Beef cattle grazing on pasture next to a watercourse Ipswich district Queensland, ca. 1905

Photo: B. Taylor (State Library Qld)

Rosewood History

BUTCHERS

From the time human beings began raising livestock and there was a demand for meat, butchers have existed. Butchers are highly skilled in their field. They have to be strong enough to carry animal carcasses, be able to stand patiently for long periods of time in cold conditions while skilfully using knives etc. to prepare many different cuts of meat. They have to attend to vital hygiene practices, have knowledge of storage and cross contamination, make enticing and attractive displays, maintain the quality of their products and operate machinery. Successful butchers are usually pleasant, amiable and social people who recommend and advise their customers about their choices. They understand their customers’ needs and try to meet them the best they can.

Butchers in Rosewood District

The list will be updated as more information is discovered. The dates shown are the approximate times they worked in the district.

James Ryan 1876-1883 Rosewood
James was born in 1839 in Limerick, Ireland. He married Elizabeth Madden in 1866 in Ipswich. He was engaged as a carrier between Ipswich and the Western districts before the railway line was built, and afterwards settled at Rosewood where he was a butcher and hosteller, opening the “Rising Sun Hotel”. He left Rosewood and settled at Mt. Sylvia in the Gatton district, where he remained until he died in 1920.

Lawrance Ryan 1883
Son of James and Elizabeth Ryan.

Henry McGeary 1876-1893 Rosewood

Mrs. Jane McGeary 1894-1900 Rosewood.

McGeary & White 1901-1911 Rosewood.
Henry George McGeary & William White

McGeary & Grant 1911-1954 Rosewood
Henry George McGeary (1874-1939) & Henry Mark Alexander Grant

Samuel Chalk was slaughterman.

My Dad, Hec Freeman, worked for McGeary and Grant after he returned from WW2 in 1946. He always said that Mr McGeary was a good boss but loved to see his butchers working flat out. He had a saying when the beef was ready to sell – “righto boys, cash it out”. Hec later worked for Roy Morrison before moving to Gatton in late 1949. – Kelvin Freeman (2022)

William Henry McGeary 1939-1940 Rosewood

Gordon Alexander McGeary 1939-54 Rosewood
Master Butcher

Charles Wass 1902-1957 Rosewood.
Charles Wass was born in 1888 in Toowoomba. He was the son of Limberd Wass and Caroline Needham. He married Alice Bassett at Ashwell in 1913. He was a member of the P.A.F.S.O.A. and in January 1916 he was presented with a PM collar and certificate in honour of his passing through the various offices.

Charles’s grandson, Arthur Wass, told me (23/4/2025) that Charles worked for McGeary and Grant for 55 years before moving to Greenup Street, Margate about 1958. One day he went into the butcher shop there and asked for a particular cut of meat. When he received it he said, “That’s not what I asked for!” He told the butcher he had been a butcher in Rosewood for 55 years. The butcher said, “Well you’d better come behind and get your own.” So Charles ended up working at that butcher shop for quite some time. Charles died in 1971.

Robert “Bob” Elliott 1908-1912 Rosewood.
Robert was born in 1872 on the Willowbank cattle station, part of which is now Amberley aerodrome. He was the son of Robert Elliott and Mary Anna Male. He attended a school situated on the creek on land donated by the late Mr. Darby McGrath. He went timber-getting in the Beaudesert, Rathdowney and Esk districts, and in 1893-94 Robert was working on Lansdowne Station, 40 miles from Tambo. This station ran 200,000 sheep and 750 horses. A few years later he returned and became a bullock driver and timber contractor at Logan. In 1903 he sold his interests and came to Rosewood, where he bought a dairy farm.

Robert married Mary Jane McGeary in 1903 at Hillgrove, the McGeary residence. Mary was the daughter of well known butchers Henry and Jane McGeary.

In 1908 he established his own butchering business in Rosewood and ran it for 4 years. He then became an auctioneer and Councillor for Division 1. In 1922 he moved to Southport where he established a bus service. When the Jubilee Bridge was opened on June 1st, 1925 he extended his bus service to Main Beach and Surfers’ Paradise.

