Poems of Bannerman – a personal record of local history

Kay Gassan and George Seymour at the launch

Kay Gassan has authored over ten books found in the Fraser Coast libraries.

 She compiled the book ‘Poems of World War 1 by Bannerman’  which was launched at the Maryborough Library on the 23^rd of October, 2015.

Councillor George Seymour and a crowd of history enthusiasts attended this event.

This publication was possible due to volunteers from the Maryborough Wide Bay and Burnett Historical Society Inc. carefully copying these poems out of old editions of the Maryborough Chronicle.

The poems are Bannerman’s unique and personal view of events that occurred in Maryborough over four decades until his death in 1957. This collection was published in honour of Jean Hunter, a long serving member of the Society and the Anzac commemorations of 2015.

A copy of this collection can be viewed in the local history room at the Maryborough Library. Copies can also be bought from the Maryborough Family Institute located in the Maryborough Heritage Centre corner of Wharf and Richmond Street, and the Tiaro Craft Shop or by emailing Kay at  kaygassan@gmail.com for $10 each.

The crowd eagerly awaits to hear Bannerman's poems

 

 

Cecil Lowther who wrote under the nom de plum of Bannerman was inspired by many other events in Maryborough. We look forward to Kay Gassan and the Society’s next publication of his verses.

Tags: Maryboroughfamilyinstitute  Bannerman  Qldheritagetourism Frasercoastlibraries  Maryboroughlibrary  Maryboroughandwidebayburnetthistoricalsociety

Charcoal Burning an industry pioneered in the early 1900's

Ted Weber is an author and local history researcher

 

Ted Weber worked at Walkers before becoming a councillor for the Maryborough City Council. He is now retired and has researched and written a variety of books about the local history of Maryborough. In his book Pioneers in a New Land Ted talks about his family’s business of charcoal burning, an industry pioneered by Edward Christian Weber in the early 1900’s. The industry had a life span of approximately fifty years to the early 1950’s when other forms of power and technology took over.

 

 

“It is about time that people have access to these stories and pictures”, Ted said.

In his book, Ted’s research has found that six kilns were situated on Weber’s property on Four Mile Road - known then as Bidwell Road, Tinana. They were constructed on a flat in a circle with a well in the middle and a series of waterholes meandering past them.

Careful construction of the kilns using mortar, white ant nest and clay enabled a control burn. This was achieved by working with a drawn draught using wind and taking from two to four hours. The kiln would then burn for seven days and nights. Use of water ensured the wood would not burn too hot and turn to ash.

 

Six chord and a quarter of wood would fit in the kilns. This was a stack 1.83m high, 1.22m wide and 9.75m long. The timber was hauled in by wagons.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The yield of charcoal was 100 to 120 bags per burn, and it was 98% carbon, 1% ash and 1% moisture. It was bagged directly from the kiln and was 2s/1d or 21 cents for a three bushel bag.

The controlled burn was so carefully monitored that white ants, snakes, goannas, wax boxes, newspapers, centipedes and scorpions came out whole as charcoal. Operating the furnace under load was a trade of its own. The gas had to be controlled. It was volatile. When mixed with air, it was an explosive. Ted claims it “blew the roof of the furnace on one occasion”.

The charcoal was used for heating, drying things out and suction gas engines. Charcoal powered Walkers, Stupart’s and State Butchery gas engines.

Maryborough, Childers and Bundaberg required it to supply town lightening. With the demise of charcoal the family turned to Sugar, Dairying and growing peanuts.

Ted has been scanning photos of this industry as part of the Historypin workshops so that they can be viewed through the Historypin channel found at https://www.historypin.org/.

Source: Weber, E. C. (2002). Pioneers in a New Land. Maryborough, Australia: Maryborough and District Family History Society.

Published with consent from E.C. (Ted) Weber.

Tags: Qldheritagetourism Frasercoastlibraries Historypin Maryborough Tinana

 

Ailsa Head - a quiet achiever

Ailsa Head has been a great support for Maryborough's local history.

Ailsa has been coming to the Maryborough Library every Wednesday morning for many years. She painstakingly and quietly goes through the Maryborough Chronicle microfilm in search of local history.  She was finally convinced to satisfy our curiosity about her research and her interest in Maryborough by answering a few questions for our Blog. 

“I’ve always been interested in history” she said. “It turned into a passion to do more research when I returned to Maryborough” she explains enthusiastically. This passion was inspired by her volunteer work at the Bond Store and Brennan and Geraghty’s Museum. “Reading about the history of the port and Maryborough and doing the Heritage Walk has enabled me to pick up interesting information to tell the visitors” she clarifies.

The Port of Maryborough has been the focus of her research. “I have done a lot of research on the Port of Maryborough, especially the ships coming into the port, both passenger and cargo and basically anything to do with the area” she details. “I am also doing research into the home area of Munna Creek and did a large display for our recent Back to Munna day this year. I have also done a book about my favourite ship, the Burwah and a History of the Maryborough Town Hall” she continued.

“People who have helped me with research have include Jan Downman, Ann O’Loughlin, Sandra Armstrong, Ian Scougall and The Heritage Centre.”

“Most of my research has been done through the Chronicle microfilm at the library. For months I struggled to learn how to print microfilm items on the computer. Thanks to Karen from the library for her ongoing help with this” said Ailsa.

We are excited to see what her next book shall reveal about the once thriving Port town of Maryborough.

