to be won by whoever strikes the marble so that it leaves the ring. The circle or ring was usually about 2 – 3 feet in diameter and considered a nursery game.
BIG RING A game of ring marbles where the ring is drawn by one player scratching the circle in the dirt using his or her feet as the centre and reaching out as far as possible creating a circle approximately 5 - 6 feet in diameter.
PINKING or Throwing a taw marble from outside the ring towards to PINK the marbles in the centre before the start of a game of ring. Whoever gets closest to the centre without touching starts the game by having first shot. In other games, a similar play is used to start the game.
DRIBBLING Releasing a taw marble towards target marbles in a way that is not meant to win them but puts the player in a better position for his next shot. Considered a “cowards” way of playing.
TRIANGLE A game where target marbles are placed on each of the three points of the triangle and also along the sides if more than three are playing.
KNUCKLE-DOWN- A call made in a game of triangle if a players taw lands SCREW-TIGHT on a line. This requires the player in his or her next shot to fire his or her taw vertically downwards with the hand twisted inwards as hard as possible. This makes it almost impossible to win a target marble with this next shot.
FOLLOWERS A game played without a diagram on the ground and players aim to strike an opponents marble by following each other over open ground including natural obstacles.
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BALLIE A marble that is really a steel ball from a ball-bearing. Usually not allowed as target marbles and not often used as taws because of inferior performance.
STEELEY Same as “BALLIE”.
FUDGE A form of cheating where the player moves his whole hand as he fires a marble to reduce the distance between taw and marbles he is trying to win or to give his taw an extra powerful boost.
SPRINGBACK A taw that ricochets or bounces back to the player after hitting marbles to be won.
STAYER A good taw marble that stays at or very close to where it has hit a winning marble so that the player has an easy aim for his next shot.
HOLEY A game played across open ground where each player fires in turn and must place his or her marble into three of four shallow holes in turn. The player getting to the last hole first is the winner.
BOTTLIES These are the spherical glass stoppers used as seals for some sauces packed in glass bottles. There were truly round and used by players as marbles, usually as marbles to be won. Occasionally one of these would display outstanding characteristics as a taw and were so used.
(If anyone knows of any other terms used in the game of marbles please contact me: Ian Venables at 3378 3647)
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St Lucia History Group Notes on Saturday 1 October 2005 Meeting
Present: Apologies:
Michael Yates Keith Haig Marilyn England Denise Venables Peter Brown Judy Magub Ian Venables Trevor Nicholls Percy Hanlon Janet Spillman (part) Andrew Darbyshire Myra Shipstone Joan Haig Lenore Jensen Laurie West Previous Notes
. Admiral Kelly should read Kenny
St Lucia/Dutton Park Bridge
. Discussion on potential naming, noted we have no Streets etc that recognise William Alexander Wilson who was responsible for the suburb name (with links across to the other side of the river). PB to prepare summary > Judy M
SLHG Research Papers
. PB Volumes 1,2 and 3 (incl Group inputs) lodged with JOL and Fryer . AD to add Ian’s Paper on Birds of St Lucia to Toowong Library Set
St Lucia During the War
. Defence of the North exhibition at UQ (Mayne Gallery) worth a visit
Odds
. Peter B outlined his recent tour up north including his ‘mining heritage’ tour with particular reference to the published research work of Ruth Kerr (John Moffat at Riverbank + Chillagoe) – more at future meetings . Michael noted the recently released Volume of Indooroopilly Group Research/Discussion Papers will be in the Toowong Library shortly . Judy M advice that a Theatre Group are interested in The Avalon subject to raising Funds . (Aerial photo) Large house on Gailey was St Clare’s Home for the Aged (Forest Lodge location) . Ferrymen would pass messages on to your family, take over parcels, keep your umbrella etc . Schultz House (Lenore hide and seek in the coffins) being redeveloped
ST LUCIA DURING THE WAR
. Percy H discussion topics Public Transport, Boatbuilding, Blackout and SL Progress Hall (Avalon– refer Letter attached . Joan H ‘show and tell’, cap badge, southern cross fob watch, Keith’s Army Paybook, Christmas Card from his commanding officer, ‘stitch work’ WWI greetings cards from France (Ashton family heirloom) and 4 volumes Australian War Memorial Publications (Soldiering On, Middle East, Khaki and Green) . Schools closed for 3 months at beginning of war . Number of shops closed for extended periods during war . Mainly Australian forces personnel at the University
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. Tents along Hawken Drive (Uni end) and power cables over river (roughly in line with Bach House), security fencing along Mill Road . Forces dump at current Sir FS Drive entry to UQ, aircraft parts, tins of biscuits (Ian V remembers ‘scavenging’ with tin opener) . Plywood Tanks and Gun emplacements scattered in Hawken Drive bush (as diversion for UQ) . MK noted similar concrete pads St Peters area with access below . Internet search has temporary AWAS Signals Unitin same area (timber huts) and ‘Owner Gone to War, sell cheap, cash or terms’ sign on St Lucia Road property . Most homes had their own shelters in the back yard, Air raid siren at Toowong Police Station . Ian V’s father ARP officer and involved in first aid training in local bush (Ian was practice casualty) . Joan H recalls signalling friends with flash lights during blackout and being suitably admonished . Ian V recalls light float planes taking off along Milton/Toowong Reach up and over Kays Rocks area . Noted there were concerns in the community about the concentration of forces personnel (particularly top brass) in the area – target for raids etc (Mayor also here) . Recollections of MacArthur living for a time in Hiron Street (28 ?) with his wife child and Chinese nanny (after or before Lennons ?), Blamey in Ryans Road (29) and Brigadier Lucas in Macquarie Street . Admiral Kenny (brought up on farm in Nebraska) lived at Wilcelyn on Indooroopilly Road and used to play cricket and football with the kids on Heroes Park (gave Ian a cap badge) – didn’t have his family here, probably missed them. Oscar Jones had his cows pastured there at the time . May have been no coincidence that Hamilton’s shop (Gailey Rd opposite above) was the only one in the area with Coke Cola . SL very much a ‘white’ suburb at the time, only aboriginal family the Daltons at the top of Douglas Street. Ian recalls New Guinea wives (3 sisters) living in Evans house (men Evans, Priest and Gower had stayed on in NG) having active role in community nursing sick etc. Gave them a send off at Toowong Community Hall before they departed back to NG . McDonalds and the Bishingtons the only families with refrigerators everyone else had ice . Avalon regular dances during war – Joan’s dad MC during 1930’s (Picture Theatres at the time the Elite and Jubilee in Toowong) . Keith gave his recollections as a Gunner, locally at Pinkenba/Cloudlands (anti submarine barrage at mouth of river, pilots firing veri pistol as they came in to land to show they were friendly), Pumicestone Passage (use of land based guns on prototype Normandy Tank Landing Ship – test aborted, idea not further developed) and Mareeba (evasive action required when 1 of the 30 Boomerangs that landed veered off runway and headed for their truck – they ended up in the bush, Grand Piano arriving slung under a large bomber)
. Refer also Percy Hanlon Letter attached
NEXT MEETING 12.30 Saturday 6 November 2005
Discussion Topic – If no speaker Research update and General Discussion (December Meeting: Helen Gregory Presentation)
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SLHG Meeting Notes Volume One 2005 to 2011
St Lucia History Group Notes on Saturday 4 February 2006 Meeting
Present: Apologies:
Laurie West Myra Shipstone Lenore Jensen Denise Venables Peter Brown Percy Hanlon Ian Venables Marilyn England Julia Bigge Maurice McCleary Joan Haig Judy Magub Andrew Darbyshire
NEXT MEETING 12.30 Saturday 4 March 2006 Discussion Topic – Brisbane Festival arrangements/Newspaper photographs project by Workstudy students
April Meeting – visit to Lands Museum (tbc with Bill Kitson)
May Meeting – visit to Dalmuir House Chelmer – originally a Dart house in the 1800’s now Maurice McCleary’s home (joint meeting with Taringa HG)
Visit to Police Museum (tbc)
Previous Notes . Appears the Avalon may now have been condemned (not available for Brisbane Festival
St Lucia/Dutton Park Bridge . Judy M confirmed 10 written submissions had been made (nothing formal on ‘Dart’ as of yet)
SLHG Research Papers . All SLHG Papers now available in Toowong Library (ask at counter)
Brisbane Festival at Guyatt Park . Preliminary meeting next week with ‘Director’ and ‘Writer’ . Festival planned for week-end of 15/16 July, announcement of programme in April . Judy attempting to fast track the construction of the proposed ‘Bandstand/Gazebo’ structure . Anticipated all the Park will be used with professionally produced events from 10am until 3pm . SLHG role to offer advice on history/heritage . Anticipated Jan Power will organise culinary delights, picking up themes from general area/Guyatt family members eg Allen David’s wife Sofia Australia Baglini (supposedly abducted by her father as a child and brought to Australia against her mothers will) . Uni have agreed use of their car parking for the day (may be repeat opportunity for guided walk – Insurance ?) . Judy checking out availability of old ferries etc for the day
Odds . Some discussion on further breakdown of name of suburb, noted Ironside already a named ‘sub-district’ and the University a separate Postcode . Judy M advised that BCC had budgeted $100k for community grants this year, $46k allocated so far, generally $2-10k range . Agreed worth SLHG joining Family History Association . National Trust theme for this years ‘Festival’ 14-21 May is ‘People on the Move’ . Oral History Group AGM 23 February
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. Ironside School Pool – cost believed to have been ₤14,000 jointly funded by parents and Progress Association (someone left donation in Will ?) . Ironside School – Lloyd Rees paintings found in school, what became of them ? . Ian V recalls Lennon’s Suite LR paintings being up for Auction as part of refurbishment, he couldn’t make the day, eventually went into the bottom of the skip . Beth Johnson’s book ‘Robert Cribb: from an Iceberg to Brisbane Town’ now on general sale . Maurice has one of Mr Ygosse’s original boatbuilding planes (Mr Y’s son possible future speaker ?) . Laurie recalls there being a quarry at the end of Hawken Drive (area) . Suggested that Indooroopilly Road was not completely sealed until the 1970’s
Research
. Peter B gave an update on his research into early transport to, on and from the river peninsula we know today as St Lucia. Paddle steamers believed to have serviced the farms etc include the Natone, Emu and Pearl (Pearl also used for 1880’s land sales – eventually sank in accident in the 1890’s whilst being used as a temporary ferry following collapse of ‘Victoria’ Bridge). Major find original 1865 Petition from local farmers /landholders requesting roads be formed and made up to facilitate access for produce/supplies. Robert Cribb tabled the petition on behalf of the landowners (William his son signed based at Lang Farm). Mr Austin the Government Roads Engineer prepared the estimate of ₤183 which included road making from the Toowong Hotel (vicinity of St Thomas Church, High Street) out to the farms including creek crossings (culverts). The proposal was signed off by the relevant Minister. Peter has also discovered a compensation claim made by Thomas Lodge Murray Prior for a proposal to run a road through his land – this reinforces his contention that what we now know as Hawken Drive was the effective track used by the farmers long before it became a gazetted road. Paper to follow
. Andrew D following up on Charles Robert Haly (brother in law of TLMP and early local land owner) and trying to establish the true identity of James Henderson who was the original purchaser of around 500 acres in the area including Portions at Toowong (ABC area), north of Swan’s Road and east of Indooroopilly Pocket Road (including Dart’s ‘Hillstone’ block) and on either side of what would become the site of the bridges over the Brisbane River at Indooroopilly. CD copy of Notes/Paper summarising Taringa and Indooroopilly late 1800’s/early 1900’s sub-divisions in Judy’s Ward Office Library.
Presentation
. Marilyn England presented a short paper (based on material provided to her by Jonathon Richards - President Brookfield History Group) on the difficulties associated with the mid 1880’s construction and maintenance of the bridge across Toowong Creek (River end) and the interplay between (initially) Richard Gailey and the Shire of Toowong and the subsequent ongoing disagreement between S of T and the Indooroopilly then Taringa Divisional Boards. A dispute that would last for nearly 20 years. The reference material also includes information and copy of the petition to create the Div of Taringa (Div of Indooroopilly split in 1890) and local concerns about the extended application of the tolls on River Road following the necessary repairs arising from the 1893 floods. [Copy of Marilyn’s Paper and the supporting research in Judy’s Ward Office Library]
. Subsequent discussion on IV’s recollection of a rough bridge over the creek in the immediate vicinity of the Community Meeting Room where meeting held today
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SLHG Meeting Notes Volume One 2005 to 2011
St Lucia History Group Notes on Saturday 4 March 2006 Meeting
Present: Apologies:
Laurie West Myra Shipstone Lenore Jensen Denise Venables Percy Hanlon Peter Brown Ian Venables Marilyn England Julia Bigge Maurice McLeary Joan Haig Beth Johnson Helen Gregory Janet Spillman Trevor Nicholls Rosamond Siemon Judy Magub (Part) Andrew Darbyshire
NEXT MEETING 12.30 Saturday 1 April 2006 Visit to Lands Museum Woolloongabba (Bill Kitson), meet at Museum
Saturday 6 May Meeting Visit to Dalmuir House Chelmer – originally a Dart house in the 1800’s, now Maurice McLeary’s home (joint meeting with Taringa HG)
Visit to Police Museum to be arranged for June (suggested to be combined local history groups – AD to co-ordinate)
Possible future speaker, son of the once local boat builder Mr Ygosse
NB ! Two members of the Group presenting at RHSQ in coming weeks, Peter Brown 6pm Thursday 16 March on 19 Century St Lucia and Beth Johnson 6pm Thursday 20 April on Robert Cribb (Commissariat Store non members welcome)
Brisbane Festival at Guyatt Park (16 July 2006)
. Preliminary meeting held with ‘Director’ and ‘Writer’ . Writer briefed on general history/background to development of local area and the Guyatt family, Lloyd Rees and other houses close to Park . Art, Theatre and Food will be major themes for the day . Organisers in discussion with UQ re contributing to Avalon repairs in lieu spending funds on temporary marquee etc . Brisbane Excelsior Band will perform on the day . Bob Kent and Percy H have been nominated as contacts for organisers to discuss the feasibility of running an ‘old’ ferry on the day . Plans for Rotunda proceeding and will be in place for the day (distinctive shape will be part of Festival ‘branding’) . SLHG will be offered a ‘stall’ . Judy has funding available for the production of a ‘publication’ . ‘Publication’ working group volunteers: Rosamond S, Joan H, Marilyn E, Janet S, Judy M, Andrew D and Peter B (nominated in absentia)
Odds
. Judy tabled Library File of late 1930/early 40’s newspaper articles featuring individual St Lucia houses
Research
. Marilyn E outlined her follow up research on William Dart’s commercial property holdings in South Brisbane (Municipality of South Brisbane Meeting Minutes references). Included
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Saw Mill (Victoria Bridge end of Reach) and offices and stables (Dry Dock end). South Brisbane rented these offices for administrative purposes prior to moving into early 1890’s constructed Vulture Street Town Hall (near Grey Street intersection). Research into identification of building ongoing. Marilyn also noted various issues raised by WA Wilson (of naming St Lucia fame) with Council (footpaths, drainage etc around his property, gas lighting to Montague/Austral Street Ferry approach etc)
Marilyn’s research prompted subsequent discussion on a number of related issues including:
. Wilson, Cusack and Dart made a great success of their venture sub-dividing land at Redland Bay into small farms . Maurice recalls original Sth Brisbane Town Hall was on Hope Street. Building had a number of uses including Clinic for ‘socially’ transmitted diseases prior to demolition in the 1970’s. Queensland Transport now use it for the storage of cars . (Vulture St) Town Hall had mixed use after formation Greater Brisbane Council. Army use during WW2 including base for American Military Police, then conversion to flats. Laurie at UQ at this time doing his Arts Degree and recalls being consulted on potential of building as a conservatorium. Building adapted to this use on NSW model with theatre in the centre and audition/practice rooms around. Conservatorium housed here from around 1950 for a relatively short time before moving on. Laurie recalls attending a number of virtuoso performances . Pettigrew’s Brisbane Saw Mill was on the river side of William Street . William Pettigrew’s children moved into a number of ventures including Produce (Maurice’s school chum) and Hardware . Recollection Pettigrew and Dart families may have inter-married ? . Brisbane Flour Milling Company was located on corner Stanley and Tribune Streets (Rosamond recalls delivery of large sacks of floor by train). RJ Jarrott was the Manager . Was Kangaroo Point a separate Borough at any time ?
