JOURNAL Windsor & Districts’ Historical Society Inc. servicing the old Windsor Town Council areas of Albion, Alderley, Bowen Bridge, Eagle Junction*, Eildon, Kalinga, Kedron*, Lutwyche, Maida Hill, Newmarket*, Wooloowin and now extended to cover Herston. *part of this suburb. VOLUME 29 No. 4 - NOVEMBER 2017 NOVEMBER - 4 No. 29 VOLUME ANNUAL MEETING The Annual General Meet- NEWSLETTER/JOURNAL ing and Election of Office Bear- HISTORY ers of the Windsor and Districts’ The first newsletter was issued in Oc- tober 1989, 8 pages, by secretary K.S. Bailey Historical Society Inc. will take and again on the Society’s first birthday. From place at the Summer Time of 5 1992 - 1997 they were produced by Beres Mc- Callum, AO, with assistance by David Teague p.m. on Sunday, 19 November in 1994 and one issue in 1995. They were all 2017, at the Council Chambers. two pages in size. From the final issue in 1997 until the All Members and Friends first in 2000 newsletters were produced by David Teague and the size of each issue var- are cordially invited to attend. ied, increasing from four to twelve pages. Nominations for Office Bear- From the second issue in 2000, Peter Pegg took over continuing with 8 page issues ers for 2017-2018 are solicited. until the second issue in 2007, with the excep- Closing date for nominations is tion of one 16 paged issue in 2005. 4 November 2017. From the third issue in 2007 Pamela Masel took over producing 8 paged issues Positions vacant are: with minor size variations until the end of 2012. During that time David produced four 4 President paged inserts. Some coloured photographs Senior Vice-President were introduced in the latter issues. Junior Vice-President From 2013 to the present issue, Secretary David Teague took over producing increas- ing sized issues up to four 20 paged colour Treasurer issues a year with a concentration on newly Councillors (3) researched articles and historical newpaper clippings. From February 2017, the title of Keep up to date by reading Newsletter was changed to Journal. our facebook pages. Since the advent of our facebook pag- In the February 2018 Issue: es, most of our news and social photographs *Windsor Shire Offices have been posted there. *Gordon Park Land Sales feature article In this Issue: *Beecham’s Pills We have three linked stories - a *Nithville, Drustan, Rougham brief story about pioneer grazier, *Robberies at Wooloowin Stn David McConnel who died at Grafton *Windsor Pictures Lodge, Captain Pennefather who *Pettigrews: Constitution Rd was the next tenant of that house *100 Stoneleigh Street and of Captain Bedwell who was *Windsor Garage Pennefather’s predecesor in the *Old Photographs surveying of the Queensland Coast *Neighbours: Enoggera who lived at Merehaye. See it on line late January, Windsor & District’s Historical Society JOURNAL - NOVEMBER 2017 - PAGE TWO STST PATRICK’SPATRICK’S OIL In the 1880s the local newspapers werewere and following the direction indicated by his fi lled with advertisements for amazing cures. nasal organ he will come across a large col- The Journal has featured them in several is- lection of bars and cakes of St Patrick’s soap sues. Many of these cures were supported by and bottles of Eucalyptus oil. There is also testimonials. an imposing array of bottles of washing fl uid William Wilson, Esq, late of Wilston, Bris- looking rather like condensed milk. bane, and until recently the popular manager of They claimed that the oil could cure rheu- the Brisbane Branch of the Adelaide Milling and matism, lumbago, neuralgia, sciatica, gout, bar- Mercantile Company, writes (1885):- coo rot, earache, Before leaving the colony for a tour of glandular swellings, the Old World, I think I am bound to bare jus- sore breasts, burns, tice to you to testify to the remarkable cure bruises, soft corns, of a gangrened toe joint which was speedily headache, asthma, effected by the use of St Patrick’s Oil. The in- wounds, pains, jury was the result of a wound, and caused sores and skin dis- me much anxiety, but a few applications of St eases as well a bron- Patrick’s Oil quite relieved me and cured the chitis, diarrhoea, sore. dysentery, cholera, catarrh, dyspepsia, wind, coughs, colds, toothache, croup, pain in the stomach. A literature check has disclosed that this cure was known to the ancient Egyptians and is mentioned in Greek mythology. The Roman philosopher Pliny wrote testimonials to it. The Greeks thought that this substance encouraged sexual behaviour and forbade its soldiers from eating it in order to maintain control. Heal with Essential Oils, on their web site says the oil supports digestion, expel worms, decongestant, anti-infectious, anti-bacterial, anti- fungal, stimulates gall bladder, pain relieving, expectorant