An Ipswich resident of note
Joseph Hodgson must have been well known in Ipswich in the late 19th century and first half of the 20th century. He worked for the betterment of working conditions in the mines and was involved with the labour movement. He also founded Blackstone Accident Fund to care for miners...
W. Marsh and Co.
The Ipswich Nursery located at the corner of Thorn and Short Streets opened for business in 1891. William Marsh and his brother were proprietors who resided on the property. The nursery was established on 2 allotments (about ¾ acre or 3035 square meters) with a large nursery building....
Ghosts of a Christmas past
Christmas time in Ipswich in 1917 was far from uneventful although it was somewhat subdued. It was the 4th Christmas since war broke out and many local men were away from home soldiering in Europe. Christmas cards were being sent and received by loved ones in the trenches....
A Very Hammy Christmas!
As you battle the shops in the lead-up to Christmas this year, spare a thought for customers in days gone by who also experienced pressure to provide traditional Christmas items for their families. One business in the local area that experienced a high demand during the Christmas period...
Mr Isaac Ham of Ipswich
Isaac Ham was a very civic-minded person. He became Mayor of Ipswich in 1905, serving as alderman from 1903-1906. In 1914 he was elected again and served until 1920. Isaac served as a magistrate in the Ipswich Police Court sitting on the bench to grant slaughtering or auctioneer’s...
Save the Date!
Before the era of mass-produced celebrity and themed-calendars, many businesses produced promotional calendars for their customers. On Picture Ipswich we are fortunate enough to have digitised copies of calendars from several local businesses, including W.V. Hefferan (The Australian Shopkeeper) and T.D. Johnson (General Shopkeeper). Though not locally born,...
100 years ago this week …
A century ago the third Battle of Ypres was in full swing, with Australian soldiers in action at Polygon Wood, Broodseinde Ridge and Passchendaele. Private Waterman Alexander Brown of Ipswich, and Private Norman Blank of Esk – members of the 25th Battalion A.I.F. were wounded on Thursday 4...
American Servicemen in Ipswich
On 3 September, 1939 Australia’s Prime Minister, Robert Gordon Menzies, stoically announced Australia’s entry into the Second World War with a nationwide radio announcement. After the bombing of Pearl Harbour in December 1941, the Americans declared war on Japan. When Singapore fell to the Japanese in early 1942,...
Abattoirs and butcher shops of Ipswich – almost a thing of the past
Churchill Abattoir also known as Ipswich abattoir is closing at the end of September 2017. It is currently the largest domestic abattoir in Australia. The closure may prove to be temporary however it is a significant moment for its 500 employees, and an historic one for Ipswich. The...