“Mrs Soares has lately given birth to a boy but his palate is split into three and he has no roof to his mouth”. ¹

“She has no milk and the child is a most pitiable object”, continued Emily Wilson Hutchison in her letter of 7 March, 1860 from her home in Queanbeyan to her family in England. ²

All suffer

The child Emily wrote about, a baby boy named Alberto, was born on 5th October 1859 and died five months later on 14 March 1860 – this was the second young child, of Reverend Alberto Dias Soares and his wife Catherine Lane, to die. ³

“The baby was buried in Riverside Cemetery, Queanbeyan and a marble tombstone slab with a figure of an angel with raised wings in relief at the top, covered the grave with an inscription:

“Sacred to the, Memory of Albero Soares, Born 5 October 1859, Died 14 March 1860,

Suffer the little children, To come unto Me, and forbid Them not: for of such is the Kingdom of God”. ⁴

Twenty days later in another letter to her family Mrs Hutchison had added,

“Mrs Soares is at Sydney, and being alone the good man [Reverend Soares] has fretted himself ill.” ⁵

Ken Charlton

When Ken Charlton, architectural historian, and for 17 years the senior Conservation Officer at the Australian Heritage Commission in Canberra retired in 1966, he set himself the task of researching the life of Canon Alberto Dias Soares 1830-1909 ⁶ and researching the 25 surviving, mostly ecclesiastic, buildings that have been proven to be designed by Reverend Soares, but the detail of Soares son’s ‘pitiable’ death, which shows the darker uncontrollable side of Soares industrious life was not included. ⁷

Alberto’s background when coupled with his civil engineering training would later give him the necessary skills to become the most prominent architectural designer of churches in the Queanbeyan District at that time. ⁸

A bonus for Queanbeyan and displayed in a glass case inside Christ Church Queanbeyan, is Reverend Soares’ unique cardboard model of Christ Church c1858, which he designed and made prior to the construction of the stone Christ Church in 1859-1860 – the Spire added later in 1861. ⁹

Boloco out Dalgety way

Pamels Orr wrote, when she visited St James Church Boloco, which is out past Dalgety (NSW) in 1979,

“There is much warmth and affection in St James Boloco …. It reflects the great intensity of the spirit of its architect Canon Alberto Dias Soares”. ¹⁰

Born in London in 1830 to the merchant and Portuguese Consul Manoel Joachim Soares, Knight Commander of the Order of the Cross of Christ, and Camilla, daughter of Judge Thomas Lodington, Alberto Dias Soares’ creative artistic abilities were evident at Stoke Newington Mercantile and London University Schools. ¹¹

Creative artist

Sixteen-year-old Alberto continued to excel at Oporto, Portugal, while staying with his father’s sisters. He recorded in his 1847 journal that he had learnt Lithography and copper engraving as well as mastering the Portuguese language. ¹²

Alberto’s scientific and engineering studies at Putney College for Civil Engineers in London c1849 also showed his aptitude and interest in religion and religious architecture through his lifelong artistic talented legacy of watercolours and lithographs of the college and surrounds. ¹³

In 1850 Alberto studied advanced techniques in engraving and the French language in France, until his father contacted him by mail in 1852 about Alberto’s proposed ‘emigration to Australia’. ¹⁴

Steam P&O SS Formosa

Alberto Dias Soares travelled to  New South Wales in 1852 with his younger brother Gaulter (sic) on the ship P&O SS Formosa, which was the second and fastest steam passage made from London to Sydney (at that time) – their older brother Manoel was already settled in Sydney. ¹⁵

On his journey to Australia Alberto kept a journal of his impressions. He sketched churches, scenery, ships and buildings of interest at Santa Crus, St Helena and Cape Town, ¹⁶ where he showed his knowledge of the English architect of Gothic Revival, A.W.N. Pugin when he noted that there was a “charity school built in the Gothic style”. ¹⁷

Like many educated emigrants Alberto Soares first employment after arriving in Sydney was as tutor to the family of Mr Bossley for a £40 annual fee, but he also taught two other families in a voluntary capacity showing his charitable religious inclinations. ¹⁸

Alberto Town

A man of many talents, Alberto’s proposal to connect Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide by rail had a show of bravado with his proposed halfway town on the Murray River named Alberto Town, after himself, but this vision never eventuated. ¹⁹

Alberto Soares was also a wine merchant importer before he studied theology and entered the ministry of the Anglican Church. He served in the New South Wales country towns of Collector and Gunning before coming to the neighbouring town of Queanbeyan for a twenty year incumbency from 1857 to 1877. ²⁰

During his time in the Queanbeyan District Soares left his mark, in a spiritual sense in his position as Reverend Soares, ²¹ in an aesthetical sense as honorary architect for the Goulburn Dioceses, ²² and in a practical sense as engineer in designing and paying for the ‘Stepping Stones” so ordinary folk could cross the Queanbeyan River. ^{23 24}

END

Footnotes:

1. Emily Anne Hutchison, (ed) Errol Lea-Scarlet. The Dear Emily Letters 1853-1862, No 62, 7/3/1860.
2. Ibid
3. Queanbeyan Pioneer Cemeteries. Vol 2, Anglican Portion, Section 2, Vol Row T No. 27, p 171.
4. The Bible: King James Version: Mark chapter 10, verse 14.
5. Emily Anne Hutchison. Letter No. 63, dated 27 March, 1860.
6. Ken Charlton, Anglican Historical Society Journal – ‘Southern Spires’ No. 25 April 1998. p9.
7. Emily Anne Hutchison. Letter No. 62, dated 7 March, 1860.
8. Ken Charlton, Anglican Historical Society Journal – ‘Southern Spires’ No. 25 April 1998. p1.
9. (i) ibid p3; (ii) Location: Queanbeyan Christ Church, Rutledge St, Queanbeyan.
10. ibid p9.
11. ibid p1.
12. ibid p1.
13. ibid p1; p3.
14. ibid p1.
15. ibid p1; p2.
16. ibid p2,
17. ibid p8.
18. ibid p2.
19. ibid p2.
20. ibid p3.
21. ibid p3.
22. ibid p4.
23. The Golden Age, 17/10/1861.
24. Connee-Colleen. Queanbeyan Outlook with Connee-Colleen, Dark side. © 2008, The Queanbeyan Age, 31 October, 2008. [OL 164].

NB: (i) Go to top of page and CLICK on REFERENCE page for more details on footnotes, and (ii) CLICK on GLOSSARY for meanings of words.

Copyright:
All content on Before Canberra Copyright © Connee-Colleen unless otherwise noted - apologies extended if inadvertently a copyright has not been acknowledged - please inform so this can be rectified.

