Rosewood History

First step after clearing. Planting corn. 1890s

 

INDUSTRY

The production and supply of goods.

AGRICULTURE

APIARIST – William Perrem, Walter Bunney, J. W. Evans

COTTON GROWING – F. Moore, Alexander Grant, J. A Geiger, H. Jacobs, M. Ratz, J. Armstrong, John Grant, Thomas Hates, J. A. Neder, J. Platz, Werner, Sorhl, Shoefelot, B. Williams, Deringer, Samuel Dickens, W. Kraatz, C.Ballin, Geo Steele, J. P. Walsh, Samuel Waight, W. R. V. Leeson, John Yates, Henry Jacobs, John Henry Jacobs, Walter Power, August Linman, Ernest Weiland, Francis McKeon, John Hughes, James Madden, Patrick Moore, Patrick Hogan, Matthew Toohey, Martin Carmody, Michael, Kelly, J. Mullis, Patrick O’Keefe, John Cook, Denis Dwyer, Dennis Creedy, Robert Johnstone, James McAuliffe, Richard Andrew, Edward Pender. W. H. Schimke, F. A. Kingston, William Yarrow, G. Rackley, W. G. Hornick, C. Singleton, Collins, Martin Beavis, T. Harding , J. C. Johnston, L. Littman,  J. Logan, H. Hannant, A. Schmidt, J. North, A. Waters, W. Greet, Walter Bunney, Farrelly, P. Cannon, August Miller, Paul Fischer

CROP FARMING

SMALL CROP FARMING

DAIRY FARMING
As the valuable timber was cut out of the scrub, the land had to be put to some productive purpose. So the scrub was felled, and the period of the farmer and the dairyman was ushered in. At first the dairyman milked a few non-descript cows obtained probably from a cattle station and put hand made butter on the market. But in the course of time it was found that if dairying was to pay there must be specialisation in the industry. The Rosewood district was the first to introduce co-operative methods in the butter industry. Cream separators, milk depots, and butter factories gradually became established institutions. The beef-cow of the cattle station gave place to a type more suitable for dairying purposes. In these processes of evolution towards scientific farming and dairying Rosewood has taken a worthy place.

  • BUTTER FACTORY – Messrs. F. C. Emmott and Co., Lanefield. (F. C. Emmott & M. Bensley), Rosewood Farmers’ Butter Factory (Rosewood Co-op)
  • CHEESE FACTORY – W. Ruhno; Rosevale Cheese Factory
  • CREAMERY – Lanefield Dairy Co., Rosewood Co-op Dairy Co., Mt Walker Co-op Dairy Co., Rosewood Farmers’ Butter Factory, Pommer Bros, Ben Meissner; Patrick Ahearn;  Edward Collins
  • DAIRY COMPANY – Rosewood Co-op Dairy Co., Lanefield Farmers’ Co-operative Dairy Co., Silverwood Dairy Co., Mt Walker Co-op Dairy Co.

Drift From Dairying In Rosewood Area  [Queensland Times (Ipswich), Monday, 14 July 1952, page 4]
Since the war, 50 or more dairy farms in the Rosewood district have been vacated, according to an old resident whose property has been in his family for generations. Most of the farms were within 15 miles of Rosewood, he said. He could name 10 which had been abandoned within a five-mile radius of his own place. Many of the farmhouses and outbuildings had been pulled down or removed to relieve the housing shortage elsewhere. “It would cost a small fortune to replace the houses and sheds on these empty farms – that’s why I say that, as dairying properties, they’re gone forever,” he added. The three main factors responsible for this alarming drift were the low prices paid for dairy produce up to about four years ago, high taxation and rates, and the acute shortage of labour. “Young lads in the district are going to the coal mines or the railways. They’re getting more money than the farmer can pay.” he went on. “Some of the vacant properties have been bought by people seeking a home. The home was subsequently taken away, and the land left bare. They are now open paddocks, although a few are used for grazing. “The Government have taken steps too late,” he said, “and the farmers who had left had been starved out of existence.” 

NO RESERVE- Admitting that the dairy farmer was not “broke” today with current prices, he asserted that little money was left after taxes and rates were met to combat the effects of drought. “Child labour” appeared to be the only solution. A dairy farm with about 80 cows could not be run properly by a couple, unless they had a young family to help them. “Paying adult wages for the small farmer is out of the question,” he concluded. Q.D.O. President (Cr. C. H. Jamieson) said yesterday that a decline in membership could be blamed on the delay by the Government in granting an equitable price based on production costs.

FOOTNOTE: Some evidence to support the assertion that an alarming drift has taken place, from the Rosewood area can be seen at the showground. One of the buildings recently erected in the horse section was constructed from materials acquired at local auctions of farm buildings.