The Southport Surf Life Saving Club was formed 14th December 1924 followed by the Surfers Paradise club. Robert was a member, and he is credited with being one of the founders of the Surf Life Saving movement in Queensland. He conducted pioneering work in the early 1920’s to make the South Coast a safe and pleasant bathing resort. When there was no bridge over the Nerang River, the only means of transport across the river was by a ferry run by Mr. Barney Boulton. There were 30 to 40 cadets and other employees at the Pacific Cable Station at Southport, and among them were some strong swimmers. Robert Elliott encouraged these young men to patrol the Main Beach on Sundays and holidays. They had no life saving gear, but they effected a number of rescues. This system of voluntary work was kept up for several years, until the Southport Surf Life Saving Club was formed. (South Coast Bulletin 1950)

Robert Elliott passed away at Southport in 1950 aged 78 years.

Joseph Adam Geiger 1916, 1919
Worked at McGeary & Grant, Rosewood.
Joseph was born in 1892 at Ebenezer, son of farmers, John Geiger and Theresa Marie Ringelstein. He married Violet Marjorie Malaney in 1921. They had two daughters and four sons.

The electoral rolls follow Joseph after he left Rosewood.
1925 188 Main Street, (cnr Main & Baildon) Kangaroo Point – Storekeeper
1931 cnr Uhlmann St & Hawthorne Rd, Hawthorne – Storekeeper
1936 27 Sherwood Rd Toowong – Shopkeeper and Fishmonger
1941 1949 Kingsley Parade, Yeronga – Fruiterer
1958 5 Mar Street, Holland Park- Poultry Dresser

Joseph died in 1972 aged 80 years and rests at Mount Gravatt Cemetery.

Colin Freeman 1924 -1941 Rosewood.
Colin was born 1910 and was the son of Arthur Freeman and Louisa Eunice Embrey. He married Mavis Audrey Dilger in 1937. Colin worked for McGeary & Grant.

Q.T. 9th November 1941 – On severing his connection recently with the butchering business, Messrs. McGeary and Grant at Rosewood, where for 17 years he had been employed, Mr. Colin Freeman received a presentation. Messrs. H. M. A. Grant, G. McGeary. C. Wass, and E. Hohnke paid tributes to Mr. Freeman’s faithful service, and wished him success in his new employment. At the invitation of Mr. Grant. Mr. Wass, who had the longest period of service with the business, presented a fountain pen to Mr. Freeman. Mr. Freeman returned thanks for the good wishes and gift.

Colin died in 2010 aged 100 years and is interred at Warrill Park Lawn Cemetery.

Edward Boughen 1886-1903 Rosewood
Edward was born in 1863 to parents Robert Boughen and Susan Doe. He married Elizabeth Heiner in 1889. Edward and Elizabeth moved to Runcorn where Edward worked as a carpenter, then to Forest Hill. They had four children. Sometime after Elizabeth died (1906) he bought a farm at Ferry Street, Southport. He married Agnes Ellen Carlson née Newman in 1912. Edward died in 1946 at Southport.

Butt Bros 1887–June 1888 Rosewood
Cuthbert and Ralph Butt

Waters Bros. 1888-1890 Rosewood.
William James Waters and Samuel Joseph Waters. Took over from Butt Bros 1st July 1888.

Iszlaub & Hannant 1889 Rosewood.

Michael O’Sullivan 1892 Rosewood.
1867 Ipswich-1934 Forest Hill Son of Edward O’Sullivan and Margarita O’Hara. Michael married Mary Ann O’Shea in 1891.

James Patrick “Jim” Simmonds 1894-1913 Rosewood
James was the son of James Simmonds and Johanah McEwan. He was born in 1871 at Campbell’s Gully, Walloon and died in 1933 at Ipswich.
A fire at about 7 o’clock on the night of 1st November 1913 destroyed J. P. Simmond’s butcher shop and residence at Rosewood. James was the only one of the family in Rosewood at the time, the others having gone to Sandgate on the miners’ excursion train. The alarm was soon spread round the township, and in a very short time a large number assembled to assist in preventing the fire from spreading. The fire quickly got a good hold, and there was no chance of saving the building. Surprisingly, a little of the furniture was saved.

James held the license of Hotel Australia at Miles in the late 1920s.

Arthur James O’Sullivan & Francis Pedrazzini 1897-1900 Rosewood.
Arthur (1871 Ebenezer – 1902 Ipswich) was the son of Edward O’Sullivan and Margarita O’Hara. He married Bridget O’Shea in 1896.

In June 1900 – Mr. A. J. O’Sullivan (Butchers) changed hands to Mr. George Herbert Dutney, who only held it a few days, when he, in turn, sold it to Mr. William Hodge, of Ipswich, brother of hotel-keeper, Mr. Robert Samuel Hodge, of Rosewood.

The notice below is dated 14th June 1900.