Hon. Sir Austin Chapman MP declared:

“… if any man were entitled to be known as the Father of Canberra, it was veteran Queanbeyan journalist John Gale.” ¹

Charles Studdy Daley OBE wrote:

“… John Gale lived to see his vision realized when he attended the opening of Parliament in Canberra in 1927, and was presented to Their Royal Highnesses, the Duke and Duchess of York … who would wish to dispute his right to be acknowledged as The Father of Canberra.” ²

Sir Austin Chapman told AK Murray, editor of the Federal Pioneer Magazine:

“… Canberra… Many are accredited wrongly with the initiation of the movement for its establishment; but they cannot deny the author … [John Gale] the title of ‘The Father of Canberra’. The late Sir Austin Chapman acknowledged that to me.” ³

Hon Sir John Forrest, Federal Minister and Western Australian Premier

“… The late Sir John Forrest, representing Western Australia in those days opposed the choice of Canberra; but when chosen he wrote and acknowledged that it was mainly Mr Gale’s famous pamphlet on ‘Dalgety or Canberra, Which?‘ a brochure published in 1907, and distributed to every member of the Commonwealth’s seven Parliaments, and amongst other prominent members of the communiy – that won the day for Canberra.” ⁴

AK Murray, editor of Canberra’s Federal Pioneer Magazine, wrote:

“… Mr Gale is, first, the oldest living journalist in the English-speaking world; and secondly, by his persistent advocacy of Canberra as a site for a Capital City, has earned the title of ‘The Father of Canberra’.” ⁵

John Gale’s ‘Naming of Canberra’ newspaper report 1913:

“… The writer [John Gale] who contributes this record of the historic proceedings of Wednesday last [12 March 1913] is in a position to speak from personal knowledge of most of the recommended sites, and from an extensive knowledge of the interior of the majority of the Australian States, has no hesitation in averring that Canberra stands unrivalled in respect to all the desiderata of a great nation’s Capital City. Fifty-eight years [1855] ago he rode for the first time over the Canberra Plains. Approaching from the western slopes of the Black Mountain, and ascending the very site of Wednesday’s ceremonies, he well remembers reining in his horse, and (as it now appears) in a spirit of prophecy, gazing eastwards and southwards over the widespread undulating plains, intersected by the meandering Molonglo River, and having as a distant background the bold mountain outlines in the direction of Braidwood and Cooma, with the spurs of the Australian Alps westwards, exclaiming, ‘a magnificent site this for a great city in the future.‘ Little did he [John Gale] reckon that in little more than half a century thence the very hill on which he uttered his soiloquy would be the spot where the commencement column of Federated Australia’s Capital City would be reared.” ⁶

John Gale’s Vision

In reference to the above, in 1855 John Gale (1831-1929) sat on his horse on Kurrajong Hill (now known as Capital Hill) and imagined an inland city on the empty Limstone Plains. This is now the site of Canberra, Australia’s capital city.

Kurrajong Hill or now known as Capital Hill is now the site of our newt Parliament House. ⁷

Gale not only wrote about his vision but continually told others, including the Labor Prime Minister Christian Watson, when he visited Canberra during the search for the Federal Capital site. ⁸

Reverend Kostakos: at the Memorial Dedication on 10 March 2001 said:

“The Father of Canberra Memorial commemorates John Gale and the Queanbeyan District community who lobbied for and helped build the City of Canberra”. ⁹

The Father of Canberra Memorial is located at the Queanbeyan Courthouse on the corner of Farrer Place /Lowe and Monaro Streets, Queanbeyan. ¹⁰

Melbourne based artist Peter Corlett who has created many of the spectacular Australian War Memorials, such as ‘Simpson & His Donkey’ and ‘Weary Dunlop’. The Father of Canberra, John Gale Memorial was commissioned by HAPI Heritage-culture Arts Promotions Inc - a charitable institution under the cultural sector. ¹¹

The Memorial was unveiled by the students, two girls and two boys, from our two High Schools: Karabar and  Queanbeyan High, as part of the HAPI Heritage-culture Arts Promotions Incorporated - Centenary of Federation Celebration (HAPI-COF)s.¹²

John Gale was born in England in 1831and  was the ACT Coroner when he died in 1929. ¹³

At his death John Gale was in his 99th year. ¹⁴

END

Footnotes:

1. (i) The Canberra Times 11/07/1964; (ii) Charles S Daley, As I Recall, p 13.
2. (i) The Canberra Times 11/07/1964; (ii) Charles S Daley, As I Recall, p 14.
3. John Gale, Canberra Its History and Legends - Forewords by A.K. Murray, Eastlake FCT 26 March, 1927. p x.
4. Ibid. Forewords by A.K. Murray, p x.
5. Ibid. Forewords by A.K. Murray, p xi.
6. John Gale, journalist: Article on the ‘Naming of Canberra’, 13 March 1913, The Queanbeyan Age, 15 March, 1913.
7. (i) There are many newspaper references of this fact, dating from the 1800s, which need to be documented; (ii) Gale also mentions it in a Part One of his book, Canberra It’s History and Legends - ‘Canberra: First Acquaintance with Canberra‘, 1927. p 5.
8. Watson’s reference to Gale is quoted in a newspaper, that needs to be referenced again (sorry).
9. (i) Reverend Konstantinos Kostakos is the Parish Priest at St Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church, Queanbeyan and Chairman of the HAPI Board & City of Sculpture Committee. (ii) Records of HAPI City of Sculpture Project, PO Box 987, Queanbeyan, 2620.
10. The John Gale Father of Canberra Memorial sculpture is located on the Queanbeyan Courthouse site, corner of Farrer Place /Monaro and Lowe Streets, Queanbeyan, 2620.
11. (i) Sculptor Peter Corlett has created many sculptures around Australia including ‘Pharlap’ in Melbourne. (ii) The Australian War Memorial sculptures  ‘Simpson & His Donkey’ and ‘Weary Dunlop’ (located outside the front of the War Memorial, in the grounds and can be viewed at any time. (iii) The ‘Father of Canberra’ bronze was cast at Meridian Foundry, Melbourne; (iv) HAPI Records: HAPI Heritage-culture Arts Promotions Inc., PO Box 987, Queanbeyan, 2620.
12. Names of Students to come, sorry.
13. Connee-Colleen. John Gale CV ©1996.
14. (i) Susan Mary Woolcock Withycombe. Gale Force – John Gale and the siting of the National Capital. 2001; (ii) The Queanbeyan Age: John Gale, obituary. (iii) John Gale died, 15 July 1929.

Copyright:
All content on Before Canberra Copyright © Connee-Colleen unless otherwise noted - apologies extended if inadvertently a copyright has not been acknowledged - please inform so this can be rectified.

Queen Nellie Hamilton was an honoured guest at the Tharwa Bridge opening in March 1895.

The official photo of the Tharwa Bridge Opening, shows what a “grand” occasion this was and the importance of Queen Nellie Hamilton to the community and within the community, at that time:

‘ … after a photograph was taken of the group of distinguished persons present, among whom was Nellie the Aboriginal Queen, the military formed a background …’ ¹

Royal occassion

The local Queanbeyan newspaper reported:

‘It was a grand day, the grandest since the opening of the Queen’s Bridge nearly forty years before and a public holiday for the district as well. … Fifteen hundred dusty sightseers gathered to see a procession of carriages and horsemen follow the Queanbeyan Band and Mounted Rifle Contingent beneath a sign proclaiming “Welcome” across the bridge. ²

“Before the public crossed the bridge following its opening, it was reported that Queen Nellie Hamilton, resplendent in her new silk gown acquired for the occasion, shook hands with all the children who had been lined up as part of the procession.

