William Frederick Ruhno c.1938
Photo: F. A. Whitehead & Sons   Picture Ipswich

Rosewood History

Frederick William RUHNO and Euphemia Margaret GRAY

Name: Frederick William RUHNO J. P.  (aka William Frederick)
Occupation: Proprietor of Ruhno’s General Store; Auctioneer, Commission Agent
Birth: 9th March 1867, at Dalby, Condamine, Queensland (born Frederick William RUHNAN)
Death: 3rd September 1938, at “The Laurels,” 96 John Street,  Rosewood aged 71 years
Burial: 5th Sepetmber 1938, Ipswich General Cemetery (service at St Lukes, Rosewood)
Religion: Church of England B, Grave number A7868
Father: Samuel Gottfried “George” RUHNAU/RUHNAN
Mother: Anna Mary BOYSON

Spouse: Euphemia Margaret GRAY
Birth: c.1871, Orpen Street, Dalby, Condamine, Queensland
Death: 12th October 1944, at “The Laurels,” 96 John Street, Rosewood aged 73 years
Burial: 13th October 1944, Ipswich General Cemetery (service at St Luke’s, Rosewood)
Religion: Church of England B, Grave number B
Father: David GRAY
Mother: Mary Elizabeth FARRELL
Marriage: 7th August 1889, at Dalby, Queensland

Children: 2
Elsie May Isabell RUHNO (1890-1951) = Stuart Aubrey THORN (1879-1955)
William Norman RUHNO (1898-1960) = Leila Florence COOGAN (1901-1980)

William Ruhno was born at Dalby, Condamine, Queensland. His father was a German dairyman and his mother was Danish. They immigrated aboard the Susanne Goddefroy to Moreton Bay in 1864 and were among the early settlers of Dalby. William had a younger brother, August Henry aka “Gus”. William attended the Dalby State School. As a young man he made frequent business trips on the newly constructed railway to Mitchell.

William found employment in 1884 with Johannes Ludwig Frederich, a General Storekeeper and Produce Merchant at Marburg. In 1888 Frederich opened a branch in Rosewood on the corner of Railway and Albert Streets and William was sent to manage the store.

William settled himself in Rosewood before returning to Dalby in 1889 and marrying Euphemia Margaret Gray. Euphemia’s parents were also immigrants. Her father was Scottish and her mother was Irish. They married in Bangaban, Queensland in 1859 and became sheep growers at Dalby. Her father died reatively young aged 43 after which her mother moved to Ipswich, where she had a residence in South Street.

When William bought his bride back to Rosewood, they lived in a house adjoining the store (pictured above), which was located directly opposite the railway station. 

As a couple William and Euphemia involved themselves heavily in the community, and eventually came to own a number of businesses in the town. They frequently sang together at concerts with renditions of songs such as “The Happy Policeman”, “Money Matters, “Life’s Dream Is O’er”, “Juanita” and “Whisper And I Shall Hear”. They sang in the choir of St. Luke’s Church and at many weddings. William also performed recitations and was adept at causing much laughter while decribing thrilling adventures during his delivery of pieces like “The Family Coach”.

Just before the Christmas of 1896, a startling incident occurred during a storm that passed over the Rosewood district. Two persons were standing on the verandah of Ruhno’s residence (which at that time was across the road from the station), when they observed two successive flashes of of vivid lightning, followed by two distinct peals of thunder, which were said to sound like the firing of a double barrelled shotgun. The lightning struck the telegraph line and seemed to travel towards the railway station. The electric current severed two large splinters from one of the telegraph posts. William Ruhno picked up the splinters as he hurried across to the railway station to see if any damage had been done. He found Mr Hoare, the relieving station master, in a shocked and startled state. Mr Hoare had his hand on the wooden knob of the operating lever of an instrument when the flash appeared to pass from the machine into the centre of the room. Fortunately no damage was done.

