Ipswich News: The Flying Pieman performed here yesterday the feats which he proposed performing at Brisbane, viz.: wheeling a barrow half a mile, running forward half a mile, running backward half a mile, walking one mile, picking up fifty stones one yard apart and placing them in a basket; as a gig could not beContinue reading “The Flying Pieman performs at Ipswich, 03 November 1848”
November 1, 1849 – the arrival of the Mount Stuart Elphinstone.
The Mountstuart Elphinstone arrived in Moreton Bay on 01 November 1849, with transported convicts and convict exiles on board. The local burghers went out to meet the ship, and selected the best (or least worst) of those on board to work on stations and in businesses about South East Queensland. The convicts were then disembarked,Continue reading “November 1, 1849 – the arrival of the Mount Stuart Elphinstone.”
“Silence that dreadful bell!”
During the trial of the cause of Beauchamp v. Waller and another, in the Banco court yesterday, May 17, a funeral knell sounded persistently from the adjacent tower of St. James’ Church, to the evident discomposure of the leading counsel for the plaintiff, who complained angrily of “that dreadful bell” to the Chief Justice. HisContinue reading ““Silence that dreadful bell!””
A Brief History of Bushranging in Queensland. Part 2.
Free Settlement to Separation to the Gold Rushes of the North. Bushranging – once the term used to describe escaped convicts – gradually came to mean armed robbery and a life spent on the roads, dodging the law. In the 1820s and 1830s in New South Wales and Tasmania, men like Jack Donohue “The WildContinue reading “A Brief History of Bushranging in Queensland. Part 2.”
A Brief History of Bushranging in Queensland. Part 1.
1824-1842 Moreton Bay Convict Settlement “Bushranging” was a term invented around 1805 to describe the actions of escaped convicts who took to the bush, often leading violent outlaw lives to secure food and avoid capture. Absconding became an attractive option in the penal settlements of Sydney (est. 1788) and Van Diemen’s Land (est. 1803). Food was scarce, rations wereContinue reading “A Brief History of Bushranging in Queensland. Part 1.”
Paper!! Tele!!
The Telegraph was first published on 01 October, 1872. Pay-PUH! Te-LE!! Unthinkable now, but not too long ago, small boys ranged about the city at twilight, yelling on street corners and dodging fearlessly in between vehicles to sell the evening paper, The Telegraph. Small children don’t work now, let alone run about the city unsupervisedContinue reading “Paper!! Tele!!”
The Great Greasy Escape – 30 September, 1865
ATTEMPT TO BREAK OUT OF TOOWOOMBA GAOL.- On Monday night last, George Johnson, who was confined on suspicion of stealing watches, managed, with grease he had saved during the previous few days, and some matches, to set fire to the cell in which he was confined. He placed the grease in the cavity in whichContinue reading “The Great Greasy Escape – 30 September, 1865”
Death of Dr Ballow – 29 September 1850
THE MORETON BAY COURIERSATURDAY, OCTOBER 5, 1850 WITH deep regret we record in this issue the death of Dr. Ballow, who expired at the Quarantine Station at about eleven o’clock on Sunday morning last, after a few days’ illness from typhus fever, which disorder he had contracted in the performance of his duty, as ActingContinue reading “Death of Dr Ballow – 29 September 1850”
Oxley’s settlement at Redcliffe, 24 September 1824.
I wrote about the beginnings of Moreton Bay at Redcliffe earlier this month. There have been explanations of the abrupt departure to Brisbane less than a year later – it was either sandflies, hostile indigenous people or lack of fresh water. My theory is the indigenous people of the area. It’s one thing to findContinue reading “Oxley’s settlement at Redcliffe, 24 September 1824.”
Podgy The Bushranger is sentenced- 25 September
This post was originally published on May 19. Troden was sentenced on 25 September. He was very lucky to avoid the gallows- his saving grace, if it may be called that, was that his victims were inconvenienced rather than harmed. At 4 pm on 30 July 1868, four men were on the road to theContinue reading “Podgy The Bushranger is sentenced- 25 September”
Moreton Bay and More 