Throughout my adult
life, there was one person who I admired - my father-in-law, Dale Herron
Dale
always wanted to find his father. He was
very interested in his family history, and unfortunately dementia finally took
all his stored memories from him. He was
my inspiration initially, I felt I owed it to him to find Claude Annesley. That quest took me on an amazing journey, and
one that resulted in having to tell all my in-laws, "they were not who
they thought they were".
Claude
Annesley was born Harold Sedgwick, and what he did along his life's journey,
filled a book!
Thankfully,
Dale never knew the truth about his father.
Dale was an honest man, one who
believed in setting things straight.
Like those of his generation, he was at times a very hard man, and the
boys suffered in their home life. But
in his later years he was a man who loved to write poetry, and stories, and who
was dedicated to the Returned Soldiers League.
He also made it his mission to help any other ex-servicemen especially if the matter was War related.
He also made it his mission to help any other ex-servicemen especially if the matter was War related.
While doing this research, and
learning of the demise of the Memorial Hall in Bald Hills, it occurred to me,
that had he still been here, he would have put his hand up to arrange and
contribute to the re-building, thus ensuring that the Hall that he was involved
with as a member of the Bald Hills Sub-Branch, was returned to its previous
glory.
With that in mind, my focus
became not only on the history of the hall, but on the history of those whose
lives were remembered with its building.
Like any journey into past
history, some discrepancies with current thinking have been uncovered.
The History of the Bald Hills
School of Arts, is another of those very interesting history stories!
- In July 1906, 110 years ago, the community of Bald Hills formed a committee to build a School of Arts.
- In 1908 the committee applied for land adjoining the school.
- In 1913 the Department of Public Instruction donated to them the old Bald Hills School
- In September 1914 the Hall was opened, however it was not large enough to accommodate the community
- In 1918 plans were drawn but the costs were too expensive
- In 1919 fundraising was organised, and plans finalised
- In 1920 Vernon David Carseldine was contracted to build the hall, and tragically he died in Easter 1920
- In August 1920 the Hall was opened by Hon. Huxham, the Minister for Public Instruction.
In 1922 the Committee organised
another Community Event with the planting of trees in Memorial Park, to honour
the 17 men from the Bald Hills District who never returned.
Bald Hills School
of Arts. The Opening Ceremony.
The ceremony in connection with the
opening of the Bald Hills Memorial Hall, which is to be used as a School of
Arts, was performed on Saturday afternoon by the Hon. T. Huxham, MLA. (Minister
for Public Instruction), and the tablet dedicating it, to the memory of the
soldiers of the district who had served in the great war, was unveiled by Brigadier-General Spencer Browne CB. There was a numerous attendance of the people
of Bald Hills and district.
The Minister was accompanied by
Mrs Huxham, and there were also present the member for the district (Mr. H.E.
Sizer, MLA), and Mr.Godfrey Morgan,
M.L.A. The visitors were received by Mr. A. W. Carseldine (chairman of the
committee), Mr. A.. D. Stewart, (secretary), and Mr. W. J. Hawkins (treasurer).
Tho chairman, in welcoming the Minister, said
the people of Bald Hills and district had all been looking forward with very
great interest to the opening of the new hall. They had all been working with
this object in view for some considerable time, and many of, them had been at
it day and night in order to bring it to its present stage of completion. It
was not quite finished yet, but was so
far advanced that they, decided to invite
the Minister to. open it that afternoon. He extended a hearty welcome to Mr. and Mrs.
Huxham and the other visitors.
Mr .A.D. Stewart (secretary) in
presenting a report on what had been accomplished, said this was a red letter
day in the history of the School of Arts, and one that had long been looked
--forward to by tho committee, and the general community. The people had
perhaps, been backward in securing a public hall worthy of the district, but
they hoped that that stigma would now be wiped out. It was regretted that the hall was still far
from being complete.
The difficulty of procuring, material and labour
to a large extent had hindered progress It: might not be 'out of place' to give
a little of the history of the establishment
of a School of Arts at Bald Hills. The matter was first discussed at a meeting of the Progress Association, held in
July, 1906. No definite action was then taken,
but in 1908 an application was made for a portion of the school paddock as a site for a building, which
was granted conditional on the payment of title survey fee.
There the matter rested till the
year 1911 when the survey fee was paid, and a proclamation was issued, permanently
reserving the site of this building as a School of Arts. reserve. No further action was taken till 1913, when
the new State school was completed. The Department of Public Instruction then,
offered the old school building for School of Arts purposes.
