canechair

Wolverton, a prestigious timber residence erected c. 1903 during the expansion of Townsville as a port for the mineral-rich rural hinterland, illustrates the pattern of Queensland's history. It is significant in demonstrating the principal characteristics of a Federation-era timber residence with distinctive multi-gabled roof and timber decorative detailing, unusual in Townsville, and is one of a group of only three such residences surviving in the city. Wolverton is a highly decorative building, and makes a distinctive aesthetic contribution to the suburban townscape of Townsville's West End. Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wolverton,_West_End

It seems May Lacy had an older sister who survived the sunken ship catastrophe. In the Queensland State Archives, there is a story about the miraculous survival of May's older sister. Freeman’s Journal Sat 8 March 1890 Wreck of the S.S. Quetta Fearful Loss of Life 123 Souls Perished The R.M.S. Quetta, of the British India Steam Navigation Co.’s Anglo-Australia service, was on Friday night wrecked on the Queensland coast, after striking on a sunken rock not marked on the chart. The Quetta was well known as one of the favourite mail boats, and the news of her loss was received with profound regret throughout the colonies. The Queensland towns were, especially, cast into gloom by the receipt of the information on account of the passengers being mostly Queensland residents, and the officers and crew well known on the coast of that colony. The eldest Miss Lacy had a miraculous escape. She clung to a raft till midday on Saturday, when she left it and tried to swim ashore, but the currents carried her away She then resolved to keep afloat, being thus without any support for over 20 hours before she was picked up, nearly 36 hours after the wreck. Miss Lacy’s Escape Miss Lacy, who was rescued, is 16 years of age, and the eldest daughter of Mr. Dyson Lacy, of St. Helen Station, Mackay, Queensland. When the search party reached her she was almost exhausted. One sailor took off his flannel shirt and wrapped her in it, but she had, in the meantime, fainted. She was much exhausted, but, thanks to the care of Dr. Salter, she fast recovered, though very weak and burnt by exposure to the sun. Her story is that she was writing a letter to her mother when the sad event happened. She rushed to get her younger sister, who had gone to bed, and brought her on deck. Both went over together, and she afterwards was dragged into a boat or raft, where she was very kindly treated by the purser. She remained on the raft till afternoon, so that she must have been swiming about till seen by Captain Reid. Her rescue was almost miraculous, as she was drifting out to sea swan from Mount Adolphus Island and she could not possibly have held out much longer. Perhaps her rescue and marvellous self-recollection is the most wonderful of all the melancholy incidents concerned with this terribly sad calamity. Source blogs.archives.qld.gov.au/2016/12/08/the-sinking-of-the-s...

Great ghostlike image.

Meravigliosa!

This looks so perfect, it's almost unreal!?

The building in modern times... www.flickr.com/photos/radioman/3060613904/

And a similar view ... www.flickr.com/photos/radioman/3059777149/