As promised in a previous post, on Sandgate, here is an overview of Brighton’s history. 

Brighton is said to be named after the English town or borough of the same name and is also the name of a suburb of Melbourne bounded on one side by Port Phillip Bay.  Similarly, Brighton, Queensland is bounded on one side by a bay, Bramble Bay.  The present area of Brighton encompasses the area previously known as North Sandgate.  

Lagoon and houses at Brighton.  Image No: 97782

Captain William Townsend arrived and purchased the Brighton Hotel (1866).  His name is now commemorated by Townsend Street.

Two early residential housing estates include:

• Moreton Bay Estate (1882) comprising 98 allotments.
• Brighton, North Sandgate Estate (1890).

Some important buildings, residences and locations in the Brighton area include:

• Torquay dating from the 1880s and located at 50 Flinders Parade.
• Meridian (1880s) located at 130 Flinders Parade.
• Cremorne (early 1900s) at 154 Flinders Parade.  This residence was built for John N. Mc Callum, famous in the early theatrical scene.
• Fallowfield on Brighton Terrace – owned by George Agnew of Nundah Carriage Works.
• Hornibrook Highway spanning Hayes Inlet and Bramble Bay between Clontarf Point and Brighton.  This bridge was constructed 1932-5 by the firm M. R. Hornibrook and provided much needed employment during the Depression.  An area of the existing wetlands was reclaimed as a work area for the construction of the bridge.  Decker Park was created from a portion of this reclaimed land.

Opening of the Hornibrook Highway, 1935.  Image No: 46101

• Eventide Nursing Home.  This site was originally the barracks of the RAF Air Training School (December 1940 – May 1946) and was built on reclaimed wetland bordering Bramble Bay.  Eventide was established  in October 1946 when 768 aged inmates were transferred from Dunwich, Stradbroke Island.
• Houghton Highway, opened 20 December 1979 and named after the Hon. Mr. Jim Houghton, State Member and Speaker of State Parliament.  Also, he was a former Mayor of Redcliffe.
• Brighton Hotel.  This is the second hotel to occupy the site.  The original hotel was used as a private residence, by William Townsend and then as an orphanage from March 1893.  It resumed its function as a hotel in 1912.  During its period as a residence, Townsend called it Brighton House.  The original licensees were William Rae (1864) and John Patrick Byrne (1865).

Brighton Hotel, ca. 1929.  Image No: 1882

Proposed railway extension to Redcliffe:

A rail line to Redcliffe was proposed in 1895 by Alderman Phillips.  The proposed line was to run along Flinders Parade to the Pine River, across its mouth by bridge, then across Hayes Inlet by means of an embankment/bridge, then along the shore of Bramble Bay, close to Woody Point and the jetty.  The line would then run north, along the eastern face of the Redcliffe Peninsula to Redcliffe.  The estimated cost was £200,000.  Another line could then link up with the existing north coast line.  Debate took place between the Redcliffe Divisional Board, Railway Minister and the Commissioner for Railways.  The plan was eventually shelved as the cost of the bridges was seen as being too high.  This was because the proposed bridges would need to be constructed of metal as opposed to wood due to the prevalence of the marine cobra worm in the area.

Some important dates in Brighton’s history and development include:

• 1861- the first bridge over Cabbage Tree Creek is constructed improving access to the area.
• 1874 – James Ormiston’s coach ran Wednesday, Friday and Saturday from Brisbane to Sandgate.  Return cost 5 shillings.
• 1877 – Cobb & Co coaches ran twice daily to Sandgate.
• 1882 – Brisbane to Sandgate rail line was completed.  The special inaugural journey to Brisbane took only 29 minutes.
• 1899 (1 January) – more than 8,000 people travelled to Sandgate.  Many bathing boxes existed along the Brighton shorefront.

Sandgate Railway Station, ca. 1910.  Image No: 164309

• 1912 – there are newspaper reports of a shark attack at Sandgate.
• 1920 – Brighton State School was established with one teacher (Mr. Alfred Thompson).

Find more photographs of Brighton in the State Library’s collection.

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As part of a joint collaboration between State Library and QUT, five digital stories have been created by members of Queensland’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

These stories capture responses to the Prime Minister’s Apology to Australia’s Indigenous Peoples on 13 February 2008. To view more information about the project and view the stories, visit: http://www.qldstories.slq.qld.gov.au/home/apology_responses.

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The Brisbane Women’s Club is one of the oldest women’s clubs in Queensland, operating as an educational, social, cultural and civic centre for women.  It was instrumental in securing a number of municipal achievements in the 1900s: ventilation in public toilets; zebra crossings outside schools; tram shelters; rubbish bins on Queen Street; the introduction of domestic science into the curriculum for Queensland schoolgirls; the introduction of name plates on trees in the Botanical Gardens; and the distribution of milk for school children.