“Miss Kate Gallagher, of Erindale, Tuggeranong,  who was one of the children present at the ceremony, when referring to Queen Nellie in later years said, “I have never forgotten the velvety softness of her loverly hands.” ³

The ceremonial crossing of the bridge was followed by exciting entertainment a picnic, a baby show, a cricket game, a tent pegging display by the men of the Mounted Rifles and a dance at night. ⁴

Ngunnawal Nellie in Silk

Queanbeyan had acknowledged Nellie as Queen in 1888 during the bicentenary year when she was presented with a brass “Queen” plate by Mayor of Queanbeyan John Bull and her importance to the community was again acknowledged at the opening of the Tharwa Bridge. ⁵

Two years after Queen Nellie attended the opening of the Tharwa Bridge she died in the Queanbeyan District Hospital and was buried in the consecrated portion of the Catholic Riverside Cemetery because she was baptized a Catholic. ⁶

The Tharwa Bridge has survived to cross three centuries from 1895 to 2008 and provides links to Aboriginal occupation, the white invasion, the horse and buggy era and the industrial and human explosion that now threatens all of us through climate change. ⁷

Tharwa Submits 2006

The 111 year-old Tharwa Bridge was not built to withstand the demands of a capitalist, industrial, expanding society.

Speed, heavy transport and increased use pounded the old bridge into submission in 2006.

Although the ACT Government placed restrictions on the use of the bridge, and temporary repairs were made in 2006 to strengthen and prolong its life, the long detour for heavy vehicles was not always complied with. ⁸

The closure of the timber bridge in September 2006 and the announcement that a new cement bridge will be built close by within 18 months for vehicle traffic may be good news if it indicates that historic Tharwa Bridge will be preserved for pedestrian and bicycle use. ⁹

Superior Australian woods

Percy Allan (1861-1930) became chief draftsman in 1882 in the NSW Department of Public Works and was known world wide as originator of the “Allan truss” using the superior strength of Australian woods. ¹⁰

Australian grey ironbark trees are stronger than English Oak.

The four main spans of the Tharwa Bridge are supported by timber-trusses of the Allan type, which were used for the first time in the Tharwa Bridge. ¹¹

The original timber piers and end spans were replaced by concrete in 1936 and 1945. ¹²

Other work was minor, but included the addition of outriggers (1958 and 1965) altered and extended truss splices and longitudinal running timbers. ¹³

National Significance

A twelve span timber, steel and reinforced concrete bridge of 181m overall length the Tharwa Bridge retains its integrity and is listed on the Register of the National Estate (1983) because of its significance in Australian engineering design. ¹⁴

Major restoration work required for the Allan Truss spans will take three years to complete. ¹⁵

In Queanbeyan O’Sullivan built two bridges over the Queanbeyan River - the 1900 (second) Queen’s Bridge and the 1901 Suspension Bridge. ¹⁶

The flood of 1925 swept away the Queanbeyan pedestrian (suspension) timber bridge opened in 1901 - the replacement suspension bridge (concrete, timber and iron was built during the depression in 1938 and is now heritage listed. ¹⁷

Builder of Bridges

In 1895 O’Sullivan believed the new Tharwa Bridge would open the way for tourism across the Murrumbidgee. ¹⁸

Tourism might now become a reality with the bridge the main tourist attraction like Sydney’s historic Pymont Bridge which is now restricted for pedestrian and bicycle use and was also designed by Percy Allan. ¹⁹

When the Tharwa Bridge was opened in March 1895 the member for Queanbeyan Edward William O’Sullivan MP (1849-1910) said the district would never want for bridges whilst he was member for the area. ²⁰

O’Sullivan served for 19 years in Queanbeyan and was known as the “builder of bridges” because he built 16 bridges in the Queanbeyan District whilst NSW Minister for Works. ^{21 22}

END

Footnotes:

FOOTNOTES

UNDER CONSTRUCTION

PLEASE COME BACK AGAIN

1. Cross, Rex, L. Bygone Queanbeyan - Revised Edition. 1985.
2. The Queanbeyan Observer & Mining Record, 1895.
3. Lea-Scarlett, Errol. Queanbeyan District and People. 1968.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22. Connee-Colleen. Queanbeyan Outlook with Connee-Colleen, Tharwa Bridge Submits © 2006. The Queanbeyan Age, 27 October, 2006. p 17. [OL.63].

Copyright:
All content on Before Canberra Copyright © Connee-Colleen unless otherwise noted - apologies extended if inadvertently a copyright has not been acknowledged - please inform so this can be rectified.

When expatriate and political activist and artistic satirist Caroline Ambrus dipped out of Queanbeyan and sought new pastures across the border, she thought she would get a better deal in community justice and consultation. ¹

Instead of retiring on a political holiday away from the action she has spent the past six years on investigative journalism resulting in her recent addition to the art-political scene - a book aptly named “Capital Tyranny – Governance Gone Wrong”, ²

Mayoral slug

This book is set to stir the cockles of the politician’s hearts and give the community an insight into what is really happening in Australia’s economically driven land sale society.

With Queanbeyan City Council elections tomorrow, Saturday 13 September, 2008 and all ten councillor positions up for grabs, including the Mayoral position ³ the results should prove more interesting now that long entrenched Queanbeyan Mayor Frank Pangallo is retiring.

Frank Pangallo is moving to newer political pastures and standing for the seat of Molonglo in the ACT. ⁴

Queanbeyan will see some new faces and hopefully a change in the mental outlook although Ambrus is not entirely hopeful on that account when she writes her comment on the abolishment of the “ACT Planning and Land Council”,

“… But government is very careful of examining or criticising its own actions. … Now there is little to stop a planning minister from pushing through developments that will see our beautiful city turned into a replica of Queanbeyan. Botched planning is a mayoral tradition, after all.” ⁵

Iridescent

Not exactly a glowing reference for former Mayors of Queanbeyan or for the community of Queanbeyan in general and indicates that Queanbeyan may in fact be the leader, although with the economic driven society we live in where investigative journalism (or the lack of it) is now in the spotlight, artists with a political punch, someone like Ambrus, has a necessary role to keep the checks and balances in the public eye and make sure probity does not go out with the “baby and the bathwater”. ⁶

It is after all the prospect of a political backlash and the loss of power that is the driving force that provides and controls political honesty and accountability.

A member of the recently formed ACT “Community Alliance Party” ⁷ Caroline Ambrus says that she is just another bum on the seat but this well documented and easy to read ($15) book that gives an insight into the erosion of political-community justice, as the economic process takes the front row and community consultation is sidelined to the bleachers, could be the forerunner to a community backlash.