This offer was accepted at a
public meeting held in April of that year. A committee was appointed, and
arrangements were eventually made to have the building removed onto, the site ,
and altered to . make it suitable for a public hall. This was eventually done,
and tho hall was opened in September,
1914. Subsequently a library was established.
They all knew how inadequate that building was
and how unsuitable it was as a public hall, especially during those . years of
the Great War, when so many patriotic
functions were held, and so largely patronised. And so in 1918 definite steps were taken for the erection of a new building.
Plans and specifications, were
prepared, and tenders called but those submitted were
considered to be excessive, and the matter was dropped for the time being, . At
the annual meeting in 1919, the subject, was again revived, and this time, it
was decided to take decisive notion.
In October last a public meeting was held and
largely attended. By almost unanimous consent it was decided to erect a new
building on the present site, and the matter was enthusiastically taken up, and
about £108 subscribed. A thorough canvass was made of the surrounding
districts, and donations to over £230 were promised; and over £200. of this
amount had been paid.
Entertainments wore held frequently,
and a fete in March last considerably added to the revenue, and in addition £41
was received by way of endowment which they had special permission to use for
building purposes. Altogether the total revenue right up to date amounted to
about £400, and £400 had been raised from tho bank by way of overdraft, making
a total of £800 available. It was decided to erect the new building, by day labour,
and to utilise the timber and iron in the old building as far as possible.
This was valued at about £200. And so the old
school building, which did duty as a school for 47 years, having been erected
in 1866, and then as a School of Arts and public hall, for another six or seven
years, was still going strong in the new, and likely to last another 60 years.
(Loud applause.) Tho hall, although incomplete, was strongly and substantially
built, and there was nothing elaborate in its construction. It had cost to date
£610, and they expected. when it is complete it would run to about £800, which,
with the old material, would bring it to a value of about- £1,000.
The actual cost had been greatly
reduced by a very large amount of voluntary labour. Otherwise the expense would
have been far greater. A claim was made for further endowment in July on
donations amounting to £222, but so far had not been recognised. The erection
was first put in the hands of the late Mr. V. D. Carseldine, but he had barely commenced
his work when his life came to such a tragic end in that drowning fatality at
Easter time. The late Mr. Carseldine's heart and soul was bound up in the
erection of this building, and no one would have been more proud to have been
present here this afternoon than he. His successor, Mr. J. B. Young, had
carried out his share of the work faithfully and well. In conclusion, the
committee would like to thank all those who had assisted to bring, this
undertaking to so successful an issue, and they could justly feel proud of this
building, which was now to be opened by tho Minister of Public Instruction. It
was decided to erect tho hall as a soldiers' memorial, and they were going to
dedicate it that afternoon to those brave men from their district, who fought in
the great war, and in memory of those who made tho supreme sacrifice. (Loud
applause.)
Mr. Huxham, who was received with
hearty applause, said tho report that ' had been tendered by the secretary was
most gratifying, even to a stranger, but was even more so to those who had done so much although it had taken 13
Years— to bring about the result they saw that day. There was one thing he was
much pleased with, and that was the way in which they had utilised the material
of the old school in the new building. (Applause.)
It was like keeping alive old
traditions, so to speak, and he might state that in the vestibule of the old
Brisbane Town Hall there were very fine granite pillars which were used when
that hall was put up and he hoped they would be utilised in the erection of the
new Town Hall. He had spoken to some of the aldermen about it— as nothing could
be more fitting — and ho hoped it would be done.
It was pleasing to find that all
Governments had tried to cultivate in the people of the country the feeling
that they were not altogether neglected. Past Governments gave them tho old
building— the school— and now the present Government came along and subsidised
this new place. It was true they had collected money since, which had not been
subsidised yet, but he would see to it — (applause) — because tho object they
had in view was a worthy one, and would keep the people of the district
together.
He always liked to be amongst the people in the
country, and he was also very pleased to be there that day to open their new. hall,
because it had been erected as a memorial to their soldiers. They could have
nothing better as a memorial to perpetuate tho memory of those who had fallen
at the. front. He hoped that when they got their honour board they would not
place the names on it in gilt letters, because they would not last. They should
do the names in metal.
He had been appalled at some of the memorials
put up in memory of the soldiers, more
particularly those effigies which were erected on the roadside. They were in
bad taste and he did not like them. He considered there should be something
more dignified, and noble, in the shape of an obelisk— when they were debarred
from having a building. (Applause.) Now that their new hall had been erected he
hoped there would be no lagging on the part of the people in putting their
hands in their pockets to help the committee. The building was for the benefit
of the people of the district, and they should part up the necessary money.