Presentation
. Andrew D made the meeting aware of the ‘Where’s Wally’ range of children’s books and then made a short presentation on the ongoing investigations/research to reveal the identity of James Henderson the original purchaser of approx 400 acres in the Toowong/St Lucia/ Taringa/ Indooroopilly area. Three potential candidates short listed to date. Definition achieved for Portions 25 and 26 Parish of Enoggera (30+ acres in Toowong incl ABC area), confirmed as James Henderson the Sydney Manager of the Bank of Australasia. Balance of Portions to be confirmed
. Percy H recalls IH Henderson the St Lucia Tobacconist who drove a red truck (Ian V’s father did his sign writing)
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St Lucia History Group Notes on Saturday 3 June 2006 Meeting
Present: Apologies:
Myra Shipstone Lenore Jensen Denise Venables Peter Brown Percy Hanlon Marilyn England Ian Venables Julia Bigge Janet Spillman Maurice McCleary Joan Haig Jim McKenzie Judy Magub Rosamond Siemon Beth Johnson Andrew Darbyshire Helen Gregory
NEXT MEETING 12.30 Saturday 1 July 2006 Discussion Topic – Brisbane Festival arrangements + tba
Joint local history group visit to Police Museum (date tbc) Liz Little research on St Thomas Aquinas School (November meeting)
Presentation
. Caroline Beck provided an overview of the Maxwell Anderson play Anne of the Thousand Days to be staged at the Powerhouse, 8 – 17 June 2006 . The play is set in the days of The Tudors, its theme the Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn relationship, and the impact this had on the nation . Caroline is studying and living in St Lucia and will play the lead . Mention membership of SLHG at the Box Office and pay $25 (concession rate)
St Lucia/Dutton Park Bridge
. Bridge name - Peter B tabled a copy of the presentation he made on behalf of the Group to Brisbane City Council in May. Group suggestion Dart, Wilson or Mayne, all with a local theme. Appears to be strong push by council to retain the ‘green’ image, two previous aldermen names floated, Leslie Watson Green, BCC Ithaca Ward 1940-42 (killed in action) and John William Greene, BCC Wynnum Ward 1931-34 (Mayor). No details to hand of their particular relevance to the bridge or the local area . Peter B and Percy H have been interviewed and recorded for audio ‘oral history’ stations to be incorporated at points on the bridge . General discussion on potential events planned for the opening (and as important, the last St Lucia Reach monohull ferry tip) . Percy H was invited to inspect the top of the towers before the hoist and working platform was removed, Judy M has had a walk on the deck
Brisbane Festival at Guyatt Park (Sunday 16 July 2006)
. Copy of Version 6 of booklet tabled, approaching ready for final print setting stage. Dart Mill and Mayne/Jolly photographs omitted from draft in error. Minor amends noted . Joan H managed to track down a photograph of Sofia during the month and a visit had been made to Alvey’s to scan a number of images . Judy M/Andrew D to meet Printer to discuss next steps, update of quote etc . Judy M to obtain details of under- cover display ‘stand’ proposed for group. Set up similar to 2005 Expo (with 2x small tables rather than I large one) would be ideal. ½ dozen chairs . Confirmed roster volunteers Ian V, Percy H, Beth J, Marilyn E, Lenore J, Myra S and Joan H (Rosamond S to confirm availability). Judy M to draft and circulate, Festival runs from 10am until 4pm, lunch 12.30-2pm . Rosamond S will put up notice at Forest Lodge Odds
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. Flyer on Christ Church Milton circulated at meeting . Leigh Chamberlain (Toowong Group) doing research on Carr Dairy Long Pocket . Peter B confirmed suggestions for corrections to sl history on various web sites (Brisbites etc) had been 95% accepted and updated . Alvey Factory - Lenore J recalls Mr Hudd applying to Ken Alvey to take on his wheelchair bound son, agreed on the basis nobody to give him a lift for the first two weeks. Settled in well, including going on fishing trips with the staff . Andrew D/Marilyn M have arranged to meet with Rex Tripcony and Merv Bennett, both long term residents (Alvey family ‘lead’) . Peter B has copies of Tramways Museum plans for proposed tram route in sl in the 1940’s. Provides info on various landmarks, buildings etc . TLMP – Andrew D contacted by Lynette Baer, co-author The Praed Papers – A Listing and Index, which sparked original interest. Dialogue ongoing . Peter B, how did early farmers cope in drought – used well in Pitmans Paddock, carted water from Indooroopilly, hauled prickly pear from Nudgee to use as stock feed . Peter B has more info on Second World War rationing Rosamond S recalls having no clothing coupons for her wedding trousseaux, following her stint in the air force. She managed to borrow a dress, however, material for her foundation garments was more of a challenge until a resourceful friend managed to buy two alter cloths. Perhaps the only bride to wear cruciform patterned undies ? . Peter B circulated copies of recent photograph finds (via Fryer), 1936’ish model for university (committee model not H&H), general sl shot showing Boys Farm fence and a 1936 aerial photo university site land showing Carmody/McCaffrey houses, Boys Farm dormitory, Mitchell’s Fencing and the Alvey Factories
Research
. Peter B more information to hand on early pioneers including Mr Pitty (dairyman working for Carmody), Moore family (tenant on Skinners land – Redland Library lead) and also in touch with Pat Antonneli (?) a Carmody descendant
. Peter B more progress on Ironside School. First school c1860 in slab hut, privately funded and organised by farmers, short lived and building appears to have been used as a ‘chapel’ by mid/end 1860’s. ‘New’ state supported school opened 1871 (current tennis court area) . First teacher Mr Arthy apparently ran a regular ‘Penny Reading’ soiree after school hours, perhaps to raise funds for books etc. Whilst an accomplished musician (St Thomas’ Church of England Toowong connection) his ‘report card’ suggests a certain lack of discipline as observed at the annual school inspection. At the end of the 1870’s he was ‘promoted’ to the Education Dept role of Musical Director
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St Lucia History Group Notes on Saturday 2 September 2006 Meeting
Present: Apologies:
Myra Shipstone Lenore Jensen Peter Brown Marilyn England Beth Johnson Helen Gregory Ian Venables Denise Venables Janet Spillman
Maurice McCleary Joan Haig Laurie West Judy Magub Nanette Asher Rosamond Siemon Julia Bigge Trevor Nicholl Leigh Chamberlain Nanette Asher Keith Haig (part) Andrew Darbyshire
NEXT MEETING 12.30pm Saturday 7 October 2006 Jean Stewart – President Royal Historical Society of Queensland
November Meeting - Liz Little research on St Thomas Aquinas School
St Lucia/Dutton Park Bridge
. Judy noted that the committee set up by BCC to consider the possible name for the bridge had chosen ‘Eleanor Schonell’ from the shortlist . Celebrations were planned for the day the bridge was officially opened, date tbc . Judy noted that the organisers were looking for ‘video footage’ to use on the day . Seats on the first bus over the bridge were to be auctioned
Brisbane Festival
. Judy noted that sales of the slhg booklet on the day and subsequently through The Book Bank and the St Lucia Newsagency had raised $2,287 to date
Odds
. Beth giving a presentation at Miegunya 14 September and donating a dress to their collection . Trevor noted he had just purchased a copy of John Kerr’s history of Christ Church (believed to be a reprint) . The Taringa Group’s book had just been launched to coincide with the completion of the ’street improvements’ . Maurice noted the Society of Marine Artists would be putting on their (national) show at the Maritime Museum in early October. Stephen Trotter was the winner of the $20,000 sculpture prize . Show and tell – Nanette passed around an inscribed gold fob watch presented to her late father Alfred Thornton Pollard in January 1915 by the St Lucia and Ironside Progress Association. Alfred married Jessie Guyatt in 1917, they lived in Depper and Sisley Streets ( ?? before moving to Fig Tree Pocket and eventually Bradford UK ??). Thomas apparently received a white feather during the war years . Story goes that the authorities were concerned about the sending of white feathers and let it be known that they were closing in on the perpetrators with the possibility of this being a hanging offence. The letters stopped . Keith noted that his brother had been the last president of the Progress Association . Nanette queried if anyone had any idea what happened to the marble plaques (commemorating Martha and David Guyatt) originally in the Ryans Road Methodist Church
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(now the Chinese Church). Suggested these may have been transferred to the church on Hawken Drive or possibly back to central store in Brisbane. . Judy noted that 63 gravestones at Toowong Cemetery had recently been vandalised, plans were underway to improve the fencing and upgrade security. . Ian V noted that there used to be three monumental masons located opposite the cemetery gates, Petrie + ? + ? (prize to fill in the blanks). Toowong Railway Station had a crane to unload stone for use by the masons. The crane was also used to unload the Helidon sandstone used in the construction of the University . Judy had been contacted questioning why the park to the west of Coldridge Street did not have a name (Dart/WA Wilson may get a guernsey yet !). Peter Brown to be consulted (last heard of Darwin way) to advise on land ownership chain . Discussion on locating photographs of immigrant etc ships. Noted Toowong Library had a copy of the 1988 Bicentenary Index of Immigrant Ships, the Maritime Museum of New Foundland was a good reference source or Rod McLeod (RHSQ/Maritime Museum) . Ditto birth certificates of children born to British Parents in a British Colony circa 1916 ?? . Maurice noted children born at sea had the Longitude and Latitude recorded . Andrew noted Colin Dyer had commenced a new book on the French in the early days of Sydney
Research
. Andrew and Marilyn noted they had been in conversation with Enid Carr and were piecing together aspects of the family history. George Carr it would appear first rented land in St Lucia before settling at Long Pocket. The information ties together a number of previous research threads, local government, posties cops etc, and potentially William Dart. George and other family members are buried just a couple of tiers down from Governor Blackall in Toowong Cemetery
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St Lucia History Group Notes on Saturday 3 March 2007 Meeting
Present: Peter Brown Rosamond Siemon Nanette Asher Julia Bigge Andrew Darbyshire Judy Magub Dorothy Wrigley Bill Wrigley Jim Mackenzie Percy Hanlon
Apologies: Marilyn England Beth Johnson Joan Haig Ian Venables Denise Venables Keith Haig Maurice McLeary Trevor Nicholls Marilyn England
NEXT MEETING 12.30pm Saturday 14 April 2007 (Put back 1 week due to Easter) Carmody Family focus
General . New members Dorothy and Bill Wrigley were welcomed . Judy provided an update on the current status of receipts from sales of the SLHG Booklet ‘An Introduction to the History of St Lucia’ . Judy noted that she had arranged for Annabel Lloyd (BCC Archivist) to speak at Toowong Library on 19 March at 6pm. Annabel will outline the services available to the public and bring along some interesting examples from the collection . Judy circulated copies of ‘Through my eyes: memories of everyday life in Toowong’, a paper presented by Leigh Chamberlain to Coorparoo & Districts Heritage Group . Peter noted the limited success of the slhg Display at the Eleanor Schonell Bridge opening day (primarily due to location), however, some interesting contacts had been made
The Booklet . AD prefaced Nanette’s presentation with the news that the photograph of David Guyatt used in the publication was incorrect. Nanette had queried the apparent age difference in the 2 photographs to hand. A trip to BCC Archives to double check the source had revealed they had used the wrong image on their website
Guyatt/Pollard Families . Noted that Joan’s Macquarie Street hand drawn sketch had initiated the group’s interest in the Guyatt’s, and whilst subsequent contact with Celeste Guyatt and Wendy Nagel had provided quite a lot of information on Allen (David) Guyatt’s offspring, little had been confirmed of the lives of David Guyatt (Senior) or Jessie Guyatt . Nanette, Jessie’s grand-daughter, presented her research undertaken to date on David and Jessie to the meeting . David Guyatt was born in 1856 in the central south England town of Newbury, one of 4 children born to George G and Eliza Owen (m 1846). George’s parents were William and Winifred (nee Kemp m 1797) . David married Martha Swinden (widow of John Francis Swinden) in 1877, they had 4 children Allen (David) in 1878, Jessie in 1881, Daisy in 1883 and David (Junior) in 1886. Only David (Junior) was born in Australia . The family emigrated as assisted migrants on ‘The Roma’ arriving at the Brisbane River Bar on February 14 1884. The British India sail assisted steamer travelled via The Suez Canal, across the top of Australia dropping/picking up passengers at Cooktown and the northern ports . Tragically both Edith Martha (Martha’s surviving child from her first marriage) and the infant Daisy died within months of arrival . Allen (David) married in 1902 and David (Junior) in 1913 but it was not until 1917 that Jessie married the widower Alfred Thornton Pollard
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. Nanette has traced the Pollards back five generations to Samuel Pollard and William Thornton (both in the Bradford/Yorkshire area) . Samuel’s son Thomas married Williams daughter Mary Ann. They had three children Edwin Currie, Alfred and Hannah. Nanette’s grandfather Alfred Thornton Pollard was Edwin Currie’s son . Alfred Thornton Pollard brought his first wife Charlotte Alice (nee Chapman) and daughter Alice Thornton to Australia in 1912 . Alfred was presented with a gold watch by The St Lucia and Ironside Progress Association in January 1915 (for ??) . Unfortunately Charlotte could not settle, became depressed and according to the Inquest records drowned at the end of Ferry (Austral) Street . Alfred married Jessie in 1917, they had one son Edwin Currie Pollard in 1921 (Nanette’s father) . Alfred worked for TJ Rothwell subsequently taking over Rothwell’s Regalia Ltd manufacturers and suppliers of Masonic regalia . Rothwell’s building is on Edward Street adjoining Rowe’s Arcade building . Alfred died in May 1953 whilst attending a Masonic meeting at Gaythorne. He was the First Grand Principal of the Supreme Grand Royal Arch Chapter of Queensland at the time . The pediment of the Rothwell’s Building includes the relief of a dove (a symbol from the Royal Ark Mariners degree in Freemasonry) carrying rather than an olive branch, a ribbon with the words ‘Ever Advancing’
David Guyatt (Early 1900’s – BCC)
Alfred Thornton Pollard
Gold Watch presented to Alfred by the St Lucia and Ironside Progress Association (Nanette Asher)
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St Lucia History Group Notes on Saturday 14 April 2007 Meeting
Present: Peter Brown Nanette Asher Leigh Chamberlain Julia Bigge Ian Venables Denise Venables Percy Hanlon Margaret McCarthy Barrie McCarthy Joe McCaffrey Maureen O’Neil Andrew Darbyshire
Apologies: Marilyn England Beth Johnson Myra Shipstone Maurice McLeary Trevor Nicholls Lenore Jenson Judy Magub
NEXT MEETING 12.30pm Saturday 5 May 2007
General . All passed on their best wishes to and hope for a speedy recovery of Lenore (anticipated to be out of Hospital in next few days) . Noted Judy M had announced her retirement from Council. General discussion on her role both in establishing slhg and her ongoing active support . National Archives May event (9-10am Wed 16th and Sat 19th) – A roof over Queensland: Building Plans . Rotary Club May event - Historic Brisbane Film night (6-9.45pm Thurs 24th) at the Planetarium . Web Site - St Lucia Community Association had offered slhg a page on their new website. Agreed to proceed, AD to liaise
McCaffrey/Carmody/Lane Families . Peter B welcomed Joe McCaffrey, his two sisters and brother in law to the meeting and thanked Joe for coming down from the Sunshine Coast to make a presentation to the group . Peter also thanked Percy H for making the initial contact (via a rather circuitous route including Father Joe O’Mara in South Australia and his brother Tom O’Mara in Toowoomba – their mother was a McCaffrey). Percy’s connection with the family dates back to when Frank McCaffrey, working at Dixon’s Tannery (West End), crossed twice a day on the Toowong Ferry operated by his father . Joe, Margaret and Maureen’s great grandfather was Charles McCaffrey (b C1845) who arrived in Brisbane in his late teens in 1863 (his parents were Charles and Mary (nee Kerr or Karr). It is believed Charles commenced working with John Carmody some time during the next 10 years and in 1873 he married John’s daughter Mary Carmody (St Mary’s South Brisbane) . John Carmody, his wife Bridget (nee Lynch) and his step daughter Catherine O’Brien (Bridget’s first husband was Peter O’Brien) were early settlers having arrived in Brisbane in 1853. John’s brother James arrived in 1856 . Peter B outlined the prevailing conditions in Brisbane at the time of John and Bridget’s arrival in 1853. Free settlement had only been in place for 10 years and land sales west of Brisbane were limited. Robert Cribb had purchased the first land offered for sale in St Lucia in 1852. It is believed that the Carmody family originally ‘squatted’ on what would become their land at ‘The Elbow’ as further land was not released for sale until 1858 (St Lucia Reach first). The balance of the land in current day St Lucia was offered for sale in 1859 (incl Taringa/Indooroopilly area), Long Pocket area in 1962 . Charles and Mary McCaffrey had 11 children, 8 surviving infancy. Joseph Francis McCaffrey, the fifth born was Joe’s grandfather
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. Joseph Francis’ siblings were John Joseph (school teacher, bachelor), Mary Josephine (home duties, spinster – typical of generation ? one daughter to stay at home ?), Peter (Chief Audit Inspector Queensland), Terence (Draper, or ‘counter jumper’ as JF jokingly referred to him), Katherine and Agnes (‘rag tackers’ ditto – worked at Finney’s) and Francis Charles (Foundry worker)
. Joseph Francis was educated at Ironside Pocket School, passed his scholarship exam in 1895 and went on to Christian Brothers College (Gregory Terrace). He entered the Public Service in 1899 serving in the Gov’t Savings Bank, Harbours and Rivers and in1904 the Education Department. Following the formation of the University of Queensland his services were offered to the Senate in 1910. In 1926 he was appointed Registrar (replacing Cumbrae Stewart) . In 1912 Joseph Francis married Margaret Louisa Lane (Mimi) the daughter of Charles and Marcella Lane of Long Pocket. They lived at Wynnum and then in Belleview Terrace, St Lucia. They had 2 children, Charles John (Jock) and Mary Patricia (Pat) . Jock, an accountant with the Public Curator Office, married Dorothy Elizabeth Allen in 1941. Joe, Maureen, Margaret and (Townsville based sister) Bernice are their offspring . Charles Lane arrived in 1856 (his parents James and Ellen Lane arrived 2 years later) and married Marcella in 1857. They resided for some time in Ipswich where Charles was employed as a blacksmith relocating to farm in St Lucia in 1859 and subsequently taking up land in 1864 at Long Pocket where they remained until their deaths in the 1920’s. They had four sons and nine daughters
(L to R) George Carr, Charles McCaffrey, Charles Lane, D O’Neill One of the two stained glass windows and John Redhead Feb 1917 at the celebration Of Charles and at St Ignatius Church Toowong Marcella Lane’s Diamond Wedding (Sunday Mail 1929) dedicated to the memory of Charles and Agnes McCaffrey
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St Lucia History Group Notes on Saturday 5 May 2007 Meeting
Present: Peter Brown Nanette Asher Leigh Chamberlain Julia Bigge Ian Venables Denise Venables Percy Hanlon Laurie West Trevor Nicholls Maurice McLeary Myra Shipstone Marilyn England Judy Magub Andrew Darbyshire
Apologies: Beth Johnson Lenore Jenson Joan Haig
NEXT MEETING 12.30pm Saturday 2 June 2007. Visit to ‘Ross Roy’ at St Peter’s Lutheran College, Harts Road, Indooroopilly
General
. Rotary Club May event - Historic Brisbane Film night (6-9.45pm Thurs 24 June) at the Planetarium . Suggestions for ‘field trips’ (Police Museum etc) to be reviewed/sparked up
S&W Railway Toowong – Indooroopilly Section
. AD provided an outline of his research into the pre existing conditions along the railway line at the time it was constructed in the early 1870’s and subsequent railway infrastructure developments up to the 1950’s . Primary reason for research to gain an understanding of the relative progress of ‘development’ of what we now know as Toowong, Taringa and Indooroopilly . Primary sources of information Qld Rail Files at the State Archives (Land Acquisition Files a rich source of information on early 1870 land owners – files examined cover properties from Ipswich to Roma Street) . Noted that the first line opened in Queensland was between Ipswich and Bigge’s Camp (Grandchester) in the mid 1860’s . Network would stretch as far as Dalby and down to Warwick before the extension to Brisbane was approved in the early 1870’s (a deep water connection to South Brisbane would not eventuate until the 1880’s) . ‘Books of Reference’ for land acquisition (documents tabled for Parliamentary approval process) identified existing land use with categories from ‘waste land’ to ‘Fenced Pasture’ . Only one existing building identified in the B of R and two others in the general Files and a lot of waste/unenclosed land and pasture . Three road bridges built, Moggill (High Street), Burns and Swann Road. Three other bridges and one ‘viaduct’ built to cross creeks (Toowong and Sandy Creek catchments) – initially timber all would be re-built in concrete and steel during the 1950’s . Westminster Road bridge was an Indooroopilly Divisional Board initiative built in the late 1880’s (at the same time as they were building the Gailey Road bridge over Toowong Creek) . Indooroopilly Station area still pasture, Toowong Station area subdivided, ½ dozen blocks sold and one house erected (Middenbury), Taringa Station area subdivided and sold. Taringa must have been the most attractive proposition at the time . Engineers notes reveal a coal branch line and coal shoots on the river proposal in the early 1870’s – how different things may have been for the development of Toowong . Properties resumed include Mrs Landsborough’s on the corner of Burns and Moggill, originally built as a Hotel, confirming previously documented ‘reminiscences’ . Notes to be completed in due course
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NOTICE OF MEETING
ST LUCIA HISTORY GROUP
To be held on
Saturday 6 October 2007
Visit to Miegunyah House Museum Bowen Hills
Leave the Toowong Community Meeting Place Josling Street, Toowong at 12.30pm or meet at 35 Jordan Terrace, Bowen Hills (Entry fee + afternoon tea around $10)
[Andrew has room for 3 (+ a skinny one) in his car]
For further information
COUNCILLOR PETER MATIC Phone: 3403 2520 Fax: 3403 2523 Email: [email protected]
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NOTICE OF MEETING
ST LUCIA HISTORY GROUP
Saturday 1 December 2007
Lets start the sesquicentennial celebrations early – 150 years in December since the government land sales ‘down the pocket’.