Ambrus’ book hand feeds us details on larger controversial decisions which impact on Queanbeyan like the massive ‘Epicentre’ ⁸ retail outlet at Fyshwick due to open soon and the proposed 210 Megawatt gas turbine generator power station consisting of nine units and 18 chimney stacks plus a business park comprising 13 data centres and offices at Block 1671 Section, Mugga Lane, Tuggeranong. ⁹

Jerrabomberra’s view

These details are an eye opener to our ACT neighbour’s attitude towards Queanbeyan’s existence in its scheme of things. ¹⁰

Ambrus writes that research has indicated that the so called “clean” gas-fired power station with ‘near zero’ emissions, “could amount to an additional 700 medium-sized cars, running at full-throttle, 24 hours a day. ¹¹

This increases the environmental footprint emitting at least 187,000 tons of carbon greenhouse gases yearly. The process produces Nitrogen Dioxide, as well as other pollutants which can affect the health of susceptible individuals … and compound Tuggeranong’s fog problems.” ¹²

“The Actew AGL report indicates that the cooling towers will contribute 435ML per year of steam which may also exacerbate the fog, by coagulating with exhaust particles and draping over Jerrabomberra and the flight path thus affecting air traffic,” writes Ambrus. ¹³

Smoke & Mirrors

Whilst Caroline Ambrus admits the book documents problems associated with the “victimisation of friends” including former defacto partner John Fleischinger’s property and problems with ACTPLA, ¹⁴ she says these are not isolated incidents but part of the widespread unaccountable decision making process where the result is “short on detail and long on spin”. ¹⁵

Of interest to Queanbeyan this book lets us know what challenges lie (sic) across the border. ¹⁶

A long time coming the release of this book is timely as the Canberra community faces its own elections under the Hare-Clark system ¹⁷ in October this year.

END

Footnotes:

1. Connee-Colleen. Queanbeyan Outlook with Connee-Colleen, Mayoral slug © 2008, The Queanbeyan Age, 12 September, 2008. p 28. [OL.157].
2. Caroline Ambrus. Capital Tyranny - Governance Gone Wrong. © 2008. Further information on Caroline Ambrus: see web page. <www.irrepressible.com.au>
3. City News, Queanbeyan Edition, September 4-10, 2008. p 5. Administration: <www.citynews.com.au>
4. Ibid. pp 7, 8, 11.
5. Caroline Ambrus, 2008. p 30.
6. Ibid. p 79.
7. “The Community Alliance Party (ACT) applied and changed its name from the abbreviated name CAP (Community Alliance Party (ACT)) - from CAP to Community Alliance” 22 July, 2008. A copy of the application and the constitution of the party is available for public inspection at the office of the ACT Electoral Commissioner between 9.00am and 5.00pm on business days.
8. Caroline Ambrus, 2008. pp 19-24.
9. Ibid. p 93.
10. Jerrabomberra complained about the close border proximity of the ACT gaol.
11. Caroline Ambrus, 2008. p 94.
12. Ibid. p 94.
13. Ibid. 94.
14. Ibid. pp 51, 61.
15. Ibid. p 30.
16. Queanbeyan City Council already has implemented some of the consultations changes, short cuts etc. like those documented throughout the book which disadvantage the community and due process.
17. (i) The ACT Government electoral system was set up under the Hare-Clark system so there would NOT be a majority government but a majority Labor government has existed in the ACT for the past 6 years.
(ii) The Hare-Clark electoral voting system was named after the English lawyer, Sir Thomas Hare, who developed a proportional representation system in 1859, and Andrew Inglis Clark, who was the Tasmanian Attorney General between 1887 and 1892 and again from 1894 to 1897.
(iii) Clark modified Hare’s system and was responsible for its introduction in Tasmania. It was first used in Tasmania in 1897. It is still used in Tasmania today, to elect the Tasmanian House of Assembly. This information from: <www.electors.act.gov.au/education/factHC.html>

Copyright:
All content on Before Canberra Copyright © Connee-Colleen unless otherwise noted - apologies extended if inadvertently a copyright has not been acknowledged - please inform so this can be rectified.

Indian Jugglers were performing at ‘The Harp of Erin Inn’ located in Macquoid Street, Queanbeyan, when one of their juggling team went missing in November 1861. ¹

The missing Indian Juggler was about 40 years old and it was believed that he had been “murdered … shortly after giving a juggling performance”. ²

A body was found at White’s Saw-pit Gully, on 14 January, 1863 although it was never identified it was presumed to be the missing Juggler. ³

Not the Juggler’s bones

Even though the Queanbeyan Riverside Cemetery was used for burials from 1846 it was consecrated ground and heathens were not accepted for burial, and as the murdered Juggler was presumed to be an “unfortunate heathen” his burial place is thought to have been in the paddock next to the first Emsall Inn, (now known as the Oaks House located in Oaks Estate) on 8 April 1863) as “no other spot could be described” [as the] “Queanbeyan Old Burial Ground“.⁴

On 21 April 1991 a report which caused some consternation in Queanbeyan that a skeleton had been unearthed by a back-how operator digging a storm-water trench in the drive way of 9 Florence Street, Oaks Estate, ⁵ might be the missing juggler.

The discovery of the skeleton was also claimed as proof that the Florence Street area was indeed the Old Oaks Burial Ground, especially when an “anthropologist from the Australian National University confirmed the bones to be 150 years old”. ⁶

Take away 150 years from 1991 puts the date of the skeletons burial as c1841, which is 22 years earlier than the Juggler death, but still during the time of the operation of the first Emsall Inn before it’s license was transferred and it moved to new premises in Trinculo Place, Queanbeyan in 1842. ⁷

Whilst the body could prove to be the location of the ‘Oaks Burial Ground’ the body could also have been buried separately and have nothing to do with the Old Oaks Burial Ground because during that period death found a ready home in a hole anywhere that was convenient and we may never know for sure if this spot was the exact location of the Oaks Burial Ground but it was certainly somewhere close to it.⁸

Anti-transportation

In the five years between 1841 and 1846 Queanbeyan experience a growth rate of 188.9% from 72 people to 208 showing that then and now Queanbeyan was and is one of the fastest growing towns in NSW. ⁹

Queanbeyan’s opposition to transportation was led by Charles Campbell, of Duntroon at meetings held in Queanbeyan in 1847 and 1850 yet even during this period  the town increased from 208 to 372 ¹⁰ and although less convicts were transported an increase in migration, like the Jugglers, more than made up the difference.

During the same period Joseph Jones leased The Dog and Stile Inn in Macquoid Street from Thomas Booth, who travelled to England in 1847. ¹¹

In 1849-50 Jones, a member of the Oddfellows Lodge, built The Harp of Erin Inn, commonly know as The Harp, next door to The Dog & Stile on the corner of Trinculo Place and it was there that Charles Campbell organised the Queanbeyan 1850 anti transportation meeting. ¹²

People’s palace

To understand why the Harp was the most popular Inn in Macquoid Street during the 1850s, ¹³ until the new Courthouse and Oddfellows Hall were built in the early 1860s it is necessary to look at the Harp’s design. ¹⁴

For obvious reasons The Harp’s main room was called the “long room” as it stretched 56 feet in length on the Macquoid Street frontage. ¹⁵

Along the long room’s 56 feet length six French windows (double doors) opened onto Macquoid Street and inside the long room six doors opened into six guest rooms. ¹⁶

The long room was ideal for entertainment and social gatherings because of its large size but could also be used for smaller meetings as there were three tall thick cedar folding doors that could be used to subdivided the long room into three smaller meeting rooms. ¹⁷

Ye Old Kent House

The competition expected from William Hunt’s new building Ye Old Kent House 1849-50, on the opposite corner (now known over time as the Kent Hotel alias The Union Club Hotel) didn’t eventuate as Hunt failed to get a license so the Harp stayed the popular social watering hole and Hunt’s became the temporary Courthouse during the 1850s. ¹⁸

