Rosewood History
This page recognises and appreciates the outstanding achievements and contributions of people within our community, both past and present.
Sarah Jane Pender
b.1880 Grandchester d.1952 Ipswich
Businesswoman, Publisher, Editor and Journalist, Humanitarian
Proprietor of the “Rosewood Register and Marburg Mail” for approx. 26 years.
Jeannie Pender devoted a lifetime working in the interests of the Country Women’s Association. She established a Mothers’ Hostel in Limestone Street, Ipswich and hostels for girls and boys at the corner of Brisbane and Milford Street, and was mainly responsible for the establishment of a baby clinic in Rosewood.
A Woman of Substance – Ipswich Library
Sir Gordon William Wesley Chalk “Chalkie”
b.1913 Rosewood d.1991 Melbourne
Politician
Gordon was born in Nurse Domrow’s hospital in John Street, Rosewood. He was educated at the Rosewood State School, Marburg Rural School and the Gatton State High School. After leaving school he commenced work as a general assistant, printer, and reporter for the Rosewood Register and Marburg Mail and studied accountancy at the Ipswich Technical College. Later he joined the staff of the Toowoomba Foundry Pty. Ltd. He was nominated for the Queensland People’s Party’s seat of East Toowoomba, which he won at the 1947 State election.
Gordon went on to become the first and only Queensland Premier from the post-war Liberal Party. He was accorded a State funeral which was held at Albert Street Uniting Church, Brisbane. Australian Dictionary of Biography
Gordon Laird Yarrow
b.1913 Ipswich – d.2002 Ipswich
Son of Frank Yarrow and Iris Brenda May née Evans
Gordon worked as an engine driver at the Caledonian mine. He transferred to working at the washing plant before taking work at a local garage and went back to working at the pits in Ipswich, finishing his working life on another washing plant.
Gordon was one of the elected directors of the newly formed Rosewood No 1 Mutual Benefit Building Society in 1953. He was a Group Committee Member of the Rosewood Scout Group and was presented with the Silver Wattle Award by the Chief Commissioner of Australia, Dr William G. Wells A.M., in 1999.
Gordon had a passion for mechanics, engines and cars, and especially for American Hudson Motor cars. He owned the only 1930 Brougham in Australia. It is powered by a silken-smooth, side valve straight eight of 3.5 litre capacity. He bought it with 10,000 miles on the odometer. He was a member of the Brisbane Vintage Auto Club and others. The Hudson, which is still in its original condition, was left in the custody and care of his proud son Spencer, also an avid car enthusiast.
After 42 years of involvement with the Rosewood State School (including holding the position of Chairman of the school’s Committee), the school’s activities building was named after Gordon Yarrow in 1989. He had been a pupil there from 1923-1927.
The photo on left was taken in 1975 when Jack Johnston, president of the school’s Committee and Gordon Yarrow presented the sundial and time capsule.
I remember as a small child over 70 years ago my mother saying and I quote “Mr Gordon Yarrow is a perfect gentleman.” We lived in Rosewood and Gordon and my Dad had a lot in common with interests in cars and engineering. They designed and made a power hammer for forging. It was made with a “Krit” clutch. It worked well, I know I used it. Later on they worked together on gas producers fitting them to heavy vehicles including milk trucks and in one instance a beautiful 8 cylinder Chrysler Sedan. We used asbestos wrapped electrodes for welding.
Gordon owned many vehicles. He restored a 1929 Hudson Coupe, a 1929 Dover. His collection included a 1930 Essex Tourer, a beautiful 1930 Hudson Brougham, a Terraplane Sedan and many more. His house and sheds were just so full of new “old stock” spare parts and memorabilia. He was a member of many car clubs. It was standing room only for the last farewell on 18th December at his life long Rosewood Congregational Church. Two ministers and many of his friends and relatives spoke so highly of our most respected friend and perfect gentleman Gordon Yarrow. Sincerely, Jim Robinson.
Arnold Rieck
b.1932 Ashgrove, Brisbane d.2022
School Teacher; Arborist, Horticulturalist
Arnold came to Rosewood in 1959 when he was a teacher at Mt. Walker School. He boarded in town with the Congregational Minister and met his future wife Joyce Armstrong at a Congregational Youth Camp in Rosewood in 1958. He was transferred to Rosewood as a secondary school teacher in 1964 when the high school buildings were built in the grounds of the primary school. He taught there until the present day High School opened in 1980 and went on to teach the Year 11 and 12 classes there. He retired from full time teaching at the end of 1989.
“The subject I most enjoyed teaching was horticulture to the Years 11 and 12 in the later years of my teaching career and this gave me great fulfilment.”
