On the verandah are Mr. Goebel from Mutdapilly, unknown woman, Mary Ann Coveney, Catherine Coveney (daughter) and unknown girl.
Photo: Picture Ipswich

Rosewood History

Coveney’s Shop, Albert Street, Rosewood

The beginnings of this charming little shop date right back to 1890 when Mrs. Elizabeth Ann Lane née Rodgers, wife of Charles Lane (Orange Grove, Lanefield), bought some land in Rosewood township from the Vance Estate on 18th September 1890. The land, Lot 30, comprised 2 roods 2¼ perches.

In November 1902, Elizabeth engaged local contractor Charles Ridsdale to build a residence and shop on her land which was situated in Albert Street.

Elizabeth opened the “Railway Boarding House” on 6th December 1902, as well as her fruit shop and refreshment room (shop) which adjoined the residence. She successfully requested permission to build an awning across the footpath.

In July 1903, Elizabeth Lane disposed of her boarding establishment and refreshment room to Mr. Bartholomew Coveney, a farmer from Rosevale, who renovated the residence and reopened it as a boarding house.

The boarding house is mentioned between 1904 and 1907 in the Queensland Towns Directory for Rosewood.

In July 1911, Bartholomew Coveney acquired the land next door, Lot 31 (2 roods 2¼ perches) from Ellen Quinn née Denahy, widow of William Joseph Quinn. William was a saddler in Ipswich (where Big White’s furniture store used to be at 160 Brisbane Street) and he had a branch shop in Rosewood until ill-health forced his retirement in 1901. Ellen was an astute business woman. She bought the land in 1890 and also ran a grocery shop in conjunction with William’s saddlery in Ipswich.

Lot 31 was situated on the corner of Albert Street and Vance Lane (Royal George Lane).

In September 1911, Bartholomew contracted Norman Mackay to remove an old residence from the property and take it to one of his farms. He employed Mr. R. J. Murphy to build a new residence on the site. It was tenanted by William and Mary Dolling, who ran it as a boarding house until they moved to their own premises. 

The shop was then situated between the two Coveney residences.

In the early morning of 8th July 1912, the shop was destroyed by fire. It was reported in the Queensland Times on Tuesday, 9th July 1912 on page 7.
A fire took place here about 4 a.m. today (writes our correspondent under yesterday’s date), when Mr. B. Coveney’s shop adjoining his residence in Albert-street, was completely destroyed. The shop was occupied by Mr. B. Taylor, and used as a shop for the sale of meat and produce. The fire was first observed by two men, Messrs. M. Bourke and Chas. Dickson, who gave the alarm to Mr. Coveney. By this time the fire had taken a firm hold of the building, and to try to save it was utterly hopeless. Willing hands arrived quick succession, and, under the supervision of Sergt. Allen, all energy was directed towards saving the furniture and effects and residence of Mr. Coveney. 

The residence, which was situated only 2ft from the burning building, caught fire several times, but the flames were quickly subdued by the fire-fighters. A fair supply of water was available from tanks close by. Every precaution was taken to save the furniture &c. which was removed from the building and carted some distance from the scene. Specially good work was done throughout the course of the fire by Messrs. G. Trone, W. Dolling. F. Dargatz, F. Gunthorpe, and Schmidt, and to them Mr. Coveney and family are very grateful. 

The building and residence are insured in the Atlas Insurance Company for £300. The furniture and effects are not insured. Mr. Taylor, at the time of the fire, had a large quantity of meat and other produce in the shop, all of which was destroyed. Not being insured, his loss is a rather severe one. Mr. Taylor arrived from Ipswich by midday train today. It is rather fortunate for Mr. Coveney that there was no wind blowing during the time the fire was burning. Had there been a breeze, it would have been almost impossible to save the residence. 

