FIFTY YEARS AGO.

The articles under this heading will be resumed on Saturday February 23. Meanwhile Mrs. Da Costa, of Petrie-terrace, has very thoughtfully sent the following interesting material which will be welcomed by old Queenslanders :- 

I saw in one of your late "Couriers" that some of your issues had been mislaid, and thought I might be able to stop a gap for you, as I have been a longer time in Queensland than even fifty years. My father, Mr. James Warner (formerly Sergeant at Arms in the Legislative Assembly), was sent here with Mr. J. C. Burnet, in 1837, to survey and lay out a township; this was during penal times. He purchased the first piece of ground on Kangaroo Point sold by the Government and built the fourth house erected, there being at that time only three houses, one belonging to Mr. Petrie, one in George-street, occupied by the officer-in-command (for, of course, that was in penal times), and the doctor's residence. The medical officer was Dr. Ballow, who lost his life through going down to report on a vessel which had come here with what was called plague, but was really a virulent form of typhus fever. The ship's doctor had died previous to her arrival, as also had nearly all of the 400 and odd immigrants on the vessel.

My father erected the first house on Kangaroo Point; sent then for my mother, who had to get a free pass, as no one was allowed in except convicts. My parents were married by Mr. Handt, the army chaplain. Upon my mother's first arrival, and for some months after, the officer-in-command of the regiment here placed his quarters at her disposal. The place was used for many years as an office for the Commissioner of Police before the new barracks were built at the "Green Hills." My oldest sister was born in the George-street building. Kangaroo Point was not a desirable place at first, as having been densely covered with vine scrub, it was literally alive with snakes, deaf adders, and other unpleasant reptiles.

The town was not open for some time after the survey, and when the prisoners were removed my parents were allowed the use of the old factories, one containing the treadmill for female convicts, the hospital, dead house, and sundry other buildings, on the land now known as New Farm. As soon as possible my father removed to Kangaroo Point (1844), where the writer of these notes was born. All our servants were convicts, even the male nurse who carried my oldest brother out every day, but he got so unmercifully teased by the fellow servants that he prayed my mother to give him anything to do but nurse the baby. He always went by the name of "Miss Betty," and the other men (in fun) would run to place stones on a wet place for fear "Miss Betty's" shoes would get wet. 

I well remember seeing the old mill, now the Observatory, grinding corn to make "ommaney" or hominy, for the convicts' use, and remember its disuse when "Dundally", the blackfellow was hanged in it. Many notable people came to see our garden, a sort of acclimatisation grounds. Fruit from every part of the world grew there, my father having a hobby for gardening. Amongst our "notables" I recollect Dr. Ludwig Leichhardt, who dined with us on his way out to Port Essington. He was journeying up to Toowoomba in company with Mr. Edward Lord. In publishing his last journey he mentions that he had that day (I forget the date) arrived at a station called Jimbour, which was then on the edge of the "pale of civilisation". What would we think if he came again to Brisbane? But I fear he has long passed away to his far home. He was a good-looking German-faced man. One of his party, Murphy, the taxidermist, went out afterwards with my father, getting and stuffing birds to send to England. One collection brought him £800. Murphy was a delightful companion. Another man who accompanied my father was poor Stapleton, who was found dead in the camp when father returned (he having been speared by the blacks during the party's absence) at Amity Point, for the Bay and islands were all surveyed by Mr. Burnet and my father. 

As soon as the convicts were removed there was of course a rush for this place from Sydney, and a large number of residents came up, most of whom have long passed away. As soon as our house on Kangaroo Point was finished (the first house built there) my parents took up their abode in it. I well remember seeing the convicts going through Queen-street every afternoon on their way back to the barracks, a soldier on either side of them. Those days were more pleasant when the Observatory Hill was thickly timbered, covered with mimosa and the lovely purple sarsaparilla, and we were not allowed to picnic there, as the blacks were too bad, and they used to drive away picnicking parties and confiscate the dinners - days when we, as girls, could take across the river a little cockle-shell of a boat laden with fruit and meet our girl friends on the bank opposite and "take shares;" and when the grass grew green all along Queen-street, except in the middle, where the convicts marched to their daily tasks; when the old paddle-wheel steamer, the Yarra-Yarra, used to make her way along, causing a great wave of water to follow in her wake, and we girls followed up rowing in our dingey, laughing to see all the passengers rushing to the side evidently expecting to see us all struggling in the water and requiring a "rescue." But we were all good sailors, both at handling and sailing boat, or rowing with sculls.