The Harp’s bar was operated from a small room separate from the long room. ¹⁹

In the 1850s The Harp became the home for the Oddfellows Lodge but was not immune from politics and sport as the first Queanbeyan Race meeting was organised there and William Forster gave speeches at The Harp, which returned him as the first member of Parliament under responsible government. ²⁰

Entertainment and instructional classes at The Harp included Madame & Herr Glogoski’s Dancing School and Quadrille Assembly and a performance by Madame Hartwell’s Negro Minstrells. ²¹

Moran’s Coach

It was not the Cobb and Co. Coach line that operated from The Harp but James O’Neill and Thomas Moran formed a partnership that operated a coach from The Harp to the Lanyon property – the 12 shillings return fare seems excessive for those times. ²²

The coaches left for Lanyon at 3pm and departed on the return trip at 7am the next day suggesting that people or school children travelled from Lanyon to Queanbeyan and returned home in the afternoon or perhaps goods and mail were delivered to and from Lanyon. ²³

Joseph Jones held the license for three years and then transferred it to John Breen – when Breen died in 1856 his wife continued until she surrendered the license in 1865. ²⁴

Samuel Walker, grandfather of the famous Queanbeyan Public School teacher May Walker came to Queanbeyan in 1861 to open his Braidwood Store. ²⁵

In August 1866 Walker moved his Braidwood Store to The Harp and ran a store there until 1879 but the Walker family descendant’s had Harp connections, in some form or other until the Harp was demolished c1969. ²⁶

END

Footnotes:

1. (i) Connee-Colleen. Queanbeyan Outlook with Connee-Colleen “Harp Chords” © 2008. The Queanbeyan Age, 5th September, 2008, p 26. [OL.156]. (ii) Queanbeyan Pioneer Cemeteries. Queanbeyan City Council, 1984.Vol.1 p.7.
2. Queanbeyan Pioneer Cemeteries. Vol.1 p.7.
3. Ibid p.7
4. Ibid p.4
5. Australian Cemeteries Barry Stephenson <http://www.ozgenonline.com/aust_cemeteries/act/theoaks.htm>
6. Ibid
7. Rex Cross, Bygone Queanbeyan - Revised edition. p.31
8. Queanbeyan Pioneer Cemeteries, Vol.1 p.4.
9. (i) Errol Lea-Scarlett. Queanbeyan District & People. p.36. (ii) Queanbeyan Information Centre.
10.Queanbeyan District & People. p.36.
11.Ibid.
12.Ibid.
13.Bygone Queanbeyan - Revised edition. p.58.
14.Queanbeyan District & People. pp.120-121.
15.Ibid p. 120
16. Ibid.
17. Ibid p. 121
18.Bygone Queanbeyan - Revised edition. p.58.
19. Queanbeyan District & People. p.120.
20. Bygone Queanbeyan - Revised edition. p.58.
21. Ibid.
22.Ibid.
23. Ibid.
24. Ibid.
25. Bygone Queanbeyan - Revised edition. p.58; 264-285.
26. Ibid.

Copyright:
All content on “Before Canberra” Copyright © Connee-Colleen unless otherwise noted; Apologies extended if inadvertently a copyright has not been acknowledged please inform me so this can be rectified.

Places of worship were and still are art works in themselves, created as edifices to deity as examples of the faith, creativity and unusual work ethic and patronage that achieved the final result.

In some of the oldest places of worship in the world, the workers and perhaps some unbelievers painted and carved and decorated the timber and stone detail with their own perception of reality and imagination that included the strange and grotesque. ¹

If not on the outside, religion has always been an opportunity for people to place something creative of themselves inside the buildings and the area the congregation faces is sometimes a feature wall, decorated with sculpture, paintings or stained glass windows – Queanbeyan’s Uniting Church, opened in 1994, is no exception. ²

In Disguise

The modern Uniting Church and the beautiful Mosaic wall mural inside were created by Bryan Dowling and if there was only one Bryan Dowling in Canberra  then it is the same architect who died a few years back during the construction of the five story Waterford Apartments. ³

The Uniting Church site is special because it is right in the centre of town and also houses the initial tiny old Methodist church built in 1860, and the extensions that followed, which are still used for worship each Sunday by the Samoan congregation. ⁴

Private detective

It often takes someone else to initiate a spoken question, to which an answer has never been sought even though the question has silently lurked in the deep recesses of the mind over a long time.

And so it was that at the Hospital AGM held at the Uniting Church a couple of weeks ago that holder of the Queanbeyan Hospital-history collection, Nancy Monk, asked what the mural behind the alter was made of. ⁵

From a distance the mural ‘feels’ like it could be tapestry and this is partly because of the colour and design, which merges, especially if your getting old and squinting your eyes to see more clearly and partly because of the unusual shapes and large size of portions of the mural, which don’t look like regular bathroom tiles but which a ‘real feel’ proves are tiles, but not destined for the bathroom. ⁶

“Curiouser and curiouser,” (sic) and like Alice in Wonderland a mini investigation ensured. ⁷

It was at a general meeting of the Uniting Church congregation that a decision to proceed with a new building was made and the concept to include a feature that not only implied “this is a church”, but said, “this is a Church in Queanbeyan” was also agreed to. ⁸

Inspired view

The congregation talked long and hard about the special and uniqueness of Queanbeyan until Merran Toone, inspired by the view from her kitchen window said, “the hills frame our community on all sides” – everyone felt the same and wondered if a mosaic could be made from a photo. ⁹

After a computer outline of the photo the architect Bryan Dowling’s task was to develop the design detail and he chose colours that were stronger than the more muted tone that was expected. ¹⁰

Tiles were sourced from Melbourne for the project. ¹¹

Photo  from Bungendore Hill taken in 1993 looking South West across Queanbeyan over the top of Jerrabomberra Mountain to the ranges beyond, is displayed in the Uniting Church foyer and is worth a peak as the view, which inspired the mural, is now hidden by natural and man made growth. ¹²

Many photos were taken and considered and Geoff McCubbin’s photo got the nod. ¹³

Mark or Luke?

Master tilers Terry Short and Craig Fitzsimons’ workmanship made this magnificent, modern, multi-layered mosaic, mural, a design reality that meshes all elements of the project together. ¹⁴

A natural wooden cross extends out and hovers just above the layer of tiles marking the town and extends up into the layer’s of tiles depicting the mountains. ¹⁵

Five scriptures from the Bible: Psalm 121, Luke 6:12, Luke 19:41, Mark 16:6 and Isaiah 40:3 were selected to interpret the mosaic and another scripture added by the most recent and present Pastor, Reverend Kevin Dilks, Isaiah 52:9 encapsulates some of humanities most sublime desires which cross all boundaries:

“How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation”. ¹⁶

Amen to that.

