Queensland’s proud furniture tradition

ueensland furniture making can be traced James Bryden, a cabinetmaker at Bryden’s back to the first settlement at Moreton buildings, Queen St, is recorded as supplying QBay, which later became the Colony of furniture to the Legislative Buildings between Queensland. The outpost was established for the 1860 and 1864. John Petrie supplied furniture to ‘subsistence and security’ of runaway convicts the Legislative Buildings between 1864 and 1867, from Port Macquarie. John Oxley and Lieutenant and he supplied furniture for the Parliament Miller, the first commandant, left on the buildings up to 1871. They included tables for brig Amity in 1824 with a group that included 30 Council and Assembly, yellow wood seats, volunteers from the prisoners’ barracks in Sydney. Council bookcase, Assembly bookcase, and They formed a settlement at Redcliffe Point, yellow wood chairs. which was moved in the following year to the J.W. Petrie was awarded Highly Commended present site of Brisbane. for a secretaire he exhibited at the Sydney One of the 30 volunteers was James International Exhibition in 1879. He exhibited a Winstanley, a cabinetmaker, sentenced to 14 silky oak and cypress pine pedestal dressing table years, who arrived in Sydney aged 17 years, in with a looking glass in in 1880. 1819. No doubt he had a hand in making the Just over 150 years since the Amity voyage, recorded two writing desks, eleven forms, eight as an apprentice with Harvey Brothers, I assisted tables and two bed stretchers made in the first two with manufacturing a Queensland cedar years of the colony’s life. He returned to Sydney sideboard, extension table and chairs for Bjelke- in 1826 and received a ticket of leave for his good Petersen’s Premier’s Department in the and voluntary service. Executive Building. Harvey Brothers were also Moreton Bay remained an isolated penal given the honour of producing Queensland’s settlement, governed by a succession of eight wedding gift to Prince Charles and Princess commandants who did little to improve it. Patrick Diana – a beautifully carved Queensland cedar Logan was the exception, and between 1826 and 1830 he provided an impressive number of new longcase clock. stone and brick buildings which included a Since establishing my own business, I have hospital with surgeon’s quarters, a prisoners crafted and installed 22ct gold embossed leather barracks, a chaplain’s house and a new desk inserts for both the Australian and commissariat store. Queensland Parliaments. The High Court’s gold In 1827, Logan established a lumber yard embossed coat of arms chairs were also done at which incorporated a carpenter’s workshop. Tom this workshop. At the opening of the Treasury Petrie commented in his Reminiscences of Early Casino in the restored Treasury Building, the Queensland that Premier, Leader of the Opposition and Treasurer ‘the better class of prisoners were not were each given an authentically reproduced hobbled as the chain gang were, but they Treasury Box. These were leathered and Cedar chest of drawers, typical of early Queensland furniture, which has been fully restored in the traditional manner worked in a place called the lumber yard…This to maintain its inherent and increasing value embossed in 22ct gold at our workshop, as was was a walled enclosure containing different their splendid boardroom table. buildings where the prisoners worked at trades The Queensland cedar and yellow wood, Andrew Petrie (1798–1872), was an of every description.’ Commandant’s Dining Room – One Side Board, referred to in early furnishing records of the One Dining Table, Twelve Chairs, Fender and immigrant from Scotland who arrived in Sydney, Moreton Bay then had 300 convicts and 70 Queensland Legislative Assembly and Parliament Fire Irons. as a free settler, in 1831. He was Clerk of Works soldiers. Presumably the construction and Buildings, has been adhered to throughout the Sitting Rooms generally – Two Tables, Eight in the Government Ordinance Department and furnishing of these buildings was drawn from years with a major revamp being done in the Chairs, One Book Case (with Cupboard he erected Dr Lang’s buildings in Jamison Street, suitably qualified convicts. Records indicate 1980s. A lot of companies were involved with this underneath), One Sofa (not including Covers), Sydney. Petrie was one of the first free settlers to several chair makers and cabinetmakers refurbishment, including our upholstery master Fender and Fire Irons. arrive at Brisbane, in 1837, on the James Watt, among them. craftsman, Alastair McPherson, and the F.H. Bed Rooms – One Bedstead, One Table, Two the first steamer to the area. He brought with Burns company. So, furniture making in Queensland Chairs, One Washing Table, One Wardrobe, or him a portable writing desk that reputedly had commenced in the lumber yard with these exiled Chest of Drawers. been made in the lumber yard established by Through our commissions and such tradesmen. Convicts would have prepared and Kitchen – One Dresser, One Table, Six Common Patrick Logan in 1827. He had been sent to associations, our firm is now custodian of the used local timber in the yard. An 1841 statistic Chairs for Commandant, Four Common Chairs superintend the buildings and works of the original designs for the Queensland coat of records that, after supplying local needs, 90,228 for others, Cupboard and Shelves, One Iron Crown at Moreton Bay. arms which sits above the Speaker’s Chair, the feet of cedar and pine was exported. Boiler, Fender and Fire Irons. Five years after arriving in Moreton Bay, he original yellow wood veneers used in the 1980s A lot of the furniture was made for the officers Pantry or Store Room to be fitted up left the public service to commence his own and the patterns and sample chair of the and remained public property, which was listed with Shelves. business at Queen St, Petrie’s Bight. His son took Members’ offices. in inventories. Regulations for the Penal Stretchers to be allowed for the Number of over this business in 1848. Petrie built numerous Our G.N. Olsson cabinetmaking workshop at Settlements, , 1829, authorised Servants permitted. government buildings in Brisbane and Ipswich. Narangba Rd, Kurwongbah is within three miles the following furniture for officer’s quarters: Inferior Free Persons – Two Tables, One He furnished the Colonial Secretary’s office, the of the original Tom Petrie homestead, and the The Quarters of the Officers of the Settlement Cupboard, Four Chairs, One Dresser, One Attorney General’s office, the new Government nearby town of Petrie, which was named in his shall be furnished according to the following scale: Bedstead, or more should there be a family. House, the Post Office, and the Customs House honour, small world ■ with cedar presses, washstands, bookshelves and bookcases. Other cabinetmakers, including James GARY OLSSON Bryden, J. Burns, Robert Creyke, John Phillips, G.N. Olsson William Pauley and R.S. Coley supplied furniture Antique Restoration and Reproductions for these buildings. 07 3888 1549 G.N. Olsson Mastercraftsmen ~ Furniture Makers Authentic Antique Restorations and Reproductions Investments Custom Manufacture of Corporate Executive Furniture Heirlooms Classic Fine Furniture Queries & 393 Narangba Rd, Brisbane Appointments Fax: 07 3888 5330 G.N. Olsson reproduction cedar revolving bookcase G.N. Olsson reproduction three-drawer silky oak filing Email: [email protected] redesigned for modern requirements. Featuring purpose-built cabinet, redesigned for modern file sizes. Features a 07 3888 1549 accommodation for manilla folders or books and a 22ct gold traditional wooden wheel runner system for longevity and www.workin4u.com.au/gnolsson embossed leather insert on top. Pullout reading trays are ease of drawer movement. Hand dovetailed throughout and optional, as are the solid brass English castors solid English brass fittings ANTIQUES & ART IN QUEENSLAND 55