This months meeting to be held ‘on site’ including a stroll around where the early settlers farmed and lived (commentary by Peter Brown), an inspection of the University Foundation Stone and a guided tour of the Fryer Library.
And then a well earned cup of coffee at Wordsmith’s.
Meet at the multilevel carpark cnr Thynne/College Roads at 12.30pm, (walking involved – at least 1km)
For further information
COUNCILLOR PETER MATIC Phone: 3403 2520 Fax: 3403 2523 Email: [email protected]
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NOTICE OF MEETING
ST LUCIA HISTORY GROUP
12.30pm Saturday 1 March 2008
Toowong Community Meeting Place
Courier Mail 1950’s
General Discussion / Peter Brown research update
For further information
COUNCILLOR PETER MATIC Phone:3403 2520 Email: [email protected] Fax: 3403 2523
Please advise if you no longer wish to receive notice of our meetings
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NOTICE OF VISIT
ST LUCIA HISTORY GROUP
12.30pm Saturday 5 April 2008
Australian Light Horse, Ayr 1912 (Picture Queensland)
No formal meeting is planned for April, however, we have been invited to a Tour of Gallipoli Barracks, Enoggera by Captain Adele Catts, Curator of The 2nd/14th Light Horse Regiment (Queensland Mounted Infantry) Museum. The programme suggests a mixture of old and new. Security requirements dictate we need to advise Names no later than Thursday 20 March 2008 and to keep car numbers entering the Barracks to a minimum (and save the planet), it is proposed to Car Pool meeting at Toowong Community Meeting Place by 12.30pm (we have to signal ahead). Cameras are ok, however, we will have to sign in so please bring some ID. The Tour concludes at 3pm so we should be back at base by 3.30pm.
Please let Chris know by Thurs 20 March if you are able to join us.
COUNCILLOR PETER MATIC Phone: 3403 2520 Email: [email protected] Fax: 3403 2523
Please advise if you no longer wish to receive notice of our meetings
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NOTICE OF MEETING
ST LUCIA HISTORY GROUP
12.30pm Saturday 3 May 2008 Toowong Community Meeting Place, Josling Street
State Library of Queensland
Development of the Southern and Western Railway, Toowong to Indooroopilly Section
Part Three Rebuilding the Albert Bridge 1893-95
COUNCILLOR PETER MATIC Phone: 3403 2520 Email: [email protected] Fax: 3403 2523
Please advise if you no longer wish to receive notice of our meetings
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NOTICE OF MEETING
ST LUCIA HISTORY GROUP
Mt Coot-tha 1926 ( Picture Queensland)
Join us in July when
Janet Spillman
will present her current research on the history of and many and varied uses that
Mt Coot-tha
has been put to over the years.
12.30pm Saturday 5 July 2008 (no Meeting in June) Toowong Community Meeting Place, Josling Street
COUNCILLOR PETER MATIC Phone: 3403 2520 Email: [email protected] Fax: 3403 2523
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St Lucia History Group Notes on Saturday 4 October 2008 Meeting
Present: Peter Brown Nanette Asher Joan Haig Julia Bigge Ian Venables Denise Venables Percy Hanlon Trevor Nicholls Maurice McLeary Marilyn England Michael Yeates Leigh Chamberlain Jean McKinnon Lloyd Lyndon Nesta Russell Nell Higgins Claire Shaw Roger Harding Dotti Kemp Bruce Sinclair Andrew Darbyshire
Apologies: Judy Magub Myra Shipstone
NOVEMBER MEETING will be a visit to the United Grand Masonic Lodge. Meet in front of the building 311 Ann Street at 1.30pm. Numbers are required so please confirm with Andrew D by Thursday 23 October 2008. Train to Central may be the easiest transport option.
Obituary . The sad news was received that Lenore Jensen had passed away earlier in the week. Lenore was one of the founding members of the group and contributed the many memories of her life in the suburb to our research. In her memory Peter Brown presented a brief overview of her life in St Lucia as captured in discussion with her over the years
Administration . Following some discussion it was agreed that it was probably now appropriate that the Group take on a little more responsibility for the Administration of it’s affairs than it has in the past . Acknowledging that the Group is not incorporated and has no formal structure (President, Secretary etc) it was proposed that one of the members take on the role of Co-ordinator. Andrew Darbyshire nominated for the position and was unanimously elected. Andrew will issue Notice of Meetings, manage the Bank account and other sundry administrative tasks as they arise
Early Housing on ‘Lang Farm’ . Marilyn England delivered a PowerPoint presentation Searching Lang Farm for the Cribb House 1853 and the White House 1899 outlining her research on two houses in Holmes Street, Toowong. Marilyn’s research has focused primarily on Portion 28 . Robert Cribb was the first purchaser of this land when it came up for sale at the Government Land Auction in December 1853. 12 months prior to this Robert had purchased the adjoining land to the east of Toowong Creek (the first sale of land in what is now St Lucia). Robert eventually owned all the Portions adjoining this initial purchase . There has been a view to this point in the Group’s research effort that Robert’s initial purchase was what he referred to as Lang Farm and this was the area he set about having cleared and cultivated. It had been considered that the use of this descriptor in a wider sense was a later ‘marketing’ term introduced by Agents promoting the sale of adjacent land and subsequent residential sub-divisions . There was general consensus on Marilyn’s account of the building and history of Kiarraba, the house built for Thomas E White to the east of the dogleg in Holmes Street . There was lively debate on Marilyn’s conclusions (based on her research to date) that the land on the opposite side of Holmes Street was the site of an original house built by Robert Cribb in the early 1850’s when he first bought the land
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. Marilyn has formed no firm view at this stage as to whether the current house dates from the 1850’s or if the original was replaced or in some way combined within the current structure (there is advice from a previous occupier suggesting evidence of an old brick oven under the house) . The presentation included an 1899 photograph showing both houses in Holmes Street . This local parcel of Robert’s properties, around 190 acres, passed into brother Benjamin’s ownership when Robert became insolvent in the mid 1860s. AD noted that at least portion 28 was still in Benjamin’s hands when the land for the railway was compulsory purchased in the early 1870s . When Richard Gailey purchased the land holdings in the mid 1870s he sub-dived the properties for residential development and put them to market. Portion 28 appears to have been offered in two stages (Marilyn has allotment plans from both), it appears Stage 2 included the land in question. Neither plan shows any existing houses (these were included on more elaborate sales lithographs of the time) . There was general discussion on Gailey including his donation of land in this locale for the original Toowong state school (and contribution to the building fund if this location was chosen) and his promotion of local infrastructure works by the local authority . PB has also recently obtained a photograph of Glen Olive taken from across the river showing an earlier structure existed behind Glen Olive (south side), one which has not previously revealed itself in other photographs/illustrations. Peter suggested this may have been Gailey’s residence before/during the construction of Glen Olive . Gailey certainly appears to have lived in the area before building Glen Olive and Marilyn noted in her presentation his wife was advertising for domestic help in 1877 giving her address as Lang Farm . Marilyn advised that she was anticipating access to the detailed research undertaken by previous owners the Munro family into the ‘Cribb House’ in the early new year. The Munro’s bought the house in the 1950’s. The meeting looked forward to this next instalment
Toowong Creek Bridge (SLQ Photograph below)
. AD requested the meetings view on the potential location of the above footbridge (image formed from two SLQ photographs stitched together). The SLQ description is not definitive. The photograph indicates the creek is flowing from left to right, hence, taken from the south bank and flowing fairly strongly. The (part) house and wagon yard may provide some clue. The only conclusion drawn at the meeting was that as the pedestrian’s attire was probably turn of the century then this bridge was not at the current Benson St/Gailey Road creek crossing (there was a permanent traffic bridge here from the mid 1880’s)
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NOTICE OF VISIT
ST LUCIA HISTORY GROUP
1.30pm Saturday 1 November 2008
Meet outside our destination 311 Ann Street, Brisbane (Mid way between Wharf and Creek Streets)
Brisbane City Council – eLibCat Brisbane Images (1930s)
Michael Rowe has kindly invited the Toowong and St Lucia History Groups for a guided tour and talk at the Queensland United Grand Lodge, Ann Street, Brisbane. Afternoon tea will be served after the tour.
We need to advise numbers so please contact me by Thursday 23 October 2008 if you would like to come along
Andrew Darbyshire Phone: 3700 9322 Email: [email protected]
[Saturday 6 December meeting Peter Brown presentation 19th Century St Lucia at Toowong Community Meeting Place]
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Bring a plate Meeting
ST LUCIA HISTORY GROUP
7 February 2009 12.30pm Saturday 6 December 2008 Toowong Community Meeting Place
Members research update including Carmody’s trip from Ireland, Guyatt’s Store and house, story of a Durham Street house, social life at Glen Olive, our first Church and portraits of the Murray Prior family
Commissariat Store (no not William Street, Brisbane) Ottawa, Canada. Constructed in 1827 to act as a base during the building of the Rideau Canal connecting The Ottawa and St Lawrence Rivers. The canal was built as an alternative supply line should those pesky rebellious Americans attack the borders (AD 2008)
Andrew Darbyshire Phone: 3700 9322 Email: [email protected] slhg members have been invited to the launch of The Toowong History Group’s latest book to be held at the RHSQ, Commissariat Store, William Street from 6pm Friday 13 March 2009. Contact Marilyn for details
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St Lucia History Group Notes on Saturday 4 April 2009 Meeting
Present: Peter Brown Nanette Asher Julia Bigge Percy Hanlon Trevor Nicholls Maurice McLeary Marilyn England Roger Harding Jim MacKenzie Ron Scott Andrew Darbyshire
Apologies: Myra Shipstone
Next Meeting: 12.30pm Saturday 6 June 2009
Administration
. Andrew D noted that the slhg bank balance was looking healthy thanks to continued regular sales of An Introduction to the History of St Lucia through The Book Bank at Toowong Shopping Village (sole outlet)
Toowong Creek Bridges
. As part of continued examination of the Railway land resumption files Andrew D advised that an early bridge over Toowong Creek had been identified on a December 1873 survey of Portion 28 (prepared to identify the section of land to be purchased from Benjamin Cribb). The bridge, probably to serve the combined land holdings comprising the ‘greater’ Lang Farm, was located near the south west corner of the Toowong Bowls Club (there has been significant re-alignment of the creek over time). . A creek is also identified on the equivalent survey for Portion 27. Rising at the top end of MacDonnell Street, the outfall into the river roughly due east of the current BP Petrol Station. . The survey plans are witnessed by Joseph Foote, Clarrisa Cribb and William Cribb (probably as executors following Benjamin’s death). There are no ‘improvements’ (roads, houses etc) shown on the survey – essentially a boundary survey
The bridge is clearly plotted on the survey drawing (other later descriptions sketches show this as located above the section of creek affected by tidal action) [ Maps – Google Earth and State Archives]
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Tortola, Holmes Street [Refer also October 2008 Meeting Notes]
N0 3 Holmes Street (2008) [Photographs Marilyn England]
. Marilyn E presented her continuing research into the initial construction and occupation of this house . Following a review of early newspaper reports (including a contemporary visit to Lang Farm) Marilyn now shares the view that the initial ‘cleared and cultivated’ farm was located on Robert Cribb’s original land purchase, Portion 7, east of Toowong Creek. This makes it likely that the first ‘farm house’ for Lang Farm was built on Portion 7 and occupied by the various tenants who worked the land during the mid to late1850’s . As Robert Cribb acquired adjoining land it is not surprising that ‘Lang Farm’ was used as a generic description for this local area (this was an isolated pocket of ‘development’ during the 1850s). The western extremity of (this greater) Lang Farm was used as a locator to advertise land sales for the Village of Toowong estate (west of Burns Road) in 1865 as it was by Richard Gailey in the late 1870s when he subdivided and offered the land for residential development . Marilyn’s research is now focussing on the possibility that the house was built by or for William Cribb, Richard’s son. Beth Johnson records in her family history that William was living at Lang Farm during the late 1850s/early 1860s . Marilyn noted that the Munro family had advice from a heritage architect that the use of handmade nails/bricks etc indicated pre 1875 construction
St Lucia Road
. Peter B provided an overview of progressive road construction west of Brisbane commencing with the survey of the road to Moggill in 1849 . In the mid 1860s the local farmers successfully petitioned government for improvements to the road into the pocket and by 1871 the pre-cursor to Local Authorities, the local Road Trusts were formed to take responsibility for the forming/upkeep of designated roads. The Indooroopilly Road Trust had 5¼ miles to look after . By the late 1870s Richard Gailey was promoting a new road into the area via his landholdings including proposing to construct a bridge across Toowong Creek (current location). He argued a more direct route (rather than via Burns/Indooroopilly/Carmody Roads) would be beneficial for all . Discussion ensued through the 1870s/80s about the possibility of a new road along the line of the current Sir Fred Schonell Drive, however, three key land owners Corbett, Depper and Strong objected (the road would have split their land in two) . No real progress was made until the land boom of the 1880s when the Portions along this Reach came into the hands of the residential developers . The developers (WA Wilson and Gailey) were well represented on the newly formed Divisional Board and the Board agreed to form the St Lucia Road and the bridge across the Toowong Creek . By late 1888 the bridge had been constructed and St Lucia Road formed
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St Lucia History Group Notes on Saturday 6 June 2009 Meeting
Present: Peter Brown Nanette Asher Myra Shipstone Percy Hanlon Maurice McLeary Marilyn England Denise Venables Ian Venables Joan Haig Keith Haig Andrew Darbyshire Dotti Kemp
Apologies: Julia Bigge
Next Meeting: 12.30pm Saturday 1 August 2009
Activities
. Upcoming activities: Indooroopilly History Society, 5.30pm, Wed 13 May 09 – Brookfield Railway; Brisbane Living Heritage Network 5pm Wednesday 15 July 09 – On the Beat, Brisbane’s Policing Past (mixed walking/public transport tour); 12/19 June 09 – Farewell to Miramar cruise, 75th Anniversary (Percy for details); Toowong & District Historical Society, 10am Friday 26 June 09 – Railway through Toowong, Percy H (at Toowong Library)
Show and Tell
. Myra had two items to show the group both of which were handed down from her parents. The first a silver pepper/salt shaker (with blue glass inner liner) used by the family as a sugar shaker (on strawberries etc) and a cup and saucer (from a set) with a golfing theme, the saucer depicting a young lady golfer on the fairway, and several males looking for their golf balls in the rough. Moto, keep your eyes on the game. Both date back at least to the early 1900’s
. Most present recognised the foot operated carriage bell Joan had brought along as this was the mystery object on last nights Collectors programme on the ABC. Its sound once struck was reminiscent of the old tram bells. The foot plunger (in this case a replacement) is removable, tram drivers would take it with them as they swapped driving positions at the terminus
. Keith brought with him the ten Chinese coins he had purchased by mail order for $1 each in 1983. The brass and copper coins had been discovered by Cairns based artist Keith Courtenay who had been commissioned to do a painting of the old alluvial workings area of the Palmer Gold Field to be hung in Parliament. He discovered the coins in an old cellar apparently breaking through whilst setting up his easel at Hells Gate. Keith and Joan on their travels in the area met Mr Courtenay’s neighbours who had assisted him to wash the 23,000 coins, they had advised that the rinse water contained gold dust suggesting at least part of the coins had their centre stamp hole filled with gold/glue mix ready for ‘export’. Keith noted that whilst most of the alluvial working had finished by the early 1880s, there were up to 25,000 Chinese on the fields in the late 1870’s. Mr Courtenay was selling the coins to raise funds to support Vietnamese refugee orphans. Keith travelled through the area during the war, transferring his units Beauport anti-aircraft guns from Jacky Jacky airstrip back to Brisbane, and remembers the deserted Palmerville settlement having only shopfronts still standing
. Joan and Keith also brought along two facsimile newspapers, the London Gazette of 26 August 1768 headlining Captain Cook’s departure and edition 1 of the Moreton Bay Courier 20 June 1846
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. Denise’s copy of the 1901 published ‘Ladies guide to health and disease’ by John Harvey Kellog (1852 – 1943, surgeon, inventor and founder of K Kellog Cereal Company) is somewhat frail so she quoted a couple of interesting passage as a sample of the contents. John Harvey Kellog was very concerned that the rigours of the fashionable custom of taking a journey immediately after marriage was altogether too much for a new bride. He claimed this had claimed the life of more than one young woman and in hundreds of cases laid the foundation of disease which for years has baffled the skill of the most experienced and sagacious physicians. He is even more condemning of the waltz (shocked in the case of his observations of the lower classes at play) to which he attributes much of the prevailing vice and immorality. His ‘Man the masterpiece or plain truths plainly told’ is more than likely an equally enlightening and entertaining read
. There was some discussion on the decoration used on the exposed cut edges of book pages and Maurice noted that he had seen examples of painted scenes in addition to the more common gold leaf or ink printed work
. Ian passed around his grandfathers autoharp which dates back he believes to around 1870. The harp still functions although it does have a number of home made strings. Born in Cheshire England, Ian’s grandfather lived for a number of years as an itinerant musician eventually working his way down to London before emigrating to Australia where he settled in Rockhampton. One of his jobs in London was as a painter whitewashing the walls of the Underground (in the days when steam locomotives were used)
. Nanette brought an 1897 ‘flyer’ which her grandmother Jessie Guyatt had kept. This was advertising a public meeting and fund raising event for missionary work in the near pacific islands. Captain Hore of the John Williams had sailed into Brisbane and the Brighton Road Congregational Sunday School had arranged for him to speak at the West End School of Arts. The flyer notes the Sankey Hymn Book will be used but also advertises that the proceedings will include native hymns sung by the crew
. Andrew showed two photographs from the family album of his parents as children/early teens in the 1920s. Andrews father when a boy had a part time selling ice cream and this photograph shows him with the horse coupled up to the ornate ice-cream cart in a local street. The cobbled street and two storey terrace housing is typical of this 19th century industrial area of Wigan (these particular houses, two up/two down, had their own walled back yard, more unscrupulous landlords built houses back to back). Andrew’s picture of his mother was taken on the Canadian Pacific Line Duchess of York as she crossed with her mother, sister and brother to join her father in Toronto, Canada. This was the early days of the Depression and her father had gone ahead of them to Toronto to find work and start a new life. Whilst Andrew’s mother had fond memories of her time there, her mother could not settle and they returned to England in the mid 1930s
Tortola
. Marilyn recently had a conversation with Janette Lavis (great grand-daughter of TE White - initially built on the river near Kays Rocks and subsequently Kiarraba on Holmes Street). She has given Marilyn an account of TE Whites early days in Australia, his search for a cool house for his wife Phoebe and his desire for his daughters to have independent careers. Janette recalls that William Howes owned Tortola from 1904 until 1932 when he was forced to sell due to financial difficulties arising from his business dealings (shipping imported wheat just as the drought broke)
Long Pocket
. Marilyn has also been undertaking more research into military activity in the area during WW2. Recently she interviewed Arthur Page whose father had worked as an interpreter at
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Tighnabruaich for the Americans during the war. Arthur’s father was Russian, his mother Greek, and they had to flee from Japan where they had been living as war fever began to build. The Australian Army appear to have had two units stationed in the Indooroopilly/Long Pocket locality, the AWA in the Harts/Lambert Road area and the 24th Australian Line of Signal Corps on Meiers Road. The suggestion has been made that the local units were instrumental in breaking the Japanese CO codes (similar significance to the breaking of the German Enigma codes).
