BRS 15 Bracken Ridge Residents Post 1900

In 1907, women were given the right to vote for the first time.  Spare a thought for the people whose job it was to compile the rolls.

They obviously had no idea where the locality of Bracken Ridge was, as shown in the following Electoral lists.Some residents were on the Sandgate roll, some were on the Zillman's Waterhole roll, some were on the Bald Hills roll.

Any wonder there was confusion about where people lived for so many years. 

Summarising the Brown family is a good example of all the different presentations of the same place.

In 1905 Electoral roll, David Loughland Brown, Marian Brown, Ruby Brown were living at Rose Hill.  The early electoral rolls did not always specify street or locality.

In 1913, Electoral rolls Helen was the only one living at Rose Hill 2nd roll John was recorded as well

In 1914, Archibald was at Samford Helen was at Rose Hill as was John

In 1917 Helen and Gladys are at Rosehill

In 1919 Gladys, Helen and John  and in 1925, and 1929 , 1936, 1937 1943 are at Rosehill.

In 1958 Helen and Gladys, in 1963

From 1936  Helen's  address became Rosehill, Brackenridge, Sandgate

On the 1903 Electoral Roll Division of Moreton  Zillman's Waterholes, are these Bracken Ridge 

residents, spelt Brackon.

Francis	Frederick, Isabella	Brackon Ridge	Fruit Grower
Gaskill	Peter, Ellen	Near Bald Hills Road	Fruit Grower
Muller	Andrew, Wilhelmine	Brackon Ridge	Fruit Grower
Schiefelbein	August, Gustav	Beckman's Estate	Labourer

Then a summary of some of the Roll entries, of those who are recorded as on the Division of Moreton  Sandgate over different time periods.

Baker	Patrick	Sandgate Dairy Bald Hills Road	Labourer
Bruce	Gilbert, Thomas, Ann, Jean	Branockburn Farm	Farmer Carpenter
Capel	Arthur	Bald Hills Road	Farmer
Dods	George	Strathorlie Bald Hills	Fruitgrower
McKerna	Lawrence	Sandgate Dairy	Labourer
McPherson	John Russell Annie	Spring Field	Farmer, Labourer
Schmidt	Michael	Greenwood St	Farmer
Swain	William	Bald Hills Road	Labourer
Swanson	Adolph, Charlotte	Cemetery Road	Carpenter
Vanstone	Henry, Emily	Brackan Ridge	Farmer
Walters	John, Grace, Ethel	Woodleigh Farm	Farmer
Brown	David Loughland Marion Ruby	Rose Hill	Independent means
Brown	Helen, Ruby,Archibald, John	Rose Hill	Farmers

Added to that were the people of Bald Hills, many of whom also lived at Bracken Ridge!

The square block at the centre is the cemetery, it was located on the corner of (now) Barrett Street and  Cemetery Road. 

By comparison with the land usage and he original map, keeping the Cemetery in perspective, and the manure grounds to the bottom, it is obvious that David Brown, either by himself or with others extended their land holdings in the area quite considerably in the period around 1880.

His purchases particularly must have included all of William Loudon's Lot 25.

Some interesting streets existed in Bald Hills, Brown's Road, Simpson's Road, Telegraph Road,

Did Brown's Road lead to the Brown's farmlands, and did Simpson's Road lead to the Simpsons' Farm?

During our years in Bracken Ridge we lived in three different homes.  Two of those were on the lands belonging to J. Grant.  From an estimation our home in Wilpie Street would have been on J. Ferguson's land.  The Ferguson land was on the south side of Barrett Street, fronted Jude Street and went through to Phillips Street.  That was one of the highest areas of the suburb.

The farmers in the Bracken Ridge area grew a variety of crops, but pineapples seemed to be the main crop, Potatoes were also grown.    Many also raised pigs.

The Fergusons grew corn, as no doubt did many others.

Researching through the 1905 Census records some farmers with land holdings include:

The Mc Phersons - Their farm was called Spring Field

John Walters  -  His farm was called Woodleigh Farm

Gilbert Bruce    His farm was called Bannockburn Farm

Some other farming families 

Carl Stabe            His farm was near Sandgate Road

Sydney Albury  -  His farm was known as Bracken Ridge, Zillmere

Henry Vanstone    He had a farm at Bracken Ridge

Frank Thistlewaite  -  His farm was near Cabbage Tree Creek.

 

And there was a dairy on Bald Hills Road.

