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Moggill Historical Society

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23.01.2022 Upcoming Meeting! Join the Moggill Historical Society at their 2021 Kickoff meeting. Lots of interesting plans to support our local community.

22.01.2022 A mystery in our local cemetery- Can you help? The Sad Story of Sarah Ann Short A small white cross in Moggill Cemetery marks the resting place of Sarah Ann Short. The wooden monument is the only one of its kind amongst the pioneer graves in the cemetery. Thirty-four-year-old Sarah died giving birth to her 11th child at Redbank Plains and was buried in Moggill a day later on 1 November 1877. ... Her funeral was officiated by the local community leader Thomas Tindale Makepeace on behalf of the Wesleyan Church. At her inquest, William Howarth Ackerley, J.P. found that she had died from an hour-long haemorrhage during her premature labour. Her husband William was left to look after the seven surviving children from the eldest, twins Martha and Mary aged 12, to the youngest, two-year-old Charles. A century or so later, the little white cross was placed on Sarah’s grave marking her last resting place. Does anyone know who placed the cross in Moggill Cemetery and can add to this sad tale? Sarah had at least 26 grandchildren and it is likely that she has descendants living in southeast Queensland. Their surnames include Skinner, Maudsley and Short. If you have any information, please contact Neville Marsh [email protected] Image acknowledgement: Neville Marsh: with permission

18.01.2022 Cemetery meeting and Tour is confirmed for 18 April 3 PM. See event ost for detailsCemetery meeting and Tour is confirmed for 18 April 3 PM. See event ost for details

12.01.2022 Update from our President Neville. As we enter the fourth month of lockdown, we must still be wondering if and when the Society will meet again in person. There is talk that local groups will soon be able to meet but with no definite dates.. This is our third Covid Communication which we hope you will enjoy reading and will keep the feeling of connectedness within MHS. 2020 meetings Our July meeting was scheduled to be a talk by Sandra Watkins on the 1920s Brisbane rat... plague and related stories. Sandra has a Masters of Educational Studies from Newcastle University and a Diploma of Teaching (Primary) from what is now the University of Central Queensland. She would love to start a PhD, studying changes in the brain that accommodate a child’s learning to read. So, when she retired, she decided to get really busy and write. In 1990, Sandra was awarded the Year of Literacy National Award for the best literacy teacher in Australia. She has written two books about the rat plague that actually came to Brisbane and Townsville in 1901, and the tough little dogs that saw the plague-infested rats off. These are non-fiction and full of disease and dogs: The Very Ratty Problem and Rodent Patrol and the Plague. Here is a sample of the things she has covered in her two books: The Very Ratty Problem is a 16 page paperback written for newly independent readers of 5-7 years who are on the prowl for topics of high interest. This little book is an accurate and colourful, yet age-appropriate depiction of life in Brisbane town in the early 1900s when the plague arrived from Sydney. It contains information on rats, terriers, disease and people’s attempts to rid their town of sickness. There is an update featuring the Brisbane City Council’s current Pest Management team two men and two terriers. The book also includes a glossary and Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) history links. Rodent Patrol and the Plague is a 22 page in-depth look at the plague in Brisbane in the early 1900s for independent readers of 7-9 years who want more information and text, younger readers on a higher level or older readers on a lower level. Health officers were struggling to find out the cause and contain the plague, as well as convince the townspeople to clean up their act. Reading between the facts gives an impression of what life must have been like. This should initiate conversation about change; not just that things are done differently now, but how and why, and what that tells us about the people of the day and their thinking. There is an update featuring the Brisbane City Council’s Pest Management team and a fascinating bio of both fox terriers.

11.01.2022 Today is the Moggill Post office opening anniversary! Hopefully the "New" Post office will be up and running soon! The first post office in Moggill opened on 1 February 1861. James Shield was the official postmaster and he also ran the general store. James was a coal miner from England. He bought a 28 acres (11.3 ha) block in Moggill Road at the junction with Hawkesbury Road. His house was used as a post office and general store.... In 1861, the postal rates were 1d (0.5c) for a local letter, not exceeding oz (14 gm). Country letters were 2d and letters to the Colony of New South Wales, 6d. Amazingly, letters to Great Britain under half an ounce also cost 6d. Initially, arrival and dispatch of mail from Moggill occurred as opportunity offers ie, as and when needed, but by 1874, mail arrived by horseback twice a week. An entry in Pugh’s Almanac at that time provides a snapshot of the village:

09.01.2022 Meeting Change! Please note that the Moggill Historical Meeting scheduled for 19 January has been re-scheduled to 16 February. We aplogise for the change in plans, however felt it was safer to delay the first meeting for safety reasons. Please see the event posting and let us know if you have any questions or are interested in attending.

09.01.2022 Moggill Cemetery While I was at the cemetery, I had a look at the grave of Elizabeth Randall. This grave had been badly damaged over the years and the kerb is beyond repair. However, with a spruce up, clean and coat of paint it looks nearly as good as new. Mandy Cotman, our professional memorial restorer, has done a wonderful job on the memorial lettering which was badly discoloured with years of grime and dirt.