Hello and welcome

Brisbane History West is a collaborative resource set up to provide an internet presence for the history groups in the inner south western suburbs that don’t have their own dedicated website.  Its purpose  is to supplement existing activities and encourage community awareness and participation in the study and recording of local history.

Each of the groups focus on specific geographical areas which jointly cover the present day suburbs of Chelmer, Corinda, Graceville, Indooroopilly, Oxley, St Lucia, Sherwood and Taringa. Arbitrary boundaries aside, with some subtle variations the area shares a common history.

If you are unfamiliar with the blog format this Home page has all the articles uploaded to date in chronological order. Each has been categorised so if you are looking to minimise scrolling click on the relevant Topic (right hand side margin for PC users). The articles are a mix of frequently asked questions, meeting notices, research notes and papers,  and general news items.

Please feel free to contact us if you are working on a project and are wondering how to share your research effort, contributions are welcome. The site is self-funded and supported by the participating groups and societies which rely solely on volunteer resources. The individual groups retain their independence.

The publication Brisbane Spreads West– A local history 1840 to 1901 is the combined work of a number of local groups and societies, drawing on their research of the history of the western and south western suburbs of Brisbane. It is available from the participating groups.

The Dell – A house in Toowong

Author Ruth Sapsford signing copies of her book at the recent launch (John Carter)

What makes this ‘timber and tin’ riverside residence different ? The fact that it has been owned and lived in by by four successive generations of one family. In The Dell author Ruth Sapsford presents its 130 year history, over which time it has been enlarged, modernised and adapted for modern living. She has dipped into the house records and covers its story from the installation of gas lighting to WiFi and the internet.

For further details and how to obtain a copy of the book please refer to the flyer

Oxley-Chelmer History Group October Meeting

Dunlop Park Public Pool Construction 1961 (Courtesy BCC Archives)

9.30am Friday 15 October 2021 at the Sherwood-Indooroopilly RSL Sub-Branch, Clewley Street, Corinda. This month we will mark the 60th anniversary of the construction of the Dunlop Park Memorial Swimming Pool. It was opened by Clem Jones on 22 December 1961 when there were displays of swimming and life-saving, as well as entertainment by the Police Band.

Members and guests are encouraged to share their memories of the Pool – swimming there in summer childhoods, squad training, school carnivals, club carnivals, life-saving club, taking children and grandchildren there for learn-to-swim, or going more recently for aqua aerobics.

If you happen to have any photographs, please let us know in the next few days so they can be scanned and used in the presentation.

For further details please contact Marion on 3379 1967 or ochginc@gmail.com

Indooroopilly & District Historical Society October Meeting

5 for 5.30pm Wednesday 13 October 2021 at the Meeting Room, Indooroopilly Library, Indooroopilly Shopping Centre, Indooroopilly. This month Libbie Escolme-Schmidt will be our guest speaker.

After a year of teaching in PNG, Libbie did what many of her contemporaries did, headed off to the UK. There, having gone through a rigorous selection and training process, she began her career as an air stewardess with BOAC. After a number of years in this role, she became a trainer, preparing the next generation of flight crew for their life in the skies.

Now, she has written a book about her experiences Glamour in The Skies.

Please come along to hear the story of her interesting life. All welcome.

For further details contact indooroopillyDHS@gmail.com

Taringa History Group October Meeting

3pm Saturday 2 October 2021 at the Community Meeting Place, Josling Street, Toowong.  This month our member Mark Louttit will give a talk on the Red Hill Skate Arena including recounting his own experience at the venue in his teenage years. The building started life as a picture theatre, and following the fire in the 1990s, has been restored and is again in use as a cinema.

All welcome, refer to attached flyer for further details.

Oxley-Chelmer History Group September Meeting

9.30am Friday 17 September 2021 at the Sherwood-Indooroopilly RSL Sub-Branch, Clewley Street, Corinda. At each of our meetings we have a presentation and discussion on some aspect of the history of the suburbs of Oxley, Corinda, Sherwood, Graceville and Chelmer.

For further details please contact Marion on 3379 1967 or ochginc@gmail.com

Photo Competition- Cherish Brisbane’s Heritage

This week Brisbane’s Living Heritage Network (BLHN) will launch their photo competition, Cherish Brisbane Heritage. Members of the public are invited to share their unique perspective of Greater Brisbane’s heritage with a photo taken in 2021 featuring an aspect of one of the BLHN member sites.

Established in 2001, BLHN was formed out of a Brisbane City Council initiative. The initial spark of an idea was to connect Brisbane’s small museums and heritage places within a larger network to help them with promotion and raise awareness of their valuable work. It was decided that this network or alliance would be based on approved membership to Brisbane’s Living Heritage Network.

The competition opens on 10 September with cash prizes awarded in three categories – Place / Building, Objects, and People’s Choice. Refer to the BLHN website for further details.