Perrin/Guyatt Park
. Peter B has been examining BCC Meeting records and noted that the Perrin family donated 12 acres of land in 1943 to Council for the creation of Perrin Park (subject to a 25 year lease to graze their horses on the land). They had recently purchased the land from the Carr family. Members recalled that Mrs Perrin still used a four horse buggy for transport up until the 1960s
. Peter also noted that Council adopted the name Guyatts Park in 1951 (previously Hiron Street Reserve)
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St Lucia History Group Notes on Saturday 1 August 2009 Meeting
Present: Nanette Asher Myra Shipstone Percy Hanlon Maurice McLeary Marilyn England Denise Venables Ian Venables Ron Scott Ros Siemon Trevor Nicholls Nesta Russell Dotti Kemp Michael Yeates Andrew Darbyshire
Apologies: Peter Brown
Next Meeting: 12.30pm Saturday 3 October 2009
Next meeting Peter Brown’s research on Long Pocket
Corrections to June Notes . Discussion on Tortola - Janette Lavis should read Jennette Lavis (thanks Leigh)
Middenbury . AD tabled a draft slhg letter to Michael Johnson requesting advice on the Commonwealth’s future plans for Middenbury for review/comment. Noted that Toowong and Taringa History Groups intended to countersign
Jerdanefield . Michael Y’s interest in the original Jerdanefield house stems from a family connection, the purchase of a unit by his father in the 1970s redevelopment of the property. For some time he has been trying to establish a better understanding of the orientation of the original building, the prime focus of today’s talk (Michael acknowledged inputs to date from Marilyn E and Peter B) . Jerdanefield has had a number of owners since it was first built by the Bank of New South Wales as a residence for it’s Queensland Manager some time before 1900 [previous research suggests 1889]. These include Dr AJ Foote c1936 and Dr JR Adam c1952. Unit Projects Pty Ltd purchased the property in 1970 and redeveloped the site. Titles for the units in the new tower were registered on 27 November 1972 . Not clear if the original house was demolished or relocated . Some suggestion Jerdanefield may have been used to accommodate Australian Army Staff sometime during the 1941-43 period . Unclear when the land bounded by Austral, Sir Fred and Ryans was subdivided but possibly some time in the mid 1920/30s [the early 1890s McKellar has this as one allotment] . Michael has had access to a number of photographs including an early view of the river and riverside garden from the house, the coach entrance to Jerdanefield (Ruth Gillespie’s time), two which show what is assumed to be the front entrance and a side or rear verandah view. Michael also showed a photograph of an artists painting of the house (dated 1972 – not clear if as at that date or artistic license) . The BCC 1946 aerial photo clearly shows Jerdanefield in plan (together with Jerdanefield Road and other adjacent housing), however, does not provide any clarity in respect to the as originally constructed entrance way from adjacent roads (ie was the drive from the river side of the house to Ryans Road or from a more southerly point along Ryans Road or even direct off St Lucia Road) . Group members were able to provide some input and comment, however, suggested Michael contact Jim Mackenzie who they believed would be able to provide more definitive advice
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Michael’s current thoughts on the orientation of the original house
Capemba
. Further to discussions at the last meeting and inputs from group members Andrew D had done further research on determining the location of Clement Wragge’s house Capemba resulting in a rather surprising outcome . Early sub-division lithographs identified Capemba on the south side of Swann Road somewhere between Kobada and Gailey’s five ways, part of Portion 35 . Portion 35 (47 acres) was originally purchased by Sheperd Smith (one time Qld Manager of Bank of NSW). By October 1887 the section of interest, bounded by Kobada, Swann, Indooroopilly and Todd appears to have been in the hands of The Imperial Deposit Bank Building and Investment Co of Qld. Wragge purchased his land between Feb and May 1888 (subsequently owned by Thomas James Rothwell in Nov 1904 and subsequently Wilfred Sydney and Dorothy Constance and Henry Hart and Amy Frances Millman mid 1948 (all Titles info courtesy of Bill Kitson at the Surveying Museum) . Original confusion over sub-division Lot Nos clarified – there were two. The 1880’s Belgrave and Riverview Estate (Kobada, Swann, Indooroopilly, Todd) comprised 33 lots, the later Glenevis Estate (shown on early 1890s McKellar) 117 lots . Wragge purchased 18 lots (refer below) . In 1979 there was a consolidation of titles (towards the bend in Swann Road) including one 1416m2 allotment. A speculative walk up the garden path and cold door knock revealed Capemba survives. The current owner noted that some changes had been made over time (including the possible severing of one wing (to No 209 Swann ?)
Wragge landholding 1888 217 Swann Road
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St Lucia History Group Notes on Saturday 3 October 2009 Meeting
Present: Nanette Asher Peter Brown Percy Hanlon Maurice McLeary Marilyn England Julia Bigge Leigh Chamberlain Trevor Nicholls Dotti Kemp Michael Yeates Alison Kemp Andrew Darbyshire
Apologies: Myra Shipstone Denise Venables Ian Venables
Next Meeting: 12.30pm Saturday 5 December 2009
Percy H has managed to contact Noel Ygosse and it is hoped he will be able to attend our next meeting for a general discussion on boats and the river.
Middenbury . AD has been advised by Michael Johnson’s staff that they are working on a response to the slhg/taringa hg/Toowong hg/Toowong & DHS letter requesting advice in respect to Commonwealth plans to retain Middenbury (Indooroopilly & DHS response to countersign unfortunately arrived too late)
Odds . There was some general discussion on Sir John Chandler and his home in Lamont Street. Percy H noted that Chandler’s chauffer lived in Benson Street. He understood that as Lord Mayor of Brisbane he never drew his salary (he was founder of the electrical retailers and also owned Radio 4BH) . Marilyn E recently gave a talk at Redlands and had managed to further clarify the identity of early Lang farm tenants. Only previously referred to as the German tenant, Marilyn is now confidant that this was Herman Holzapfel (may possibly be Holzappel) who had the farm from when the Payne family left in 1862 to around 1872 when the land was offered up for sale
Long Pocket . Peter B commenced his presentation noting that the early european development of Long Pocket closely paralleled what was happening in St Lucia and for all intents and purposes the residents of SL/LP were part of the same community. This is evidenced by the combined initiatives undertaken by the early settlers including the founding of the bush school (1863), the Indooroopilly Road Board (1865), building of the Chapel (1868) and establishment of the government school (1870 – now Ironside School). The common development path began to diverge in the 1880s when SL became swept up in the residential land sub-division frenzy . The sequence of land survey for the initial government sales in the area was St Lucia (north and eastern reach) 1857, balance of SL 1858 and then Taringa out to Indooroopilly 1859. LP did not get surveyed until1862. The blocks at around 15 acres were smaller than previous size, perhaps because this was better farming land or a more realistic size for a single family to cultivate. Whilst ‘speculative’ buyers were in the majority at least three farming families, Behan/O’Neil/WH Spode (brother of Copeland – one time Foreman/Secretary of Divisional Board) had sufficient funds to buy at auction . Well known local identities who subsequently farmed the land include Charles Lane, Mark Blasdall, George Carr and John Redhead (Alison K is JR’s great grand-daughter). There was a fair amount of inter-marrying between the pioneer farmer families . Crop, dairy farming and animal husbandry remained the main pocket activities up until the land resumptions of the late 1940s . SL resident John Chandler was elected Mayor of Brisbane in 1940 and served in this role until 1952 (he was Knighted that year). He was a keen supporter of public open space, Page 41 of 91
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parks and playgrounds. A number of areas of SL became dedicated parks during his tenure . One of the Mayor’s schemes was his vision for a large park proposed for the Pocket to be built on land (375 acres) to be compulsory purchased from the farmers. He argued the case that this was one of the few remaining riverside areas near the city that had not been sub-divided and developed for residential purposes so could relatively easily be converted for this purpose. He understood that this was being contemplated by some land owners and he believed action needed to be taken before this happened
Courier Mail 22 May 1948 (Courtesy Peter Brown)
. The scheme included a bird sanctuary, tennis courts, swimming pools, a jetty for ferries/pleasure craft, an open air theatre and a riverside drive (continuing from SL) . Council’s initial approach to the landholders were not encouraging (2 owners agreed, 14 refused and there were 2 deceased estates) and in late 1947 they moved to purchase the land by compulsory purchase . This action was traumatic for many of the families, particularly for those with a strong affinity with the land. Some severed their links with their farms other continued as lessees (up to the mid 1970s) . The acquisition was never the less pushed through and 1948 saw works undertaken to establish the site. A jetty was constructed together with a kiosk and a grand opening day announced including laying on river ferries for the day (the day appears to have been a disappointment for John Chandler as few turned out for the event). The parklands concept never really got off the ground . Interest in the land as a golf course is recorded as early as 1956 when the Royal Queensland Golf Club express an interest in purchasing half the land (old Eagle farm lease running out), however, it was not until 1962 that this became a reality with the Clem Jones administration granting a lease for a new 18 hole course to be built by the Indooroopilly Golf Club (at that time already established at the St Lucia links since the 1920s) . In 1973 a subsequent freehold land swap was agreed with BCC, council taking over the St Lucia links in exchange for an equivalent area at Long Pocket. The golf club operates on part freehold and part leasehold land. Despite local protest the Club was allowed to sub- divide and sell 8 acres in the 1980s (Carnoustie Ct/St Andrew PL) although its recent proposal for high rise development has been knocked back . Government has also had an interest in the Pocket for some years initially creating a reserve for Hospital Purposes and subsequently building laboratories for the Department of Primary Industries (1968’ish), CSIRO (1969) and Natural Resources (1972’ish). CSIRO have signalled their intention to sell their landholding once their staff move to new facilities being constructed in Dutton Park and Coopers Plains, the State is yet to announce their intentions
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St Lucia History Group Notes on Saturday 5 December 2009 Meeting
Present: Nanette Asher Peter Brown Percy Hanlon Maurice McLeary Marilyn England Julia Bigge Wayne Cleary Dotti Kemp Janet Spillman Michael Yeates Noel Ygosse Denise Venables Ian Venables Ron Scott Andrew Darbyshire
Apologies: Myra Shipstone Leigh Chamberlain Trevor Nicholls Keith & Joan Haig
Next Meeting: 12.30pm Saturday 6 February 2010 Discussion will centre on retired Director Isa Maynard’s History of the St Lucia Pre-School 1948 to 2000. Isa’s original manuscript, brought to our attention by Marjorie Shackleton, has at Isa’s request been formatted into a research paper a copy of which will be lodged with the rest of the slhg papers in the Toowong Library.
Middenbury . AD has received some positive news from Senator Conroy (Minister for Comms) noting that the ABC and any subsequent purchaser are required to preserve the property in any redevelopment. The extent of free space around the building is yet to be determined and will likely be decided by the Queensland Heritage Council (ABC have lodged a submission)
Odds . Ron S has provided a copy of Tighnabruaich, 1892-1992 One Hundred Years, 1942-1992 Fifty Years in the Army together with a photograph taken of its namesake, a village on the Kyles of Bute, Scotland. [Tighnabruaich is Gaelic for ‘house on the hill – K of B website] . Long Pocket discussion last meeting – Dotti K mentioned a LP connection with Mary MacKillop, soon to become Australia’s first saint. Ellen, eldest of Charles Lane’s 13 children, decided to become a nun. Mother Mary MacKillop is said to have stayed with the Lanes at Long Pocket when taking Ellen back with her to join the congregation. Ellen took the name Sister Victor, and eventually became Provincial of the Order in South Australia. Mary MacKillop gave a rosary to Sister Victor, she passed it on to her brother Victor Lane. He subsequently gave it to Mary Mahony who then gave it to her cousin Sister Maria Giles when she entered the same Order. Sister Maria left it to the Archives of the Sisters of St Joseph in Sydney . Percy H noted that an artist had been engaged by BCC to design murals for the Burns Road railway bridge (roadside face), local school kids to be involved. Percy had suggested a river scene for the Toowong side and an early Toowong theme for the Taringa side. Targeted for Saturday 13 February ‘unveiling’ (fairly tight deadline) . As today’s topic was timber boat building Andrew D pre-faced the main topic of discussion with a couple of holiday snaps from a recent trip to the Maritimes region of Canada. These included photographs of a 3m long model of the Marco Polo sailing ship taken at the New Brunswick Museum, St John (MP was heralded as the fastest ship in the world in the early 1850s completing the trip from Liverpool to Melbourne and return within 6 months) and the launch of a 10m yacht at Westerguard’s boatyard, Lunenburg Nova Scotia (first all timber sailing schooner launched for 40 years in this part of the world – Kitty Cochrane launch viewable on YouTube). The Maritimes timber ship building era peaked from the 1840s to the 1870s when world shipping demand was high created first by the Crimean War, then the Californian and Australian gold rushes and during the American Civil War.
Ygosse Boat Yard (Photographs courtesy Noel Ygosse unless noted otherwise)
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. Noel Ygosse was welcomed to the meeting, Noel is the son of Francis Ygosse (FRANCISCUS IJGOSfE) . Francis joined the Dutch Navy at the age of 13 and became a shipwright. He sailed twice around the world. He visited Brisbane whilst serving on gunboats and bought his land in St Lucia before finally settling here. Francis received approval to establish his boatyard on the eastern side of Toowong Creek in 1927 . Noel was born in 1934, attended Taringa School and was apprenticed to his father in 1949. Following the death of his father in 1955 he ran the business until 1963. The yard was then rented for two years, Noel returning to run the yard in 1966 before the property was eventually sold in 1967. The house and boat yard were demolished and the (current) block of units developed on the site . The routine business of the boatyard was constructing timber pleasure craft and general maintenance. Initially Francis stared building boats under the house (the house was built with a large void underneath) until Noel’s mother Ruth objected to the constant noise and vibration coming through the floor
Francis digging out his first slip c1927 Boat yard c1939 (Noel’s sister Jenny in foreground)
. Typical costing for new craft was ₤1 per foot for a dingy, ₤30 per foot for pleasure craft. Ironbark, yellowwood and tallow were used in framing, pine above the waterline. Generally 7/8” planks were used, all copper nails. Preservation materials used included the liberal application of creosote and red lead. Noel noted that the family’s own boats (30’ Carol and 21’ Matey – Francis called everyone matey) never suffered from borers and they believed this may have had something to do with being moored next to the creek and the run off from the local farm . Maintenance and general repair work included local ferry boats and Percy recalled taking his fathers ferry to the yard. Timber hulled boats generally need slipping every 6 months . There was general discussion on the 1963 night-time Phylis ferry disaster. Possible contributory factors may have included the speed of the Crocodile/current running that night and the ferry only carrying oil lamps (no generator on the ferry motor). Percy H understood that one of the lady passengers would not normally have boarded the ferry if she was aware of other traffic on the reach. Noel was involved in the rescue . The yard was particularly busy during the second world war years with up to 15 men employed. Work primarily for the Dutch and American Army included 50’ timber ‘dumb’ barges and 45’ timber tugs. Francis had some trouble with the American supply officer who came to inspect progress on the tugs, he wanted to know why a deck hatch which wasn’t on the plans had been included. Francis reminded him that there needed to be some way of installing the engines. The yard did all the work on the tugs (including the fuel tanks) except fitting the diesels which was done by Badley. The barges and tugs were used in the Pacific. Maintenance was also carried out on Fairmile motor launches. Noel noted that the canvas lining between the twin boarded hulls (Canadian cold water practice) created problems for craft operating in our tropical environment
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. A Google search by Andrew D had turned up a 1945 dated pencil sketch of the Ygosse boat yard held by the Australian War Memorial (below). Official war artist Robert Emerson Curtis had spent time in Brisbane and there are a number of his sketches (Evans Deakin yard, portrait of Mr CE Crowley – Francis Y contemporary etc) on the AWM website. The site (well worth a look) includes a number of other drawings on wartime boatbuilding by Curtis (including Halvorsen’s Yard in Sydney) together with photographic portraits of Curtis, his fellow artist Clement Searle and war photographer Max Dupain (his photograph of Clement and Robert - ARM ref P02186.004 - is typical of Dupain’s dramatic staging of his subjects). The three were posted together in New Guinea. Noel confirmed that the drawing was a reasonable representation of what the yard may have looked like during the war years
Curtis, R Emerson Un-named apprentice with completed small yacht. Ygosse boat yard, Toowong, Brisbane River, 1945 Francis’ apprentices were required to pen on paper 27.9 x 38.1 cm undertake all tasks (keel to fitout) on at least Australian War Memorial (ART25584) one boat as part of their training
. Post war production was mainly pleasure craft purpose built for individuals (see examples below). All fit out work was done in house (Queensland Maple on the Neredies). One of the more unusual commissions was a fast boat which the client, a Brisbane doctor, had painted all black above the waterline. The reason only became clear sometime later when he was arrested one dark night on Norman Creek, running drugs . Other contemporary boatyards/associated firms included Jack Campbell (and son Colin) over the river, Gillespie Engineering, Crowley and Norman Wright further downstream
Neredies built for the Biggs brothers c1947 32’ Commander Gaskin (included a made to measure toilet seat for Mrs Gaskin)
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1946 Aerial Photograph (Courtesy BCC Ward Office) The Ygosse house and boat yard are clearly visible in the centre of the photograph (L shaped jetty)
1953 Gailey Road frontage at intersection with Sandford Street (Courtesy BCC Archives)
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St Lucia History Group Notes on Saturday 10 February 2010 Meeting
Present: Denise Venables Ian Venables Maurice McLeary Marilyn England Roger Harding Nanette Asher Marjorie Shackleton Michael Yeates Rae Yeates Peter Brown Marjorie Voss Royce Voss Dotti Kemp Helen Gregory Scott Gregory Julia Bigge Jenny Land Ann Crack Myra Shipstone Judy Grimshaw Kathy Sexton Wayne Cleary Trevor Nicholl Don Allan Percy Hanlon Joan Claringbould
Apologies: Keith & Joan Haig Chris Harding Christine Tilley
Next Meeting: 12.30pm Saturday 10 April 2010 The University of Queensland will celebrate its centenary of foundation in April. At our next meeting Peter Brown will outline how it ended up in our suburb, its planning and development and some of the impacts it has had on St Lucia.