There was no Hamilton Reach or kiosk in those days. A good regatta was held every 24th May, when one of the Sydney boats was our flagship, and all the residents as one family, not split up into "sets," as they are now, no "toffs and silver tails," all good friends, and open-house wherever we went. Shafston and Mowbray's school were in full blast, and we walked from Kangaroo Point Ferry to Shafston to have a dance. No trams or buses. I do think the rising generation will forget the use of legs and how to use them. When we think of our four-mile walks to school and back, the grand-mothers can beat the up-to-date girls at taking exercise, prisoner's base, cricket, riding, rowing, and boating being our training for strong old age. All our beautiful spots are built over, and to go for a picnic we require steam or electricity. If we only had wings to surmount all the difficulties - well, that will come soon, and then we shall travel round, or take "just a flutter" every afternoon to get icecreams or see our country cousins. I love the railway carriage with its comfortable seat, but a tram is a horror, dust, noise, and all things unutterable.

At the time of which I write there was of course, no such place as "Queensland." I was severely reproved one day by a young Queenslander for calling myself a Queenslander. "How can you call yourself a Queenslander when we have not obtained (as yet) separation?" She was quite right. I was a cornstalk sure enough. The gaieties of Separation time I well remember. An invitation to the first Mayor's ball was sent to me though I was 270 miles away, by our favourite A.D.C. D. T. Seymour, and I was present at the landing of Sir George and Lady Bowen. Such a blazing hot day, too, when we all walked up to Dr. Hobbs's house to hear the Governor speak. After spending the whole morning being roasted by a summer sun we lunched at Captain Coley's house in George-street, and then walked (no trams) up the hill. I wonder if many of "our girls" would do that now.

If my few notes are of any use I shall be glad. 


FIFTY YEARS AGO. (1907, February 9). The Brisbane Courier (Qld. : 1864 - 1933), p. 12. TROVE

FIFTY YEARS AGO.

TO THE EDITOR.

Sir - It is interesting to read, your leading articles of 20th June, on " Fifty Years Ago" and " The Press." The writer is able to go back in experience to the modest starting of the "Moreton Bay Courier," when Mr. "Pegleg" Lyon, as he was called, launched the little craft. Mr. Lyon was assisted by the brother of the writer's mother, Mr. T. H. Green, merchant, from Waterloo Store, Sydney, and predecessor of the late J. and G. Harris, at South Brisbane, who was one of a family of eight or ten Greens and two Costins, who came to Sydney from England as cabin passengers in the barque Minerva in the Thirties. The late sculling champion was one of the family. When Mr. Lyon was editor of the little " Courier" the writer was printer's devil and distributor ; at the time the paper was printed in South Brisbane. That part of the city was for some time the most important centre-say, from '47 to '49; but later on the A.S.N. Company's steamer, which formerly berthed at the South Brisbane wharf, moved to North Brisbane. After Mr. Lyon we get William Wilks in the conduct of the " Courier," a vigorous and most facetious writer, as will be remembered by some old residents. Later on, we have on the literary staff Mr. Charles Lilley (now Sir Charles) and T. P. Pugh, T. B. Stephens, and a host of others, not forgetting the venerable James Swan, who had bought the paper in the meantime - most of them gone over to the great majority - men with perseverance and industry for anything, and the politics of the paper were generally sound. The gentlemen named were aided by such men as the late and Honourable George Raff (Honest George, as he was called), together with George Edmonstone and the late Robert Cribb, who fought our battles manfully and fearlessly in the   struggle against the introduction of   coolies and other alien races, and especially in the great fight for separation from New South Wales. - I am, sir, &c,

WM. J. Costin.

Brisbane, 24th June.

FIFTY YEARS AGO. (1896, June 30). The Brisbane Courier (Qld. : 1864 - 1933), p. 7. TROVE