CREAM CARRIERS
The dates given are when I found mention of the person working in the dairy industry. (Additional information is always welcome. hello@rosewoodpasttimes.com)
Harold E. Freeman (Between Hidden Vale and Rosewood)
Joe Embrey (Tallegalla)
P. Willman (Rosewood)
Leslie Walter Schumann (Rosewood) 1931
Bernard Gustav Haack (Rosewood)
Eric Frederick George Crawford (Rosewood)
A. W. Fresser (Rosevale)
W. Dickfos (Coleyville)
Joseph Edward Griffiths (Mt Forbes) 1915
John Frederick Weber (Mt. Forbes)
H. Colls (Mt. Forbes)
R. Hartwig (Mt. Forbes)
Sam Hamilton (Mt. Forbes)
Mr. Taylor (Mt. Forbes)
H. Stokes (Mount Walker)
N. Schealler (Mount Walker)
R. Hey (Amberley)
Mr. Bailey (Amberley)
R. E. Newell (Marburg)
T. Itzsteln (Marburg)
R. B. Dance (Haigslea)

Percy Harry Adams Junior (Cream Tester) Rosewood 1911
John Farrell Jr (Cream Tester) Rosewood 1912
John Muller (Cream Tester) Rosewood 1912-1917
Richard Michael Bourke (Cream Tester) Rosewood 1914, 1915
John Gibson (Cream Depot Manager) Rosewood 1921, 1922
John James Holohan (Cream Depot Manager) Rosewood 1926, 1939
Francis William Denny (Cream Tester) Rosevale 1909
William John Lawrance (Cream Tester) Rosevale 1914-1934

FLOWER GROWING – Mrs Caroline Bunney

FRUIT GROWING –  C. Dutney, James Jacobs, John Freeman, G. Harding, F. G. Fuchs

Queensland Times, Ipswich Herald and General Advertiser, Saturday 10 May 1902, page 2
VISIT OF FRUIT EXPERT.
ON Thursday last Mr. A. H. Benson, fruit expert, paid a visit to this district. He arrived on the previous evening from Marburg, and was met next morning by Mr. P. H. Adams, secretary of the Farmers’ Club, and afterwards by Mr. F. G. Fuchs, of the Grange Farm. Mr. Benson, in company with the first-named, visited the garden of Mr. C. Dutney, sen., in the township. Among the fruit trees Mr. Dutney has several orange trees and mandarins. Mr. Benson expressed surprise at the healthy condition of the trees under the present circumstances, though some of them were suffering from white scale: Mr. Benson gave a remedy for this, and then pruned one of the trees as an example. He advised the removal of all cross branches to prevent rubbing, and pruning of middle of trees to admit light freely. In the afternoon Mr. Benson visited the Grange Farm, where he also pruned a tree and gave Mr. Fuchs some advice respecting some other trees in the orchard which have not been in a healthy condition for some time. On Friday Mr. Benson and Mr. Adams called to see Mr. James Jacobs’s garden, where a tree was also pruned and advice tendered respecting pruning and training grape vines. Mr. John Freeman, Ashwell, was next on the list, and a very hospitable welcome was accorded them. Mr. Freeman has a large area under fruit trees, principally apples, plume, oranges, and grape. The whole of the trees were found to be in a flourishing condition, and Mr. Freeman has had big returns during the season. A large quantity of wine is made, but the owner has not yet found a satisfactory market for this product, and has, in consequence, a considerable stock on hand in fact, the supply of wine at present is greater than water. Red and white scale were both found, in very small quantity, on some of the citrus trees. The mode in which Mr. Freeman’s grape vines are trellised met with Mr. Benson’s unqualified approval. The next place of call was Mr. G. Harding’s. The orange trees here were found to be exceedingly healthy, though the two pests, red and while scale, were slightly in evidence. Several of the lemon trees after attaining a good size had died out, and Mr. Benson ascribed this to the trees having been grafted on the wrong stocks. A tree was also pruned here and an inspection made of the large and varied assortment of vegetables, etc, of which Mr. Harding is justly famous. Mr. Benson’s visit. has been well spoken of, and his dexterous manipulation of the pruning-shears shows that his practical skill is quite equal to his theoretical knowledge. He also gave some valuable hints respecting the most suitable kind of trees for this district and the proper method of budding trees and pruning vines. Mr. Benson kindly supplied the following formulas for the treatment of the red and white scale, which seem to be the most common pest of the citrus fruits in this district: For red scale: A wash composed of 201b. of resin, 61b. caustic soda (70 per cent.), three pints of fish oil, and water to make 80 gallons. Place the resin, caustic soda, and fish oil in a large boiler with 20 gallons of water and boil three hours, then add hot water slowly and stir well until there are at least 40 gallons of solution; add cold water to make 80 gallons. Never add cold water when cooking or the resin will be precipitated and make difficult to get in solution. For white scale: Paint the trunks and main branches with the following mixture:- Boil 21b. sulphur and 1lb. stone lime in two gallons of water for an hour and a half; then add 31b. more stone lime and boil half an hour; make up with boiling water to two gallons and add enough fine flour or fine clay to the mixture to make it of the consistency of thin paint.