Arnold was fascinated by the number and variety of plants found in the Rosewood Scrub. Very little of the Rosewood Scrub remained so when an Ipswich miner and self-taught botanist (Lloyd Bird) suggested that Arnold could organise the collecting of seeds and the propagation of material of Rosewood dry vine forest plants, he set out to do so. The Rosewood Scrub Arboretum at Peace Park was established in 1994.
Bush Medicine Plants of the Rosewood Scrub – May 2015 Author: Arnold Rieck
Rosewood Scrub Arboretum Peace Park, Rosewood – April 2015 Author: Arnold Rieck
Over 20 years Arnold led the transformation of Mason’s Gully, at the corner of John Street and Walloon Road (Mason’s Gully Community Project). A 20th anniversary celebration was held there in 2020 after which he handed over the reins to Chris Rinehart. He still maintained an active interest in the project.
Arnold was also a member of the Rosewood United Cricket Club and Group Leader in the Scouts in Rosewood for 17 years. A walkway named in his honour was unveiled in Rosewood in 2019. The walkway follows the natural gully line linking Mason’s Gully at the corner of John St and Walloon Rd to the Rosewood Scrub Arboretum at Peace Park on Matthew St. In his 90th year in 2022, Arnold wrote his memoirs. It is an engaging record of a lifetime of achievement, fulfilment and reward.
On Saturday 11th November at 1pm the Lions Club of Rosewood unveiled a plaque at the rear of Cabanda Care in honour of the late Arnold Reick.
Passionate about the natural environment, his family and his community – Arnold celebrates a milestone birthday – Ipswich Tribune
Joyce Rieck O.A.M.
Joyce was a Board member of Cabanda Care, a community-owned aged care facility for 30 years. She was awarded an O.A.M. for her services to the community of Rosewood. Joyce has also served as a lay preacher for her church, the Uniting Church, and is a stalwart and much valued member of the Rosewood community.
The Cabanda Story – compiled by Joyce Rieck
Shane Rodgers
Business Executive, Strategist, Marketer and Writer
Shane was amongst the first intake of students at the new Rosewood State High School in 1980. He was the first school captain and the editor of the first edition of the school’s newspaper Zapped. Shane went on to become General Manager of Queensland Newspapers and has an extensive media and marketing career. He is also the author of Tall People Don’t Jump – The curious behaviour of human beings.
Shane penned the lyrics to the school’s song.
Unified by a common goal,
We raise a mighty cheer.
For the school we know as Rosewood High
We want the world to hear.
We’ll aim towards the greatest heights,
And know we cannot fail.
To love with honour, faith and hope,
Our standards will prevail.
Chorus:
For Rosewood High is young and strong, a force we know
Will have a future built on strength to grow and grow.
And when our memories start to fade our hopes will never die.
This feeling we will never lose,
Our love for Rosewood High.
When darkness falls across the sea
A light will shine to guide,
And lead us on a steady trip
Across the changing tide.
And with the knowledge we have gained, life’s perils we’ll defy.
Then we’ll look back and give our thanks, to mighty Rosewood High.
Isabella Sophia Kearsley O.A.M.
b.1928 Toowoomba d.2018
Isabella received her OAM for a wide range of services to the Rosewood and the wider community. She was involved in Toastmasters, CWA, Cabanda, Meals on Wheels, Rosewood Scrub Historical Society, Rosewood Women’s Group and was an Elder of the Uniting Church and a Sunday School teacher.
Isabella was a teacher at Rosewood State School from 1968 and was also a private tutor. She worked in this field for 47 years. She solely instituted the ‘Creative Arts Week” for local youngsters during the 1970’s. Isabella held the only ‘Honorary Lifer’ award given by inmates of Borallon Correctional Centre, where she held weekly Toastmasters courses for more than seven years. She was on the committee of the Ipswich Poetry Feast and one of the judges. She was instrumental in changing laws relating to women as part of a group who worked on Women’s Law Reform. She read texts for blind university students for 30 years, was a Red Cross Youth Leader, knitted around 100 penguin jumpers for oil slicked penguins and over 5,000 beanies for children in war-torn countries and much, much more…
Isabella was an amazing woman and a beloved member of the community. Around the time she received her award she said, “I suppose I was only doing things I took pleasure in doing and really, I live a very ordinary life.”
Warrant Officer Paul Dowdle
Born in England and grew up Rosewood. After leaving Rosewood High he joined the Air Force in 1979. He received the US military Bronze Star Medal for working with US troops in Baghdad defusing improvised explosive devices (IED). Rosewood man gets US Medal of Honour.