This new building ought to be the centre of a great activity. It should not
only be used as a School of Arts, but also as a science hall — a place where
knowledge could be cultivated.
It would also bring the young
together to read, and to think, rather than wasting their time in things which
were not good for them. He had much pleasure in declaring the School of Arts or
Memorial Hall open. He hoped it would be taken advantage of by all in the
community, both young and old, and that before long, the membership would .be
so great that they would have to enlarge it. (Applause.)
Tho chairman stated that much
volunteer labour had been put into the building. Many had worked every day for
weeks. (Applause.) Mr. Ken Mcpherson (chairman of the Patriotic League) said he
had known the Minister for a long time, and was pleased to meet, him here today.
He. knew Mr. Huxham when he was Home Secretary very well, and could say he made
a most energetic Home Secretary, and at the time was very jealous of the health
of the people. (Applause.)
They had a Patriotic Committee at
Bald Hills right through the war and they
tried to do what they could to help their boys whilst they were away — and also
when they came back again. (Applause.) And they thought it a fitting thing to
build this hall. (Applause,) They had now invited Brigadier- General Spencer
Browne to come out and unveil tho tablet they had erected (hero. (Applause) —
for he was one of the most beloved men in the 'Queensland Military Forces.
(Loud applause.)
General Spencer Browne, who was
received with great applause, said he felt highly complimented in being asked
to unveil the tablet. He was not a stranger to their district, for he bad been
soldiering amongst them there and at Strathpine, during the years— (applause)—
and there were comrades there who had served with him in the .South African
war, and some in the last great war. (Loud applause.).
It was, therefore, pleasant to see
familiar faces and renew old friendships. But it was very gratifying to him to
the one in an assemblage gathered there to pay some tribute to the memories of
those of their sons who would never come back to the sunny shores of Australia.
(Applause ) it was a pleasure also to assist in paying some tribute to the
gallant boys who had come back— (applause)— and he trusted they would be spared
to play the part of as good citizen as they did that of true and faithful
soldiers of the Empire. (Loud applause.)
He was pleased also to be there
with the Minister (Mr. Huxham) who was well represented on the other side — at
the front — by his own boy — (applause) — whom he remembered meeting in Egypt
and France. It was a great thing to know that their Minister was represented by one of his own boys in the
great struggle. (Applause.) He expressed the fervent hope that those who had
given to their country and into the
keeping of their God their loved ones in the cause of the Empire, would have
some measure of comfort and satisfaction
when they saw that those whom they
cherished be much were not forgotten. (Applause.)
When those older ones there that afternoon had
played their part and the curtain was rung down on their activities, the boys
and girls of that day and in the future time would look on the names on the
roll with reverence, and love and honour
tho men of their district, who did what they could for the honour, safety, and
well being of their people. (Loud applause.)'
' He' then pulled the cord and
tho covering fell away from tho marble tablet, which was over tho main entrance
to the building.
On the tablet was tho following
inscription:
"This hall has been erected
as a memorial to the soldiers from the Bald Hills district who served in the great
war. — August, 1920."
Mr. Sizor then briefly addressed the
gathering, and congratulated all who had taken part in the erection of the
hall. He said he knew of no district that had done better. (Applause.) He hoped
it would not be long before they would see a great need for this particular
hall. (Applause.)
The formal opening and unveiling
proceedings then closed, and cheers were given for Mr. and Mrs. Huxham.
Good business was done at some
nicely arranged stalls conducted by ladies of Bald Hills. The refreshment stall
was presided over by Mrs. Hawkins and Miss Shaw; the produce stall by Mrs.
Beer; the sewing stall by Mrs. Ken Macpherson; the lollies' stall by Mrs.
Johnson, the fruit and ice cream stall by Mrs. Moles and Mrs. Stewart; and the
fish pond by Miss Ruby Hawkins.
Mr. George Carseldine exhibited curios and
trophies which he had brought back with him from the war. During the afternoon
an interesting programme of athletic sports was carried out under the
supervision of the secretary, Mr. Stewart
In the evening the musical
bowlers of Brisbane gave a concert, which was followed by a dance.
Major General Reginald Spencer Browne CB (13 July 1856 – 9 November 1943) was a journalist,
newspaper editor, and an Australian
Imperial Force general in World War I.
Browne volunteered for service in South Africa during the Second Boer War,
and sailed in November 1899 with the 1st Queensland Contingent. For his services, he was appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath, awarded the Queen's South Africa Medal with five clasps, and was mentioned in despatches. Browne returned to Australia in November 1900.