UNCLAIMED MONEY

NEXT OF KIN AND HEIRS WANTED.
TO THE EDITOR.
Sir,-During the year 1914- an exceptionally large number of advertisements for next of kin, heirs at law, missing beneficiaries, and persona inquired for, for something to their advantage, appeared in British, Australian, and New Zealand newspapers, and a selection from the principle ot these may be of more than passing interest to your readers and of substantial benefit to some of thern. In every case tike persons wiiose names appear btlow, or their legal personal representatives, are known to have emigrated to, or were last heard of in, Australia or Now Zealand: John Henry Maudesley Adams; William John Adaqjs, left Armagh for Australia about 1874, and was last heard of at Tenterfield, N.S.W.; Henry Alien, stepbrother of Alfred Candy; Thomas and Elizabeth Anderson, nee Waugh; John Spence Anderson, late of Ktara, New Zealand; William Anderton, who visited Melbourne about 1908; Herbert Andrew, at Hobart, 1888; the widow and childreif of Francis Thornhill Bariow, who died at the Garrison Hospital, Sydney, about 1876; James Fitzgerald Barry and Ellen Barry, children of William Barry, CN*>kia, New Zealand; the children ot William Henry Batchelor, late of Blackheath, N.S. W.; .Frederick and Catherine Mina Baxter; David Bell, late of Liverpool, N.S.W.; .lamet. Billing, formerly of Auckland; R. W&lgewood Bishop, at Rockhamptou about 189/; James, William, and John Bird, sons of JoJeph and Mary; Alfred William Boddington; Florence Louisk Boothman, nee M'Keliar; Catherine Briffit, otherwise Crosby; Mary Briffitt. late of Sydney; John Egerton Broadley, late of Campbell Town, N.S.W.; George Brooker, late of Christchurch, New Zealand; Frederick William Brown, formerly of Woodfield; James Buchanan, son of William and Helen Buchar rl nee Croall; Hannah Cantrell, nee Dunph|; the representatives of George Carruthers, late of Auckland (deceased); RichtrL Whipple, last heard of -at Leongatha, VKtona; Harry Leonard Clough, born about 1854, l&te of New Zealand; William Comyn, formerly of Springgure, Queensland; the children of Henrietta Connelly, nee Martin, wne of Thomas Connelly'; John Cook, son ot Jonn, of Westmoreland; Augustus Cooper, son of William Cooper; Edward Covviiam, who arrived in Australia in 1884 or his representatives; Alfred Cowlin, son °f Frederick; William Gaw Dalzell, formerly of Belfast; Darnton, son of Joseph Darnton, formerly of Sydney, billiardmarker (deceased); Melville and William Dawson formerly of Perth, or their heirs; Harold Francis Dean, son of Thomas Henry Dean; the representatives of Leslie Prentice ic£n at L y, n dhurst Victoria, about itoO; William Delaney, formerly of Nunawading Victoria; John Deneby, who left Newmarket, County Cork, for Australia about 1862; George Henry Dennison. a native of Halifax, who left England for Australia, 1889; Emily and Mary Devine, born Longford, Ireland, daughters of Robert and Margaret Devine; Thomas Donaldson otherwise Slade, late of Otepopo, Otago New Zealand; Agnes Donnelly, or Donnel, who left 1 Lancashire for Queensland about 30 years ago; Adela Smedley Dowsett and her husband Thomas, who left England for Australia about 1852; Margaret Elizabeth Dudley, nee Callon; George Elderton, last heard of at Toora Station, Brisbane, 1899; John Elworthy and George Wilkina, last heard of at Creswick, ictoria, or their descendants; the next of kin of Sarah Evans, late of Bannockburn, New Zealand: Charles, otherwise Carl, Fanzelow, late of Makure, Wellington; -the brothers and sister of Mary Ann Fenwick, who married James Howlet, formerly of Gateshead; Agnes Finlay, nee Stroud; Patrick Flood, late of Karraway, near Kalgoorlie, W A Mrs French, nee Lobban, whose husband was a bank manager; James Phillips Galfivan, son of Matthew; John Colinson Gibbs, formerly of Cowra, N.S.W.. and later ol West Australia; the next of kin of Andrew Gillespie, believed to be a native of Dunedin, New Zealand; John Graham, son of ueorge; Rose Gracey, wife of Robert William Gracey; Caroline Amelia Grant or her father (Dr Charles Grant) or her mother (Caroline Grant), formerly of Taroagulla, Victoria, and later of Bourke and Porbe«, N.S.W.; the heirs of Carnegie Grant, late Weaver, of Arbroath, Scotland; David Grant, who left Scotland over 50 years ago a son of Carnegie Grant; Thomas Arnold Greenhalg, late of Glebe, N.S.W.; John Griffin, formerly of Dunedin, later of Queensland; the children of Eleanor' Guy, who died at Kumara, New Zealand; George Harvey, son of David Josiah Harvey, and last heard of in N.S.W.; James Harwood, formerly of Peakhill County, Lincoln; James Steel Hamilton, son of Jane; Elwick Lodewick Hayton: Hoberfc Henry Herald, son of Alfred Joseph