Mary Maher might have been unfortunate, might have haunted the streets, but she was far from forlorn. Mary Maher had a decent job as a cook in Brisbane’s hotels in the 1910s. She liked a drink, and found herself increasingly unable to indulge in moderation. Sadly this cost her a number of jobs and residences,Continue reading “Psyche Goes to Gaol”
The Meaning of a Name
A pensive-looking young man sits for the photographer at Brisbane Gaol. It’s the 28th of October 1890, and the man, listed as W.T. Boyce, born 1867, has been convicted of horse stealing at Charters Towers. He will spend a year at Saint Helena Island. That’s enough to make anyone melancholy. The report of his convictionContinue reading “The Meaning of a Name”
The Archaeology of Old Brisbane Town
This is the first of an occasional series of posts highlighting Old Brisbane discoveries and observations made during excavations. The Commandant’s Cottage In 1986, construction workers at a site between George and William Streets discovered some of the sub-structure of the Moreton Bay Commandant’s Cottage. Although the building itself was long gone, the footprint wasContinue reading “The Archaeology of Old Brisbane Town”
A Desperate Breakout Attempt
Brisbane, 1853 In 1853, the Brisbane gaol was located at the old Convict Female Factory in Queen Street (where the Post Office is today). Those in charge of the settlement decided that perhaps it was not ideal to have the lady prisoners in such proximity to the gentleman prisoners, lest improprieties should arise, and theContinue reading “A Desperate Breakout Attempt”
The Shearers’ Strike in Images
In the early 1890s, a strike took place in the wool shearing industry that brought about the beginnings of the union movement in Australia. Important concessions were made by both sides before the strike collapsed. Shearing work in the 1860s and 1870s These photos, taken by itinerant photographers during the 1860s and 1870s, show theContinue reading “The Shearers’ Strike in Images”
Then and Now
Some places have hardly been touched by time. Others have changed beyond all recognition. Here are some then and now shots from throughout Queensland. Edison Lane, Brisbane 1888 “Hello, Office of Workplace Health and Safety? Yes, I’d like to report a series of breaches, please. There is a man without a safety harness, hi-vis orContinue reading “Then and Now”
Canine Supervision
Humans can’t be trusted to get things right. Every good project, worksite and swimming hole needs a dog to supervise. Sometimes a project required more than one good boy, sometimes much larger beasts waited politely for their doggy betters to give the go-ahead. Here are the good boys of Queensland in the 19th century.
The Roma Street Waterhole
“At the back of Rankin and Morrow’s Store, George Street, was large waterhole, a continuation of a chain of these running from the present Market reserve. The town was supplied with water for domestic purposes from this. There was no enclosure of any kind or any convenience of raising water. The waterman simply backed theirContinue reading “The Roma Street Waterhole”
A Good Talking-To.
Judges and Magistrates still have faith in the human spirit. They look at certain defendants, and see something that makes them believe that a kindly intervention early on might just change the defendant’s life. I’ve heard a Magistrate tell a weeping girl, terrified of her parents finding out about an offence, “They might be angryContinue reading “A Good Talking-To.”
Pioneer Life in the 1870s – the William Boag Photographs
In 1871, a photographer named William Boag arrived in the Colony of Queensland, and took his camera and portable darkroom on the road, exploring Brisbane and surrounds, then venturing south-west to Stanthorpe in 1872. Boag had previous experience in studio photography in Sydney, but it was out on the road, capturing people and places thatContinue reading “Pioneer Life in the 1870s – the William Boag Photographs”
Moreton Bay and More 