Rodney Nation
Classical Dancer (lived in Albert Street)
Rodney Nation last night was awarded the £10/10/- bursary for dancing at the final session of this section of the Eisteddfod. Champion dancer was Fay Gould, who gained 849 points. She won by one point from Barbara Nation. The adjudicator (Miss H. Wallace) said of the bursary winner that with careful training he could develop into another Robert Helpmann.”From the moment I saw this boy come on to the stage at the beginning of the week I have been interested in him. He shows definite promise and in the years to come Ipswich probably will have a famous dancer. Provided he is trained properly, he will go a long way.” [Q.T. 12th September, 1953]
Ballet – Brilliant Success At Roma
Festival Hall in Brisbane – Giselle, Kaleidoscope, The Wind and the Sea – September 11th, 1961-September 11th, 1961
Brisbane City Hall – Kaleidoscope, Graduation Ball, The Nutcracker- March 2nd, 1962- March 3rd, 1962
Charles William Grigg
1899 -1961 Baker & Pastry Cook
Champion Walker – Charles broke the Queensland record for the 20 mile race from the North Ipswich Reserve to Rocklea on 11th July 1931, with a time of 2 hours 12 minutes and 5 seconds. He was over a mile in front of the next competitor at the finish line. In August he went to Sydney to compete in a 50 kilometre Olympic Games test. He was suffering from a severe cold but still came third in a field of seven Interstate competitors on a course from Bankstown Railway Station to Canterbury Road and back, five laps, a distance of 31 miles and 122 yards. Charles and his wife and two children were living in Albert Street, Rosewood at the time. He was also a noted bass singer having won trophies in State competitions and sang with the Ipswich Cambrian Society.
Patrick Joseph Ogilvie
b.1925 Rosewood d.1997 Brisbane
Milliner and Couturier – “Stylish hatter with a head for business”.
His parents were David Petrie Ogilvie and Madeline née McCaffery. His father ran open-air picture theatres in south-east Qld towns, one of which was Rosewood. In December 1924 his father built a large structure and launched an open-air picture theatre in Forest Hill. He had a projector for showing lantern slides which he used at Rosewood events.
Patrick watched his mother covering lampshades which stood him in good stead when he later worked with wire and tulle. At age 11 he was engaged professionally as a tap dancer at the Theatre Royal and was billed as Brisbane’s Fred Astaire. For almost fifty years Ogilvie designed hats for Queensland’s best-dressed women.
Australian Dictionary of Biography
Steven John Reinke 
b.1949
Australian Senior Short Circuit Champion – 1971
Australian Speedway Solo Champion – 1974
Queensland Solo Championship (Brisbane Exhibition ground) – 1973, 1974
Steve attended Calvert primary school and the family lived at the end of Neumann Road. He started his speedway career at the Tivoli short track in 1967. Many, like myself, will have vivid memories of seeing Steve “riding the boards”, racing out wide around the fence at the Ipswich Speedway in the late 60’s and early 70’s. Both his and Jack White’s solo racing could be described as hair-raising and exciting.
It was a common sight to see front-markers two or three abreast with then up-and-comer Johnny Titman going around them, Jackie White out further bouncing off the boards also trying to pass – and Steve Reinke, front wheel up the fence with everything wrapped on, in turn trying to pass the whole lot.
Steve Reinke became an integral part of the Aussie racing scene and a hero to the thousands who followed it. He also raced internationally in Japan and New Zealand. In 1974 he went to race in the British league with the Exeter Falcons at Exeter Speedway in Devon after a brilliant performance in the 1973-74 Test series against the British Lions at Liverpool. There he became the only rider to score double figures in every match. Steve topped the match averages for both teams in four appearances. In Adelaide he scored 12, in Sydney 13 (including a fall), and followed with 11 and 15 in Brisbane.
Steve also owned a successful motorcycle business, Steve Reinke Motorcyles, at 124 Brisbane Road, Booval, Ipswich.
Natalie Clair Rasmussen
b. 1977, Townsville. Harness Racer and Trainer.
Moved to Rosewood in 1980 and attended Rosewood Sate School. Interdominion Hall of Fame
Anthony Martin
b. 1979 Wyndham, Western Australia. Weightlifter
Anthony attended Rosewood Sate School. He is the first indigenous weightlifter to represent Australia at the Sydney Olympic Games in 2000. He placed 18th in the Super-Heavyweight (>105 kilograms), Men’s Competition. Anthony Martin, 1997. Picture Ipswich
Juanita Ruth Feldhahn
b. 1973 Ipswich. Cyclist
Juanita attended Rosewood State School. She competed and placed 28th in the Women’s Road Race Individual at the Sydney Olympic Games in 2000. Olympedia
Frederick Sidney Cotton O.B.E.
b.1894 Allensleigh near Bowen, Queensland d.1969 East Grinstead, Sussex, England
His parents were Alfred John Cotton and Annie Isabel Jane née Bode.Frederick spent many of his childhood years at Hidden Vale Estate (10,300 acres) near Grandchester, which his father acquired in March 1901. It was previously known as Jost Vale after the prior owner but Cotton changed it in May 1901.