Next mention is 1907 This time one of the candidates Mr Phillips addressed a meeting at Pine Groves,  Bracken Ridge his son's property 

 The Telegraph (Brisbane, Qld. : 1872 - 1947), Monday 16 December 1907

In 1911, the Zillmere Show was held, and two Bracken Ridge farmers won prizes. I(It might be a little difficult to read the print)

Then there was an accident. August Schilefelhein one of the winners at the Zillmere show, was killed in an accident when he jumped from his horse. Then there are several articles about his will, probate and transfer into his wife Emilie's name. No doubt August was from the German immigrants, who may have first settled in Nundah. Reported in Daily Mercury (Mackay, Qld. : 1906 - 1954), Tuesday 28 October 1913,   

  

But in 1914 a committee from the Sandgate Progress Association looked at how to supply water to Sandgate from the springs at Bracken Ridge. Daily Standard (Brisbane, Qld. : 1912 - 1936), Tuesday 3 February 1914,

The time now is World War I, life had changed and perhaps it was due to the war, that farms were put up for sale. Only there were no buyers. Advertisements ran for years and then in 1919, the theme changed to being suitable for returned service men. Block sizes ranged from 10 acres to 250 acres, no price was over 1000 pounds

Proof that there was a school in 1915

 

The school children were supporters of the Belgium Patriotic Fund and raised funds for donation. 

This was in 1915

By 1921 some farmers were being mentioned about their Pineapples, and their crop. The area grew excellent pineapples, and Mr Flewell Smith and Mr Albury were two such growers.

Mr Albury grew one of about 2Kg in weight The Brisbane Courier (Qld. : 1864 - 1933), Saturday 19 November 1921  The Queenslander (Brisbane, Qld. : 1866 - 1939), Saturday 14 October 1922

   

In 1924 Col and Mrs Flewell Smith had a social at their property in aid of the Scouts Mr Flewell Smith was also involved in politics The Daily Mail (Brisbane, Qld. : 1903 - 1926), Monday 17 March 1924, page 2

 Then there was a fire, and Mr McPherson was involved in this case. In December 1926,

  

Sandgate Fire Brigade c 1923

1926 and the settlers are involved in sport - Brackenridge Cricket Team

·  Date: 1926 

  

·  Summary: Back row: Hugh McPherson, Harry Gaskell, Russell McPherson, Jess Gaskell - Bert Clark- Kennedy, Reg Slaughter
Front row: F.Montgomery, Charlie Slaughter, Frank Slaughter (Description supplied with photograph)
Second row:Charlie Frietier, Herb Slaughter, Percy Albury, Robert Gaskell

Brackenridge Tennis Club

Summary: In the back row : Agnes McDonald, Mable Way, Francis McDonald. (Description supplied with photograph)

Gaskell's heavily loaded truck at Brackenridge, Brisbane, 1928

 Mrs Albury with Sid

 Young boy relaxes while two men work on Sid Albury's farm at Brackenridge, Brisbane, 1935

There was an article about G. Ferguson and his pigs in 1932, he may have been in the employ of Mr Flewell Smith in Phillips Street.      G. Ferguson in 1932 and his pigs.

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Rights: Out of copyright. For further information http://www.slq.qld.gov.au/home/copyright

All the time, the papers were still filled with advertisements for the sale of farms. Seems no-body wanted to buy at all! Then a rather sad story, but it goes with the times, The Enoggera Boys Home had a tyrant in Charge, a Bracken Ridge Mr and Mrs Batson were appointed Superintendent and Matron.

Everyone who has lived in Bracken Ridge will remember driving along Telegraph Road, and noticing the extra green grass where the Pony Club was, but many would not have known that it was the Night Soil collection site.

For those who are too young to remember, we had toilets outside, and like a bush toilet you filled them with sawdust, and once a week a truck would come around and collect the tins, and replace them with a new one.

All this was then dumped on Telegraph Road. But I never knew that this started in 1919!

In fact Mr Page objected quite strongly about have the nightsoil so close to his home. Now this makes a great trivia question, as it began nearly 100 years ago!  Prior to that it was gazetted as a Manure Reserve!

      

 

Brisbane was not sewered until the 1960's.   

Years later the land along Telegraph Road was the rubbish tip!  That was converted to sporting grounds.

Then the Warra Pound was opened adjoining the Night Soil Collection site 

  

Today a magnificent complex and its suburb name is Fitzgibbon, the lands to the western side of Telegraph Road called the Emily Seebohm Aquatic Centre

With zero lot housing the area has been developed over the past 20 years, and includes countless number of townhouses.

The suburb is one of the smallest suburbs in Brisbane and was named after Abram Fitzgibbon, who was chief engineer of railways in Queensland in the 1860s

This is a relatively new area, which was subdivided for housing during the late 1980s and through to the 1990s. The suburb is roughly triangular in shape and is bounded by the north coast railway, Cabbage Tree Creek and Telegraph Road. Fitzgibbon Parklands, located between Telegraph and Roghan Roads, is the largest allocated sporting area in the catchment.

My involvement with the establishment of Fitzgibbon began when the first townhouses were commenced by Ross Marchant, a cotton grower from Goondiwindi Western Queensland.  Sadly Ross passed away almost 20 years ago, but he was a fantastic person to work with.  Our daughter bought a unit there, and the purchase price was $73000.  How times change!

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Conditions of use: You are free to use this images without permission. Please attribute State Library of Queensland. 

Publisher: John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland 

Rights: Out of copyright. For further information http://www.slq.qld.gov.au/home/copyright