GRAPE GROWING
John Freeman,  Geo S. Lambert (Mt Walker Vineyard), Henry McGeary

MARKET GARDENER – William Mathew, Oscar Bensley

POULTRY FARM – John Heiner, Harold Fraser, Ernest James Blake (Sunnyville Poultry Farm)

SUGAR GROWING
  • SUGAR MILL – Woodlands Sugar Mill, Marburg

MINING

COAL MINING

SAWMILLING

In the early days the Rosewood Scrub was a large area, thickly covered with pine, cedar, and other valuable timbers. Around the scrub were fertile forest lands suitable for agricultural and grazing purposes. The timber-getters and the small selectors who reared a few cattle and did odd jobs were the pioneers of the localitys. The Rosewood Scrub timber supplied material for many of the buildings in lpswich, Brisbane, and farther afield. It secured an excellent reputation, because the trees were large and matured, and the quality of the timber, therefore was very durable. The early timber-getters and small selectors led a strenuous life. In many instances they had to put up with considerable privations. Their work was to subdue the wilderness in lonely places. But in many ways it was a life of glorious freedom.

ROSEWOOD MILLS
First Mill

  • Collett Bros. (Proprietor)
  • H. Woodford (Proprietor)

Second Mill

  • Richmond River Timber Co. (Proprietor) – C. Runge, Wohlgemuth & Spann, James O’Shea, E. A. Maher, Boyle & Atkinson
  • Rosewood Colliery (Proprietor)
  • Allan Joynson (Proprietor)

The Rosewood Sawmills

TIMBER INDUSTRY WORKERS
In days before motor transport, a Teamster/Carrier drove a team of bullocks to haul the logs from felled trees to the mills and railway stations. The dates given are when I found mention of the person working in the timber industry. (Additional information is always welcome. hello@rosewoodpasttimes.com )

John Rea (Timber-getter) Walloon 1873
William Perry (Timber-getter) Perry’s Knob 1882
Frederick John Moore (Timber-getter) Seven Mile Creek 1886
Morgan Howe (Timber-getter) Bremer River 1896
George and James Cooper (Timber-getters) 1885
Hector John Mackay (Timber-getter) Grandchester 1907
Lloyd Gordon Boughen (Timber-getter) Rosewood 1941
Clement William Donaldson (Timber Cutter) Rosewood 1939-1941
William Frederick Wiegand (Timber-getter) Rosewood 1959-1969
Herbert Knack (Timber Cutter) Rosewood 1969
Edward and Micheal O’Neill (Timber-getters, Teamsters) Mount Walker 1873
Desmond Warwick Gillam (Timber Cutter) Grandchester 1959-1969
Herbert Alfred Dau (Timber Cutter) Coleyville 1959; Mount Walker 1969
Leslie Scott Smith (Timber-getter) Grandchester 1959
Rex Alfred Gillam (Mines Timber-getter) Grandchester 1968, 1969

Charles Erring Hamilton (Timber Classer) Rosewood 1909
James Foorde Collett (Timber Merchant) Rosewood 1911
Edward Alphonsus Maher (Timber Merchant) Rosewood 1911
John Inglia Waldron (Timber Inspector) Rosewood 1919
Allen Walloon Radunz (Timber Worker ) Rosewood 1922
Eric Arthur Edgeworth (Timber Worker ) Rosewood 1939

Thomas Bentley (Carrier) 1862
Absolom Lowry (Carrier)
Charles, William and Thomas Yarrow (Teamsters; Carriers) Rosewood  1870’s
Charles Alfred Smith (Bullock Driver; Carrier) Rosewood  c.1896 -1959
Joseph and J. B. Singleton (Carriers) Ebenezer 1894
James O’Shea (Carrier, Sawmiller) Walloon, Rosewood 1909
N. C. Hopper (Carrier) Rosewood 1911
James Yarrow (Carrier) Rosewood
Henry Ludlow (Carrier) Rosewood
Robert Elliott jnr., (Bullock Driver; Carrier) Rosewood 1912, 1916
Joseph William Goebel (Bullock Driver) Rosewood 1921-1939
Edwin Howard Hughes (Carrier) Rosewood 1930
Henry Grant (Carrier) Rosewood
James Albert Bambling (Timber Hauler) Rosewood 1963-1980
Robert Brown (Carrier)
C. Sollett (Carrier) 1913
William Pagel (Carrier) 1938
Gustav Glode (Bullock Driver) Mount Forbes 1912, 1915
William John Hall (Carrier) Mount Forbes
Hector John Mackay (Carrier) Grandchester
W. Schulz (Carrier) Marburg 1924

Boy milking a cow at the Convent, Rosewood, 1920s

© Jane Schy, 2024