Author Archives: Karen B

Amateur historian and writer.

A Horsewhipping for Christmas

Mr Wimble publicly horsewhipped Mr Draper, editor of the Cairns Chronicle, on Christmas night, owing to some personal remarks published in the Chronicle reflecting on Mr Wimble’s private character. Police Court proceedings will be taken against Mr Wimble. [i] Public horsewhipping was a peculiarly 19th century method of dealing with a private grievance. It wasContinue reading “A Horsewhipping for Christmas”

Lewis the Swift and the Same Old Joe

Brisbane’s newspaper classifieds were enlivened considerably in the 1870s by a gentleman who signed himself “Lewis the Swift.” Lewis was a builder by trade, willing to quote on big jobs and small, and able to branch out into sanitary works, business agency and just about anything his lively business mind turned to. His ads areContinue reading “Lewis the Swift and the Same Old Joe”

Strange Trick of the Imagination

(From our Windmill Reporter.) On Wednesday last, the Tide Surveyor of Customs* happened to be strolling down Queen Street, pondering probably on the great degeneracy of the present age, so far as regards the desire to drink grog without paying the duty, and whistling to himself the popular air of “Will Watch, the bold smuggler,Continue reading “Strange Trick of the Imagination”

Uh, Wish You Were Here?

Brisbane and Queensland Postcards through the years Ah, postcards. Memories of the luridly-coloured “Greetings From Sunny (insert own sunny destination here),” sent from faraway places like Caloundra and Burleigh Heads. Well, it took us half the day to get there, what with the ancient Fiat’s radiator overheating as we trundled along behind slow caravans, andContinue reading “Uh, Wish You Were Here?”

The Soldier Convicts of Moreton Bay

The military detachments who served at Moreton Bay had some interesting prisoners to manage. As well as the twice-convicted felons, there were men who might have served alongside them at one time, had it not been for war or arduous remote postings. Veterans of the Napoleonic Wars Among the soldier convicts at Moreton Bay inContinue reading “The Soldier Convicts of Moreton Bay”

The British Military Presence in Brisbane

The Commandants, Soldiers, and their Families. In 1824, Moreton Bay was designated by the British Government as a place of secondary punishment. It was not quite as isolated as the Norfolk Island Penal Colony, but seemed that way, because there were no roads open from Sydney. It may as well have been a remote island.Continue reading “The British Military Presence in Brisbane”

Movember – some 19th Century Queensland Inspiration

Movember is the fundraising and awareness-raising campaign for men’s health and wellness initiatives. The name comes from the campaign for men to grow some facial hair and get some sponsorship in the month of November. For those seeking inspiration, or inspo or whatever the youngs call it, the 19th century provides some truly astonishing tonsorialContinue reading “Movember – some 19th Century Queensland Inspiration”

A Tragic Mystery

In early September 1889, wealthy publican and landowner William Goodwin Geddes discovered that his son, who had disappeared (presumed drowned) at Toorbul near Caboolture in 1877, was still alive. That was the good news. The bad news was that his son resided in a Lunatic Asylum in Adelaide. The worse news was that the AMPContinue reading “A Tragic Mystery”

“Old Trafalgar” Dies at Dunwich.

On June 4, 1878, a very old man passed away at Dunwich Benevolent Asylum at Stradbroke Island. He’d been there since 1869, when, aged 91, he could no longer take care of himself. That was a hard blow for a very independent man. Abraham Brown had been a mariner since the turn of the 19thContinue reading ““Old Trafalgar” Dies at Dunwich.”