END

Footnotes:

1. Most art books on Gothic Cathedrals show samples of this art work.
2. (i) Uniting Church. Queanbeyan Uniting Church Opening Program - Meditation on the Mosaic. Queanbeyan Uniting Church, (Self Published) 26 March, 1994. (ii) The Queanbeyan Age, Uniting Church opening, 1994.
3. Connee-Colleen. Queanbeyan Outlook with Connee-Colleen, Magnificent Mosaic © 2008, The Queanbeyan Age, 22 August, 2008, p 25. [OL.154]. (Bryan Dowling was the architect for Queanbeyan’s Waterford Apartments on the corner of Atkinson and Waniassa Streets, Queanbeyan).
4. McCubbin, Geoff. Queanbeyan Uniting Church - A brief history. Corner of Crawford and Rutledge Streets Queanbeyan. c1994.
5. The modern Uniting Church is a multi-use facility and can be hired for some activities.
6. Size of Mural … x … .
7. Lewis Carroll. Alice in Wonderland. Biddlington, Priory Books. p 8.
8. Connee-Colleen. Interview: Geoff McCubbin’s recollections of the project. 2008.t. 2008.
9. Ibid.
10. Ibid.
11. Ibid.
12. Ibid
13. Geoff McCubbin’s framed photo is on the wall in the foyer of the Uniting Church.
14. Connee-Colleen. Interview: Geoff McCubbin’s recollections of the project. 2008.
15. Ibid.
16. Ibid.

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Who will be the new Queanbeyan Mayor?

Anyone can have a go now that votary, Councillor and Mayor, Frank Pangallo has announced he will step down and move across the border into Canberra, ACT to further his political career

Who will have the numbers to take over and make over Queanbeyan City Council after 13 September, 2008 depends on how the people vote in the elections on election day and is purely hypothetical at present. ¹

Walking and stalking

A votary can be a fervently devoted leader, or any passionate person fervently devoted to a religion, activity or ideal. ²

You don’t have to be a votary to nominate or participate in elections but there are votaries out there pulling at the leash, who hope to increase their power base and take control of Council.

As Terpischore’s were aptly named after Terpischore, the Greek muse for dancing and choral singing, it is clear that after the polls close on 13 September 2008, and the vote is counted, some people will be terpischore votaries, a dancing and a singing  and others will be down on their luck, a cursing as a new Mayor walks and stalks the stage of Queanbeyan City. ³

Terpsichore votaries have existed in Queanbeyan District since its early days when Stewart Mowle and Captain Faunce and their wives travelled long distances to dance till dawn in private homes on the large sheep stations. ⁴

Horseless carriage

In Queanbeyan in the late 1800s some of the locals were toting the title “Terpischore Votaries”. ⁵

In August 1914 a lady calling herself ‘Terpischore’, wrote a very unflattering letter to the editor of The Queanbeyan Age about the new generation of men, “It is some years now since I graced the sanctuary of Terpischore and in place of the moustached men who were the devotees of the goddess (herself) in my time, I found a lot of anaemic-looking youths built on clothes prop-like under frames and wearing the vacant expression of a homeless cow.” ⁶

“Their gyrations”, the letter continued, “were of a startling order … the main object of the male end of the puzzle seems to adopt a crouching attitude, as far removed from the graceful carriage as could be … you are lead out into the centre of the room, where the animated dress suit slopes its left shoulder to a ridiculous angle, and extends your arm stiffly towards the floor. ⁷

Back and Forth

“Then you experience a further sense of animation, and after a preparatory shuffle or two, you are off, you are prepared to swear that it is a waltz that is being played, but the energized shirt front seemingly hasn’t any idea of time, and you find yourself whirled first in one direction and then in another, until the room assumes the appearance of a futurist painting, and the fleeting glance you catch of a black object may be an eyebrow … or your partner’s spindly legs. ⁸

“When the next tango-cum-waltz-alberts-cum-polker comes you plead indisposition and watch the evolutions of a couple of score of young gentlemen against which a rag of a girl hangs – I don’t know what has become of the past generation of men”. ⁹

The Queanbeyan Observer reported that the 1894 New Years Eve ball organized by the United Friendly Societies Demonstration, made use of the Protestant Hall in Crawford Street for dancing, because of its splendid floor and used the Oddfellows Hall in Monaro Street, to provide additional room where supper could be laid out in abundance. ¹⁰

The use of two halls for the ball required a short walk between them but allowed for the relaxed indulgence of both dancing and eating to continue until dawn.

Seeing the Light

The Protestant Hall was nicely decorated with flags and banners with Messrs M Quigley and John Thompson officiating as MC’s and excellent music supplied by Messrs W O’Neill on piano and R Winter on viola. ¹¹

Dancing started at 9 o’clock and was kept up with much vigour till midnight when an adjournment was made to take the short walk to the Oddfellows Hall where the “tables were fairly groaning under the good things provided, and from what we heard and saw ourselves we have no hesitation in saying that a better spread was never provided,  for any ball held in Queanbeyan, and reflected great credit on Mrs Joseph Thompson and her assistants. ¹²

After supper, a short walk back to the Protestant Hall allowed dancing to resume until 3 am when another short walk to the Oddfellows Hall allowed for more consumption of the ladies culinary delights, followed by another brisk walk back to the Protestant Hall where dancing again resumed. ¹³

The first rays of sunlight saw the merry-makers finally dispersed, all seemingly satisfied and confirmed Terpischore Votaries. ¹⁴

END

Footnotes:

1. Connee-Colleen. Queanbeyan Outlook with Connee-Colleen “Votaries” © 2008. The Queanbeyan Age, 15th August, 2008, p 30. [OL.153]
2. Dictionary.
3. Ibid.
4. Gwendoline Wilson. Murray of Yarralumla, 2001. pp 196-97; pp 202; 212.
5. The Queanbeyan Observer & Mining Record, 4 January, 1895.
6. The Queanbeyan Age - Present Day Dancing, 25 August, 1914.
7. Ibid.
8. Ibid.
9. Ibid.
10. The Queanbeyan Observer & Mining Record, 4 January, 1895.
11. Ibid.
12. Ibid.
13. Ibid.
14. Ibid.

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All content on Before Canberra Copyright © Connee-Colleen unless otherwise noted - apologies extended if inadvertently a copyright has not been acknowledged - please inform so this can be rectified.

The two most popular Aboriginal meanings ¹ for our town Queanbeyan are ‘clear water’ and ‘beautiful woman’ ² but the pronunciation of Queanbeyan using the recorded phonic spelling made by white people during the early contact period, make the Aboriginal pronunciation less clear.

Cu-Um-bean is the phonetic spelling used by Stewart Mowle for ‘Queanbeyan’ and has credibility because of Mowle’s linguist skills in many Aboriginal languages and his long 70 years of close association with local Aboriginal people from 1838 when he was just 16 years of age until 1908 when he died aged 86 years. ³

Phonetic pronunciation

Research suggests it is wrong to emphasise  ‘Queen’ at the beginning of Queanbeyan and the emphasis of “Ann” or “Yann” on the end of Queanbeyan also appears to be wrong when comparing the various phonetic spelling made in early white occupation.

One sound that is probably correct is the ‘be’ sound in the middle of Queanbeyan because the “be” sound exists in all researched variations of recorded phonetic spelling made during early white occupation in the 1800s.

It would appear that someone in officialdom in Sydney standardized the spelling of our town as ‘Queanbeyan’ when it was gazetted on 28 September, 1838. ⁴

Five days later on October 3, 1838 it was officially proclaimed the village of Queanbeyan. ⁵

Perhaps it was the difficulty that different white people had in hearing and interpreting the Aboriginal pronunciation as a written language that resulted in the many variations of spelling, which suggests confusion about the original Aboriginal pronunciation and how to recorded it phonetically.