Francis Pedrazzini 1903 Rosewood.
Francis (1865-1934 Valley, Brisbane) was the son of Domenico Pedrazzini and Mary Grimley. He married Winifred O’Shea in 1925.

William James Hodge 1900-1905 Rosewood.
(Insolvent debts of £1285)

William Henry Collett 1906-1917 Rosewood.

Francis Arthur Kingston 1899-1924 Mt Walker
Francis Arthur Kingston was born in 1869 at Redbank Plains, the son of Francis Charles Kingston and Mary Jane Agnes Morrison. Francis married Clara Webster in 1890. They lived at Roderick Street, North Ipswich and Francis worked as a drayman.

When he was 23 years old, Francis was presented with a bronze medal by the Governor’s wife, Lady Norman, for helping to rescue Miss Mary Jackson and Mr John Rowe, who climbed on the roof of Peter Jackson’s family home during the floods on 5th February 1893. The house was carried off its stumps and down the Bremer River for 3 miles and then dashed against a tree. Mary and John were left clinging to branches of the tree for 22 hours. Francis Kingston carted a large boat (belonging to Hancock’s sawmill) on his dray out to the scene. Francis and four other men manned the boat and rescued Mary and John who were, at that stage, 16 ft above them in a tree. The water, at its peak, had reached two feet below them. It was deemed to be a miraculous piece of rescue work. Four of the Jackson family perished in the flood. All of the men’s efforts were recognised with Royal Humane Society medals.

Around 1899 Francis bought his father’s farm “Belmont” at Mt Walker. He became a dairy farmer and grazier and had a butchering business at Mt Walker. He represented Division 3 for 4 years until 1913 when he was unanimously elected Chairman of the Rosewood Shire Council.

In December 1924 he leased his holding and left Mt Walker for a farm at Rosewood. He had the Bremer Valley Mail contract for 3 months in 1928. In March 1938 he sold his farm to Cecil Newmann and retired to Beerwah Street, Caloundra where he died in 1951.

H. Harris 1911 Rosewood

Richard Smith 1910, 1911
Residence: John Street, Rosewood.

Bernard Willmott 1912 Rosewood.

Frederick Dyson 1912, 1917 Grandchester, Rosewood 1921

Rodger Toohey 1912 Grandchester

David Gough 1912, 1922 Rosevale

Patrick Joseph Meehan 1917 Calvert

Edward Alexander Logan 1921
Residence: Railway Street, Rosewood.

F. Bignell 1924-1925 Rosewood.

O’Shea Bros 1923-1930
William was born in 1899, the son of James O’Shea and Bridget Agnes Slack. He married Stella Isabel Waters in 1930 at St Brigid’s Church at Rosewood. The partnership of William O’Shea and Michael Joseph Carmody was dissolved by mutual consent in October 1930. It was carried on by Michael Carmody. William died in 1969.

Michael Coleman was slaughterman there in 1923.

Ernest George Wright 1925-1930 Rosewood (O’Shea Bros)

Daily Mail (Brisbane, Qld.), Wednesday 11 February 1925, page 5
Mr. Ernest Wright, a butcher, employed by O’Shea Bros., was on horse back, when the horse he was riding was kicked by another horse, with the result that he was dismounted, his horse falling on his leg. The lad was conveyed to the Ipswich Hospital, where it was found that his leg was badly broken just above the ankle.

James Patrick O’Shea 1929 -1941
Residence: Matthew Street, Rosewood.

Thomas Francis O’Shea 1927, 1932
Residence: Matthew Street, Rosewood.

Michael Joseph Carmody 1926-1959 Rosewood.
Michael was born in 1894 in Warwick, the son of Cornelius John Carmody and Margaret Anne Cavanagh. He married Bridget Catherine O’Shea in 1919 at St Brigid’s church at Rosewood. In 1923 he entered into partnership with Bridget’s brother, William O’Shea (O’Shea Bros), until 1930 after which he carried on business his own account. Michael and Bridget lived at 18 Albert Street after they had their home built in May 1928. Michael died in 1963.

Arthur Ronald Waters c.1929-1943
Born in 1915 at Lanefield, the third son of Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Thomas Waters and Elizabeth Lane. Arthur attended Ashwell State School. For a considerable number of years he was employed by different butchering firms in Rosewood and was known to be a very trustworthy employee. He married Doreen Esme Blackmore in 1939. They made their home in Railway Street and had three children. Arthur died in 1943 aged 28 years. His youngest child was just seven weeks old.

