On this day in March 1864, a violent weather event hit Brisbane and south-east Queensland. It may have been a tropical cyclone, or ex-tropical cyclone – the vocabulary of extreme weather events had not developed. But the account of the storm and its aftermath, as reported in the Courier, bears a striking resemblance to TropicalContinue reading “On this day: 1864 – a distant echo of Cyclone Alfred.”
Category Archives: On This Day
A Romp through the Classifieds, November 23 1866.
In the 19th century, the first page of a newspaper tended to be devoted to classified advertising. After all, this was where the money was. And it could contain some unexpected gems. Notices to the Public. Don’t tamper with your gas meter. The Brisbane Gas Company was fed up with people disconnecting their meters withContinue reading “A Romp through the Classifieds, November 23 1866.”
The News for 20 September (1851).
Page 1. Classified Advertising. James Swan, of the Courier Office, was selling off a small library of incredibly dull books. The works on offer included The Christian in Palestine, Brown’s Family Bible, Partington’s History and Views of London, D’Aubigne’s History of the Reformation, Fleming on the Papacy, Simpson’s Plea for Religion, Book for Mothers and,Continue reading “The News for 20 September (1851).”
Moreton Bay elects Colonel Snodgrass.
On this day – 22 August 1848. On 22 August 1848, Colonel Kenneth Snodgrass was elected to represent Moreton Bay in the New South Wales Legislative Council. He was our second ever elected representative after free settlement in 1842. Brisbane turned out to vote in numbers. Small numbers. There were 32 votes for Colonel Snodgrass,Continue reading “Moreton Bay elects Colonel Snodgrass.”
Mr Trollope Visits the Colonies.
On this day – August 11. Two distinguished gentlemen were due in Brisbane on August 11, 1871. One was the sole named passenger (with suite, mind) on the HMSS Clio, which bore 18 guns. This gentleman was George Augustus Constantine Phipps, 2nd Marquess of Normanby GCB GCMG PC, Viscount Normanby and Earl of Mulgrave. HisContinue reading “Mr Trollope Visits the Colonies.”
All the News for 8 August (1846)
From the eighth ever issue of the Moreton Bay Courier. Page 1 – Classified Advertising. R Hampden and Henry Ralph Elkins were having a terrible barney over a failed business venture. Each man cautioned the public against giving credit to, or generally dealing with, the other. Hmmph. The indefatigable Thomas Dowse had a Library comprisedContinue reading “All the News for 8 August (1846)”
The News of the Day.
What would we learn if we took a random edition of a daily newspaper, and looked at daily life in Moreton Bay? For no particular reason, I chose the Telegraph of 23 May 1884. It seems that it was a very slow news day, but the highlights were there on page one. Advertising, of courseContinue reading “The News of the Day.”
Let There Be (Electric) Light.
On this day, 9 April 1883. On 9 April 1883, the Edison company conducted the first ever demonstration of electric lighting in Queensland at the Government Printing Office, Brisbane. The representative of Edison was the wonderfully named Major S. Flood Page (General Manager, Edison’s Indian and Colonial Electric Light Company, Limited of London). The languageContinue reading “Let There Be (Electric) Light.”
On this day – the capture of John Alexander Herrlich, 8 April 1870.
A small detachment of police had been searching for a murder suspect through bushland around Toowoomba for nearly two months. The man they were hunting was John Alexander Herrlich, a German man in his fifties, who was wanted for the murder of Martin Klein on February 12. Herrlich had shot and killed the man forContinue reading “On this day – the capture of John Alexander Herrlich, 8 April 1870.”
The First Circuit Court of Moreton Bay.
On this day – 10 February 1850 – Proclamation of the Circuit Court. From the introduction of free settlement in 1842 until the Gaol and Circuit Court opened for business in 1850, Moreton Bay had no place to hold trials or accommodate prisoners. There was only a Court of Petty Sessions, which was empowered toContinue reading “The First Circuit Court of Moreton Bay.”
Moreton Bay and More 