Rosewood History

Some of the Farrell/Potts clan. Taken c.1936 at one of their homes in Mill Street, Rosewood.
(Photo courtesy of Karen Schumacher)

Mary Farrell née Brown is the lady sitting in the centre front of the photo. The boy kneeling on the left and the two behind him are brothers. Crouching down on the right is another brother, all sons of Alexander and Mary Ann Potts. Alexander Potts is standing at the back left. His wife Mary Ann is nursing baby Annette Knitter. Next to them is thought to be Eileen Knitter née Potts. Her husband, Wally Knitter, is the man with the hat on. Maurice Farrell (son of Patrick and Mary Farrell) is wearing the striped jacket and his wife Ellen (aka Lulla) née Quinn is beside him with their son Patrick in front. Behind Ellen is Alec Potts (son of Alexander and Mary Ann Potts).

Patrick Farrell and Mary Brown

Generations of families have walked the same streets of Rosewood as we do today. They worked, shopped, attended church and school, were entertained at events and had the same daily experiences. Some lived their whole lives here and some took their first and final breaths here. We walk in their footsteps. The Farrell family is one of these families. This is an overview of the first generation of the family of Patrick and Mary Farrell. The stories of their lives are not included here.

Name: Patrick FARRELL
Occupation: Railway Employee (Ganger) (No 12 Gang – Toowoomba District Main Line – Lengthsman)
Birth: 1848 near Shanballybaun Lough, Roscommon, Ireland
Baptism: (Patricium) 20 February 1849, Cootehall, Roscommon, Ireland
Immigration: 20th September, 1876, the Queen of Nations arrived Brisbane, Queensland (Patrick was described as a Farm Labourer from Ireland)
Residence: Mill Street, Rosewood (Electoral Roll)
Death: 4th September 1915, at his home in Mill Street, Rosewood aged 67 years
Burial: 5th September 1915, Tallegalla Cemetery
Religion: Roman Catholic
Father: Patrick (Patrici) FARRELL
Mother: Anne (Honaria) ROGERS
Marriage: 18th April 1880, St Joseph’s Church, Dalby, Queensland

Spouse: Mary BROWN
Birth: 27th February 1864, Drayton, Toowoomba, Queensland
Death: 31st March 1955, Ipswich, Queensland aged 91 years
Burial: Ipswich General Cemetery (with Alex & Mary Ann Potts)
Religion: Roman Catholic
Father: John BROWN
Mother: Elizabeth McFADDEN 

Children: 10
1 M: Thomas FARRELL
Occupation: Drover; Policeman; Labourer
Birth: 15th April 1881, Queensland
Residence: 1908, Church Street, Fortitude Valley, Brisbane (Constable) (Electoral Roll)
Residence: 1913, Helen Street, Bulimba (Labourer) (Electoral Roll)
Residence: 1915, Light Street, Fortitude Valley, Brisbane (Labourer) (Electoral Roll)
Death: 21st June 1916, Brisbane, Queensland  (Drowned at Redcliffe)
Burial: 8th July 1916, Toowong Cemetery
Religion: Roman Catholic
Marriage: 29th May 1912, Brisbane, Queensland
Spouse: Hannah Maria O’CALLAGHAN
Birth: 7th January 1872 Boherboy, Cork, Ireland
Residence: 1926, Pomona (Electoral Roll)
Residence: 1930, Alfred Street, Charleville (Cook) (Electoral Roll)
Residence: 1936, 14 Wellington Street, Mackay (Electoral Roll)
Residence: 1937, Gordon Street, Mackay (Electoral Roll)
Residence: 1941, 11a Nelson Street, Mackay (Electoral Roll)
Death: 18th December 1948, Mackay, Queensland
Burial: 21st December 1948, Lutwyche Cemetery (with Andrew)
Father: Cornelius CARROLL
Mother: Catherine HICKEY
Other spouses: 1st Andrew O’CALLAGHAN, 3rd George DIACUNESCU

2 F: Mary Ann FARRELL
Birth: 7th May 1884, Camboon, Shire of Banana, Queensland
Residence: Mill Street, Rosewood
Death: 3rd March 1979, Ipswich, Queensland
Burial: Ipswich General Cemetery
Religion: Roman Catholic
Marriage: 19th May 1909, St Brigid’s Roman Catholic Church, Rosewood
Spouse: Alexander POTTS
Occupation: Miner
Birth: 16th January 1883, Frizington, Cumberland, England (registered at Whitehaven)
Immigration: 4 December 1883, Almora arrived Brisbane, Queensland
Residence: Mill Street, Rosewood
Death: 11th June 1954, at his home in Mill Street, Rosewood.
Burial: Ipswich General Cemetery
Religion: Roman Catholic
Father: John James POTTS
Mother: Mary ROBINSON