Avalon/Progress Hall . Peter B presented a newspaper photograph of the Progress Hall just after its opening in July 1927 by Mayor Alderman WA Jolly. In 1956 the hall was purchased by Mr Endres who renamed it the Avalon Theater, a name well used for theatres around the world. He extended the building and upgraded the toilets etc and hired it out as a theatre, cinema, meeting hall etc. He apparently lived on the site . Prof Fotheringham and Nigel Pearn have written a University Paper on the history of the Avalon Theatre. They touch on its origins as the Progress Hall, and Peter has passed on to them all of our research of its history and our stories of happenings there. The main thrust of the University Paper is on the use of the hall by the University from when it purchased it for £8,500 complete with projection equipment etc from Mr Endres in 1963. The University further upgraded and extended the hall and toilets, and used it continuously until 2004 when it was closed due to white ants making it unsafe. Its future is under consideration by the University, who apparently would like to demolish and sell the site as they don’t need it . Jenny L lived opposite the Theatre and can recall it being used as a refuge during the 1974 floods
St Lucia Pre-School 1948-2000 . Andrew D outlined how the history of the pre-school/kindergarten had come to the group’s notice and offered thanks to Isa Maynard (author – unfortunately not able to travel from her home in Warwick) and Marjorie Shackleton (friend of Isa who provided a copy of Isa’s original manuscript) . Andrew D also welcomed Marjorie Voss who had travelled from Bribie for our discussions today. Marjorie’s professional association with the pre-school/kindergarten spanned 25 years commencing as a Teacher Aide at the State Pre-School in 1977, transferring to the Kindergarten in 1979 and eventually retiring in 2002. Marjorie undertook much of the ‘search and rescue’/sifting and collation of the records that formed the basis of Isa’s research . Andrew D noted a copy of the history will be lodged at the Toowong Library mid year. The text will be as Isa’s original, supplementary information added as footnotes or appendices. A copy has been provided to the St Lucia Kindergarten . The origins of the kindergarten go back to the beginning of 1948 when Mr CW Harding called a public meeting to discuss the establishment of a local facility
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. A committee was formed, negotiations held with the church, staff selected, fees set (3 guineas per quarter), premises prepared and children enrolled. The St Lucia Presbyterian Pre-School Centre opened its doors on 5 April 1948 operating from the church hall at 351 Swann Road (approx 150m up from the current Uniting Church). The hall was a recycled military building (as with other local schools/church buildings of the time)
Christine Tilley, on the original enrolment, ready for Pre-School (Courtesy Ian Tilley) Original home for the Pre-School, the Presbyterian Church Hall at 351 Swann Road (State Library)
. Conditions were cramped and demand for places high so the Committee began to examine alternative accommodation including vacant land at 9th Avenue, use of an existing hall off St Lucia Road and the potential of extending the current building. Discussions were pushed along with the news that the church had purchased land on the corner of Hawken and Swann with the intention of building a new church (current Uniting Church) . Negotiations with the Education Dept led to an offer for the use of the current site on the corner of Baty and Ironside Street. The Committee, however, were less successful with their proposal to relocate an existing timber building from Ironside School. They set about raising funds to construct a new building. The Department offered use of the land but no funds to build . Mr Harding approached architects Goodsir and Carlyle and plans were drawn up for a 1,500 square foot building with an estimated cost of ₤1,600. The Department of Public Instruction approved the plans and granted a 5+5 years occupancy permit for the land . The serious business of raising funds for construction began, the eventual building cost of ₤1,820 being covered by Debentures (some returned as donations), money raised by the Committee (mannequin parade City Hall, Fete, raffles etc) and a loan from the National Bank of Australia. Trustees (and assumed guarantors) were Mr Harding and Mr Custance (Capemba) . After some difficulties (original builder going into liquidation, reliance on week-end semi volunteer labour) the new building was occupied in early 1951, the St Lucia Pre-School being officially opened in May . Whilst the decision had been made not to apply for Creche and Kindergarten Association (C&K) affiliation at the original premises, this was now refused for the new building. Sticking points were staff numbers and the space available for the enrolment of 60 children. Conditional C&K affiliation was granted in 1958 subject to commitment to extend the facility by early 1962 (by this time affiliation was more important as it resulted in qualification for a State subsidy of ₤250 per annum)
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. Fund raising moved into top gear again and the required improvements were made, this being the pattern throughout the 1960s as the increase in children numbers created the need for more space and facilities . By the early 1970s stage 6 extension was completed, affiliation as a Three Unit Pre-School attained and with three teachers, three full time aids and a housekeeper on the staff, 124 children were enrolled (77 daily). However, the pre-school was about to face a major challenge to its very existence
Final St Lucia Pre-School configuration (Jeremy Salmon) The incorporation of the old McDonnell & East lift next to the sand pit (front in sketch) appears to have been the initiative of Jennette Lavis. The story related at the meeting has it that it was removed from her family’s store and placed on the road outside for an extended period, the Council eventually affixing parking tickets to prompt its removal
. The ‘threat’ arose from the mid 1972 Government commitment to offer free State Pre- School education to all children. A deputation to the Director General of Education resulted in some comfort as assurance was given that St Lucia was not a priority and nothing would be done to prejudice the financial status of the kindergarten without prior consultation. This gave the Committee the confidence to complete what would be their last phase of extension of the building . The programme roll-out turned out faster than envisaged and Departmental plans revealed a two unit pre-school was proposed to be established at Indooroopilly in 1974/5 and for Ironside in 1975/6. Whilst the advent of fully funded State pre-schools was welcomed by the community it did present a problem in so far as the continued viability of providing ongoing services for younger children . A public meeting resolved that the motion presented by President Dr Rogers to negotiate with the Government for a mutually satisfactory outcome be adopted. The Principal of Ironside and the relatively recently appointed Director of the Pre-School, Joan C were closely involved in the discussions with Mr Ashby, Director of Pre-School Education . The outcome was that the State would take over the building (taking on outstanding loans) and make the necessary repairs and improvements to enable shared occupancy for the two unit State Pre-School (Joan C was first Director) and one unit St Lucia Kindergarten. The Kindergarten Association was now relieved of the burden of maintaining the building and had an initial two year agreement for use with a ten year option . The community kindergarten had survived the fate of other less fortunate establishments and it is understood that only the St Lucia and Warwick Pre-Schools were taken over by the Department in this way . Renovations of the building commenced in 1976 and the Kindergarten moved temporarily to St Thomas Aquinas Church Hall in 8th Avenue, the State Pre-School being accommodated in the Christ Church Sunday School rooms
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. Incidentally Marjorie V noted that the St Thomas Kindergarten had faced its own challenges when a decision was made to sell the STA Church Hall site (home of the short lived St Thomas Aquinas School 1953-1966) for residential development. It is understood their current site was provided by Council, the Kindergarten being responsible for constructing the building . Forty children were enrolled for the first year back in the new building with fees set at $60 (2 day) and $90 (3 day), relatively low now that building upkeep was out of the equation. Kathy S (Roessler) was Director of the Kindergarten at the time . There was strong interaction between the Kindergarten and Pre-School and children visited Ironside School Library for story telling by the Year 6 and 7 children and events such as the Easter Hat Parade. Year 1 Ironside children visited the Kindergarten for morning play . Proximity to the University resulted in not only locals being catered for but also an increasing international mix of children from Africa, Europe and Asia, many with little or no English. The welcoming environment was extended to the parents of these children . The late 1970s saw the introduction of toddler/Pre-Kindy groups, 1983 preparation of a new Constitution for the Association (to comply with State requirements and maintain salary subsidies) and Incorporation in 1988 (which revealed the Kindergarten had been squatting for some time, the original agreement having expired). Fund raising and working bees continued throughout this period to pay for intermittent improvements (not covered by the occupancy agreement) and requirements to satisfy new Licensing requirements . Perhaps the Kindergartens most esteemed visitor has been Governor Leanne Ford who attended successive Grandparents Days. For these occasions Marjorie V and Jenny L made sure they wore shoes . Staffing of the Kindergarten through the 1980s and 90s remained remarkably stable with little turnover (for example Marjorie V and Jenny L worked together for 19 years) and the relationships formed during that time have continued
Outings and events were seen as an important part of the curriculum and these varied from a visit to the local shops, a trip down to the University pond, a ride on the Dutton Park – UQ ferry or further afield to the UQ Gatton Veterinary farm. Visitors to the Kindergarten included the doctor and the local Fire Brigade (Courtesy Marjorie Voss)
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. Marjorie S read to the meeting London based Ian Tilley’s reminiscences of his time at the Kindergarten 60 years ago (Andrew D is looking for more to include as an Appendix to Isa’s history – to add personal touches to the chronology), Scott G (part of first enrolment) shared his memories, and Peter B presented Marjorie V with a copy of the slhg commemorative booklet ‘An introduction to the history of St Lucia’ (still selling quite steadily) as a small token of appreciation for her presentation . The meeting ended with open discussion on the relative merits of the different States approach to early education (perhaps for another day)
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St Lucia History Group Notes on Saturday 10 April 2010 Meeting
Present: Denise Venables Maurice McLeary Joe McCaffrey Nanette Asher Michael Yeates Peter Brown Dotti Kemp Julia Bigge Myra Shipstone Wayne Cleary Don Allan Bruce Sinclair Percy Hanlon Joan Claringbould Bill Oliver Andrew Darbyshire + one
Apologies: Keith & Joan Haig Ian Venables
Next Meeting: 12.30pm Saturday 5 June 2010 Open discussion with a 1946 aerial photograph theme
General
. Andrew D noted that progress was being made on updating and supplementing the slhg Papers held at the Toowong Library. Target date to complete 30 June 2010
University of Queensland Centenary
. The following are summary points from ‘How and why the University of Queensland (UQ) came to St Lucia and its effect on the suburb’, Peter B’s presentation to the meeting . Peter noted that the ‘formal’ accepted date of the University coming into being is the 16th April 1910, the Gazettal date of the first senators . Discussion on the founding of a university dates back to the 1870s, however, the key focus at that time was primary education, then subsequently secondary and technical. The early 1900s saw a re-invigoration of efforts to provide an alternative to attending universities inter-state or overseas for the local population . A copy of the 1st June 1911 Inaugural Celebration Ceremony programme (courtesy Dotti K) demonstrates Queensland’s late start, representatives from all other State Universities attending on the day . First home for UQ was (old) Government House at Gardens Point, the Governor having re- located to Fernberg. The initial intake was only 85 students, however, as student numbers grew demands on accommodation increased and before long space was being shared with the adjacent Technical College and later at other locations around the city . The search began to find the most appropriate permanent home for the university. It was a hotly debated topic, the medical fraternity pushing for a site near the Brisbane Hospital others suggesting Yeronga or St Lucia (including the St Lucia Progress Association) . Peter displayed an early scheme prepared for Victoria Park by the Public Works Department (Kelvin Grove QUT Campus end of park). This was discounted due to the anticipated cost of construction (hilly site) . Generally bypassed by suburban development the end of the St Lucia pocket remained a farming community well into the 1920s. Dr James Mayne considered it an ideal site, having access to the river with suitable areas of higher land for the buildings. His view in the end prevailed, he and his sister Mary Emilia offering the funds which enabled BCC to acquire the land. 976 separate parcels of land were purchased from 284 owners, a total of 222 acres . Next up was what to build and how to pay for it . The earliest scheme Peter has found is an October 1926 concept by architect AB Wilson a friend of Professor Hawken, however, opinion was still divided until Senate agreed in principle to the establishment of a Medical School at Herston in 1927. Plans for the St
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Lucia site were prepared by Public Works in 1935 but with no confirmed funding and the depression setting in no progress was made . The site was put to some use with the founding of the St Lucia Farm School in 1932 where unemployed young men were given six months training in the rudiments of farming . Premier Forgan Smith keen to create jobs secured six million pounds from overseas and instigated a public works building programme including the Story Bridge, Somerset Dam, the Herston Medical School and the first stage of the university (the first brick building at Ironsides School was built as part of this infrastructure initiative) . The Premier also established the University (St Lucia) Building Committee including Prof Melbourne, Dr JJC Bradfield and JD Story (curiously whilst represented the University Senate appears to have been largely side lined in the decision making process by this committee) . The Committee considered several schemes the common principles being the use of the higher ground for the main buildings, utilising the southern ridge line for colleges and the playing fields and ovals being located on the lower lying periphery . The orientation or ‘address’ was carefully considered with the front entry facing the city, the river to be crossed by a new bridge at the end of Boundary Street (a bridge in this location had been proposed as early as the 1880s by the developers of the Princess Bridge Estate sub-division). The intent was to connect the city tram service (later schemes trolley buses) to the university in an attempt to counteract the criticism that the location was too remote . These principles were adopted in the eventual design undertaken by Hennessy and Hennessy the final design including the distinctive semi circular shape of the Great Court rather than the rectangular shape of the early concepts (believed to be a Bradfield initiative as was his insistence on keeping the preferred orientation) . Early site preparation work was undertaken using unemployment relief labour and in 1937 the foundation stone was laid by the Premier. Work progressed using day labour and by 1941 final finishes were underway in the first building (now the Forgan Smith Building) . The war intervened and General MacArthur’s decision to locate himself in Brisbane resulted in General Blamey being based here also (Melbourne is the traditional home base for the Army). Blamey chose the new building as his base to run Australian overseas operations. The university site became the focus for communication and intelligence, much of the day to day work undertaken by the Women’s Army . University occupation commenced in the late 1940s (Maurice McC noted the site was used for his surveying classes before this), however, it was not until 1950 that Administration and the Library moved in, the effective start of life for the university at St Lucia . The impact on the suburb was immediate and significant. The requirement to house students and staff resulted in the mushrooming of residential development and associated infrastructure. Four churches were built, Ironsides School expanded, St Thomas Aquinas School was established, kindergartens set up, retail hubs developed at the ‘Village’, adjacent Ironside School and at Gailey’s five ways, scout and guides groups were formed. St Lucia became an identity and caught up with adjacent suburban development in a period of twenty years . Whilst construction work on the university was progressed during this period, buildings being added around the Great Court progressively, one key element in the Masterplan, the West End bridge at Boundary Street was not. Subsequent development has re-focused the entry to the campus from Hawken Drive and coupled with the gradual erosion of the ‘front’
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lawn and construction of the Eleanor Schonell bridge the original grand entry vision has become somewhat confused if not lost . Peter recommended Professor Thomas’ book A place of light and learning for reference/ further reading
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St Lucia History Group Notes on Saturday 5 June 2010 Meeting
Present: Denise Venables Ian Venables Janet and Mac Patterson Nanette Asher Michael Yeates Peter Brown Dotti Kemp Julia Bigge Myra Shipstone Wayne Cleary Janet Spillman Percy Hanlon Joan Claringbould
Apologies: Keith & Joan Haig Andrew Darbyshire
Next Meeting: 12.30pm Saturday 7 August 2010 Topic tbc
General
. St Lucia Pre-School/Kindergarten - Peter B welcomed Janet and Mac P who had travelled from Mount Mee to attend the meeting. Janet nee McCulloch grew up in St Lucia on the corner of 8th and 10th Avenues (newspaper article on the house with Peter B). Janet explained that her younger sister went to a Kindergarten c1940 at the Church of England Sunday School building at the rear of the Progress Hall. The kindergarten closed for the war and the small chairs were stored at Janet’s house until they were transferred to the new Kindergarten at the Presbyterian Hall when it opened in 1948.