Indooroopilly & District Historical Society September Meeting

5 for 5.30pm Wednesday 8 September 2021 at the Meeting Room, Indooroopilly Library, Indooroopilly Shopping Centre, Indooroopilly. For further details contact indooroopillyDHS@gmail.com

St Lucia History Group September Meeting

(LHS) UQ Alumni Book Fair box of goodies and (RHS) River Road, Indooroopilly (Courtesy Sandra Dangerfield family archive)

1pm Saturday 4 September 2021 at the Toowong Community Meeting Place, Josling Street, Toowong. On the agenda this month is a talk by Steven Craig-Smith on his ongoing research into the history of the UQ Alumni Book Fair, and time permitting, a look at the various bridges that have been built on Radnor Street, Indooroopilly. The latter prompted by a photograph received following our last meeting.

As of today, wearing of masks and social distancing will be required

For further information contact Andrew Darbyshire slhgcoordinator@gmail.com

Brisbane History Group September Seminar

Originally conceived as an afternoon coach tour to discover the historic highlights of the suburbs immediately south of Oxley Point, a trial run presented one or two insurmountable obstacles.

Not wishing to miss out on the opportunity of learning more of the area’s local history, a  Plan B was required. This will take the form of a series of related talks by members of the Oxley-Chelmer History Group. Topics will include both the general development of the suburbs we now know as Oxley, Corinda, Sherwood, Graceville and Chelmer, together with aspects of a wider historical impact. Presenters include Harry Thompson, Marion Mackenzie, Marianne Taylor, Elisabeth Wheeler, Peter Brown and Andrew Darbyshire.

Refer attached flyer for registration details (booking essential).

Brisbane CBD/Valley 1950s snapshot

 

Interested in a mid 20th Century snapshot of businesses and buildings in the City and the Valley ? Brisbane City Archives has recently had the Malhstedts Brisbane fire maps digitised and they are available online through the Map room on Brisbane Images https://library-brisbane.ent.sirsidynix.net.au/client/en_AU/BrisbaneImages/?rm=MAHLSTEDT%E2%80%99S+BR0%7C%7C%7C1%7C%7C%7C1%7C%7C%7Ctrue (better quality than the above snip)

Laurence and Mary West and West’s Furniture

Laurence article on the evolution of furniture (Telegraph 29 Apr 1952)

Exterior of the Shop (Architecture, Building, Engineering May 1953)

Laurence and Mary at the Qld Art Gallery (Courier Mail 21 Oct 1955)

The West’s Furniture showroom on Wickham Street, built in the early 1950s, was so striking the Duke of Edinburgh stopped the royal cavalcade as it passed for a closer look. Functional and eye catching it was constructed for Laurence and Mary West as a purpose built showroom to display their range of contemporary furniture.

Designed by family friend Karl Langer, it was open plan with an abundance of natural light, reflecting the evolving adoption of the ‘modern’ architectural movement. The ideal setting to showcase their array of imported, made under license, and in-house designed furniture.

1920s Goat Cart

Courtesy Bev Walker

Ready for the off, a young Sydney John McKenzie looks the part in the driver’s seat of this early 1920s sleek looking goat cart. The photograph is believed to have been taken at his parent’s home on Moggill Road, a couple of doors up from Rylatt Street.

Whilst racing was part of the scene, goats, often in conjunction with children, played an important role in the life of pioneers and early European settlers. Reference was made to The Indispensable Goat by Errol Beutel & Faye Schutt to see if this could have been a standard rig/set up, but it looks as though it may have been a one off. Nothing has emerged so far as to whether Sydney was involved in the sport or if this was simply a leisure time activity.

As the uncle he was named after, Sydney would be a casualty of war, dying in 1946 from injuries sustained in combat.

 

St Lucia History Group Meeting Notes 2005 to 2020

Over the years members of the group have prepared a series of Papers and Research Notes on various aspects of the history of St Lucia. Many are works in progress with periodic minor amendments/supplements as additional information becomes available, which it inevitably does. The various topics have often been the focus of our meetings, however, not exclusively, with discussion covering a wide range of subjects.

Whilst formal Minutes have not been kept, the main points discussed have being recorded in the form of summary Meeting Notes. These are available in a readily accessible electronic format from 2005, and for ease of download are presented here in three separate volumes.

Volume One covers the period 2005 to 2011, Volume Two 2012 to 2016, and Volume Three 2017 to 2020. There is the option to browse, however, if you are looking for a particular topic or subject perhaps start with the Finding Aid. It is in two parts, a quick guide to the more significant topics (by meeting) and a more detailed Index, it covers all three volumes. Download and save a copy and you will be able to search using Adobe Reader’s ‘Find’ feature (microscope with three dots in the tools bar).

Ironside State School 150th

This 1950s photograph of billy cart races in Baty Street arrived just too late to be included in the Ironside Sesquicentenary publication, but it is still possible for you to book for the Gala Dinner. Tickets available until Friday 12 February unless sold out, see below

Brisbane History Group Book Release

For those who may have missed it in the 1990s a second edition of Brisbane: The Aboriginal Presence 1824 to 1860 has been released with some reworking and additional material. Purchase your copy from Brisbane History Group and you will be able to make a selection from our $5 books, refer current price list/offer attached for details. To obtain  your copy refer to the attached flyer or contact BHGBooks@optusnet.com.au