graziers

John Watts (1821-1902), the son of a doctor, was born in Frampton-upon-Severn, Gloucestershire. He worked as a farmer and blacksmith, before emigrating to South Australia in 1840. He returned to England in 1843. In 1847 he again sailed to Australia and settled in Queensland. He worked as the manager on two sheep stations in the Darling Downs owned by Charles Mallard, 'Budgelaing' and 'Felton Downs'. By 1856 he was working for Arthur Hodgson at 'Eton Vale' and subsequently entered into a partnership with Hodgson. Watts had a relatively brief career in Queensland politics. In May 1860 he was elected to the first Parliament as the member for Drayton and Toowoomba. He resigned in July 1862. His wife died in 1863 while he was visiting England. On his return, he was appointed a member of the Legislative Council in April 1864, but resigned on 31 October on his election to the Legislative Assembly as the member for the Western Downs. On 21 July 1866 Watts was appointed minister for Lands and Public Works in the caretaker Herbert Government. When Arthur Macalister returned to power on 7 August 1866, he made Watts was Minister for Public Works. Watts resigned on 3 in May 1867. Watts sold his share of 'Eton Vale' and returned to England in 1868. He re-married and he and his wife lived at Norton Court, Gloucestershire. He died at Wimborne, Dorset, in 1902. Source: nla.gov.au/nla.obj-742947202/findingaid

Go quasymody!

[http://www.flickr.com/photos/51979177@N02] Whoo! Another moment of Flickr genius :) Lovely find Quasymody, it's so great to be able to have a confirmed context for the photo :)

[http://www.flickr.com/photos/51979177@N02] Looking at the men in these photos reminds me of the game 'Guess Who?'. Glasses? Side part? Facial hair..? Great images - thanks QM :)

[http://www.flickr.com/photos/51979177@N02] Thank you! Doesn't look all that different :) Added to our growing record for this image.

trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/222672350 - this pic appeared in the Sydney Sun on 12th October, 1923...it was evidently taken the previous afternoon in the sale room at the Royal Exchange...

'Two seconds before the storm burst!...Long before the smoke from the flashlight had drifted away nearly every man in this assembly had been on his feet thrusting his arm forward excitedly, or snapping out a bid. It may resemble Parliament House, but it is a large room in the Royal Exchange, where Australia's wool is knocked down to nearly all the countries in the world. When these buyers get into action, their staccato bidding puts the Tower of Babel racket in the shade. The photo was taken just before Dalgety and Co's sale commenced yesterday afternoon.'

John and Ann Collins settled at Mundoolun in a slab hut in 1846. The couple had five children. The family went on to own Tamrookum, Rathdownie, and Nindooinba. Sons Robert and William later formed the North Australian Pastoral Company in the Northern Territory. A world tour by the brothers led to their interest in the preservation of national parks. Robert later became the Independent Member for Albert in the Queensland Legislative Assembly and Queensland branch president of the Royal Geographic Society in an effort to further his dream of establishing national parks. He did not live to see the proclamation of the Lamington National park in 1915, which he and Romeo Lahey had worked towards. John Collins died in August 1898 and Ann in January 1901. The family then commissioned the design and construction of a church in honor of their parents. John Buckeridge who was the official Diocesan Architect of Brisbane designed the church. Construction was supervised by Robin Dodds, who designed another important local church, All Saints at Tamrookum, for his son Robert Martin Collins in 1915. St Johns was completed in 1901 as a memorial to John and Ann Collins. It is one of a few privately owned chapels in Queensland. The church and the adjoining cemetery are both on the State Heritage Register. The remains of John Allen are held in the Mundoolun Cemetery. He is otherwise known as Bullum and is best remembered for the work he undertook in documenting the language of the Wangerriburra tribe. Source: professionalsjimboomba.com.au/2012/09/the-history-of-mund...