3 M: John Joseph FARRELL
Occupation: Cream Tester & Grader  (Dalby Butter Factory – 9 years) (Conducted a cream depot in Rosewood in his early life.)
Birth: 17th June 1885, Roma, Queensland
Residence: 1925, Heeney Street, Chinchilla, Queensland (Electoral Roll)
Residence: 1928, Millbrook, Mathieson Street, Dalby (Electoral Roll)
Residence: 1936, Millbrook, Mathieson Street, Dalby Queensland (Electoral Roll)
Residence: 1941, 39 Brisbane Road, Ipswich (Electoral Roll)
Military: AIF SERN 16801 – 14th Field Engineers
Death: 6th August 1942, Rosemount Military Hospital, Brisbane, Queensland
Burial: Toowong Cemetery
Religion: Roman Catholic
Marriage: 14th October 1924,  Queensland
Spouse: Phyllis Ethel May DOBBY
Birth: 6th December 1897, Maxelton, Queensland
Residence: 1963, 14 Moffat Street, Ipswich (Electoral Roll)
Death: 8th October 1979, Ipswich, Queensland
Burial: Toowong Cemetery
Father: William Edward DOBBY
Mother: Margaret Ellen MARTIN

4 M: Matthew FARRELL
Birth: 14th August 1887, Queensland
Death: 18th April 1889, Queensland

5 M: Michael FARRELL
Occupation: Railway Guard
Birth: 25th October 1889, Queensland
Residence: 1925, Guilfoyle Street, Warwick (Electoral Roll)
Residence: 1930-1937, Sandhurst Street, Goondiwindi (Electoral Roll)
Residence: 1953, 124 Grafton Street, Warwick (Electoral Roll)
Residence: 1963, 7 Duke Street, Clontarf (Electoral Roll)
Death: 9th June 1966, Redcliffe, Queensland
Religion: Roman Catholic
Burial: Ipswich General Cemetery
Marriage: 19th April 1919, Queensland, Australia
Spouse: Alice Rebecca MORGAN
Birth: 1898 Temora, New South Wales
Death: 14th November 1953, Warwick, Queensland
Father: William MORGAN
Mother: Emily Elizabeth CLARKE

6 F: Maud Devina FARRELL
Birth: 8th April 1892, Rosewood, Queensland
Residence:  1913- 1925, Mill Street, Rosewood (Electoral Roll)
Residence: 1928, Moffat Street, Ipswich (Electoral Roll)
Residence: 1943, Limestone Street, Ipswich (Electoral Roll)
Death: 13th August 1944, Ipswich, Queensland
Burial: Ipswich General Cemetery
Religion: Roman Catholic
Marriage: 23rd July 1910, Queensland
Spouse: Alexander McIntyre REA
Occupation: Carpenter
Birth: 31st October 1890, Walloon, Queensland
Residence: 1959, 3 Lawrence Street, North Ipswich (Electoral Roll)
Residence: 1963, Salvation Army Home, Moggill, Ferry Road, Riverview (Electoral Roll)
Death: 29th November 1966, Ipswich, Queensland
Burial: Ipswich General Cemetery
Father: Alexander McIntyre REA
Mother: Margaret AULD

7 F: Elizabeth FARRELL
Birth: 13th September 1894, Rosewood, Queensland
Residence: 1926, Rosewood, Queensland (Electoral Roll)
Residence: 1930, Patrick Street, Laidley (Electoral Roll)
Residence: 1943- 1985, 96 Browne Street, Newfarm (Electoral Roll)
Death: 11th December 1985, Queensland
Burial: Ipswich General Cemetery
Religion: Roman Catholic
Marriage: 24th June 1916, St Brigid’s Roman Catholic Church, Rosewood
Spouse: John Joseph RAFTER
Occupation: Shearer; Fettler
Birth: 9th September 1888, Grandchester, Queensland
Death: 15th July 1966, Brisbane, Queensland
Burial: Ipswich General Cemetery
Father: Patrick RAFTER
Mother: Bridget O’SHEA

8 F: Margaret FARRELL
Birth: 2nd February 1897, Queensland
Residence: 1925, 15 Short Street, Ipswich (Electoral Roll)
Residence: 1949 – 1958, 64 South Street, Ipswich (Electoral Roll)
Residence: 1963, 15 Short Street, Ipswich (Electoral Roll)
Death: 12th February 1980, Ipswich, Queensland
Burial: Ipswich General Cemetery
Religion: Roman Catholic
Marriage: 24th April 1916, St Bridget’s Catholic Church, Rosewood, Queensland
Spouse: Phillip Harold WALLER
Occupation: Carter; Undertaker
Birth: 30th March 1896, Laidley, Queensland
Death: 5th November 1962, Ipswich Queensland
Burial: Ipswich General Cemetery
Father: Philip John WALLER
Mother: Emily  BADRICK

9 M: Patrick James FARRELL
Birth: 21st April 1899, Queensland
Death: 30th April 1902, Queensland

10 M: Maurice Francis FARRELL
Occupation: Grocer; Coal Mine Employee
Birth: 17th August 1901, Rosewood, Queensland
Residence: 1925 – 1977, Mill Street, Rosewood, Queensland (Electoral Roll)
Death: 15th June 1977, Queensland
Burial: Ipswich General Cemetery
Religion: Roman Catholic
Marriage: 11th January 1930, Queensland
Spouse: Ellen “Lulla“ QUINN
Birth: 24th February 1906, Grandchester, Queensland
Death: 12th August 1967, Queensland
Burial: Ipswich General Cemetery
Father: Edward Joseph QUINN
Mother: Catherine CANNON

Karen Schumacher generously gave her permission to share these stories about her great grandparents Patrick and Mary Farrell.