and anti-infl ammatory of the intesti- Reseached by David Teague. Peppermint Oil Peppermint Teague. David by Reseached nal and urinary tracts, effective against asthma, bronchitis, candida, diarrhoea, fever, heartburn, H.Churchill & Co. was based at Nundah haemorrhoids, hot fl ashes, indigestion, head- and manufactured a wide range of products in- aches, motion sickness, nausea, throat infec- cluding essential oils and soaps prepared from tions. It may also help arthritis, depression, food the leaves of the melaleuca, eucalyptus, white poisoning, hysteria and toothaches. gum and turpentine trees. They exhibited at the St Patrick’s Oil is truly mavellous. What Brisbane Exhibition. A newspaper report includ- is it? Don’t you know? ed: A peculiar aroma about this place causes Look in the central margin. the visitor to pause and sniff suspiciously, Windsor & District’s Historical Society JOURNAL - NOVEMBER 2017 - PAGE THREE SIP, SIP, SIP, ... On radio in the 1950s was Bonnington’s surely they followed the trend. Bunkhouse Show sponsored by Bonnington’s It wasn’t until about ten years later that Irish Moss containing pectoral advertistments for Bonnington’s Irish Moss oxymel of carageen. - the great Australian cough and lung medicine Pectoral oxymel was an ex- started to appear locally. pectorant known for hundreds of Dear Sirs, years. It was made by soaking cer- I am pleased to write to you of the suc- tain roots in vinegar and honey. cess I have had in treating my little one with your George Bonnington, a chemist, Bonnington’s Irish Moss. She was always ailing started manufacturing his product in from cough, &c., and at three months old there Nelson, New Zealand in the 1860s was no hope of recovery and, your medicine be- and later in Christchurch. He used carageen, rock moss also known as Irish moss in its preparation. It was a dark, syrupy cough mixture with a sweet smell. It was rather addictive to sip, sip, sipping with the inclusion of opium and morphine in the formula. That formula is long gone and about half a century ago the ingredients were changed to include camphor, menthol, ethanol, glucose, sucrose and Irish moss extract. In Australia Pectoral Oxymel of Cara- geen or Irish Moss was manufactured by A.W. Watt & Co, chemists and was advertised in the Queenslander in 1880 to cure coughs and colds, asthma and bronchitis. Relief from cough in ten minutes was promised by Yeo’s Pectoral Oxymel of Cara- Teague. David by Researched geen as well. It was prepared by Chas. H. F. Yeo, pharmaceutical chemist of Edward Street, ing the last resource, I gave her a dose, which Brisbane. (1885) I saw had a soothing effect. I continued it, and Smith’s pectoral oxymel balsam of in twenty-four hours saw a slight change for the carragheen or Irish moss was exclusively pre- better. At this stage I gave your Moss three times pared by B. B. Smith, chemist, Queens Street. a day, and later three times a week, with the re- (1886) sult that she soon became the picture of health, and never has been ill since. Yours truly, M.M. Dalvetta. 26 December 1896. Bonnington’s outlived them all. Another product appears on the scene, that of Irish Moss Gum Jubes. Alginate made from seaweed etc is The Brisbane Courier: 22 June 1898. used as a thickening Whether Messrs Watt, Yeo and Smith also agent especially in ice added the opium and morphine is not stated but cream. Windsor & District’s Historical Society JOURNAL - November 2017 - Page FOUR John McConnel Pioneer Squatter Gone. Death of Mr John McConnel. The not entirely unexpected death of Mr John McConnel took place early on Friday morning at his residence, Grafton Lodge, Lutwyche. The deceased was in good health up to last week, when he became prostrated by the heat. McConnel Family at Cressbrook Archer about 13 years previously. He con- tinued in partnership with Hon. H. G. Wood, The Brisbane Courier: 28 January 1899. M.L.C., till 1894, when he gave up business. He was appointed many years ago to a He was 92 years of age, having been seat in the Legislative Council, where he took born at Manchester, England, on October 3, an active interest in politics for some time, but 1806. He came to Sydney with his brother Fre- he was obliged to resign through deafness. derick in 1842. Shortly afterwards he came to The deceased gentleman has only one Queensland, and joined his brother David at son — Mr A. J. McConnel, of Conway station, Cressbrook station, and was thus one of the near Bowen. The funeral will leave Grafton oldest squatters in Queensland, and at one Lodge at 2 o’clock on Saturday afternoon. time also he owned Helidon station. The Telegraph: 28 January 1899 In 1863 he removed to Durundur sta- The next tenant at Grafton Lodge was Captain Pennefather. Morven at Shorncliffe.