Herald; James Heron, son of Rev. James Heron; Friend Thomas' Hill, son of Thomas; Charles James Holmes, late of Sydney; .Frederick Hosier (son of Ira and Ann Hosier), -who emigrated to Australia, or his children, Henry Hubert Hosier; the brothers and sisters.of Mary Ann Howlett, nee Fenwick; Peter Hughes, son of John and Betty Hughes; the children of Margaret Humphries; Albert Thomas Isaac#, who left Swansea for Adelaide about 1909, and afterwards went to Auckland, New Zealand Isemonger Anthony, formerly of Guernsey, and later of Auckland, New Zealand the children of Samuel Jackson, who was killed at Sandhurst, Victoria, 1672; Edward Nash Jenkins, who emigrated to New Zealand in 1875; Richard Jonnson, son of William Bnrley Johnson, who arrived in Sydney, per steamer Leonidas, in 1853; Evelyn May Jones, daughter of Mary Barron Jones; George Llewellyn Jones, late of Adelaide; Thomas Jones, a sailor, son of Hugh and Margaret- Jones; John Kelleher, formerly of Ballymague, County Cork, or his next of kin; William King, Tate of Wilgar JDowns, N.S.W.; Klien or Stewart Bethia, formerly of Christchurch. New Zealand Henry Langlands (called Harry), son of John Langlands; James Lawrence, formerly of Repfrew; Louis Coleman Lawrence, born 1857, a son of Jdhn and Isabella Lawrence, and last heard of at Dunedin, New Zealand; the nephews and nieces of Bettina Loftus; William Macintosh, late of Whittlesea, Victoria; Austin Mason, Elizabeth Mason, and Frances Mason, children'of John Valentine Mason; John Stamper Maunruell, born Wigton, 1846; John M'Aleece, son qi Robert; James M'Aleer, bom County Tyrone, a son of Felix M'Aleer; Charles and Eugene M'Carty, relatives of Allan M'Donald, late of Caruentaria Downs Station, Queensland; Henry M'Ewan, or M'Keown, son of Joseph; James M'Fettridge, last heard of at Kalgoorlie and York, W.A.; Bernard M'Namee, -born County Tyrone, and who emigrated to Australia in 1820, or his representatives; Simon Peter Cundy Millar, late of Sydney; William Henry Snell Millar, who arrived in Australia about 1888; Russell Miller, -son of Charles Russell; Francis Hilliar Needs; Frederick Ackworth New, formerly of Carndu Trefisis, William Martin Luther Nicoll; the children of Hannah Odgers; Joseph and Caroline Paine, who at one time resided in New Zealand, or their descendants; Charles Park, son of Charles Park, and late of Sydney; William Paterson, formerly of Btechan and late of Sydney Jessie Mabel Petherick, daughter of Julius Evan Petherick, last heard of at Snake Island, W.A.; Thomas Bakewell Phillips, last heard of at Forsyth, Queensland; Leonard Pocock, formerly of Winchester; Alfred Edward Potts, formerly of Knatchbull road, Cainberwell; George R. Prico, last heard of at Gladstone, Queensland; John Quinlivan, born 1856, County Clare, a son of Patrick and Ann Quinlivan, nee M'Namara; William Rewcastle, formerly of Gateshead, who arrived in Australia, 1867, and was employed as steward in a passenger boat trading between Melbourne and Sydney Lord Reginald Russell, who married Mina Agal in Melbourne, 1881; John Seabrook, at Sydney 1877; Ilenry Ellis Grcsham Simmons, late of New Plymouth, New Zealand; Mrs Frances Silverlock, late of Sydney; Johanna Slattery, daughter of David and Bridget Slattery; George Smith, born 1828, a son of William Smith, or his children George Benstead Steele, son of Jane Steele; John Thomas and William Stevens, formerly of Tasmania- and New South Wales; Ross Strehler, born 1853, left Hillman Basle for New Zealand in 1880; James Sullivan, otherwise Dignam, son of Mary Dignam; Stansfield Sutcliffe, formerly of Beverley, England; Henry Taylor, formerly of Wick, Scotland, or his son, Henry Taylor, at South Melbourne 1880; Grace Thompson, who left Blackwall Dock for Queensland 1890, or her relatives; Frances Amelia Tomholt, otherwise Dearie, nee Henderson, formerly of Melbourne and Sydney, and once connected with the vaudeville business, to claim a considerable sum of money; George John Torrens, son of Elizabeth; George Tuckwell, a native of Wellington, New Zealand; David Wallace, a native of east of Fife, Scotland, who emigrated to New Zealand about 1867, and was afterwards beard of at Dunedin; Hamilton Wallis, born 1830, last heard of in South Brisbane 1870; children of Richard Cutter White, who died :n Melbourne about 1882; Charles Stevensbn Wrack, formerly of New Zealand and late of Sydney. Should any of your readers feel themselves interested, i will be pleased to give them any further information I possess o„n application —I am, eto., Tnos. W. Lloyd. Llovds' Next of Kin and Unclaimed Money Offices, 80 Swanston street, Melbourne, 24th December, 1914.

Appeared in the Otago Daily Times,  22 January 1915