I will tell you a funny story about Mary Farrell (nee Brown), my great grandmother who lived with my grandparents, Maurice and Lulla Farrell. She died 2 years before I was born but my mother told me that when she became ill she would be in bed and people would come to pay their last respects. They’d form a small line down the hallway. My Mum, Enid Farrell, and Pat Potts would be in the kitchen making sandwiches and putting out biscuits and tea for the people who visited. As soon as the visitors left though Mary would sit up in bed and say “I feel better now. Can you get me a cup of tea?” This happened more than once with the visitors coming to pay their last respects until she eventually did pass away. So Irish! LOL. 

We also had a photo in a large frame of my great grandfather, Patrick Farrell, which unfortunately was thrown out. It always gave me the jitters for some reason, and then I found out from my father that when Patrick died the family realised they didn’t have a photo of him, so they dressed him in his suit and sat him up and took a photo of him. LOL!

Queen of Nations

Queenslander, Saturday 23 September 1876, page 36
The Queen of Nations, a well known Aberdeen clipper, trading for some years past between London and Sydney, and now flying the flag of the Orient line, arrived off Cape Moreton from London on Sunday morning, having made the passage from the Channel in 96 days. The vessel, which left London on June 9, brings 292 emigrants, equal to 264 statute adults, and a general cargo, valued at the time of clearance at £13,300. From advices received on Monday, we learn that the Gauntlet, ship, Captain Lucas, from this port to London, and which cleared Cape Moreton on April 15, arrived at Gravesend on July 20, 96 days out .The Red Riding Hood, ship, of the Orient line, with a few passengers and general cargo, bound from London to Brisbane, passed Deal on July 20. Captain Donald reports that the Queen of Nations, ship, left Gravesend with immigrants and general cargo on June 9; off the Start on June 11, and had moderate north-west and westerly winds to latitude 29° north; the-north east trades proved light, and the Equator was crossed on July 11; picked up the south-east trades in latitude 5° south, and lost them in 21° south; passed the meridian of the Cape of Good Hope on August 7, and, in running down the easting, experienced fine weather and had moderate northerly winds to Cape Otway, which was passed on September 4, and Kent’s Group on September 6, and experienced northerly winds for four days later, when it blew a strong gale from the westward, and terrific squalls, followed by variable winds, chiefly from north-east to north-west; off Cape Moreton on September 16, and anchored in the Brisbane Roads on the 18th. During the passage one death, that of an infant, took place.

Queensland Times, Ipswich Herald and General Advertiser, Thursday 21 September 1876, page 3
The immigrants per ship Queen of Nations were brought up to town on Tuesday per steamer Kate, and landed at the Queen’s wharf shortly after 4 o’clock p.m. They appear to be a healthy and repectable lot of people, and seemed well pleased at once more getting to shore. Their occupations and numbers are 66 female servants, 90 farm labourers, 6 engineers, 11 labourers, 2 gardeners, 3 moulders, 3 miners, 1 cabinetmaker, 1 blacksmith, 1 bricklayer, 1 mason, 2 mechanics, 8 carpenters, 1 butcher, and 6 unspecified. There were admitted 24 married couples, 66 single women, and 112 single men, making a total– including children–of 251 statute adults.

The Farrell family lived near near Shanballybaun Lough, Roscommon, Ireland. The children were baptised at Cootehall which would be about a 6 minute drive away nowadays.

Patrick Farrell had siblings in Queensland:
Myles married Betsy McCAREN and lived at Mount Morgan, Queensland.
Matthew married  Elizabeth MACQUIRE and lived at Taylor, Queensland
Catherine married George “Possum” STEWART and lived at Currumbin Creek, Queensland
Bridget married Christopher O’CONNEL and lived at Bundaberg, Queensland
Mary Josephine married John Joseph COMERFORD and lived at Mount Morgan, Queensland
Annie married Hercules Hugh JAMESON and lived at Mount Morgan, Queensland

© Jane Schy, 2024

Sources:
Australian Electoral Rolls 1903-1980
Commonwealth Electoral Rolls 1906-1969
Trove – National Library Australia
Queensland Registry Births Deaths Marriages
Queensland Immigration Indexes 1848-1972
New South Wales Registry Births Deaths Marriages
Australian World War 1 Service Records
Ireland, Catholic Parish Registers 1655-1915
Ireland, Select Births and Baptisms 1620-1911