. Brownies and Girl Guides - Janet also offered to provide her memories of her time with the local groups (Peter B noted our knowledge pre 1956 is a bit sketchy – any supplementary information from members appreciated)
. Coronation Park Estate – following up an enquiry at the recent UQ Centenary open day Peter B had met with Ruth Bonetti granddaughter of developer Bill Back. Ruth and Peter exchanged information including photos of the family and a c1930 sales lithograph for the estate. Ruth is in the process of writing a ‘true novel’ of her family (rather than a history book)
. Guyatt’s Store - Joan C noted she would dig out the photograph she has of the store taken in the 1970s before it was removed from the corner of Ryan and St Lucia Road (Sir Fred Schonell Drive)
Early Settlers
. Peter B made a PowerPoint presentation on ‘St Lucia’s first two known european children’. When John and Bridget Carmody squatted at St Lucia c1854 they had two children, Catherine O’Brien, Bridget’s daughter by an earlier marriage who by then was aged 5, and Mary Carmody born about that year. The two children would have been very lonely until other families moved to the area some six years later, after which they would have grown up with all the other names we know – the Darts, the Watts, the O’Neills etc. They were probably too old to go to either the early bush school or later Government school, which may explain why John Carmody’s name doesn’t specifically appear as a prime-mover in establishing these facilities
. Catherine married John’s younger cousin Patrick Carmody in 1866 and they began a farming life together at Long Pocket on land where the Indooroopilly Golf Club clubhouse is now. They had thirteen children, some of whom at least went to the Ironside School. Catherine died at Long Pocket in 1923
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. Mary married Charles McCaffrey in 1873 and they stayed on the John Carmody farm. They had eleven children, one of whom, Joseph Francis lived in Bellevue Parade and became the Registrar of the University when it was still in the City. Mary lived through the era of the 1880s sales of all the land around the family farm, and even through the resumption of the farm for the University. In 1929 she claimed to be the longest pioneer resident of St Lucia having achieved 75 years of unbroken residence
. Peter B has been exchanging information with Janice Rose who is researching the Patrick Carmody family of Long Pocket
. Dotti K has been exchanging information with a member of the Redhead family of Long Pocket, having already exchanged information with Peter on the Lalor and Birr families of Long Pocket
1946 Aerial photograph
. There was much discussion on the different areas presented as enlargements on the screen. The mystery of the white dots in Guyatt Park was not solved. Ian V thinks they might be tents from District Guide camps that were held there, noted that Joan H had previously advised that the Methodist youth groups also camped there
. Peter showed a floor plan of the Progress Hall on St Lucia Road as it was in 1927 when it opened
. The large white spot adjacent to the St Lucia Sports Ground is possibly a relatively new covered games area and canteen which has since been lost
. Michael Y commented that if the photo had been taken just a year earlier many of the houses shown would have appeared as under construction
. Noted that the Presbyterian temporary hall on Swann Road (Pre-School first home) was not there at this time, but came soon after
Subsequent Advice
Aerial photograph - Joan H network strikes again. Joan has contacted her old friends and neighbours and one, Audrey Wilson advises the small white rectangles are the concrete pipes that were ready to be laid from Brisbane St across the park to the river as a means of draining the creek and improving the park
Early Settlers - Peter B advised he had forgotten to mention to the meeting that the rumour one of the Carr sons committed suicide because of the resumption of his farm Coorabel in 1948 appears to be misleading. One of George and Mary’s sons Jack (John) did in fact take his own life following a family rift (we understand his teenage son Les had run away), however, this happened just after the death of his own father in January 1918, thirty years before the resumption. Les returned to the family and farmed the land until the 1950s
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St Lucia History Group Notes on Saturday 7 August 2010 Meeting
Present: Denise Venables Ian Venables Judy Grimshaw Nanette Asher Rosamond Siemon Maurice McLeary Marilyn England Margaret Harding Ian Harding Dotti Kemp Julia Bigge Myra Shipstone Wayne Cleary Janet Spillman Percy Hanlon Max Brewer Claire Shaw Jean Stewart Nesta Russell Beth Clouston Anne Hall Andrew Darbyshire
Apologies: Keith & Joan Haig Peter Brown
Next Meeting: 12.30pm Saturday 2 October 2010 Topic tbc
General
. Andrew D welcomed Margaret and Ian Harding (Redcliffe Historical Society) and sisters Anne Hall and Beth Clouston to the meeting . Margaret H has provided access to both a TJ Rothwell photo album (early 20th century) and a delightful book of verse recording a family visit to Capemba over the 1927 christmas/new year period . Anne H and Beth C grew up in the house at 209 Swann Road (two doors up from Capemba) which may originally have been part of or immediately adjacent to the original Clement Wragge built house (their father’s recollection – echoes other suggestions)
Thomas James Rothwell/Capemba
. The focus of discussion was TJ Rothwell the second owner of Capemba, research having been undertaken by Dotti K, Nanette A and Andrew D . Noted that whilst the life and times of Clement Wragge had received attention there does not appear to have been an attempt to document TJR’s life or the business he established . Other Capemba notable residents include Mr W Custance who was a prominent player in the establishment of the St Lucia Pre-School (subsequently SL Kindergarten) – recent group presentation topic . Anne and Beth recall Mrs Custance (widowed in 1953) being somewhat ‘difficult’ with the local kids, including spraying them with the garden hose if they ventured onto the nature strip at the front of her house. During the 1950s/60s Mrs Custance let parts of the house as flats to various tenants . TJR was born in Ealing London in November 1870 the son of a local builder who decided to emigrate to Australia in 1882. TJR’s infant brother George Jabez died of sunstroke on the trip out and two years after arrival his elder brother John died of typhoid in Newcastle where the family had established themselves. TJR had two younger sisters Annie Rosina (married George Wrigley) and Florence Hannah (unmarried ?) . His early career needs further research although it is understood early directions may have included architecture (father’s influence ?) and/or journalism. His obituary in The Queenslander notes he was accountant for Sommerfield & Co in Newcastle, subsequently Manager for them at Maitland and then firstly Partner then owner of the business following its take over by Morrisby and Co (unclear what these companies did and or if this is where he learnt the tailoring business)
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. TJR decided to sell up and travel to England sometime around 1896, however, by 1897 he had returned and taken over the tailoring business of Mr A Neuman at 72 Queen Street Brisbane
A Neuman’s premises at 72 Queen Street Brisbane c1895 and Articles of Association for Rothwell’s Limited (both John Oxley Library, SLQ)
. The business appears to have prospered and (perhaps to introduce new capital) TJR incorporated in 1899, shares being taken up by Sydney based Accountants, a salesman, hardware merchant and the manager of Lever Brothers (not sure why all Sydney rather than Queensland based, perhaps reflecting his original business interests were in Newcastle) . The Articles of Association established TJR as Governing Director (effectively for life unless he became incapacitated or his shareholding was reduced below 5,000 shares) giving him effective control of purchasing/sales policy and hiring and firing. He received a salary plus a ₤50 bonus for every 1% declared dividend over 6%
c1905 corner of Adelaide and Edward, no mistaking the new location for the business. January 1909 the burnt out shell of the building following an overnight fire (Picture Queensland SLQ and Brisbane Courier – Newspapers on line, National Library)
. c1904 (around the time he was purchasing Capemba) he took up a lease on premises in Edward Street only for them to be completely burnt out in 1909. The staff of the Courier raised the alarm at 3.20am having to throw metal ingots at Mr and Mrs Effey’s third floor window in the adjoining building to wake them up. Mr Caldwell the United States Consulate (refer later for link) telephoned TJR at Capemba. Unable to obtain transport he ended up walking into town to survey the damage. All was lost except the contents of the safe and the livelihood of his 200 staff was threatened. The newspaper report estimated the cost of the fire to his business was ₤21,000, his insurances amounting to ₤14,000
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. Within days TJR was back in business at his old premises in Queen Street (workroom in Mary Street) and rather than continue renting he decided to purchase the burnt out Edward Street building for ₤9,000 and rebuild
The rebuilt pediment of the Rothwell building includes the date of the establishment of the business and a dove motif noting the rebuilding date of 1909 (motif is a link with freemasonry). The Rothwell and Rowes buildings built c1885 nestle between two modern buildings on Edward Street (opposite the re-developed David Jones Store)
. It was just after the re-building that newly arrived Alfred Thornton Pollard (St Lucia resident and Nanette A’s grandfather) joined Rothwell’s as Accountant. Thornton and TJR had a common interest in and were both active freemasons. Thornton would subsequently take on the ownership of the Masonic Regalia division of Rothwell’s . As a successful business man TJR’s activities were often reported in the press and whilst he doesn’t appear to have ever stood for public office he was never the less active in many patriotic and community causes . The Queenslander in particular seemed to follow his exploits including a 1903 ‘in conversation with..’ describing his tour of the drought ravaged south west/border district, visits to Capemba by his sisters and other Newcastle socialites and tracking his 1908 trip to Europe and America (TJR is noted as being the Vice-Consular Agent for the United States in Brisbane). A reported speech in America notes not only TJR’s view that Australians were more like the Americans than the British in their outlook but also on contemporary issues such as Australia’s small population (4m compared with 7m alone in Oklahoma), the potential of a Japanese/Chinese invasion of Australia (TJR suggests others more concerned than Australians), the excitement created by the recent visit of the American Fleet and a slowly growing realisation that Australia needed to build up its own Army and Navy . He was also active in the first world war effort as Secretary of the Queensland Patriotic Fund (understood to have drafted it’s constitution), chair of the Returned Soldiers Transport Corps whereby private motorists volunteered to transport returned soldiers to military hospitals, recreational drives etc and War Loan committee member raising funds by public subscription (also the post war Peace Loan which he thought should be compulsory). His 1916 ‘Trading with the Enemy’ paper delivered to a meeting of the National Council for Women (highlighting Germany’s pre-war one way trade with Britain in sugar, chemicals, explosives etc) prompted the Council to set up ‘The British-Australian League’ to promote housewives purchasing products from home or the Empire (we had managed during the war so why not continue). He reportedly gave a stirring speech at a War Loan meeting in 1918 noting Taringa (Shire it is assumed) had won the Honour Flag for raising its quota of ₤10,000, more than double anyone else’s so far . [The National Library in Canberra has two un-researched documents on catalogue relating to TJR, ‘The Commonwealth war loan; L10 bonds and thrift – speech delivered at Taringa’
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(possibly the above) and ‘The diggers loan and conversion; a series of tables’ – anyone visiting please take your camera] . TJR will probably best be remembered for his part in promoting the construction of the Anzac Memorial Avenue between Petrie and Redcliffe, a post war work creation initiative for returned servicemen funded in part by public subscription. TJR was chairman of the committee and a commemorative cairn and plaque was erected in his honour in 1932 (now) adjacent Rothwell Park, Rothwell, Redcliffe (relocated for roadworks in ?) . He followed up with the tree planting scheme to line the new road. Subscriptions were 1 Guinea per tree for which the donor received a Certificate (and a badge for the car was mooted) . TJR was President of the newly ‘royaled’ Automobile Club of Queensland and motorists proved to be keen subscribers to both appeals perhaps in part because of the need to upgrade existing roads to make them suitable for motorised vehicular traffic . The RACQ had started life as the Automobile Club of Queensland in 1905 and seems to have been something of a closed shop (mainly doctors and dentists – early private car owners). Following the mass resignation of the committee in 1909 it appears to have become more outward looking and membership grew as cars became more mainstream and affordable. In 1911 the ACQ affiliated to the RAC (United Kingdom) and was allowed to use ‘RAC Associate The Auto Club of Queensland’ on their badge. The club began to play an active role in promoting motoring and safety (responsible for funding early road safety signage) as well as outings and reliability trials. The annual Children’s Day was a significant event organised by the Club for institutionalised youngsters (hospital, homes, orphanages etc) who were taken to the seaside for the day. The October 1925 event catered for 1,500 children, 350 car owners providing the transport. TJR was President from 1921 to 1923 . TJR received the Order of the British Empire in 1920 (it arrived in 1921) for his efforts during and following the war . Having remained a bachelor well into his late fifties he appears to have caused somewhat of a stir in Brisbane social circles deciding to marry in 1927. His bride was widow Ethel Mary Brodie Forster (nee Ramsay sister of Rev Ramsay of Redcliffe) eighteen years his junior, the ceremony held in Armidale on 22 June was followed by a motoring holiday of New England and Northern Rivers
Ethel Mary Brodie in the (?)1940s (centre right in dark skirt), as a picnicking teenager (rhs of group) and the booklet (B5’ish size) recording the visit of Annie (TJR’s sister) and her husband George Wrigley to Capemba a short time before he died. Anne, George and Ethel all contributed to the typewritten document (bound in a recycled folded cover of a 1928 Sports Nets catalogue) with TJR providing the last (somewhat ironic) entry ‘A Fond Adieu’ dated 6 January 1928 (Photographs courtesy Sue Parrington – married to Peter Parrington grandson of Reverend John Carmichael Ramsay, access to booklet courtesy Margaret Harding, Redcliffe Historical Society)
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. That christmas Thomas and Ethel entertained his sister and brother in law at Capemba and it is this visit that the book of verse records. By this time TJR was in poor health and he died on 28 January 1928 . A later newspaper report on his deceased estate noted he left considerable shareholdings to each of his sisters as well as one third share each of the residue of his estate. There were also considerable bequests to friends and relatives in England, no mention is made of Ethel (subsequently married Charles Ewen Cameron in the 1940s) . In August 1926 prior to his death Rothwell Outfitters Ltd was incorporated and appears to have been the vehicle to carry on the retail business (properties excluded). It is not yet clear but perhaps this was a reflection of TJR easing out of the everyday running of the business and his partners/associates taking on more responsibility and perhaps financial interest (Rothwells Regalia Pty Ltd was not registered as a separate business until July 1931) . It can be inferred from the examples of the ‘Chairman’s address to the AGM of Rothwell Outfitting Limited’ (1967 to 1977) held at the John Oxley Library that Mr HFY Marshall (Chairman) may have been one of these early associates. The booklets make interesting reading reflecting the general trends in business ownership and retailing during this period. 1967 saw the issue of a tax free bonus dividend and the closure of the South Brisbane workroom, Edward Street and other branches taking on this work. Coolangatta branch had a poor year in 1968 (beach erosion), however, this did lead to some consolidation as ROL took over the business and premises of Bill Stafford Pty Ltd (making half of the building available for lease). Extracts from the 1968 Annual Report note the authorised capital of the company is $2m with $486,200 subscribed, directors are noted as Marshall, GH Tabrett and GE Thomas (not sure if these are the only ones). In the same year ROL accepted an offer to lease premises at the David Jones Garden City project (due for completion 1970) - subsequently during the 1970s they would open shops at the new suburban shopping centres at Indooroopilly Shoppingtown (1970), K Mart Plaza Cannon Hill (1973), Valley Centre over Brunswick Street Station (1973), Lutwyche Sopping Village (1974), Arndale Shopping Centre Springwood (1974) and K Mart Plaza Toowoomba (1977). Investment continued at their existing stores with Queen and Edward St all receiving updates/re- fixturing to keep up with the times. In 1968 ‘The Loft’ was created on the fifth floor of Edward Street (to appeal to younger clientele) and a VIP Lounge followed in 1976 (as an outlet for higher quality merchandise). Extended terms were offered to country clients in 1969/70 due to the drought and despite the chairman complaining about un-realistic demands from staff for wage increases, bonus dividends were declared in 1972 and 1973, he thanked the shareholders for rejecting the un-welcome 1973 takeover bid made for the company. By the mid 1970s ROL had 13 branch outlets and the business had commenced moving to computer based systems, Marshall reflected on the complexity and changing nature of the retail business and the fact that a less personal service was now the norm . ROL appears to have had an untidy ending in the 1980s, West Australian interests taking over the business, the tarnish being taken off a respected successful entity by the ill-fated merchant bank that adopted the Rothwell name . To close the meeting Denise V read an extract from the book of verse Capemba Palms
Oh the Palms, Those graceful Palms, swaying in beauty, displaying their charms. When in Taringa, on holiday bent, Under the Palm-trees our time is well spent. Off the Swann Road, on the brow of a hill, Hiding Capemba, the palms grow at will. Tossing their leaves in the sweet scented air, Scatt’ring the sunbeams, subduing the glare. Stirring the shade sprites that revel below, Even the sunlight gives place to Moon-glow. Stand these Palms which the Hostess and Host, Glory in watching, and make them their boast. Down in the glen they show rifts of Sky-blue, Tower o’er the creepers of glorious hue. Shelter the ponds where the gold-fish hide low, Cover the Bush-house where rarest plants grow. Oh those Palms, Bewitching Palms, Dignified, beauteous, glorious Palms
(Annie Rosina Wrigley [nee Rothwell] 2nd January 1928)
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[NOTICE – if anyone can help, Sue and Peter Parrington are seeking to re-access the photographic album they donated to the Redcliffe Museum (in its previous location) following the death of Peter’s mother. The album shows more contemporary photographs of TJR and Ethel at Capemba. SLHG and THG also keen to view same]
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Examples of photographs from the Album. From bottom left and then clockwise, TJR and family members (?) possibly overseas, Capemba fountain, TJR on the front verandah, the dove cote at Capemba, one of TJR’s sisters (?) at Capemba (similar shot him in the same chair), unknown young girl near shade structure at Capemba (Courtesy Margaret Harding, Redcliffe Historical Society)
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Rolls Royce roadster believed to have been owned by TJR, his OBE and Ethel Mary’s needlework representation of Leonardo da Vinci’s Last Supper (donated to St Andrew’s Hospital possibly sometime in the 1950s) (Photographs courtesy Sue Parrington)
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St Lucia History Group Notes on Saturday 2 October 2010 Meeting
Present:
Nanette Asher Maurice McLeary Marilyn England Dotti Kemp Julia Bigge Myra Shipstone Wayne Cleary Peter Brown Ron Scott Andrew Darbyshire
Apologies: Denise Venables Ian Venables Joan Claringbould Leigh Chamberlain
Next Meeting: 12.30pm Saturday 4 December 2010 Topic tbc
Rothwell/Capemba
. Nanette A has been able to confirm through an 1888 advertisement in the Queenslander that Summerfield & Co ‘The Great Juvenile Outfitters’ were in the clothing business (TJ Rothwell was with them in Newcastle/Maitland before coming to Brisbane – unclear what they did at the last meeting). They had a store in the Grand Arcade, Edward Street . Dotti K has provided a copy of the Cameron Brothers Brisbane Courier advertisement for the Saturday March 16th (1929) public auction of Capemba. Cameron’s were acting under the instructions of the Trustees of the late TJR. The Thursday 14 March notice includes a description of the main house, the ‘Convenient and Comfortable Bungalow’ and also a ‘Corner Building Site’ fronting Swann and Todd Streets. Anne Hall has confirmed that the description of the bungalow fits with the family home she grew up in at 209 Swann Road . Andrew D noted the BCC drainage records for Capemba had drawn no clear line of ownership between TJR’s death and when Mr Custance purchased the property in 1952. The June 1929 Queenslander noted that ‘now the property of Mr EC Carr’ followed by a description of the gardens, however, the BCC records note that Mrs Rothwell applied to split the house into flats in 1947. Subsequent owners were MA West (1982), Mr and Mrs Finn (1993) and Geoff Lynch (current owner)
May Levanda (WW2 Telegrapher)
. Marilyn E presented a summary of the interview she did a couple of years ago with May Levanda, a friend of Myra S (nurse with the Australian Army Medical Services). May was a telegrapher with the Australian Women’s Army Service (AWAS) stationed at the University whilst it was occupied by the Australian Army during the second world war . May was only 20 years old when she volunteered and her parents had to sign her application forms. She was part of the first intake into signals and initially had to train at Ingleburn in NSW . In 1942 she lived at the temporary camp where St Peter’s School is now located, her unit being trucked in every day. They would then have to parade before being marched
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around to the back of the building and into the entry to their ‘dungeon’ (lowest level). Sentries were stationed at the entrances . May’s section looked after telegraph and teleprinter activity with lines to New Guinea, around Australia and one to India. May was a morse code operator. All messages were in code, a separate group of cipher girls doing the de-coding . They worked three shifts over 24 hours with food being brought in from the camp for set meals. The huts at the camp had kitchens although these must have been closed overnight, May recalled one girl from Melbourne boiling water for a drink using a small spirit stove in her room after a late shift, unfortunately she managed to burn herself and had to be hospitalised for a month . For late shifts there were a couple of settees where you could take a nap and the girls would use the shower in General Blamey’s quarters in the tower although May never saw the General all the time she worked at the University . The girls worked 8 or 9 days straight and then had a couple of days off. From the camp they would walk up to Indooroopilly Station for a train to the city to attend the dances at City Hall (at times returning via the West End ferry and a walk to the University). Not many of the girls mixed with the American forces and there was a general concern about the possibility of pregnancy outside marriage. Church Parade was at St Andrews . May was at the University site until 1944 when she was transferred to Fawkner Park in Melbourne. She lived in St Lucia for 38 years after the war
Tighnabruaich
. Andrew D noted during a recent visit to the National Archives (Cannon Hill) searching for information on St Lucia during WW2 (very limited), he had found a property file on Tighnabruaich
. The file dealt mainly with the resolution of the valuation of the compulsory purchase from Henry B Hemming’s deceased estate (he died in March 1942) but does include various
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plans (as above) and proposals for sub-division and sale of the land holding (outlined red above) . The site plan indicates the location of the existing buildings (including the 1915’ish relocated Witton House) and the various temporary structures installed for the site’s wartime use as a ‘Combined Services Interrogation Centre’. These huts etc were auctioned off in the late 1950s (one relocated to Enoggera Barracks) . ‘Walella’ on the corner of Hunter and Kew Streets is also shown on the site plan indicating it also had a wartime function. An aerial view (Google Earth) suggests the house is still in the same location although the original block has been sub-divided and developed over time. Dotti K noted that the house was once the residence of Henry Morrow
William Alexander Wilson
. Peter B has been following up his research on WA Wilson the developer associated with the early residential sub-division of the suburb (he introduced the names ‘St Lucia’ and ‘Ironside’) . William’s parents John and Martha were missionaries who spent time in the Caribbean, William and one other child being born there. John and Martha had two further children once they returned to County Tyrone Ireland . William came to Australia in 1863, married Lydia Matilda Ironside in 1873 and moved to Brisbane . He set up in business as a grocer/merchant and built Wanda Walha at West End (Gray Street), subsequently diversifying into saw milling/joinery, briefly sugar and development . Following the financial crash of the early 1890s he moved to back to NSW re-marrying when Lydia died . Peter has discovered that William was an ordained minister in the Primitive Methodist Church (for at least 10 years) and his 1901 funeral was a significant affair attended by a large clerical contingent
St Lucia Progress Association
. Peter B has now traced back the Association to 1914 when the founding President was Mr Bergin who it is understood died of a heart attack at an Association meeting - John Mitchell of Mitchell’s Fencing succeeded him as President. Thornton Pollard was Hon Sec (Nanette A has the watch presented to him in 1915 by the SL and Ironside PA). . By 1920 Mr Chandler was President and running a campaign for a swimming baths to be provided in the river adjacent Guyatt Park . In 1922 the St Lucia Horticulture and Industrial show was organised to raise funds for the swimming baths and for the purchase of a hall for meetings etc. There were 200 exhibits including garden produce, baking and fancy work. Children’s categories were included together with races. The shows appear to have been a regular feature until the 1940s . The Association purchased the under-utilised Church of England Hall (part of current Avalon) in 1926, extending it when they combined with the St Lucia and East Taringa Improvement and Debating Society formed by Mr I Henderson . The Association were active in promoting the suburb including relocation of the University, improving public transport etc
Glenolive
. Peter B has now been able to clarify what became of Richard Gailey’s residence Glenolive. Marketing of the (now) Glen Olive estate commenced in 1921. During 1924 the main house contents were advertised for sale and the house itself ‘for removal’ by Thorpe and Sharp (in sections if required). Shortly after the demolition materials were being advertised for sale. Demolition of the house enabled the release of the last parcel of land to the market in November 1924
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NOTICE OF MEETING
ST LUCIA HISTORY GROUP
1 pm Saturday 4 December 2010
Toowong Community Meeting Place
Blazer remnant
Where did 2010 go ? As the festive season approaches we will be joined by our near neighbours the Taringa History Group for our last meeting of the year.