The Ruhnos seemed to be well liked.
The residence of Mr. and Mrs. W. Ruhno was the scene of gay festivity on Monday evening last (5th April 1897), where some sixteen young ladies and thirteen gentlemen constituted a surprise party. It was arranged to start from the railway gates at a quarter to 8 o’clock. Punctually to time a move was made for the house when the inmates were aroused from their quietude by a salute in the form of some thirty eager and lusty throats singing “We Won’t Go Home Till Morning,” which decision, by the way, was faithfully carried out. On the doors being opened Mrs. Ruhno was very much surprised at seeing such a number of friends all laden with something good in the form of eatables, but gave them a very hearty welcome, which was soon given effect to by some turning to and clearing the rooms for dancing, and others laying tables, cutting up, &c. The evening was spent in games, cards and dancing, and appeared to be enjoyed by everybody. Supper being ready by 10 o’clock, the health of the host and hostess was proposed and drunk with good tea and coffee. Both Mr. and Mrs. Ruhno responded, saying that they were surprised but very pleased to see so many friends, and hoping that that was only the forerunner of many pleasant evenings that they would have during the coming winter. The party broke up at 1 o’clock with three ringing cheers for Mr. and Mrs. Ruhno, and one for “Biddy,” all then joining in hands and singing “Auld Lang Syne”. The above was the first event of its kind that has ever taken place in Rosewood, and your correspondent feelingly says “he hopes it will not be the last” if carried out on the same lines. 

In October 1897, Euphemia Ruhno became Godmother to Francis Lillian Lane, the daughter of John and Elizabeth Lane of Lanefield, then when Francis married William Robb in 1931, Euphemia was her Matron of Honour.

In 1900 John Frederich built a new store on the site of his old store. He made William Ruhno the manager of the new drapery and grocery establishment, as well as the large bulk store built at the rear. 

By this time, three local men, William Ruhno, Mark Bensley and George Herbert Dutney, all Justices of the Peace, were hearing cases in the Rosewood Police Court. William was also a director of the Rosewood Co-operative Dip Company.

On 1st December 1907, William Ruhno bought the successful store from John Frederich. He named it the “The People’s General Supply Store”.

In July-August 1907, William acquired property from Robert Samuel Hodge, who was a politician for the Rosewood area as well as being the owner of the Rosewood Hotel. He bought Hodge’s hotel, his shops and his private dwelling at 92 John Street known as “The Laurels”. (Hodge bought the land for the house in 1891). The hotel was purchased in Euphemia Ruhno’s name.

William was a keen tennis player and in 1913 he was appointed as president of a new Rosewood Tennis Club (Ruhno’s and Maher’s Tennis Club). They had a tennis court at “The Laurels” and social games were played there by residents. Other more competitive events involving the Rosewood Tennis Club, the local school tennis teams and the local church tennis clubs were also held there. The Rosewood club competed against other tennis clubs outside of the town including Grandchester, Mt Forbes, Mt Walker, Tarampa, Booval, Dinmore, Goodna, Glenesk and Moorang.

In the early hours of 3rd January 1914, a fire burnt out the business centre of Rosewood. The Rosewood Hotel was razed to the ground with several other buildings. The building was insured for £700 and was rebuilt. As a result of the fire, Fraser Bros., bootmakers, temporarily moved into a premises adjoining Ruhno’s residence, which at this time, was located next to the store. This premises was being used as Rhuno’s toy-room and Willam Ruhno moved the toys to accomodate the Fraser Bros.

William was a member of the Queensland Volunteer Force and was a foundation member of the Hunting Club which hunted kangaroos at the back of the Rosewood Bluff in the early days.

Tuesday 28th July 1914, marked the day the Great War began. A war, which in the words of my great Aunt, created bigots and ruined people’s lives. The German residents in the Rosewood Scrub had been living harmoniously within their community, which was made up of all different nationalities. They were respected, trusted and supported financially by a major retailer in Ipswich (Cribb and Foote). They soon became aware of the anti-German feeling which had arisen as a result of the outbreak of war. William Ruhno gave them his strong support.

