Lost Friends, Advertisements and Bizarre Requests
The wants and needs of Colonial Queensland come alive in their classified advertisements. Heart-rending tales of separated families sat beside requests for emu skins, and someone to take on their 11-year-old son (state terms to Mr. Doorey). Not to mention miracle hair restorers, moral circuses, and a strange device that looks like it might grind something. I think.
PERSONS ADVERTISED FOR
Some of the Missing Friends notices read like extracts from a Victorian novel.
A.W.R., – Where are you? Why do you not write home! A letter of December 1874, containing REMITTANCE, has been returned from Melbourne, also subsequent letters. Do not break your little sister’s heart – nor your parents’. Write to C.C.V. Enquire at Post Office.
WILLIAM SANDERSON. – Why don’t you write? no one has heard from you, and all are very anxious, especially father and mother. -J.S. Durham, England. September 4, 1878. A.W.R. may have been missing, or he (I presume it’s a he) might have deliberately cut ties to his family. William Sanderson worked as a carrier and smithy in rural Queensland, and hopefully found time to write to J.S.
WILLIAM CHAMPION, shepherd, white hair and beard, deaf, or ELLEN, – Tom dangerously ill. Constantly asking kindly and forgivingly for you; have mercy, for the illness caused, as he fondly forgives, and write kindly. Last seen near St. George’s Bridge, travelling on foot. Some money will be left you, as his relations sent £30. Employers or others please give information where last seen, or present address, to J.P. DOYLE, or F. SAW, Whaylan, Kunopia, N.S.W.
WILLIAM CHAMPION, shepherd, white hair and beard, def. ELINOR BOST (or RANDALL), stout aged female, large brown spots on arms, travelling on foot – supposed route St. George’s Bridge or Moonie. – The sum of £30 is left you by your late husband, forwarded by relations, also a kind letter of forgiveness. His last words were in affection towards you. £2 for address. Employers or others please forward same, or where seen, to Mrs. ALLISON, or J.P. DOYLE, Esq., Kunopia, N.S. Wales. It seems that Elinor had left her husband Tom, presumably after some high words, and set off on foot to Queensland with a deaf, elderly shepherd named William Champion. Between the first and second notices, Tom had died, full of forgiveness, and had left her some money. He forgave his stout, spotted and aged estranged wife.
IF this should meet the eye of Mr. WILLIAM HARDEN, this is to let him know that his wife did not receive his Letter for three weeks after he was gone. If he will write to his wife, he will hear something to his advantage, and all other proceedings will be stopped. FRANCES HARDEN. Mrs. Frances Harden wanted her husband to know that it was all a misunderstanding. The notice ran for some weeks. Hopefully he avoided the legal action, and forgave Frances for whatever had happened.
JOHN COUDON, who left Nudgee, August, 1871, – Write to your sister, WIDOW CROTTY, care of N. Corrigan, Fortitude Valley. Any information respecting the above will be thankfully received. Widow Crotty? Sounds like something out of Dickens.
CHARLEY, – Please come home, or send your Address. All well. Mother very anxious about you.
ANNIE FERGUSON, late of Balmain, Sydney, – You are earnestly requested to write to your distracted Mother. You heartless, ungrateful wretch.
WILLIAM FERGUSON, who left Port Moresby in the cutter Saucy Jack, the voyage she was wrecked on the Barrier Reef; and was rescued by the Prospect and landed at Cooktown, is earnestly requested to communicate with Mr. W.M. JACKSON Messrs. Lassetter & Co., George-Street, Sydney. Poor old William Ferguson had endured the misfortune of being wrecked on the reef. Let’s hope that Messrs. Lassetter & Co. had some good news for him.
MRS. KARLKE will find her daughter CATHARINA KARLKE, at the Cairns Arms Hotel, Spring Hill, Brisbane. In what condition, one wonders?
Old Mates
JC., or JACK THE FIDDLER, – If idle, come or write your old mate, LONG STEVE A., Maytown. (Jack the Fiddler was John Bertwell, who lived around Cloncurry. He was a local celebrity, and a skilled violin player at social events.)
HARRY E. HOWLET, – Write to your mate, WATTY; the old address.
“WATTY,” – Please send your Address to Miss F.S. Howlet, Bellwood, Traveston, near Gympie. (Either Harry E. Howlet had lost Watty’s address, or Miss F.S. Howlet had some news of him for Watty.)
BOB, – Write at once to JACK, 14 Spring Street, Sydney. That’s a confident ad, considering how many Bobs and Jacks would have been at large in the Colonies. Perhaps the address was the clue as to the identity of Jack and seeing it might have persuaded the thousands of Bobs about the place that this was not the Jack of their acquaintance.
Not sure if this is Bob, Jack, Long Steve or Watty
Mysterious Communications of Importance
CLAUDE VAUTIN, – Communicate with W.J. JONES, Melbourne. Prompt, Important.