Cu-Um-bean

Stewart Mowle (1822-1908) spelt Queanbeyan as Cu-Um-bean in his letter to the Editor of The Queanbeyan Age in 1905. ⁶

Through contact with local Aboriginal people from different Aboriginal Countries in this region, after his arrival in 1838 until his death in 1908, Stewart Mowle became an Aboriginal speaker and Aboriginal singer in many different Aboriginal languages ⁷

Because of this long association with the Aboriginal people, during his 70 years of contact, the authenticity of Stewart Mowle’s pronunciation and spelling of Queanbeyan as Cu-Um-bean has merit. ⁸

Stewart Mowle was educated in England and traveled to Sydney in 1836 with his Uncle when he was only 13 years old. ⁹

Yarralumla

Terence Aubrey Murray was so impressed when he met young Stewart Mowle in Sydney that he asked him to accompany him to see his Yarralumla Station on the Limestone Plains (now Canberra). ¹⁰

In June, 1838 they arrived at Yarralumla and the sixteen year old Stewart Mowle agreed to manage Murray’s Yarralumla property for him.¹¹

Stewart Mowle’s main friend at Yarralumla was a young Aboriginal boy Tommy, the son of a local “Chief”, who stayed with him to keep him company. ¹²

Young Tommy slept on a rug near Stewart’s bed. ¹³

Yarralumla is now the Governor General’s residence in Canberra, ACT. ¹⁴

Quinbean or Quinbeam

Sir Thomas Mitchell (1792 -1855)  Surveyor-general of New South Wales.

Mitchell was one of Australia’s early, east-coast explorers who liked to use local Aboriginal place names.

Mitchell used two variations of spelling to indicate the pronunciation of the local Aboriginal area: ‘Quinbean’ or ‘Quinbeam’. ¹⁵

The name ‘Quinbean’ was used as the name for the location of Timothy Beard’s illegal property based at the junction of the Queanbeyan and Molonglo Rivers, which is just below the present town of Queanbeyan. Beard did not have a title or grant for the land.

Beard, a former convict was an illegal squatter, which was not unusual, at Queanbeyan prior to 1828 and is listed in the 1828 census with three assigned convicts. ¹⁶

Quinbeane

In September 1832, John Palmer, the owner of Jerrabomberra enlarged his property by adding an ‘adjoining 640 acres at a place called Quinbeane’. (Information from the NSW Government Gazette, 1832).

John Palmer applied from his home near Parramatta and may not have visited the site and may have obtained the spelling of ‘Quinbeane’ from a government report.

John Palmer died in 1833. ¹⁷

Quinbien

The scientist Doctor John Lhotsky, came to Australia in 1832. Lhotsky was born in Lwow (formerly part of Poland) and is generally referred to as a Pole or German naturalist.

Lhotsky visited extensively in this area in 1834.

Lhotsky studied gramma and wrote his pronunciation and spelling for the local area as ‘Quinbien’ in the vocabulary list he made with young Aboriginal youths during a visit to the ‘Menero Downs’ in 1834. ¹⁸

Queenbeenn

Rex Cross wrote in his book, Bygone Queanbeyan, that the town of Queanbeyan was spelt as ‘Queenbeenn’ in Surveyor White’s time but does not give any other information or reference. ¹⁹

Quaen-bien River

Joseph Kelly, was living at Molonglo when he wrote a poem about the Queanbeyan River in 1865. ²⁰

Kelly, spelt Queanbeyan phonetically as ‘Quaen-bien’ but did not explain the meaning. ²¹

Joseph Kelly was a school teacher in the Queanbeyan District in 1874. ²²

One verse below is quoted from Joseph Kelly’s Queaen-bien River, poem (Queanbeyan River) published in The Queanbeyan Age:

“Through many a lonesome valley,
Through many a shady dell,
Where summer wind breathes daily,
And bright -plumed songsters dwell,
Even murmuring onward floweth,
Our own old Quaen-bien …” ²³

Kyun-biana

Frederick Slater, wrote in the Journal, ‘Mankind‘ in 1934 that the original Aboriginal pronunciation was Kyun-biana, which means, “the sun, the great orb of the day, father attached, Father of Light”. ²⁴

Slater’s pronunciation and meaning is one of the more unusual, but less often quoted, when the original Aboriginal meaning, and Aboriginal pronunciation for ‘Queanbeyan’ is under discussion.

END

Footnotes:

1. Connee-Colleen. Queanbeyan Outlook with Connee-Colleen, Kyun-biana © 2008, The Queanbeyan Age, 13 July, 2007, p 23. [OL.98].
2. (i) Matilda House a local Ngambri Aboriginal Elder says Queanbeyan means “beautiful woman”; (ii) Rex Cross, Bygone Queanbeyan, Revised Edition, 1985, writes Queanbeyan means “beautiful lady”, p 1.
3. Gwendoline Wilson, Murray of Yarralumla. 2001. pp 198-100.
4. PB Sheedy (BEM) & EA Percy. Monaroo to Monaro - History of Monaro Street 1830s-1995. pp xii.
5. Ibid xiii.
6. (i)The Queanbeyan Age, 1905;(ii) Rex Cross, p 1.
7. Gwendoline Wilson, pp 198-102.
8. Ibid.
9. Ibid.
10. Ibid.
11. Ibid.
12. Ibid.
13. Ibid.
14. Ibid.
15. Rex Cross, p 1.
16. (i) Ibid, pp 4, 5; (ii) Errol Lea-Scarlet, Queanbeyan District and People. 1968, pp 13-14, 16-17.
17. (i) Rex Cross pp. 4;47; (ii) Errol Lea-Scarlet pp 10-11, 15-16.
18. (i) Rex Cross, p 1; (ii) Errol Lea-Scarlet. pp 18, 25.
19. Rex Cross, p 1.
20. The Queanbeyan Age, 7 December, 1865.
21. Lyall L. Gillespie, Early Verse of the Canberra Region. 1994. p 47.
22. Ibid.
23. The Queanbeyan Age, 7 December, 1865.
24. Cross, Rex. Bygone Queanbeyan - Revised Edition. 1985. p 1: “Frederick Slater, Mankind Journal, Vol 1, No 10. October 1934″.

Copyright:
All content on Before Canberra Copyright © Connee-Colleen unless otherwise noted - apologies extended if inadvertently a copyright has not been acknowledged - please inform so this can be rectified.

With three Mayors in the family it is easy to understand why the ‘Land’ family are known locally as Queanbeyan’s Mayoral Family. ¹

Edwin Land senior was born in 1827 at Devonshire, England and was 15 years of age when he arrived in Sydney Cove in  1842. ²

Over the following 80 years the name Edwin and Henry were popular family names but that is only part of the reason why this article about Edwin Henry Land, born 1858, will use his full name. ³

Royal patent

Edwin Land senior had travelled on the ship Palestine to Sydney Cove, then worked as an overseer at Booromba station near Tharwa.