Michael Henry Baker 1928 Grandchester

Edward Herbert Hohnke 1928-1941
Residence: John Street, Rosewood

Henry Hall 1928 -1941 Mt Forbes

Stanley James Sellars Rosevale
Stanley was born in 1904 at Rosevale and was the son of Joseph George Sellars and Agnes Rebecca Murray. He married Lily Eileene McLaughlin in 1927.

Stanley sold his butchering business to W. J. Lawrence in November 1930 and went farming at Mutdapilly. Mr. Sellars will be missed in sporting circles, as he was an ardent, capable cricketer and tennis player.

LAC Stanley James Sellars (76115) enlisted in 1942 and served in New Guinea and the Pacific Islands. He died in 1978 and is interred in the Warrill Park Lawn Cemetery.

William John Lawrance – Nov. 1930 Rosevale

Leslie Thomas Lawrance 1941 Rosevale
Son of William John Lawrance and Ada Grace Slatter b.1913

James Norman Yarrow 1931, 1932 Rosewood.

Bonney & Son 1933-1936 Herbert Alexander Bonney, Herbert Clive Bonney, Ivan Graham Bonney Residence: Matthew Street, Rosewood. Sold to C. Morrison from Toowoomba in July 1936.

C. Morrison & Son 1936-1942
Charles Morrison and his son Roy Morrison lived in Matthew Street – 1941.

Charles was born in Scotland and came to Queensland when he was 7 years old. His first place of employment was in his father’s butchering business at Toowong. Afterwards he became manager of Cressbrook station. Subsequently he conducted butchering businesses at Pomona, Laidley, and Eumundi (10 years). He then purchased a farm at Toowoomba, and again entered the butchering business there. He purchased Bonney & Son, Rosewood in July 1936. He died in January 1943 and his son Roy took over the business.

Roy Morrison 1943-1969 (lived in Mill Street)
The business was purchased by R. K. Auld jnr in September 1949 and Roy continued working there. The shop was situated in Railway Street opposite the station. It was sold to Alton Walker in 1962. Roy Morrison had a slaughter shed in Mill St.

Henry Smith Wilkes 1939, 1941
Residence: Albert Street, Rosewood.

R. Keith Auld 1949
Residence: Railway Street, Rosewood.

Victor Birch 1949, 1972
Residence: Mill Street, Rosewood.
Victor was a warden at St. Luke’s Church of England and a member of the Rosewood R.S.S.A.I.L.A..

Noel Alexander Plant 1959
Residence: Toowoomba Road, Rosewood.

Roy Clarence Christensen 1959 Rosevale
1969 Residence: Walloon Rd, Rosewood.

Franklins Butchers 1959-1969 Rosewood.
Stanley Joseph Franklin lived Albert Street. Leonard John Franklin lived Yates Street.
Signs in the shop: “PLEASE TO MEET YOU AND MEAT TO PLEASE YOU” “NO EXPECTORATING”

Patrick Joseph O’Reilly 1960
Residence: 58 Albert Street, Rosewood.

Alton Stewart Walker October 1962–1969 Rosewood.
George Schmitt was the slaughter man for Walker’s. Pat Cameron & Bruce Hinton worked in the shop. Irene Dickfoss worked in the office.

Some of the children in those days would bring newspapers from home to the butcher shop. Alton weighed them and for every pound in weight of papers he would pay the children a small amount. Butchers in those days wrapped their meat orders in newspaper and tied the parcels up with string.

The shop was in Railway Street and Walkers later moved the business to the shop at 38 John Street which is now Rosewood Bakery. Alton had a small shop “Meatworld” at the back of Sellar’s Arcade in the early 1980s.

The Walkers leased the slaughter yard in Mill Street for a number of years before Alton designed and had built (by Muller’s Industries, Gatton) what was at the time, a state of the art slaughter yard on land in O’Reilly’s Rd (Paddy’s paddock). Phil and Maude O’Reilly owned the farm on that road.

Thomas Patrick Cameron
Residence: Walloon Road, Rosewood.Worked for Morrison’s then for Walker’s in 1962.

Eric Crawford 1963 Rosewood.
Eric worked at Morrison’s.

Slaughtermen
Robert John Davidson 1909
Carl Harold Hohnke 1932, 1939

Rosewood Quality Meats, John Street, Rosewood 1981 Photo: Kathryn Rodgers

Photo of calendar kindly supplied by Paul McGeary

Photos of calendars kindly supplied by Zane Sinnamon