LOYALTY OF GERMAN RESIDENTS
At the Lowood Show yesterday, a happy event took place. This was the formal presentation of German residents, numbering about 70 or 80, to his Excellency the Governor (Sir J. H. Goold-Adams). They were introduced by Mr. W. Ruhno, who stated on their behalf, that the German residents and descendants of Germans of the district desired to assure his Excellency of their loyalty to the British Empire. His Excellency, in reply, said he was very pleased indeed to listen to the remarks made by Mr. Ruhno, and to notice the way in which those remarks were received. He considered the British Empire was fighting for a just cause-the integrity of a little country. He expressed appreciation to the opportunity afforded him of meeting the German residents. The proceedings closed with cheers for the Union Jack, and for his Excellency and Lady Goold-Adams.  [Q. T. Saturday 15 May 1915, page 2]

Ruhno was endorsed by the Farmers’ Union to stand as the candidate for Rosewood in 1915 but was beaten by Henry Moreton Stevens (Liberal). Previously Ruhno had stood as an Independent candidate. Mr. W. Ruhno at Rosewood.

In September 1916, even though he was born in Dalby, he was classed as an Alien. Along with two German farmers from the Rosewood district, he was interned as a German Prisoner of War at Holsworthy Concentration Camp in New South Wales. Immediately on bcoming aware of his sitation he resigned his commission as a J.P. and withdrew from the local War Council. Ironically, the Council had been formed to organise the community for war conditions and to be prepared for any emergency situations. Ernest Bulcock was appointed in his place.

That year a pictorial album was produced by Heinrich Jacobsen, the editor of the “G. C. C. Monats-hefte”, an illustrated monthly journal for the German prisoners of war in the internment camp. The production of the album was a calculated move intended to remove any impression that the prisoners were pining away in the camp. The pictures depicted the barbed wire entanglements which surrounded the camp, and the observation tower but the rest gave the appearance that they had a very good life in the camp. There were photos of a theatre, a camp orchestra, a bowling green, a tennis court, a cafe, men in theatrical costumes and a full-page picture showing a promenade concert. The buildings were not imposing and were well fitted out. The buildings which lined “Kaiser Wilhelm Strasse” looked like military style buildings, but the walk from the hospital to the camp was a rather pretty view. 

The camp, however, was indeed a prison camp, and there were reports of attempted escapes and shootings by sentries and severe punishments for infringements. Three German men who built an illicit still were each fined £200 in lieu of 12 months hard labour in Parramatta jail. 

While he was interned, William missed his daughter’s wedding. During his imprisonment in 1919 he was able to have two copies of the “Daily Mail” sent to him at the Liverpool camp every day at one penny per copy. These were charged to his firm in Rosewood. 

He was finally released from the internment camp in September 1919, a few days short of four years, without his case ever going to trial.

On his return to Rosewood, he appears to have picked up where he left off, acting as a benefactor to a number of good causes.

On 20 May 1921, William Ruhno was once again sworn in as a Justice of the Peace before Mr. J. Stewart Berge (P. M.). He returned as a councillor and was the first Chairman of the Rosewood Shire Council to be elected by the people and he served for three years (July 1921– August 1923). He was nominated as a candidate for the Primary Producers Union plebiscite. Mr W. Bebbington from the Country Party won.

The Lyceum Picture Theatre in John Street, owned by Eupehemia Ruhno, burned down at about 3.40 a.m. on 21st May 1925. A lit cigarette was dropped on the floor during the pictures. It was a relatively new business occupied by Messrs Castrious and Caskill. They lost their piano, biograph and all fittings. (The American Mutoscope and Biograph company originally used the 68mm Mutograph camera to photograph motion pictures which were printed on flip cards used in a hand cranked Mutoscope viewing machine.) The building was insured and valued at about £1200 but it wasn’t rebuilt. Shops were built on the site instead.