In 1903 Browne became commanding officer of the 13th Light Horse Regiment with the rank of lieutenant colonel. Then in 1906 he became the commander of the 5th Light Horse Brigade and was promoted to full colonel. He then transferred onto the list of Reserve of Officers in 1911.
For
two years (1921–1922) Browne was State president of the Queensland branch of
the Returned
Sailors and Soldiers Imperial League of Australia.
From 1925 to 1927, he contributed weekly articles to the Courier
on his memories of people and events in 19th century Queensland. These were
collected and published as A Journalist's Memories in 1927. The book is
considered a reliable source of much information on the history and legends of
Queensland.
In October 1922
CEREMONY AT. BALD HILLS.
A
very impressive ceremony organised, by the Bald Hills Memorial School of Arts
Committee 'took- ' place in the. grounds of the hall on Saturday. The occasion was the planting of 17 memorial trees, in honour
"of the members of the A..I.F from
the Bald Hills district, who made the
supreme sacrifice in the Great War.
His Excellency the Governor took
part in the ceremony
Sir
Matthew Nathan- said " it seemed to him that however great the number of
places that he visited in Queensland
between every two visited there always was one neglected. He had attended on
various public occasions at Virginia, and had spent a pleasant day once at
Petrie, but hitherto had neglected Bald Hills.
The Week (Brisbane, Qld. : 1876 - 1934) Friday 20 October 1922 p 17 Article
... MEMORIAL TREES; v CEREMONY AT. BALD .'HILLS. 'A very impressive ceremony."organised, by .the Bald'Hills ... spent a pleasant day once' 'at Petrie', but hitherto had neglected Bald Hills.
He was glad that and that an occasion had now, brought
him there, and that it was an occasion on which he could do honour to the
little township and district that sent
so large a proportion of their adult male population to the war and also to the men who went, and more particularly
to those who did not return. He liked the idea of trees as a memorial:
The very care they would require in the years
of their growth was a guarantee that those whom they commemorated would not be forgotten. He trusted the trees would ever
he kept fresh and green, so that, the tradition of the self sacrifice and heroism
of 'the boys of Bald Hills might- remain, an inspiration to generations of Queenslanders in
the far" distant future.
His
Excellency then planted a tree in honour
of Howard Fielding.
The
other sixteen, memorials. in honour of
each of the undermentioned were planted by the relatives or friends of the deceased W. Birch, It.
Brown. H ,E. Carseldine, .J. B. Crawford; M..E. Dixon, J. Fraser, K. G. Feurerriegel, P. Hennessev, A. IT. Jardine, A.. Powell, T.
Platen, J. A. Rilley, H. ,.I. Stuckey. A Snellman,' A. "Walno, "and L."
Wright.
Trees
planted in memory of 17 who died.
W. Birch
|
Brown
|
H.E. Carseldine
|
J.B. Crawford
|
M.E. Dixon
|
J. Fraser
|
K.G. Feuerriegel
|
P Hennessey
|
A Jardine
|
A Powell
|
T Platen
|
J.A Riley
|
H.I Stuckey
|
A Snellman
|
A Walno
|
L Wright
|
H. Fielding
|
|||
However, P Hennessey was
discharged in 1918 and returned to Australia
Archibald James Norris was not
listed
Thomas Robson was not listed
The Governor.
Sir
Matthew Nathan, Governor of Queensland, at an official gathering, ca. 1922.
Matthew Nathan was born on 3 January 1862 at Paddington in London of Jewish
parents. After a career in the British army, Royal Engineers, Matthew Nathan
served as a colonial governor in Sierra Leone, the African Gold Coast, Hong
Kong, and Natal as well as holding a number of public positions in England and
Ireland.
In December 1920, as Sir Matthew Nathan, he became the Governor of
Queensland, and during his five years in that position promoted British
migration to Queensland and research into the Great Barrier Reef. He was
Chancellor of the University of Queensland. He was sixty-three years of age
when he left Queensland to retire in Somerset, England, where he died in 1939.
He was buried in the Jewish cemetery at Willesden, London. He was never
married. (Description taken from: Australian Dictionary of Bibliography, 1891 -
1939).
Sir Matthew Nathan (1862–1939)Born in Paddington, England and educated at Sandhurst, he was a governor of Sierra Leone, the Gold Coast and Hong Kong and became Under-secretary for Ireland in 1914. Working under Augustine Birrell, Nathan liaised with John Redmond’s Irish Parliamentary Party but was concerned with Volunteer recruiting in Ireland.
