CHRISTMAS IN THE CONVICT ERA. Christmas 1828 occurred on a Thursday, and the indefatigable Peter Spicer did not record it in his diary (Return of Works Performed), however the entry for Friday 26 December 1828 records: Perhaps not feeling what little Christmas spirit was to be had in the settlement were the 131 patients inContinue reading “Christmas at Moreton Bay: from the Convict Era to Separation”
Tag Archives: Newspaper stories
A look back at bushranging from 1912.
Chronicles of Queensland in the early days: Some Early Bushrangers— Race Meeting on the Condamine— Knocking Down Big Cheques— A Hot Time— Sticking up the Mail— A Good Bit of Tracking — A Pigeon-toed Horse —Capture of the Criminals— Kirk and Grey— A “Green” Police Sergeant (BY “OLD CHUM”). No. 71 Many years ago, aContinue reading “A look back at bushranging from 1912.”
A Brief History of bushranging in Queensland. Part 3.
1865 – The year that everything changed. We cannot omit to notice a very happy result of the advantages likely to accrue from telegraphic communication, adverted to by a gentleman who charged himself with what may be deemed the representation of the moral and religious aspect of the question. This gentleman stated that he foresawContinue reading “A Brief History of bushranging in Queensland. Part 3.”
The Cranky Cobbler of Brisbane Town
James McAuliffe was a native of Carlow, Ireland. A compact 5 ft 3 ¼, he had brown hair, hazel eyes and a ruddy and freckled complexion. He was educated enough to read and write and was married with two sons and a daughter when, out of desperation or foolishness, he stole some clothing. Brought beforeContinue reading “The Cranky Cobbler of Brisbane Town”
Mr Baynes buys The Courier, 04 November, 1873
Today the oldest existent newspaper in Brisbane, together with the whole of the capital and interest therein, including the Queenslander, issued in connection therewith, and copyright, book-debts and stock, with the plant, stock and book-debts of the Courier General Printing Office, were offered for sale in one lot by Mr. Simon Fraser, this morning, byContinue reading “Mr Baynes buys The Courier, 04 November, 1873”
The Flying Pieman performs at Ipswich, 03 November 1848
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.”
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!!”
Moreton Bay and More 