The misfortune has again set the people of Rosewood thinking about the invaluable assistance that would he rendered by an organised fire brigade, under the command of an efficient superintendent. The formation of a fire brigade for the township was the subject of a discussion at a recent public meeting, but, unfortunately, the public concerned did not offer sufficient inducement to warrant the promoters’ sacrificing time and money, when their efforts were apparently not appreciated. It was really remarkable the amount of good that ensued from the efforts so nobly put forth by those already mentioned in connection with the fire. Had the conflagration occurred in any part of the main street, great loss would have been the inevitable result. 

Mr. W. R. M. Moffat was appointed to take the initiative in the formation of a salvage corp and bucket brigade at the recent public meeting. He very eagerly applied to other districts for information as to the best methods to be adopted in case of a fire where there was not a properly-organised set of men. The best system was selected to meet the the requirements at Rosewood in case of a fire, and it seems a pity that several of our stalwart, active young fellows, many of whom are available in the town, do not rally round Mr. Moffat and make the “fire-fighting” scheme at Rosewood the success that it deserves to be. 

Fortunately, we are blessed with very few fires of this nature: but it is a wise policy to be ever ready in case the need for such united action should arise: and the sad experiences of other places, where whole streets, and even towns have been totally destroyed, should have taught us the wisdom of having a suitable brigade ever ready to work under the directions of a man such as Mr. Moffat or our worthy officer in charge of the police, who had the pleasure of seeing his orders so well carried out this morning. [Such a brigade would have been useful 18 months later in January 1914 when fire ravaged the main street.]

Benjamin Hurst Taylor, who is mentioned as the tenant of the shop, was an interesting character. He had a genial disposition and great energy. In 1897 he and his wife Laura Jane née Harris acquired the IXL Photo Co. in Nicholas Street, Ipswich from Alexander Denis Birnie (aka Binnie), reputed portrait artist. They immediately set about gathering items for an “exhibition of curiosities” which they held in 1898. Both Ben and Laura were skilled at their craft and took photographs of many important people and places under the name of “Taylor’s IXL Studio”. Their specialty was postcards (which some lucky people may have amongst their family memorabilia) and tinted enlargements. They had a similar business in Boonah. 

There is a photo taken by Ben Taylor at Picture Ipswich – School cadets at Rosewood Show, Ipswich, 1908

In July 1900 he changed careers and became an Auctioneer, Commission, Land and Estate Agent. His first cattle sale was at the Lowood Sale Yards, which he took over from Mr. C. Beutel. The photographic studio remained under Laura’s management until 1908. 

Ben Taylor & Co’s sale yards and auction mart in Limestone Street, and the branch store in Lowood, became well known. He was the first person in Ipswich to sell meat at an auction in July 1901. He was also licensed in Marburg, Minden and Glamorgan Vale. However, his business was in financial trouble by 1904 and he sold it. He set up again as a General Auctioneer in Roderick Street and, at the end of 1911, he left Ipswich.

Ben Taylor came to Rosewood, leased Bartholomew Coveney’s shop in Albert Street, and sold meat and other produce. He held a cattle sale at the Showgrounds and had only just consigned a load of “porkers” from Rosewood to the Redbank Meat Works before the fateful fire. Ben went on to sell frozen meat from Redbank Meatworks and later had a business in Gympie. 

Bartholomew Coveney rebuilt the shop and sold meat and fruit. The sign painted on the window of the shop said, “Fresh Fruit Daily”.

In December 1913, William Dolling, Bart. Coveney and six others, petitioned the Council about the numerous goats that had made a camping ground in Albert-street, near Mr. Coveney’s corner.

Bartholomew sold his 200 cares of land at Rosevale and gave up dairying in 1912, finally fully retiring to Rosewood about 1914.

The shop and residence were advertised in 1919, 1920 and 1924.  I’ve been unable to find any further information about the shop.

The Albert Street properties remained in the Coveney family. Bartholomew Coveney died in 1926 and his wife Mary Ann née Hayes died in 1932.

The J. Coveney who placed the ads below would have been their son, Michael James Coveney.

The shop was more than likely dismantled when the land was subdivided into Lots 1, 2, 3 and 4, as shown on the map (above).

© Jane Schy, 2024