Theme – purely Nostalgia
Bring something from your childhood
Bring a plate
For further information
Andrew Darbyshire Phone: 3700 9322 [email protected]
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St Lucia History Group Notes on Sunday 11 April 2011 Meeting
Present:
Nanette Asher Maurice McLeary Marilyn England Dotti Kemp Julia Bigge Myra Shipstone Ian Venables Denise Venables Peter Brown Percy Hanlon Joan Haig Keith Haig Andrew Darbyshire
Apologies: Janet Spillman
Next Meeting: 10am Sunday 5 June 2011 Topic - Middenbury, Toowong
Research update . Images recently added to our records (refer end of Notes), early girl guide troop members (1950s tbc), the Back House and the ‘village’ (mid 1950s), hot air balloon demonstration possibly at the St Lucia Fete (c 1924) and Doug McDonalds Garage (date tbc) . Girl Guides – copy received of Dorothy Mills newspaper obituary, Dorothy ran the local company for 40 years, she died in 2010 . One of Richard Gailey’s sons Francis won four medals (three silver and one bronze) at the 1904 St Louis US Olympics Games, a record for Australian swimmers at any single games. Francis subsequently emigrated to America taking up citizenship. The records were only recently corrected recognising him as Australian rather than American . Peter B, as part of his research on the university, has un-covered further information on the proposal to use the partly completed buildings as an Emergency war hospital. Preparation works included the erection of a temporary kitchen/laundry the plan was eventually shelved. The Army made use of these facilities during their tenure
Early Aviation
Above left the snap from Joan Haig’s family album that sparked the initial interest in early local aviation for Peter B and Andrew D and also resulted in a trip to Point Cook RAAF Museum in Victoria [Courtesy Joan Haig and Andrew Darbyshire]
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. The photograph in Joan’s mother’s photo album provided few clues to the when where or why of the event. On the back is a note ‘Just starting to go up. Notice the skull cap I have on’, unfortunately not in a hand Joan recognises . Following a trawl through aviation history books and several web sites (and the realisation that the engine and propeller were mounted behind the pilot !) the aeroplane was identified as a Farman Shorthorn. Henri Farman, born in France (English father) was an early aviation pioneer and in partnership with brothers Maurice and Richard designed and manufactured a series of aircraft, the MF11 Shorthorn entering service in 1914. It was used extensively in the First World War for observation and reconnaissance and is understood may have been the first plane to carry armaments . The Shorthorn was used extensively for training including by the Australian Flying Corps. The AFC were using one for training in 1916 and ordered four more for The Point Cook Central Flying School in 1917 . Post war the Defence Department offered their surplus/superseded aeroplanes for sale by auction to be held in March 1919 (four Shorthorns and a couple of de Havillands). The Shorthorns were passed in, however, were subsequently bought by Robert Graham Carey. Flying school pilots delivered (AFC) Numbered 16, 17, 19 and 20 to Carey’s Port Melbourne Aerodrome in April 1919. Carey used the planes commercially for sightseeing and promotional work including trips throughout Victoria and into New South Wales. There is no indication that he ever flew them to Queensland. The planes were liveried to suit whatever product was being promoted . It is believed that unless Joan’s friend of the family was remarkably well connected she would have had her flight in Melbourne some time between their delivery to Carey in April 1919 and before June 1921 when registration markings were introduced (and probably during the early part of this period). Initial advice from the RAAF Point Cook Museum is that the AFC never bought the aeroplanes to Queensland . It is understood Carey’s surviving Farman’s were placed into storage in 1928, the last flight being undertaken by Carey in 1937 to celebrate the Coronation. One plane was re-built based on original parts in the 1950s and has found its way via America to the Canadian Aviation Museum in Ottawa, the Point Cook aeroplane is a replica
Press advertisement for flights from the St Lucia Aerodrome, pilot ex World War One flyer Captain Roy King and a Sopwith Gnu (VH-UBY was one of two Gnus imported by the Larkin Aircraft Supply Company) [Brisbane Courier, NLA Newspapers online and Ed Coates Collection website]
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. Local experiments in flight date back to the early 1900s with pioneers such as Thomas McLeod building and flying gliders and then powered aeroplanes. The return of First World War pilots spurred interest further and in 1920 the Queensland Aero Club was canvassing Government to set aside land for dedicated landing sites (including at St Lucia). The Aero Club were hoping to be allocated aircraft being supplied to the Commonwealth by the ‘Imperial Government’ . The arrival of the Smith brothers in Darwin in December 1919 following their flight from England and the visit of the Prince of Wales in 1920 acted as a further catalyst with flyers bringing their aeroplanes to Brisbane to take part in the celebrations . St Lucia played its part in local aviation history when Captain Roy King, ex AFC ace, decided to base his Sopwith Gnu at Mr Carmody’s Farm. Passenger flights were advertised at three guineas, transfer from Toowong Railway Station by motorcar available at extra cost. Special ferries were laid on to run from Dutton Park . Captain King left Melbourne and headed for Brisbane on 2 July and was running flights from Graceville Recreation Reserve from 11 July. He relocated to St Lucia and ran flights from the St Lucia Aerodrome until at least early August. King had to make a difficult landing on 26 July due to the large crowds (and a touch of pilot error) causing some minor damage to the struts, however, this was quickly fixed and he was back in the air two days later. The press reports indicate the strip comprised an initial inclined section prior to flattening out (suspect this may have been along the line of or parallel to Carmody Road)
Business also got into the act in May 1920 with the Perdriau Rubber Company utilising a BE2E aeroplane (reportedly the first such use of an aeroplane in Australia) piloted by Lt Butler and accompanied by salesman Mr Bradstreet to sell their wares on a trip from Sydney to Brisbane (stopping at all points in between). During July a three seater Avro flown by Lt FJ Roberts was running joy flights out of Windsor Park at Albion (but not on Saturdays when the footie was on)and also featured in a Real Estate promotion for The Mount Glorious Estate. The Australian Aircraft and Engineering Company had 24 Avros on order and these were being made available to the public for ₤1,500 each. Lifting capacity was 500lb (delivery of mail by air was the probable market and an incentive for early airlines). Qantas started off life with a BE2E and an Avro (war surplus) [Brisbane Courier, NLA Newspapers on line]
. Dotti K, in addition to having a family member associated with McLeod’s early glider flights, also has a couple of early aviation photographs in her family collection understood to have
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been taken by her father Neil Cochrane in the Longreach district where they lived in the 1920s. The photographs record the visit of the Smith Brothers in their Vickers Vimy following their record breaking award winning flight to Australia in 1919
Local dignitary, the South Australian born Smith brothers and (tbc) Sergeants Bennett and Shiers in front of their Vickers Vimy believed to have been taken at Longreach [Courtesy Dotti K]
. The Commonwealth Government keen to promote regular flights between England and Australia offered a ₤10,000 prize for the first flight to complete the journey in under 30 days . A number of teams lined up including Ross Smith (pilot), his brother Keith (navigator), Jim Bennett and Wally Shiers (mechanics). Less than a month before they left, Vickers provided the team with a Vimy bomber for the trip. This was a similar plane which had proved itself on the Alcock and Brown pioneering flight across the Atlantic earlier in the year. Speedy preparation was required as the northern hemisphere winter was drawing in . As there was a need to carry spares in the aeroplane the crew were forced to leave behind most of their personal belongings and decided to proceed without a radio. The flight got under way as the fog lifted on 12 November 1919, however, even their first leg to Lyon proved traumatic as bad weather closed in over France preventing them taking their bearings and exposed to the cold and ice in their open cockpit the flight nearly ended in tragedy . Things improved somewhat as they left the cooler climes and they began to catch up on French Aviator Poulet who had a thirty day start on them. They overtook him in the far east and landed in Darwin on 10 December to claim the prize. Ross and Keith received Knighthoods, and the flyers shared the prize money equally . Their success created immense interest and excitement and they decided to proceed to Melbourne, then the seat of Federal Government and the Defence Force Headquarters, in the Vickers Vimy (Vickers had promised it to the Commonwealth). Preparations had already been made by the Defence Department to survey a route and provide supplies along the way. Hudson Fysh and Paul McGinness (ex AFC pilots and subsequent founders of Qantas) accepted an assignment to undertake this task from Longreach to Katherine.
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They set out in a Model T in August 1919 and 51 days later arrived at the Katherine River (this cemented in their minds the role aeroplanes could play in servicing sparsely populated regions of Queensland) . The route set (bypassing Brisbane and Sydney), the prize winning flyers set off on a series of relatively short hops (around 200 miles) and progressed ok until forced down with a propeller problem at Anthony’s Lagoon. They effected a repair and pressed on stopping at Avon Downs, Longreach (22 December – probably when photographs were taken) and on to Charleville where they experienced serious problems with one of their engines . Whilst there was talk of transporting them on by plane or rail the crew decided their preference to get to Melbourne under their own steam. Options were considered and the Queensland Government’s offer to transport the engine to the Ipswich Rail Workshops for repairs was accepted. The workshop cast and machined new parts and built a new propeller (Queensland Maple), the flyers entertained in Brisbane. Refitting of the engine allowed them to get back on their way to Melbourne this time the trip taking in Sydney. By the time they left Sydney Smith advised they were exhausted and requested that their Melbourne engagements be cut back to enable them to take a well-deserved rest
Odds . Ian V can recall the post war air shows held at Archerfield and how excited he was to see the De Havilland Comet . Keith H recalled his time stationed on air strips in the far north during the Second World War. On one occasion the troops commented on the unusual under fuselage profile of an American bomber, on closer inspection it turned out to be a grand piano destined for the Officer’s Mess in PNG . Joan and Keith H both remember glider and other powered flights into St Lucia, Joan recalls playing on an aeroplane that was stored on top of a boat shed at West End
Patricia (2nd from left) and Andrew D (far right), key members of the crack Red Barrows display team, pose with the Red Arrows following a sizzling display of precision barrow pushing at RAF Kemble c1978
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1st St Lucia Girl Guides, Helen Keller Patrol circa 1950s ? (L to R) Jean Scott, Dinty Prentice, tbc, Pat Finmore, Diane Shogren and Glennice Whitney [Courtesy Diane Shogren via Dotti Kemp]
View west along Hawken Drive from the intersection with Boomerang Street. The Back house in the centre of this circa mid 1950s photograph. Residents have included the American Consul and Quentin Bryce [Courtesy Ruth Bonetti] Page 74 of 91
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Hot air balloon demonstration/side show possibly at the St Lucia Fete circa 1924 (not sure what part the chap with the mallet is playing – answers on a postcard) [Courtesy Jim Mackenzie]
McDonald’s Garage which stood on the corner of Gailey and Sir Fred Schonell Drive from the 1920s. The service station was eventually taken over by Caltex which traded until approximately five years ago. . Redevelopment of the site for residential accommodation commenced in 2010. [Courtesy Ron Scott]
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St Lucia History Group Notes on Sunday 5 June 2011 Meeting
Present: Nanette Asher Maurice McLeary Marilyn England Dotti Kemp Julia Bigge Myra Shipstone Peter Brown Ron Scott Elliot Dean Peter Fegan Michael Yeates Jean Stewart Andrew Darbyshire
Apologies: Janet Spillman Percy Hanlon Ian & Denise Venables Joan & Keith Haig
Next Meeting: Winter hibernation until October (date TBC)
Middenbury, Toowong
. Noted that today’s talk would be based on research undertaken by Marilyn E and Andrew D who would cover various aspects of the property including early land ownership, the occupants of Middenbury and a brief look at the development for use by the ABC
Approximate overlay of Portions 25 and 26 on recent Google Earth image of the business centre of Toowong. Surrounded on three sides by ABC buildings glimpses of Middenbury are never the less possible from Archer Street and from the river
. James Henderson was the purchaser of Portions 25 and 26 when the land was released for sale by government in the early 1850s. He would make subsequent purchases in the St Lucia/Taringa/Indooroopilly area (totalling approximately 400 acres). It had, however, taken some time and a process of elimination to establish his identity
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. At the time he purchased this land James had worked his way up to the position of Sydney Manager of the Bank of Australasia having started as a junior clerk in the Hobart branch shortly after he arrived in 1838. He remained with the Bank until his death in 1874. Obviously a valued employee he was allowed to live outside Sydney Town (normal to live on Bank premises), was allowed 12 months leave of absence on full pay to take a trip to Europe in 1864 and when approached by his widow the Bank granted her ₤700 as pecuniary recognition of his services
James sub-divided at least two of the Portions he bought in the area, creating the Henderson Estate at Indooroopilly and The Village of Nona ‘Near Milton’, Toowong as it would later be known. He named the development after either his first wife Margaret Nona (nee Macintosh) or more likely his daughter Nona (by this time he had re-married). [Base plan State Library of Queensland]
. Sales for the Village of Nona were sluggish in the mid 1860s (yellow) when the land was offered for sale with only a few lots being sold. There was little further activity until the coming of the railway in the mid 1870s (pink) when Sarah (nee Hawkins), James’ widow, appears to have disposed of most of his local interests. . James Warner acted for James Henderson and was advertising the sub-division in June 1865 when he released the sales lithograph. By this time Mrs Eliza Mary Rogers had already purchased 6 acres of the land, her interest being registered with the Titles Office in April 1865. It is believed to have been a significant purchase, James Henderson, in his 1874 correspondence with the Railways over compulsory acquisition, advises he sold the land to Mrs Rogers for ₤100 per acre . The exact date when Middenbury was built is yet to be confirmed, however, Agents Arthur Martin noted in their September 1865 advertising for the Village of Nona that the Lots were adjacent to the recently completed Rogers residence and Mrs Rogers was advertising for staff from as early as February 1864 . At this stage it is unclear why newly widowed Mrs Rogers purchased the land at Toowong and why in her sixties, she decided to leave Sydney and relocate to Brisbane . Eliza Mary (nee Gardner) was born at Petersfield Hampshire in 1797, her future husband Richard Rogers 17 miles away at Portsmouth in1782
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. Richard and his first wife Susannah Mitchell were married in 1809 and they had four children three of whom accompanied Richard and Eliza to Australia in 1835 (Edward, Richard and Anna Susan – William Thomas stayed in England). It is assumed that Susannah died as Richard and Eliza were married c1829 (Eliza’s first child was born in February 1930) . Three of Eliza and Richard’s children, Elizabeth Mary Barlow, Louisa Emily (Minnie) and Louis Gardner were born in England, their fourth Frank, in Australia . The ‘Barlow’ connection is interesting and believed to be a possible link to the naming of Eliza’s house in Brisbane. Present day Midanbury is a suburb of Southampton in Hampshire the locality on early maps spelt Middenbury (after a property developed in the late 1700s possibly by Nathaniel Middleton). Since the late 1820s the estate had belonged to James Barlow-Hoy (Hoy after his late uncle who left him the property) local MP and business man. The Barlow link (innocent or otherwise) is speculative, that Eliza would have named the house after a familiar location from her past more than likely. Incidentally James met a fairly tragic end in 1843, out for a days sport whilst holidaying in France, clambering over rocks he managed to drop and discharge his gun dying from the resulting wound. Just twelve months later James’ widow married his old friend who had accompanied James on the shoot . On arrival in Australia Richard and Eliza set up home in Sydney and Richard commenced work as the Ordinance Storekeeper for New South Wales. He held various similar posts including at the Hobart Office in the early 1850s. Richard died at the family home at Darling Point in 1863 the result of a fall. The Coroner’s enquiry found that he had died by ‘suffocation from drowning, through slipping from a plank’ which spanned a shallow stream (18” wide by 6” deep) running through the garden. The enquiry concluded that he had slipped, struck his head rendering him senseless and then drowned . Eliza appears to have divided her time to some extent between Brisbane and Sydney/travelling at various times trying to lease the house. She died at Middenbury in October 1875 as would her son Lewis Gardner (of the Treasury) in December of the following year
1875 Railways survey plan prepared as part of a study to examine potential locations for coal ‘shoots’ to improve facilities for the loading of river craft directly from rail wagons rather than double handling. Other locations under consideration were Oxley Point, Queens Wharf and a combined cutting/tunnel route across the city ending at the gates of the relatively new gas works at Petries Bight (South Brisbane was eventually selected but not constructed until the early 1880s). Whilst Middenbury (clearly shown on the plan) was not directly affected by the plan other correspondence on Railway files includes a letter from Lewis Gardner Rogers (acting for his mother) disputing the 1873 compulsory acquisition valuation for the land (and waterhole) required for the construction of the railway [State Archives, Runcorn]