Margaret Ogg was a founding member. The club was instrumental in the development of the Queensland Country Women’s Association and helped foster female artists including Vida Lahey and Daphne Mayo.

The Brisbane Women’s Club recently donated its records to the John Oxley Library.  Spanning eighty years of the Club’s 100 year history, the records include: minute books, visitors’ books, members rolls, correspondence,  photographs, syllabuses, scrapbooks, ledgers and newsletters.

The donation coincided with the launch of the Reforming Women: Social activism and the Brisbane Women’s Club exhibition, held in the Phillip Bacon Gallery on 16 October. The exhibition showcases many items from the collection, reflecting on the the Club’s role in social activism and persistent ‘polite lobbying’.

The Governor of Queensland, Ms Penelope Wensley AO, was on hand to launch the exhibition last week, and Ms Jane Bertelsen, Chairperson of the Library Board of Queensland, officially accepted the donation on behalf of the John Oxley Library.

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There has been recent debate and discussion regarding the redevelopment of Brisbane’s North Bank area and it is interesting to see that this is not the first time this area has faced development.  Historical material in the John Oxley Library’s collections show that the area has changed significantly over the years.

The North Bank area probably changed most noticeably with the construction of the freeway.  The freeway completely transformed the precinct along the Brisbane River and parts of Brisbane’s streetscape disappeared forever.

For instance, a Short Street once existed facing the river, with its own wharf facilities and warehouses, but it all made way for the freeway.  Images of this precinct are preserved in the John Oxley Library’s photographs collection and other images of the lost Short Street precinct can be seen in Picture Queensland.

Short Street, Brisbane, ca. 1889.  Image No:  4043

J. & G. Harris’ store, Short Street, Brisbane.  Image No: 33665

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In many Queensland centres, court house buildings provide wonderful examples of our colonial and post-colonial architecture.

Bowen Court House, ca. 1890.  Image No: 6414

Often these buildings were part of government precincts and a centre of activity in the area.

 Polling day at the Atherton Court House, 1928.  Image No: 7222

Many of these court house buildings survive to the present as features of the local landscape.  Selected images of these Queensland court house buildings have been digitised and are available through the State Library’s Picture Queensland web site.

Charters Towers Court House.  Image No:APA-0006-01-0008

Charleville Court House, ca. 1916.  Image No: 48099

More images of Queensland court houses are available on Picture Queensland via One Search.

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With all the activity in the vicinity of the Hornibrook Highway, as a new bridge is constructed across to the Redcliffe Peninsula, now is a good time to look at the history of the area.  So we look at Sandgate today with a further blog entry on Brighton in the near future.

The suburb now known as Sandgate was originally known as Cabbage Tree Creek.  Sandgate as a name is said to derive from the name of the town of Sandgate in Kent, England, which is also a seaside district.  The Aboriginal name for the area was said to be Warra, believed to mean a stretch or expanse of water.

Sandgate beach and pier.  Image No: 194855

Some of the early activity and some of the early settlers in the area includes:

• the first early lobbying for a settlement in the Cabbage Tree Creek area commenced from 1852.
• J.C. Burnett undertook an official land survey of the area (1852).  The name Sandgate was first used as an official name in his published survey report.
• the site for the proposed village of Sandgate is gazetted (19 March 1853).
• the first official land sales in the area take place (9 November 1853).
• the first purchasers or settlers include Thomas Dowse and John Baxter (from 1853).
• the Slaughter, Davie and Loudin families settle from 1864/5.  Mr. Slaughter became the first postmaster for the district.

Some businesses and industries in the Sandgate area have included:

• the first hotel, known as the Sandgate Hotel established by Charles Davie (1858).
• John Baxter’s café was established at Cabbage Tree Creek (1862).
• seaside cottages are listed in newspapers as being available for rent at £3 per week (late 1860s).
• there is growth in the number of accommodation houses including Villa Marina, Belair, Musgrave (from the 1870s).
• a horse drawn coach service was established by the Best family.
• soft drink manufacturing commenced from the 1880s.
• Hoffy’s Cycles established (1928).
• Jeay’s Hardware.
• Frank Watson’s Kreamo ice cream factory.
• clay quarries.
• Sandgate Aerated Water Company, later to be known as Ibis established in the 1920s.
• Pelaco shirt factory (post World War Two).