In 1926 William was endorsed by the Country and Progressive National Party to contest the Rosewood seat. Once again he was unsuccessful in his bid to run for State Parliament. Questions were asked regarding his internment and people were quick to jump to his defence. The following was reported by Herb Dutney when William Ruhno addressed a meeting at Marburg.

In response to a question regarding internment Mr. Ruhno, after remarking that no one can be blamed for his parentage, said “I feel fully justified in asking Nationalists and Country party electors to vote for me, as I am an Australian born, and have never by thought, word, or deed, been disloyal to my country. I was interned by a Labour Government before the Nationalist Government was formed in February, 1917. The British Empire was founded on justice and I would like that to clear my name if it needs it. My life of 37 years in Rosewood is well known, and since the war I have done all I could in the interests of returned soliders. My wife did also. I claim fair play as a right Australian should not withhold from me, because I am also an Australian.

At a meeting at Coominya on 19th April, K. Gerrand from the Queensland Times Office reported:
Mr. W. Ruhno, the Opposition candidate for the Rosewood lectorate, replied to the question:”Why were you interned in 1916?” He stated that he was a Queenslander, and that he had been interned under an Act put on the Statute Book by a Federal Labour Party. The warrant for his internment stated it was for “enemy origin and association.” “I was born in Queensland,” he said. “and as for my origin, I could not help that. As for the association, I do not know what would be meant by that. I was a storeteeper, associating with the public generally in my usual course of business. I was never charged with anything else. They refused to give me a hearing, or to bring me before my accusers in a clivil court of competent jurisdiction. I believed that the British Empire was built on justice, and no man was condemned without a trial, and every man assumed innocent until he was proved guilty. However, I did not receive such a hearing”

A voice: That was under Billy Hughes. (Seventh Prime Minister 1915-1923)

Mr Ruhno: “No, Billy Hughes came into power afterwards, and he rubbed the Act in more than ever. I am glad that the question has been asked,” he said at the close of the meeting, “and I hope that such questions will be asked regularly to clear certain wrongful ideas which are current.” 

More articles can be read here.  LIVELY MEETING. MR. RUHNO CORRECTS MR. THEODORE    IN DEFENCE OF MR. RUHNO.  You can also read the Parliamentary Debate in Legislative Assembly- Tuesday 3rd August 1926 (page 42).

A fire occured at the Ruhno’s residence in July 1927 and a large hayshed at the rear of the house was destroyed. 

In March 1928, Ruhno established a cheese factory on the opposite corner of Albert Street and Railway Street to his store. It was to become a short term project.

The Ruhnos liked to travel. They often toured Queensland and the southern states and enjoyed holidaying at Redcliffe. In September 1929, they left by the S. S. Nieuw Holland for a holiday trip to Colombo via Java and the Malay States and the East for 6 weeks. The ship was fairly new, built in Amsterdam in 1927. It was modified in 1940 to become a troop transport ship for up to 1,000 troops.

Unfortunatley around this time, William started to have heath issues. He spent five weeks in Woolan Private Hospital at Gregory Terrace, Brisbane when he was 63 years old.  However, this did not stop his travels or his work.

The Telegraph announced another trip on Friday, 5 September 1930.
Messrs. W. Ruhno, V. Blackmore, and G. H. Kingston (Rosewood), A. Fullekrug (Rosevale), F. Bielefeld (Marburg), W. G. S. Blackmore, and F. Pegg (Harrisville), Walter Meier (Mt. Mort), and W. Wells (Linville), will comprise a party to the Barrier Reef in the coming fortnight. Messrs. Ruhno, Fullekrug, Bielefeld and Kingston will leave to-day for Bundaberg and will be joined by the remainder of the party on Tuesday, when they will board Mr. Les. Thompson’s boat, “The Warrior” for the Barrier Reef.