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. Following his mother’s (and Lewis Gardiner’s death) son Frank attempted to sell the house and contents, however, this was not successful and he leased the property instead. Thomas Finney was one of the tenants during which time he built Sidney House on land purchased adjacent to Middenbury (moved in the early 1880s) . Another tenant was Thomas Lodge Murray Prior’s third son Hervey Morres who was living at Middenbury as early as May 1884 (another link with Southampton – Hervey’s grandfather, Thomas Lodge’s father, had married his first wife Jemima at Millbrook). This was not Hervey’s finest hour, a bright prize winning student at Ipswich Grammar, first class honours at Sydney and a promising legal career, he appears to have been living beyond his means and by October 1885 the house contents were being auctioned off (furniture, cow, chooks and garden tools). Twelve months later he seems to have pulled himself together, his wife had returned and he begged his father’s forgiveness. Sadly, in early January 1887, he died on his way to spend time with the family at Maroon. He was found by a passing stockman on the banks of a creek, dismounted from his horse but with no sign of a fall . Frank never appears to have ever made Middenbury his permanent family home (although possibly living locally) and according to the newspaper article by Florence Lord in the early 1930s his sisters Eliza and Minnie left to live with relatives in London following their mother’s death . Timothy John O’Shea a successful Brisbane businessman initially rented and then subsequently purchased the house from Frank Rogers in the early 1890s . The O’Shea family occupied Middenbury for the next 60 years, Timothy’s son Patrick and daughter Ella staying on after their father’s death in 1930 . The O’Sheas extended and made improvements to the house (refer plans at end of Notes) and with Ella as hostess the house became a hub for local society functions and entertainment. Patrick, a solicitor (as were brothers Ted and Jack), also had a wide range of business interests and along with sister Ella a love of horses and horseracing . Functions at the house were regularly reported in the press . Retired Wesley radiologist Fred Schubert has advised that his mother assisted with the catering of these functions and that as a boy, together with his brother, they were left to keep an eye on the property whilst the household was away at the races. Fred recalls that this was the first time he had ever seen a bidet installed in a bathroom (there is a suggestion in a 1960s Commonwealth Department of Works report that the southern extension may have been built to accommodate the Prince of Wales during his 1920 visit to Brisbane) . Ella and Patrick continued to live at Middenbury until they passed away within days of each other in 1949. Patrick’s estate amounted to over ₤300,000 . The O’Sheas were supporters of the local catholic community (Patrick donated the pulpit for the new St Ignatius Loyola Church built at Toowong in 1930) and Percy Hanlon advises there was some difficulty surrounding Patrick’s bequest to the Jesuit Fathers of Toowong (vow of poverty). These were eventually resolved enabling the debt to be settled on the church and assist with the funding for the new school . The sale of Middenbury attracted keen public interest and around 300 people attended the auction which was conducted under the trees in the centre of the driveway leading to the front of the house
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Circular driveway off Coronation Drive leading to the front entrance of Middenbury c1930 [Allom Lovell Historical Survey and Management Plan 1984 – JOL]
. The auctioneers description noted the property had frontages to Coronation Drive and Archer Street, Middenbury substantially built of brick and wood with slate and galvanised iron roof. The house comprised spacious verandahs, vestibule, halls, card room, lounge, music room, three bedrooms, two well appointed bathrooms with marble surrounds and shower room, dining room, scullery, kitchen and maids rooms. The house was well appointed with built in cupboards throughout, polished floors and marble fireplaces. Outbuildings included a double garage and converted stable with attic and bedroom. The property was sold for ₤11,000 . The purchasers were Wilfred and Amy Webster, Wilfred at the time managing the family business Webster’s Cake and Biscuit Company (redevelopment of the long vacant site of their old factory premises in Annerley Road Dutton Park has recently commenced). Websters opened the Shingle Inn in Edward Street during the 1930s depression and operated the tearooms until the mid 1970s . Compared with previous owners the Webster’s tenure of Middenbury was fairly short, the house understood to have been used for Commonwealth residential accommodation purposes (along with neighbour Sidney House) from the mid 1950s before the property was transferred in 1957 to the Australian Broadcasting Commission for the establishment of new studios to coincide with the commencement of television broadcasting . The ABC made significant changes to the site over the next 20 years constructing television and radio studios and workshop/facilities for outside broadcast . Rosamond Siemon recalls that whilst most of her ABC radio broadcasting career was based at their studios in Penny’s Building in Brisbane she was surprised on her occasional visit to Toowong how small the radio studios were compared with the city (and subsequently how much equipment they contained) . Whilst Middenbury, unlike Sidney House which was demolished, was retained by the ABC for use as administration offices it has been extended and various modifications made over time (including demolition of the O’Shea southern study/bedroom/bathroom wing). The building, however, is closely surrounded on south, west and most of the northern elevation by modern buildings and cannot easily be distinguished from outside the site at street level. A glimpse is available from the gates of the main entrance on Archer Street and from the River. The roofline can be made out from the upper external walkway of the Toowong Village Shopping Centre on the opposite side of Coronation Drive . The ABC commissioned the Commonwealth Department of Works to undertake an appraisal of Middenbury in 1969 (copy in JOL) and their brief report concluded that the residence was considered of historical interest and should be retained if possible (no reference to any similar appraisal of Sidney House). Their June inspection noted the house was in a bit of a state, when the inspector returned in November he noted the place had been given a good coat of paint . A subsequent report was commissioned and in 1984 Allom Lovell and Associates prepared a more thorough Historical Survey and Management Plan (copy in JOL) . The ABC vacated the site in 2006 following controversy associated with what appeared to be a high incidence of cancer diagnosis amongst female members of staff. Their studios etc are currently in temporary accommodation until their new building is ready at South Bank (under construction). The site is up for sale . Late 2009 advice from Senator Conroy (Federal Minister for Communications) noted that whilst Middenbury was ineligible for registration on the Commonwealth Heritage List (appears to have been an administrative technicality), the Commonwealth had approached the Queensland Heritage Council for it to be returned to the Qld Register (removed in 2004 following a Court decision which ruled that properties owned by Commonwealth Agencies could not be included) . The future of and for Middenbury remains unclear
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Odds . Ron Scott noted that the photograph of McDonald’s Garage (refer April meeting notes) which stood on the corner of Gailey Road and Sir Fred Schonell Drive (new residential development underway) had been provided by Nicci Hinkfuss (daughter of Gill McDonald)
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Middenbury floor plans (above as built by the Rogers and below as modified by the O’Sheas) as envisaged by the Allom Lovell team based on their research and assessment in 1984. The yellow is an approximate overlay of the 1870s railway survey which suggests that the service rooms to the west (north top of page) may have been attached and that the southern verandah may have been a later addition. The O’Shea modifications and particularly the extensive piazza/verandah overlooking the river lend themselves to not only being a comfortable home but also a place to entertain (was the southern extension built for the POW’s visit, or one of his entourage ?) [Allom Lovell Historical Survey and Management Plan 1984 – Copy in JOL]
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Middenbury highlighted on the c1926 Brisbane Council Water and Sewerage Scheme survey plan. The house was comfortably clear of the 1893 and subsequent floods [BCC Archives]
Websters cake and biscuit premises in Annerley Road Dutton Park c1927 [Picture Queensland] and sometime later [ourbrisbane website – recently closed down following withdrawal of financial support by BCC]. Construction has now commenced on a new residential development for the long vacant site
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1983 Plan of Middenbury reflecting the changes, additions and demolition undertaken by the ABC up to that time. The annotation are references to a more detailed description of the features/condition contained within the report. The southern extension has gone and the western part of the building significantly modified [Allom Lovell Historical Survey and Management Plan 1984 – Copy in JOL]
1969 view of the front of the house [C of A Department of Works report – JOL]
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St Lucia History Group Notes on Saturday 22 October 2011 Meeting
Present: Nanette Asher Ian Venables Ron Scott Dotti Kemp Julia Bigge Myra Shipstone Peter Brown Bruce Sinclair Andrew Darbyshire
Apologies: Janet Spillman Percy Hanlon Denise Venables Joan & Keith Haig Marilyn England Maurice McLeary Joan Claringbould
Next Meeting: 10am Saturday 26 November 2011 Joint meeting with Taringa History Group Bring a plate christmas morning tea and talk by Peter Brown
Odds
Photograph of ‘Guyatt’s’ Store late 1970s/early 1980s from Joan Claringbould’s collection. This was the final resting place for the store understood to have been originally located on the corner of Bryce/Sir Fred Schonell Drive, post 1893 flood moved to the corner of Ryans/Sir FS Drive (above right) and in the 1950s a little further down Sir FS Drive (near current bus stop). The shop appears to have been extended/adapted over time. Dick and Grace Micklejohn ran the business as a general store for a number of years in this location
Imperial Airways ‘Centaurus’ on the South Brisbane Reach photographed by Keith Haig c1939 (Keith still has the camera). The C Class Short Empire flying boats were designed to service the routes between England and ‘colonial’ outposts South Africa and Australia (via Asia). Centaurus surveyed and proved the route to New Zealand in 1937 and some time after Keith’s photograph was transferred to the Royal Australian Air Force for war duties
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Nursery Schools/Child minding . Peter B has followed up on advice from Janet Patterson (nee McCullock) at a previous meeting that the chairs to an early Nursery School had been stored under the family home during the second world war . The nursery school was being planned as early as 1939 when a committee was formed and fund raising commenced. Mrs Marjorie Clark appears to have been the driving force. A lease was arranged with Council for land on the corner of Indooroopilly Road and Alexandra Avenue, however, the school did not proceed at this location . Fund raising continued and the St Lucia Nursery School opened at the Church of England Hall (adjacent the Progress Hall) in mid 1940 with children 2 ½ to 4 years being enrolled . Mrs T Anderson was appointed as Director in 1941 by which time the name had changed to the St Lucia Pre School (hence pre-dates the St Lucia Kindergarten – opened April 1948). The school closed during the war years and doesn’t appear to have re-opened . Peter has also found reference to The St Lucia Child Care Centre which opened at the Methodist Church Hall on Ryans Road on 6 September 1944. Mrs F Bodman was president, she was also the contact to arrange for children to be met at the bus stop (so mothers did not need to break their journey to and from town). The centre was originally open one day a week, it closed in 1946 following the departure of Mrs Bodman for South Australia
Ironside School students on Coronation Drive for the 1954 royal visit (banner quote from Gilbert and Sullivan Pirates of Penzance – thanks Dotti) (Ironside Remembered ... 1985 – BCC Toowong Library)
Longpocket . Peter B has supplemented his research on Long Pocket with further information on the government science site and activity during the second world war . The Hospital Reserve which eventually became the now vacated DPI/DERM/CSIRO facilities was originally earmarked for the establishment of a neuro-psychiatric hospital to house 100 patients. The concept for the development was to construct a series of villas in a parkland setting. Anticipated numbers increased to 200 patients in 1949 and by 1951 commencement of construction was ‘subject to the availability of materials’. A review of mental health services later that year and ongoing local opposition to the scheme resulted in the development not proceeding . The Women’s Land Army training base at Longpocket had its beginnings as an initiative of the Women’s Auxiliary Transport Service in 1940. Under commandant Mrs RC Philp the WATS set up training initially at week-ends to provide women with no rural experience the skills to replace men on the land . Local farmers Messrs Vacher, Carr, Carmody and Redhead lent parts of their farms for this purpose for the duration of the war and Mr Vacher also provided the use of a farm house for residential purposes
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SLHG Meeting Notes Volume One 2005 to 2011
NOTICE OF JOINT MEETING
ST LUCIA and TARINGA HISTORY GROUPs
10am Saturday 26 November 2011
Toowong Library Meeting Room
Morning tea (bring a plate) to commence the proceedings then a talk by Peter Brown
Who named ‘County of Stanley, Parish of Indooroopilly’ and why and when? And many more interesting namings from Antipodes to postal codes.
For further information
Andrew Darbyshire Phone: 3700 9322 [email protected]
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INDEX SLHG Meeting Notes Volume One
1946 Aerial photograph 56 Dart, William 13 ABC Toowong 80 Davies park and swimming ‘pool’ 4 Adam, Dr JR 39 Department of Primary Industries 42 Alvey factory 16 Depper, Mr 35 Arthy, Mr 16 Dept Natural Resources 42 Autoharp 37 Early settler children 55 Avalon 47 Eleanor Schonell Bridge 17 AWAS 9 Emu steamer 12 Back House 74 Endres, Mr 47 Back, WA 55 Farman Shorthorn 70 Behan, Mr 41 Finney, Thomas 79 Bennet, Jim 72 Foote, Dr AJ 39 Billy carts 5 Foote, Joseph 34 Birr family 55 Ford, Gov Leanne 50 Blamey, General 9 Forster, Ethel Mary Brodie 60 Blasdall, Mark 41 Gailey, Richard 31, 35 Bofors gunner, recollections 9, 36 Gillespie Engineering 45 Bradfield, Dr 53 Glenevis Estate 40 Brisbane Festival 11 Glenolive 31, 67 Brisbane Flour Milling Co 14 Graceville Recreation Reserve 71 British India Shipping Line 19 Guyatt park 56 Brownies and Guides 55, 74 Guyatt, Celeste 19 Burns Road Bridge 43 Guyatt, Jessie 17 C&K Association 48 Guyatt’s Store 55 Campbell, Jack and Colin 45 Guyatt’s Store 1970s 85 Capemba 40 Haly, Charles Robert 12 Carey, Robert Graham 70 Harding, Mr CW 47 Carmody, John and Bridget 55 Hart, Henry 40 Carmody, Patrick 55 Hawken, Professor 52 Carr, Enid 18 Henderson, James 14, 76 Carr, George 18 Hennessey and Hennessey 53 Centaurus flying boat 85 Herston Medical School 52 Chandler, Sir John 41, 67 Holzapfel, Herman 41 Church of England Hall 86 Hore, Captain 37 Constance, Wilfred and Dorothy 40 Hospital Reserve 86 Coorabel farm 56 Indooroopilly Golf Club 42, 55 Corbett, Mr 35 Indooroopilly Road Trust/Board 35, 41 Coronation Park Estate 55 Ironside School 16 Cow dung fights 5 Ironside, Lydia Matilda 67 Cribb, William 34 Jarrott, RJ 14 Cribb, Benjamin 34 Jerdanefield 39 Cribb, Clarissa 34 Jolly, WA Alderman 47 Cribb, Robert 30 Jones, Clem 42 Crowley 45 Kellogg, John Harvey 37 CSIRO 42 Kenny, Admiral 9 Curtis, Robert Emerson 45 Kiarraba 30 Custance, Mrs 57 King, Captain Roy 70
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Lalor family 55 RACQ 60 Lane, Charles 41 Railway coal chutes 78 Lane, Charles and Marcella 22 Redhead, John 41 Lane, Ellen (Sister Victor) 43 Rees, Lloyd 12 Lane, Victor 43 Roads, river, transport 12 Lang farm, early housing 30, 35 Rocket making 5 Laundry tub regatta 5 Rogers, Eliza Mary 77 Levanda, May (AWAS) 65 Rogers, Frank 79 Lucas, Brigadier 9 Rogers, Lewis Gardner 78 MacArthur, General 9, 53 Rogers, Richard 77 Mackillop, Mary 43 Rothwell, Hannah Florence 57 Marco Polo (Ship) 43 Rothwell, Thomas James 40, 57 Maynard, Isa 43 Royal Queensland Golf Club 42 Mayne, Dr James 52 Ryans Road Methodist Church 17 Mayne, Mary Emilia 52 Sanitary cart races 4 McCaffrey, Charles and Mary 55 Shiers, Wally 72 McDonald’s Garage 69, 75 SLHG Booklet 17 McLeod, Thomas 71 Smith, Forgan 53 Melbourne, Professor 53 Smith, Ross and Keith 72 Middenbury 76 Smith, Sheperd 40 Middenbury, heritage 39, 41, 43 Sommerfield & Co 57 Millman, Amy Frances 40 Sopwith Gnu 70 Mirimar 36 Spode, WH 41 Mitchell, John 67 St Clare’s Home 8 Moores family 16 St Ignatius Loyola Church 22, 79 Morrisby & Co 57 St Kilda Sports Ground 56 Mount Glorious Estate 71 St Lucia Aerodrome 70 Natone steamer 12 St Lucia Child Care Centre 86 Neuman, A 58 St Lucia Community Association 21 Norman Wright 45 St Lucia Dutton Park Bridge 4 Nursery schools 86 St Lucia Farm School 53 O’Neill, Mr 41 St Lucia Links 42 O’Shea, Ella 79 St Lucia Nursery School 86 O’Shea, TJ 79 St Lucia Progress Association 52, 67 Page, Arthur 37 St Lucia Road 35 Palmer Gold Field 36 St Thomas Aquinas Church 49 Pearl steamer 12 St Thomas Kindergarten 50 Perdriau Rubber Co 71 Story, JD 53 Perrin Park and family 38 Strong, Mr 35 Pettigrew, William 14 Tighnabruaich 38, 43, 66 Phylis ferry 44 Toowong Bowls Club 34 Pitman’s Paddock 16 Toowong Creek Bridge 32,34 Pitty, Mr 16 Tortola 37 Pollard, Arthur Thornton 17 Tram foot operated bell 36 Presbyterian Church Hall 48 Tram route plans 16 Princess Bridge Estate 53 Unit Projects Pty Ltd 39 Prior, Hervey Morres 79 University of Queensland 52 Prior, Thomas Lodge Murray 16, 79 Vacher, Mr 86 Queensland Aero Club 71 Vickers Vimy 72
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Village of Nona 77 Wilson, William Alexander 8, 14, 35, 67 Walella 67 Women’s Land Army 86 Wanda Walha 67 Wragge, Clement 40 War/Peace Loans 59 Wrigley, George and Annie Rosina 57 Webster, William and Amy 80 Ygosse, Francis 44 White, Thomas E 30,37 Ygosse, Noel 44 Wilson, AB 52
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