Bathers at Sandgate, ca. 1925.  Image No: 60888

Some significant buildings and sites in Sandgate include:

• Shepherd Place – Signal Row (named after Hezekiah Shepherd).
• Murilla – Signal Row (1908).
• Wesleyan Church – Signal Row (approx 1908).
• Morven – this was the home of John McConnel, the owner of Durundur Station and dates from 1863.  The house was eventually acquired by Archbishop Duhig for the Catholic Church.  Morven is now located in the grounds of St. Patrick’s College.

Morven, ca. 1912.  Image No: 122956

• Caversham – built by Robert Gray in 1882.
• Clutha – built by Dr. John Thomas in 1882.
• Saltwood – built by G. L. Hart in 1870.
• Moora Park Grandstand – dates from the 1890s.

Grandstand in Moora Park.  Image No: 89952

• Musgrave House – originally a childrens’ convalescent home (1884).

Some of the area’s historic hotels include:

• the  Sandgate Hotel, later to be known as the Belvedere Hotel, established by Charles Davie (1858).
• the Claredon Hotel (David Mitchell) (1861).
• 1862 – the Sandgate Hotel, built by William Loudin in 1862.  This was a different hotel to the Sandgate Hotel mentioned above, which by this time was trading as the Belvedere Hotel.
• the London Hotel built in 1863 for Thomas Cahill.  This hotel was abandoned in 1864.
• 1865 – Brighton Hotel built for William Rae and dating from 1865.
• Masons Hotel (George Mason).
• 1867 – the Osbourne Hotel built for Hiram Wakefield (1867).

Osbourne Hotel, 1882.  Image No: 110667

• 1881 – the Seaview Hotel established by Robert Todd in 1881.

Some significant dates in Sandgate’s history and development include:

• 1861 – a bridge across Cabbage Tree Creek was constructed.
• 1865 – a company is formed with the aim of constructing the Sandgate Pier.
• 1868 – a regular coach service between Brisbane and Sandgate was established.  In the initial phase this was not a daily service.
• 1873 – Sandgate State School was established with the original classes being held in the chapel of the Baptist Church.  The first teacher was W.R. Barfoot.
• 1874 – the first permanent Sandgate State School building was constructed.
• 1876 – daily coach services from Brisbane to Sandgate, via Nundah commence.
• 1880 – Sandgate was proclaimed a Municipal Borough.
• 1880 – Sandgate was proclaimed a Town.  The names of some of the first Town Councillors are honoured in the names of local streets including Townsend, Board, Bott, Kift and Deagon streets.
• 1881 – a railway construction contract was awarded for construction of a line to Sandgate.
• 1882 – (11 May) the railway line to Sandgate was opened.

Sandgate Railway Station, ca. 1920.  Image No: 194780

• 1887 – the Sandgate Post Office was established.
• 1912 – the new Sandgate Town Hall was constructed to replace the original chambers which were destroyed by fire in 1910.
• 1915 – the Sandgate Drill Hall was opened, possibly replacing an earlier building.  The Drill Hall was recently moved to the Chermside Historical Precinct.
• 1919 – the Shorncliffe State School was established.
• 1935 – the Hornibrook Highway was opened.

Find more photographs of Sandgate in the State Library’s collection.

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At the John Oxley Library we often receive interesting feedback from the public about the photographs we have digitized on Picture Queensland.  This is a valuable way for us to add to the information about our images.  The photograph below of A. J. B. McMaster was digitized as part of our portrait collection.

Andrew John Baxter McMaster, ca. 1930.  Image No: 68338

At the time of digitization the only information we had about this image was that it was a portrait of A. J. B. McMaster.  Recently A. J. B. McMaster’s son, John McMaster, contacted us and provided the library with a wealth of information about his father.

Andrew John Baxter McMaster was the eldest son of William McMaster. William’s youngest son, Fergus, was one of the founders of Qantas Airways.

Qantas Empire Airways.  Image No: 23472

The McMasters were a well known family from Winton.   A. J. B. McMaster was a self taught engineer, grazier, inventor and scientist.  He installed large pumps in the Winton Dam which shot large columns of water into the air in an attempt to cool and clean the boiling, foul smelling bore water.  He also started and owned the first local wool scour, named the Alba Wool Scour, which was a very successful operation.

Main street of Winton, 1918.  Image No: 99303

A. J. B. McMaster was made an honorary member of the C.S.I.R.O. for his extensive research into blowfly breeding and eradication.  He was also chairman of the Queensland United Graziers’ Association for many years.

As an added bonus John McMaster has kindly offered to donate original material and photographs relating to his family to the John Oxley Library.

It is wonderful that one small photograph can generate so much historical information about a family and provide links to pioneering outback Queensland.