This was published with consent from Ailsa Head.

Tags: Frasercoastlibraries Maryborough Qldheritagetourism Munna Burwah Maryboroughtownhall

Frank Ivory (1871 -1957) a local athlete of distinction

Allan Godbold, Great Nephew of Frank Ivory

On the 11^th of September, the Maryborough Library was lucky enough to be visited by Murray Bird. In his recent book Athenians and the Red Invincibles Murray devotes a chapter expounding the skills of Frank Ivory the “Aussie Rules Man”.  The diverse skills and the inspired life of this local athlete were only revealed after talking to Frank’s great nephew Allan Godbold, who attended the talk.

“I lived around Gayndah for a lot of my life” Allan started. “I was a telegram boy who worked for Australia Post, I worked my way up and was then transferred to Head Office of Australia Post in Melbourne”. “I did pretty well for myself considering I started as a telegram boy” he joked.

 It was not until he retired in 1970 and started researching that he found out that he was closely related to one of the area’s best sportspeople. “Because I had more time, I started researching my family history and found I was related to Frank Ivory.  I am his great nephew. I then did a full history of him and worked on this project with my cousin Robert Godbold” Allan explained. “When we were younger, I never knew I had Aboriginal heritage. I just thought everyone had darker skin because they worked outside. I guess as a kid you don’t think about it much” he said.

Allan’s research has found that Frank’s father was  Francis Jeffrey Ivory (1831 – 1896) the son of Lord James Ivory (1792 – 1866) and was married to Anne Laurie. Lord James was Scotland’s Chief Justice of the Court of Sessions (e.g. the High Court governing Mercantile Law – not criminal) some of his rulings are still recognised today. 

Frank’s mother was from the Gureng-Gureng tribal clan of Aborigines and was known as Caroline. Allan said “I am still searching for her grave site but have not been able to find it yet” .

Can you help Allan find Caroline’s grave site?

He knows more about Frank’s father. “Francis Jeffrey Ivory and his brother Alexander bought Eidsvold station (as a sheep run) from the original owners the Archer Bros in the 1860’s. Francis went on to become a member of the Queensland legislative assembly, eventually performing the duties of Sargent-at-Arms”, Allan claims.

Francis Jeffrey and Caroline had three children.

-Jessie Ivory (1868 – 1941) (Allan’s Grandmother)

-Frank Ivory (1871 – 1957)

-William Ivory (1873-1965)

Frank Ivory as a young man

Allan discovered that Frank attended The Maryborough Grammar School from 1885 to 1889, after completing his primary education in Eidsvold. “He was probably the first Indigenous person to complete a secondary education at a Grammar School” claims Allan.

“He was a renowned and respected sportsperson. His feats both as a student and in general fields of athletics and football were widely written about in the press of the day” claims Allan. Allan has found he excelled at:
Field and Track Events – sprint and distances, the high jump and rowing
Cricket – both as a batsman and a bowler
Football – Australian Rules and Rugby Union

“It was at Rugby Union where Frank drew the most attention and accolades. He was the first footballer of Aboriginal descent to play representative for his state – 1893- Queensland verses New South Wales” Allan continues.

Have you ever heard of Frank? Did you know he attended school in Maryborough?

Allan said,"Sports writer Jack Pollard, in his book Australian Rugby the Game, The Players referred glowingly to Frank’s football prowess. Frank has also been installed as a member of Queensland’s Rugby Union Hall of Fame" .

Allan discovered that Frank was also a Sports Administrator, Businessman and Community member.



Frank Ivory's Saddlery in Kent Street, Maryborough

“He had a shot at running a saddle and harness business in Kent Street, Maryborough “Allan continues. “He went bankrupt in this venture and shortly thereafter left Maryborough for Mount Morgan,  in 1896 “.

An article Allan found in the paper about Frank Ivory's farewell function.

Allan's research found that at a farewell function for him at the Queens Hotel Frank was presented with a purse containing 25 sovereigns. “This is an indication of the esteem in which he was held by his friends in Maryborough” Allan claims.  Frank continued to be involved with football and cricket in the Rockhampton and Central Queensland area, until he suddenly withdrew from all sport involvement in about 1903/04.



Frank Ivory in his later years.

“He took on work in the beef cattle industry in Mount Perry district. Frank spent the rest of his life working for the Provence family, firstly at their Wombah Stations and thereafter at their Rosslyn property”, Allan said.

“A man who knew Frank well during his Mt Perry life a Mr Charles Pollock, of Camelot Station, says that he never spoke about his renowned sporting career. In fact, Mr Pollock thought that Frank had always been a cattleman”.

Allan hopes to one year present the Frank Ivory medal in honour of his Great Uncle. This medal is presented in the Indigenous round of Rugby Union in recognition of his great achievements.

He is buried in Mt Perry Cemetery.

Notes and pictures about Frank Ivory published with consent from Allan Godbold. This research was conducted with help from Robert Godbold. Information sourced from The Maryborough Chronicle;The Wide Bay and Burnett Advertiser and The Rockhampton Bulletin

Paul Nicholls has published an article on Frank Ivory June 2020 Remembering the Maryborough marvel, Frank Ivory:The extraordinary life and times of the first Indigenous star of two football codes

Tags #Frasercoastlibraries #Maryborough #Qldheritagetourism #Qldrugbyunion #Qldafl