Newspaper stories of the Plough Inn era. The Wild Scotchman not apprehended at Milstead’s. A young man who, for more than a twelvemonth past, has been peaceably occupied as storekeeper on a station in the district, was captured at Milstead’s as Macpherson, by Mr. Sub-inspector Appjohn and his men, and in spite of the remonstranceContinue reading “Tales of old Dalby.”
The Milsteads of Dalby – the Plough Inn.
After travelling to Brisbane in February 1858 to support her daughter’s failed assault charge against a teacher, Theresa Whalin took stock of her life. She was a widow with a country hotel to run, a lot of land, and a wilful daughter to raise. There was another land sale afoot in Dalby in March, andContinue reading “The Milsteads of Dalby – the Plough Inn.”
The Milsteads of Dalby.
Part 1 – The early days of Dalby, and the creation of the Plough Inn. This was the beginning of the town of Dalby in 1853 – a plan that showed the selections of land made by the township’s earliest European inhabitants. All of the storied names of 19th century Dalby are there – CharlesContinue reading “The Milsteads of Dalby.”
The Career of Tom the Devil.
There were quite a few gentlemen who rejoiced in the sobriquet “Tom the Devil” in the 19th century. Tom the Devil seemed to be like the Flying Pieman or Dread Pirate Roberts – once someone was finished with the appellation, another individual would take over in the role. The Original Devil. The original Tom theContinue reading “The Career of Tom the Devil.”
A Fatal Error
How a terrible mistake cost a life and changed the law. OFFICIAL NOTIFICATIONS. [From today’s Government Gazette.] MEDICAL BOARD. – Henry Duckers and Robert James Hance, of Brisbane; and James Wilkinson, of Townsville, have been admitted as chemists and druggists. The Brisbane Courier, July 8, 1882. Sophia Jacobi’s baby James Francis Jacobi turned seven monthsContinue reading “A Fatal Error”
Disturbing a Religious Body
How to “unlawfully, maliciously, and contemptuously, by overt act and deed, molest, disturb, vex, and trouble the preacher and congregation assembled for, and celebrating Divine worship.” How did one William Langley come to be charged with the offence of disturbing a religious body under an Act that dated back to George III? He sat inContinue reading “Disturbing a Religious Body”
Henry Dagg’s Narrow Escape
[For the uninitiated, Wikipedia explains why the name Dag or Dagg might amuse an Australian: “Originally a word meaning the dried faeces left dangling from the wool on a sheep’s rear end, the word dag is more commonly used in colloquial Australian English to refer to someone’s unfashionable, often eccentric or idiosyncratic style or demeanor togetherContinue reading “Henry Dagg’s Narrow Escape”
A Disorderly House, a Fire and a Murder.
The woman on the riverbank. On Friday 6 July 1883, a group of boys rowing up the Brisbane River noticed a person lying on the riverbank at North Quay. They pulled over to check, and discovered that it was a young woman, who had clearly been dead for several days. The lads went to fetchContinue reading “A Disorderly House, a Fire and a Murder.”
An Eventful Year for Roma – 1873
Roma was a young and thriving western town in 1873. It was surrounded by vast pastoral holdings – these were of great economic benefit to the region, but provided something of a mixed blessing when it came to power dynamics, politics and the law. January – Escapees, Floods, Oddfellows and the Gaol. A notorious escapeeContinue reading “An Eventful Year for Roma – 1873”
Dr Norman’s Address to the Jury
(A companion piece to “And who might you be, Sir?”) In April 1876, Samuel Norman (alias Abrahams, Hope, Martin and Hunter) was put on trial for larceny as a bailee at St. George. He had borrowed a horse from a Mr Payne, neglected to return it or pay for it, and then exchanged the horseContinue reading “Dr Norman’s Address to the Jury”
Moreton Bay and More 