On 2nd May 1931, William and Euphemia Ruhno and Walter Edwin Thomas (Rosewood Aerated Water and Cordial Factory), set off on a voyage to England. They travelled on the ‘Esperance Bay” along with over 700 other passengers. The journey took them via Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Fremantle, where the ship took on a heavy load of cargo of frozen meat, butter, eggs, wool etc at Brisbane and Sydney and over 30,000 cases of apples at Melbourne. After they left Adelaide they weathered a severe storm in the Australian Bight. They called at Freemantle where they toured Perth before crossing the ocean. 

The ocean voyage allowed them to see many varied places including Colombo. It was here that Mrs. Ruhno and Mr. Thomas were spellbound at the sight of so many people of colour, however, it was Mr. Ruhno’s second visit so he was not as amazed. In order to see the tea gardens and rubber plantations they drove to Kandy (Ceylon). Back on board they sailed over the Indian Ocean to Aden where they visited the salt works and the Arab bazaars. As they made their way to Cairo they saw Emil Pasha’s palace in the middle of the desert and lots of mosques and ancient tombs. They viewed Hellopolis, where the Australian soldiers were stationed during the war. Then on to Malta which was the naval base for the British fleet, where they were landed from the ship in decorated boats which were rowed by Maltese to the base of the fortified city. From there they were conveyed to the top (190ft. high) by a lift ( the alternative being a climb of 200 or 300 stone steps) to view the city. From Malta, they sailed on to Algiers, Gibraltar and finally landing at Southampton. They travelled around England and Scotland by coach returning to London on the “Flying Scotsman”. William had the pleasure of seeing three boxes of Grantham butter at Messrs. Foley Bros., Tooley Street, London. Mr. Fley said he had never seen better Australian butter. 

They also visited Wales and Ireland where they “kissed the Blarney Stone”. William Ruhno bought souvenirs of their trip. In Ireland he purchased a pipe made of bog oak and carved with the Harp of Erin and a sample of walnut plug tobacco which sold in Ireland for 1/10 for 6oz. He also returned armed with two strong “shillelahs”, one made of bog oak and finely carved with shamrocks, the other of Irish blackthorn.

After covering a distance of 30,000 miles and having a pleasant and instructive trip, the trio returned to Queensland, arriving on the 7th December. They were happy to be home. Ruhno said, “After all, there is no place like sunny Queensland.”

Once again William became unwell in April 1932, and he spent some time in the Sydney Hospital.

William was the Patron and a committee member of a gun club which was formed in Rosewood in April 1936.

In January 1937, the Ruhnos spent several weeks on a motoring tour of Sydney and Melbourne. That year at Christmas time, William slipped on a mat at home and fractured two of his ribs. He was attended by Dr. Wallace. 

On Saturday morning the 3rd September 1938, after a month’s illness resulting from a stroke, William died at his home aged 71 years. William Frederick Ruhno had earned the respect of the many people he had dealings with, his employees and the community in general.
The late Mr. Ruhno was a man of high ideals, practising exactitude in matters great and small, and winning from the many employees who passed through his doors, as well as the general public, their high regard and respect. He was a keen fisherman, and with parties from the Rosewood district enjoyed several trips to the Barrier Reef.  On occasion he represented the district at the Anglican Synod in Brisbane, and was recognised as a good churchman. At one time he held interests in the Gympie gold mines, and coal mines around Ipswich. He also had property interests at Miles in earlier days. In the course of his life he was associated with practically every public body in the town, and assisted materially in the district’s development, and the furtherance of all worthy causes. He was a generous donor to the Ipswich General Hospital and had assisted various charitable Institutions, irrespective of their creed. During his whole time in Rosewood he was associated with the farmers and interested in their requirements and in any way he could work for the benefit of the district.  [Q.T. Tuesday 6th September 1938]