One of his Frederick’s friends in adulthood was Ian Fleming, author of the postwar James Bond series of spy novels. Some say Fleming based his novels on the exploits of his friend Frederick Cotton.
After his death his ashes were returned to Australia to the family plot at Tallegalla Cemetery. The inscription on the plaque on his grave sums up his life.
‘Pioneer Aviator, Inventor, Spy. He marched to the beat of a different drum.’
Sidney Cotton – Spy and Aviator (Video – Old Fliers Group meeting 2013)
Frederick Sidney Cotton 1894–1969
Australian Dictionary of Biography
Photo: Sidney Cotton (standing) at the 1936 Vanderbilt Cup auto race. (Getty Images)
Biography – Alfred John Cotton – Australian Dictionary of Biography
James William Crawford Cumes
b.1922 Rosewood d.2013 Vienna, Austria
Australian Author, Economist and a former Public Servant and Diplomat. Wikipedia
Constable Edward Michael Creedy
b.1881 Parkdale, Grandchester d.1941 Brisbane
Son of Denis Creedy and Anastasia Gabrielle née Rafter.
A member of the Imperial Bushmen during the Boer war before joining the Queensland police on December 13, 1902. He was a skilled horseman who was detailed to break in new horses for police work. During his career he spent 18 years in country districts, including Thargomindah, Hungerford, Dalby, Taroom, and Jackson and handled many cattle stealing cases and several murders. Acting Sergeant Creedy was transferred to the Newmarket Police Station in March 1921 and remained at this station until his retirement as a Sergeant in November 1940, just shy of his 60th birthday.
Mr Denis Thomas “Dinny” Keogh M.L.A.
b.1838 Briarfield, Galway, Ireland d.1911 Ipswich
Alderman on Ipswich Council 11 years. Mayor in 1893 when he nobly served the town during record floods. He represented Rosewood from 1896 until his death with the exception of 1902-1904. It was said that his funeral, which left from his residence in Brisbane Street to the Ipswich Cemetery, was the greatest ever seen in the district. A special train for Rosewood and district residents was put into service and left Rosewood at 2.30p.m. and returned at 5.5 that afternoon.
Dinnny was popular even amongst his greatest opponents. There was a kindliness about his nature which was unmistakable. He was of an independent, unconventional turn of mind, and he was always refreshingly outspoken, regardless of the restraints and discipline associated with party warfare. As the ancient writer said; he called a skiff a skiff, but his lack of sophistry, his contempt for useless forms and traditions, his big-heartedness and his sincerity combined to make him popular even with those who sometimes came within the survey of his criticism and indignation.
Robert Samuel Hodge M.L.A.
b.1866 Somerset, England d.1924 Brisbane
Proprietor of a produce store in Rosewood and Proprietor of the Rosewood Hotel 1888-1902
Member for Rosewood 1902-Dec 1904
Member for Burnett 1909
Member for Nanango 1912-1920
James Stevenstone Kerr M.L.A.
b.1889 Rosewood d.1960 Toowoomba
Son of John Kerr and Mary née Caldwell. He left school, at age 11 and attended private night classes. He enlisted in 1915 as a private, and at the end of the war he was acting adjutant of the 26th Infantry Battalion. On his return he was appointed State secretary of the R.S.S.I.L.A
He won the seat of Enogerra (Nationalist Party) in 1920 and held it until 1932.
William Cooper M.L.A.
b.1868 Maitland, NSW d.1957 Ipswich
Blacksmith – worked on first railway line Ipswich to Bigge’s Camp.
Won the seat of Rosewood (Labour Party) in 1918 and held it until 1929.
Edmund Bede Maher C.B.E.
b.1891 Forbes, NSW d.1982 Bribie Island
Grazier, Company Director; Businessman; Patron Rosewood Poultry & Kennel Club
Member for Rosewood (Country Party) 1929-1932
Leader of the Opposition in the Queensland Parliament 1936 to 1941 and a Federal Senator 1950 to 1965.
Photo at right – 1938
George Andrew Logan M.L.A.
b.1884 Brookfield – d.1953 Kingaroy
One of twelve children to parents Whitmore Logan and Harriet née Josey of “Greyfriars”, Forest Hill. As a member of the Country Party he won the seat of Lockyer in 1920 and held it until 1929.
Thomas Bridson Cribb
(1845–1913) Biography – Thomas Bridson Cribb – Australian Dictionary of Biography
George Andrew Logan
b.1884 Rosewood d.1953 Kingaroy
Politician – As a member of the Country Party he won the seat of Lockyer in 1920 Wikipedia
© Jane Schy, 2024
Published 07/02/2024