In 1855 Edwin came to Queanbeyan to marry Maria Jane Webber in the first small Christ Church at Queanbeyan. ⁴

First a daughter was born and then in 1858 Edwin’s second child and only son, Edwin Henry Land was born. ⁵

It is not clear when Edwin and his family moved to Queanbeyan to live but Land’s Victoria Hotel was licensed in 1867 and was a landmark in Queanbeyan for over a century, near the corner of Collett and Monaro Street and passed to Edwin Land’s first and only son, 26 year old Edwin Henry Land, after his father’s death in 1884. ⁷

Edwin Henry Land was elected to Council in the first Municipal elections held in 1885 aged 27 years and four years.

Newest babe

Five years later in 1890 Edwin Land was elected the fourth Mayor of Queanbeyan by the Borough Council – in the days when the elected aldermen elected the Mayor rather than letting the people elect the Mayor by popular vote as happens in most towns now. ⁸

Young Edwin Henry Land at age 32 is the youngest Mayor ever elected to Queanbeyan Council.

To understand the reason why Edwin Henry Land’s name lives on and is better know than all other elected Mayors of our town, including the present Mayor, Councillor Frank Pangallo who retires from Queanbeyan Council at the 2008 local Government elections. we need to go back exactly one hundred and eight years to the 7 August 1890, when Queanbeyan Streets first saw the light of day, in the night, on a permanent basis. ⁹

On that night 7 August 1890, Mayor Edwin Henry Land lit the first Kerosene street lamp-post.

Ego on show

Today and every day when someone walks past the cream and green iron-lamp posts in our Town Park behind the Farrer Place Courthouse, they bend over to look closer at the distinctive lamp-posts.

It is not the design, which attracts attention, but the ego of a Mayor who would emblazon his name “EH Land Mayor 1890” down the lamp post sides in large letters. ¹⁰

It seems in the study of history, that the prominence of a person and the events of that era are like barnacles clinging to a rock, merging one with another until they are indistinguishable from each other.

During the 1890s, along with the shearer’s strikes, union strikes Australia wide gave the working class a voice and a means of communication that had never been seen before.

Bailed out

Not alone, Edwin Henry Land was a prominent advocate of the Labor movement in 1890 but it is not known if this occurred before or after the emergence of the new political Theory of Labour, which was first heard in Queanbeyan when English solicitor EE Poley (sic) lectured on Capital and Labour at the Queanbeyan Temperance Hall, Crawford Street. ¹¹

Edwin Henry Land was proud to be the youngest elected Mayor in 1890 but no one knows what Edwin Land thought when he landed another first – the first and youngest Mayor to die in office at the young age of 39 years in 1897. ¹²

The Christian names of the three different Mayor Land’s of Queanbeyan along with the dates of their terms of office also help identify the different generations of Mayors with the surname Land and stop confusion.

Edwin Henry Land, Mayor in 1890, and again from 1892 to 1897.

Henry Thomas Land, Mayor during 1927 and 1928.

Frederick Edwin Land MBE, Mayor from 1963 to 1979 a very popular and long serving Mayor. ⁶

END

Footnotes:

1. Connee-Colleen. Queanbeyan Outlook with Connee-Colleen, Good Vintage © 2008. The Queanbeyan Age, 8th August, 2008. p 15. [OL.152]
2. Rex Cross, Bert Sheedy. Queanbeyan Pioneers - First Study, 1983, p 71.
3. Ibid.
4. Ibid.
5. Ibid.
6. PB Sheedy, (BEM) & EA Percy. Monaroo to Monaro - History of Monaro Street 1830s-1995, 1995. p 213.
7. (i) Rex Cross & Bert Sheedy,  p 71; (ii) Errol Lea-Scarlett. Queanbeyan District and People. 1968. p 131.
8. PB Sheedy & EA Percy, p 213.
9. Errol Lea-Scarlett, p 157-158.
10. Ibid. p 158.
11. Ibid. p 67, 149.
12. PB Sheedy & EA Percy, 1995, p 213.

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During the great depression of the 1930s four Aussie blokes met on the road and as they walked they kicked rocks and ate the dust that rose from under their feet. ¹

As time passed and the long paddock stretched on and on with no opportunity of bludging ² a bite to eat, the blokes dropped their swags under an old gum tree and each bloke remembered better times.

First crack of the whip

The youngest bloke remembered rowing in the marshes and finding a pond divided in half by reeds blocking it in the middle.

As half the pond was filled with ducks he rowed his boat through the reeds making a straight opening that joined the two ponds.

Then he hid and waited and as expected the ducks filled the straight opening he had made.

“I fired straight down the line and killed over seventy ducks, what a feast I had,” said the youngest bloke.

Top this

“That’s pretty good for one person,” said the second bloke, “but let me tell you what me and my mate did one season”.

“We sees this lake black with ducks, too many to count, so we took two sticks and placed them in our rifles and stretched about 10 foot of wire between the sticks and aimed low and fired the trigger together and low and behold the wire passed straight along and cut off the ducks heads – just like a mowing machine.

“We killed over two hundred ducks with that one shot,” said the second bloke.

Fair Dinkum

Then the third bloke recounted his story, “By crickey I can remember when I was a young man, there I was in the paddock flying my kite and having a bloomin’ good time when a flock of geese came flying by and the leader of the flock got his head tangled in the kite-string.

“You know how geese will follow the leader wherever he goes, so I began pulling in the kite string with the leader entangled, as I hurried towards our big shed.

“Lucky the shed doors were open and I pulled the leader inside.

“Five hundred geese followed the leader inside and I quickly slammed the shed doors shut.

“That was the biggest S&B Ball ³ you’ve ever seen, people came for miles around and it lasted a week,” said the third bloke.

Come in spinner

Three blokes had told their tale and now they all looked at the fourth bloke, in anticipation and wondered if he could top them?

The fourth bloke was old and knowing and after he had chewed the cud for a while said, “Before the depression I was a farmer and had bagged and stacked a large round heap of wheat.

“One morning I looked out the window and the wheat stack was completely covered with Galahs all squawking, tearing the bags open and a carrying on having a feast at my expense.

“I owned an old long barrel rifle from the war that would shoot for miles so I put the barrel over my knee and bent it into a semi-circle.

My oath

“Then I crept up to the wheat stack and aimed the rifle slightly slanted upward above my head and fired.

“Well blow me down if that dam bullet didn’t keep goin’ roun’ an’ roun’, an roun’ an roun’ that stack of grain till it killed nine hundred and ninety nine Galahs”, the fourth bloke boasted.

The youngest bloke, who had spoken first, interrupted and said sarcastically, “ Why don’t you make it an even thousand?”

“No fear”, said the fourth bloke, “I’m not the sort of man to tell a lie for the sake of one Galah”.⁴

END

Footnotes:

1. Connee-Colleen. Queanbeyan Outlook with Connee-Colleen “Tall Tales” © 2008, The Queanbeyan Age, 20th June, 2008, p 28. [OL.145]
2. Click on Glossary (at the top of the page) for meanings of all Australian slang or unusual words.
3. S&B Ball: S stands for ’shelia’ and B stands for ‘blokes’. In the Australian bush, young bush kids (c18-30 years) hold S&B Balls in old woolsheds or at Showgrounds. They get dressed in their best clothes, evening dress etc.
4. Adapted from The Queanbeyan Observer “He wouldn’t lie”. 29.3.1895.

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