Six years later Euphemia died aged 73 years. The couple had lived in the district for more than 50 years. She left £29, 512 for her son and daughter.
For more than 86 years Mrs. Ruhno lived at Rosewood, being actively associated with her late husband and son, Mr. Norman Ruhno in building up the present large business. In Rosewood’s early days, she and her husband frequently sang together at concerts, and in the choir of St. Luke’s Church. Unostentatiously, she assisted every good cause, and gave generous assistance to charitable organisations and to persons in need. She spent practically a lifetime of active association with the business, and though advanced in years, was able to move about the different departments of the store up to as late as Friday, October 6. Then she declined quickly in health, though her mentality was clear to the end. [Q.T. 16 October 1944]

In 1952, at St. Luke’s Anglican Church, Rosewood, six memorial windows, in full stained glass, designed by the well known Brisbane artist William Bustard, and executed in the best imported stained glass by Messrs. R. S. Exton end Co. of Brisbane, were installed in the Church. Three Ascension windows were presented by Norman Ruhno in memory of his father, mother and sister. Art the same time three Nativity windows in memory of Mr. Robert Sellars and his granddaughter Dorothy Hogan, were presented by Alice Sellars, widow of Robert Sellars.

The Ruhno’s daughter, Elsie May, was educated at Miss Fewing’s High School for girls (Brisbane High School for Girls). The school began in the City Tabernacle, cnr of Wickham Terrace and Edward Street, Brisbane. It was a school designed to educate young women and equip them to take a leading role in the creation of an emerging nation (later known as Sommerville House).

Elsie was a very talented musician. She played for weddings and other events and she also taught music.
A SUCCESSFUL STUDENT. The friends of Miss Elsie Ruhno will be pleased to learn of her success in scholarship and otherwise, made known at the breaking-up festivities of Miss Fewings’s High School for Girls at Brisbane. Miss Ruhno obtained a certificate for pass in the Cambridge University junior examination, and from the associated board of the Royal Academy and Royal College of Music (London) a certificate for the intermediate grade for piano proficiency. For swimming (under16 years) she gained first prize; for relay race the first prize, and a certificate for long-distance swimming. She also won the tennis championship of the school – a record with which she and her parents have reason to be pleased. [Q. T. Tuesday, 26 June 1906]

Elsie married her husband Stuart Thorn in the Christ Church, Sydney on the 1st October, 1917 and ultimately ended up living at Sherwood. They gave the Ruhnos three grandchildren, two girls and a boy (John William, Audrey and Chandra Isobel). 

William Norman Ruhno, known as Norman, was educated at the Ipswich Grammar School. He married Leila Coogan at St Luke’s Church of England, Rosewood, on Easter Monday in 1924 and they both worked in the family store over the ensuing years. Their son Lloyd William, aged 14, won first prize (£6000) in the Golden Casket. Lloyd bought the ticket when he was away at boarding school at Southport. Norman had sent him a gift of 10/- and suggested he buy a casket ticket and call it ‘Two Cobbers”. Lloyd misread one word and when he bought a ticket at Barney Dalton’s Agency at Southport, he put “Three Cobbers” instead. He was playing cricket when his father rang and told him the news and he reportedly, undaunted, resumed the game afterwards.

Lloyd Ruhno married Daphne Studders in June 1950. Daphne was from Herston and was the secretary of the Red Cross Blood Transfusion Service in Brisbane. As was the expectation for women in those days, she resigned in view of her marriage. Their home was “Alkoomie” on the corner of Albert Street and Lanefield Road, which previously had been the home of Jim Loveday jnr since 1946. 

Lloyd was like his grandfather and liked his race horses. His horse “Celestral”, trained by J. Leighton, won several races as did “Marking”, another of his horses. 

At Government House Canberra on Monday, 1st August 1977, the Queen Elizabeth 11 Silver Jubilee Medal was awarded to Lloyd William Ruhno from Rosewood. Lloyd died in 2010, aged 83 years.

Read a description of the house when it was built here.

After his father died in 1919 William Ruhno’s mother (Anna Mary ) came to live at “The Laurels” with his family. Anna Mary Ruhno celebrated her 95th birthday there in 1927 and died at that same residence in March 1930. Euphemia’s sister Agnes also lived there until she died in 1946.

© Jane Schy, 2024