DUNLOP GLOAG is requested to communicate with COLONEL MACKENZIE at once. Intelligence of importance. (Mr Gloag was a retired Army man.)
Lost and Found
£2 REWARD — STOLEN, from a grave in the German Station Cemetery, an ORNAMENTAL FLOWER-POT. The above reward will be paid for information leading to conviction of thief. B. R. BALE, Adelaide Street. So, people have been rotten since time immemorial.
LOST an Indian Gold MEDAL, with Hindoo writing on. Finder handsomely rewarded by returning same to HARRY STANLEY, American War, School of Arts. Wait – there was an American War at the School of Arts?
FOUND, by a poor man, early on Tuesday morning, a CHEQUE BOOK, KEY, and some small MEMOS. The owner can hear of it by applying to the Proprietor of the A.S.N. Hotel. A poor, honest man, by the sound of things.
WANTED
WANTED: Men to Contract to KILL KANGAROOS. For particulars apply on the Station, or to C.B. DAVENEY, Warwick. HARDEN & WALKER. Glenlyon, May 6, 1876.
WANTED: Pick and Shovel MEN for the Western Railway Works. Sickness entirely disappeared. J. & A. OVEREND & CO., Railway Contractors, Dalby. Good to know the pestilence has passed.
WANTED, a Ferocious DOG. Apply at this Office, or Mr. J.W. Cumings, Devonshire House. Not of any use after Saturday. Wait – what was going to happen on Saturday?
WANTED, Two Ferocious DOGS; bloodhounds preferred. Apply at the COURIER Office. Advertised immediately below the Devonshire House request. Some people just have to go one better.
WANTED to Purchase, well cured EMU SKINS in first-class condition. Address, with price, and where they can be seen, to PETER THOMSON, Wivenhoe. It’s always a good idea to inspect the cured emu skins one is seeking to buy. Wonder how many he wanted. And for what?
WANTED to place a Boy (11) to BOARD and LODGE with master of public school for a year or two. State terms to A. DOOREY, Stanley-street, South Brisbane. Hang on, what?
WANTED. – A smart steady young fellow (native of Queensland), aged 17, requires EMPLOYMENT on a station. Is fond of and understands handling Horses and Cattle; could help kill; keep store and general work. Wants to acquire practical knowledge of station work. References may be made to Mr. GRESLEY LUKIN, “Courier” Office, who will furnish particulars on application. Likes horses and cattle, but is quite okay with killing them.
Oh, honey, no. Just no.
ENGLAND. – A Young Person offers her SERVICES in any capacity in lieu of a PASSAGE to ENGLAND. Address Y.Z., Post Office, Stanthorpe.
This young woman advertised her services in return for a passage Home for months. Hopefully she was talked out of this course of action. She risked being taken advantage of by:
GOODS, SERVICES AND EVENTS
AS You Value Your Life, have your FIREARMS EXAMINED by a PRACTICAL WORKMAN. ‘Nuff said.
Accompanied Childbirth
MRS. BRITCHER, PRACTICAL ACCOUCHEUSE, Elizabeth Street, opposite Belmore Park, SYDNEY, is prepared to accommodate Ladies with every comfort during their accouchement. Piano, bath, gas &c. Mrs. Britcher was so proud of her services that she advertised in far-away Queensland. Glad she was offering every comfort, but what woman in labour (sorry, experiencing an accouchement) would be hankering after a piano to play?
Fancy a Great Moral Circus?
ST. LEON’S BIG SHOW and GREAT MORAL CIRCUS. Over 100 men and horses. Entirely new artistes from the principal circuses in Europe. Prominent among the talented company may be mentioned: J.S. LEOPOLD, Champion Battoute Leaper of the World, revolving a double somersault over thirteen horses, a feat never attempted in the Australian Colonies before.
HADJ HAMO, the Arab Wonder, in his wonderful Gun and Dagger Act, also performing somersaults off a solid block of stone. CHARLES BLISS, England’s greatest grotesque Clown. ROBERT TAYLOR and ALBERT KING, the great Acrobats. ST. LEON BROS., the Australian favourites, and a host of others with a splendid stud of highly trained horses and ponies, new and costly canvas brilliantly lit up with gasoline and beautifully seated.
No Home is Complete Without One
VALUABLE DISCOVERY FOR THE HAIR. – If your hair is turning grey or white, or falling off, use “THE MEXICAN HAIR RENEWER,” for it will positively restore in every case grey or white hair to its original colour, without leaving the disagreeable smell of most “restorers.” It makes the hair charmingly beautiful, as well as promoting the growth of hair on bald spots where the glands are not decayed. Presumably, there were no bald or grey-haired Mexicans in existence.
Moreton Bay and More 