A British report after the Rising found: “In our
view he carried out with the utmost loyalty the policy of the Government, and
of his immediate superior, the Chief Secretary, but we consider that he did not
sufficiently impress upon the Chief Secretary during the latter’s prolonged
absences from Dublin the necessity for more active measures to remedy the
situation in Ireland, which come December 18th last, in a letter to the Chief
Secretary, he described as “most serious and menacing”.
Nathan moved back to the British ministry of
pensions, and in 1920 became governor of Queensland until retirement in 1925.
While in Queensland he carried
out many official engagements, and in 1922 was at Bowen (right) and at an
unknown location in the centre.
There
were 16 men who were left buried somewhere in the muddy fields of France and Gallipoli. Who were they?
***********************************************************************************
The
names on the Honour Board include:
- W. Birch William Robert Birch S/N 231A
- J .R.Brown James Robert Brown S/N 3471A
- H.E. Carseldine Harold Edwin Carseldine S/N 1019
- J.B Crawford James Buchanan Crawford S/N 35538
- N.E. Dixon Norman Edward Dixon S/N 20934
- J. Fraser
- E.C. Feuerriegel Ernest George Feuerriegal S/N 3413
- H Fielding John Howard Fielding S//N 747
- P. Hennessey Patrick William Hennessey S/N 1898
- 1 A Jardine Arthur Hugh Jardine S/N 2398
- A Powell
- T Platen Frederick Platten S/N
- J A Riley John Alber Rilley S/N 2705
- 1 H J Stuckey Herbert James Stuckey S/N 3662
- A Snellman Alexander Snellman S/N 3743
- 1 A Walno Arthur Walno
- L Wright Leonard Gordon Wright S/N 1543
This letter from a representative of Gunner Robson who was killed.
Sir:
Please allow me the space through your valuable paper to ventilate a grienvance that has come under my notice relative in the tree planting ceremony held at Bald Hills recently. Will those responsible explain why the names of Mr and Mrs Robson late of Bald Hills and now residing at Bowen Hills were omitted from the invitations of parents of fallen soldiers. They must certainly have known that Gunner Robson a son of the aforementioned parents was amongst the first to enlist from Bald Hills and that he served four years on active service. He sailed with the first contingent. He received very severe shrapnel wounds to which he succumbed shortly after his return. Is it an instance of discrimination, because the parents do not belong to the crowd of flagflappers"
Mr and Mrs Robson are highly respected citizens and their son Tommy who paid the supreme sacrifice was a soldier and a man. The comfort of the bereaved ones should be the aim of the committees in charge of these events.
Where are the trees?
While the article from 1922
indicates the trees have been planted on the Memorial Hall Grounds, where are
they? The photo of the Hall from the
same era, from the Australian War Memorial does not show any trees.
The closest indication can be the photo of the hall c 1922
compared with today.
There does not appear to be an avenue
of trees, planted as was the custom in those days.
The photo on the right shows the lands beside the Memorial Hall.
Which would be the trees? Have they got plaques on them to commemorate the
lives lost?
However there was also an
avenue of trees on Gympie Road, just a little way along the road overlooking the
flats.
My uncle lived on Gympie Road, more than 60 years ago, and with
his brothers ran a farm in Strathpine.
As a child we drove Old Gympie Road very regularly, my memory is
of the rows of pine trees in the area overlooking
the Bald Hills Flats.
The photo of the Hall from the same era, from the Australian War Memorial do not show any trees.
(John Oxley Library State Library of Queensland1 89056)
Today the tree numbers on that site seems to have dwindled, and the park is called John Stewart Memorial Park.
********************************************************************************
The School of Arts was listed in 2009 as a Queensland War Memorial.
Established on the 21st August 1920, the site consists of a chamferboard hall with memorial gate and marble shield-shaped plaque above the main door. The gate has brick pillars and lettering in a metal arch, with commemorative plaques attached.
Location
Bald Hills School of Arts, 2126 Gympie Road, Bald Hills Qld 4036
Inscription
Inscription on right gatepost: Dedicated to those who served in 1939 - 1945 war. Presented by: ANZAC Day Commeration (sic) Committee (Queensland)Incorporated
Gate arch reads LEST WE FORGET
Plaque above door reads: The hall has been erected as a memorial to the soldiers from the Bald Hills District who served in the Great War. Aug. 1920.
First World War (hall), Second World War (gates)
Conflicts commemorated
First World War, 1914-1918
Second World War, 1939-1945
Second World War, 1939-1945
Memorial type Building
Recorded by Lesley McBurney
Date recorded 23 April 2009
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