towers

In North Queensland in the early 1900s, the Eight Hour Day procession, or “demonstration” as it was called, was a precursor to later Labour Day parades and was designed to celebrate the attainment of the eight-hour working day in Queensland in 1856. Early processions involved elaborately decorated floats showcasing union banners and working trade displays, which made their way through main streets, and were followed by a competitive sports carnival that was open to all. The day was just as much about unionists displaying pride in their trade or occupation as it was about a show of industrial solidarity. In most towns throughout the north, Eight Hour Day processions were celebrated with gusto, and in 1914, the Charters Towers newspaper The Evening Telegraph, reported on the largest Eight Hour Day Parade the town had seen so far. The Engine Drivers’ Association had their fine banner erected on a four-horse lorry, with about 50 members in attendance, and the Typographical Union had a number of printers at work on a two-horse lorry, issuing copies of the “Eight Hour Day Times” as they proceeded. Source: northqueenslandhistory.blogspot.com/2019/05/labour-day-ei...

“Monday morning broke fine and clear for the celebration of Eight Hour Day on Charters Towers. The day was observed as a general holiday, and at an early hour, people flocked to the main street to view the procession. Larger crowds turned out than for any previous May Day, and both sides of the streets along the route of the procession were densely crowded with spectators. The long procession started from the Union Hall shortly before 10 am, with the Fire Brigade Band marching at the head of the procession.” Following behind were a variety of trade unions, including the Bakers float, which had a representation of a brick oven and a number of bakers on the lorry who were engaged in the operations of their trade. At places along the route they handed out buns to the people lining the streets. Source: northqueenslandhistory.blogspot.com/2019/05/labour-day-ei...

A report in a Brisbane newspaper in 1930 described the newly built church as follows: “Crowning the highest part of Hawthorne St…the Church of the Holy Trinity, which has been designed in Italian Romanesque style (and strictly conforms with 11th-century style work), commands, sentinel-like, a view of the entire parish; the white tower, flood-lighted at night, standing 25 meters above the street level.” The Parish of Holy Trinity at Woolloongabba has been rebuilt or repaired three times in its history. The parish has well and truly stood the test of time, natural disasters, and destruction. In fact, the current church is the third structure that has stood on the site! *** The original wooden church, builtn in 1870, was destroyed by a major storm in October 1874. *** The church was re-built in 1875. That building stood proudly until 1929 when it was destroyed by a major fire, although the cause and origin of the blaze were never found. *** In 2014 the church and hall were both badly damaged by the wildly destructive November storms which hit Brisbane. Source: anglicanfocus.org.au/2019/06/17/holy-trinity-church-stand...

Totally fascinating album of images. Thank you