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Approximately 40 people from the Brisbane Camera Group recently came along to hear staff from the John Oxley Library talk about the library’s photographic collections.  A range of photographs was on display on the day, from ambrotypes to daguerreotypes, as well as collodian prints, photographic albums and panoramas.  Sir Robert Philp’s Townsville Album was especially admired by the participants, because of its beautifully illustrated pages.

Lydia Egunnike, Senior Conservator at the State Library, gave a very interesting session on how to care for photographic collections. 

The afternoon was a great success, with a wonderful outcome for the library being various offers of photographic donations from the participants. Bernard Milford, Secretary of the Brisbane Camera Group, had this to say about the event, “I’d just like to say how much we all enjoyed the talk … and how impressed we were with how comprehensive, well-thought-out and interactive it was.”

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Parts of Coronation Drive at Toowong will feature in a forthcoming segment on Channel Seven’s Great South East program and it is opportune to look at the history of this well known Brisbane suburb. 

The suburb’s name is said to have originated from Aboriginal language sources, as follows:

• a sound imitating bird calls, including the Flinders Cuckoo and the Rain Bird.
• relevant Aboriginal words or phrases for rich and fertile, a place of plenty and a bend in the river.

Some early visitors or settlers in Toowong’s history include:

• John Oxley who is believed to have stopped for water at Middle Creek.
• J. Mc Dougall, an absentee landlord who acquired land in the area between the present day Milton and Moggill. The subdivision of part of this land marked the beginnings of Toowong as we know it today.
• W. Cribb.
• J.B. Fewings.
• R.L. Drew (August 1862).  R.L. Drew subdivided his land and called the collection of land subdivisions, Toowong.

The Regatta and Royal Exchange Hotels are prominent landmarks in the area. The first Regatta Hotel was constructed in 1874 with the present hotel building being built in 1886, to a design by Richard Gailey.  The Royal Exchange Hotel is believed to have been built in the 1880s and was originally known as the Railway Hotel.

Royal Exchange Hotel, ca. 1908.  Image No: 10577

Mt. Coot-tha

Mt. Coot-tha is another prominent and well known feature of the area, with some relevant milestones as follows:

• The Reverend M. Bell applied for land at “One Tree Hill” (1865).
• The area was gazetted as a public park/reserve (1880).
• In 1883 the name changed to Mt. Coot-tha (said to be an Aboriginal word for honey).

Landmarks

Sydney House was built by Thomas Finney.  This was a two storey mansion with ornate features including wrought iron balustrading and stained glass windows.  The residence was later demolished to make way for the construction of the ABC studios, that formerly occupied the site.

Sydney House, ca. 1931.  Image No: 16482

Church Street, Toowong (subsequently changed to Jephson Street) - a number of early churches were constructed in this one street – Church of England (1875); Primitive Methodist (1876); Wesleyan (1879); and Baptist (1881).

Timeline

Some important dates in Toowong’s history and development include:

• 1860 – planning begins for a new Brisbane cemetery.
• 1870 – The first church (Anglican) is established.
• 1871 – Toowong is chosen as the site for a new Brisbane cemetery.
• 1874 – Railway and tram services are established.

Toowong tram, ca. 1905.  Image No: 44042

• 1875 – The new Toowong cemetery is officially opened.
• 1875 – First Indooroopilly Bridge is constructed.
• 1870s – housing estates Kensington and Sylvan Grove are developed.
• 1880 – Toowong Shire Council is established.
• 1887 – Presbyterian Church is opened.
• 1903 – First meeting of the Toowong Bowls Club.
• 1931 – Brisbane Boys College opens.

Find more photographs of Toowong in the State Library’s collection.

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Yachting as a sport and pastime has long been popular in Queensland with interstate races for craft twenty-two feet and under being sailed almost continuously over the last sixty years. With the formation of the Queensland Cruising Yacht Club in 1948 blue water yacht racing and cruising was also commenced and has become increasingly popular.

Yachting Queensland, 1940s. Image No 179096

Yacht race, Hamilton Island, 1985. Image No 504-55-16

The Brisbane to Gladstone yacht race has also been popular, being held annually since 1949.  The race takes place each Easter on Good Friday, with the starting line just offshore from Shorncliffe Pier. Many don’t know that the Brisbane to Gladstone Yacht Race has weathered worse storms than the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race. Cyclone Emily caused havoc as winds reached up to 96 knots during the 1972 race. There were no casualties but only five of the 25 race starters finished the race that year.

Yacht race, Brisbane River. Image No 7708-0001-0035

Find more photographs of yachts and yachting in Picture Queensland via One Search.

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