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Allora Historical Society Inc., 27 Drayton Street, Allora (2026)

$THE SAD DEATH OF DANIEL NEALEDaniel Neale, 62, a married man with seven children, was found dead with a fractured neck a...$

21/09/2026

THE SAD DEATH OF DANIEL NEALE
Daniel Neale, 62, a married man with seven children, was found dead with a fractured neck at the bottom of a pinch off Stuart Street, Toowoomba, in February 1919.
Daniel, a railway employee, left his home in East Toowoomba shortly after 4 a.m. to walk to his place of employment at the Spring Bluff railway station. His body was found at 6 a.m. at the bottom of a 17 feet deep cutting close to the walking track. The same cutting had claimed the life of another man a year previously.
Daniel’s wife, Jessie, passed away in September of the same year aged 48.
The photo of Daniel Neale comes from the Roy Neale collection. Daniel Neale was a brother of Roy's grandfather William Neale.

20/09/2026

CHRISTENSEN NEALE WEDDING
Although the bride, Myrtle Aquillis Neale, was from Toowoomba and the groom, Christian Anton ‘Andrew’ Christensen, was from Pialba and they were married in the Raff Street Methodist Church in Toowoomba, there are strong Allora connections to the marriage.
Myrtle Neale was the second daughter of Daniel and Jessie Neale (nee Carroll) who were married in the Wesley Chapel in Allora in 1891. Daniel Neale was born at Eton Vale, the 9th child (of 12) of Thomas and Alice Neale of Allora.
Myrtle was born in Allora in 1894. Daniel Neale was a farmer at Allora before leaving for Toowoomba where he was employed on the Railways.
The wedding took place on the 14th March, 1917. Myrtle’s sisters, Alice and Ada were the bridesmaids. Andrew’s brother, Frederick, was the best man.
(For a detailed report of the wedding see Christensen Neale Wedding March 1917 on Trove)
The image was sent to us by Hazel Boel, a descendant of Thomas and Alice Neale.
If you have any images of Allora and district, email them to [email protected]

19/09/2026

OBITUARY
Allora Advertiser 75 years ago 20th September 1951
The late Christina Gwynne
The death occurred in Toowoomba recently at the age of 97 years of Mrs. Christina Gwynne, who was well known and respected throughout the district. The late Mrs. Gwynne was born in Alloa, Scotland, in 1854 and left with her parents in the sailing ship ‘Alfred’ in 1858, arriving in Ipswich after a voyage of three months. From there she travelled to Toowoomba and on to Clifton Station by bullock dray, this journey taking three weeks. When she was 13 years of age, her parents left Clifton Station to settle in Allora.
She was married to James Henry Gwynne in 1871. With the exception of a few years when her husband worked for the late W. Tooth on Clifton Station, she resided in Allora until 1927, when with her late husband, she took up residence in Toowoomba.
Mrs Gwynne had been married for 73 years at the time of her husband’s death in 1944. Seven children survived her death and she was pre-deceased by two, the eldest son, Bill, passing away three weeks ago. Of the marriage there are 23 grandchildren, 30 great grandchildren and 6 great-great-grandchildren.
The photo of James Henry and Christina Gwynne was taken c.1940 when James Henry was 92 and Christina 86.

18/09/2026

WEDDING BELLS
Allora Advertiser 75 years ago 20th September 1951
On Saturday, September 15th at 10 a.m. in St. David’s Church, Allora, the marriage took place of Thelma, youngest daughter of Mr & Mrs J. Gwynne, Berat, to Rob, eldest son of Mr & Mrs Walk, Brisbane.
The bride was attired in a charming frock of white lace, with a satin yoke and a beautiful train, and wore a tulle veil held in place with a coronet of orange blossoms. She carried a bouquet of cream stocks and roses touched with pink.
Mrs R. Telfer, an old school friend of the bride’s, was matron of honour. She wore a frock of blue lace and carried a bouquet of blue and pink flowers. A blue tulle veil held with a coronet of pink and blue flowers was also worn. The bride’s mother wore beige crepe embroidered in self-colours to which she added brown accessories. Mrs Walk was frocked in navy crepe, embroidered in navy, and relieved with navy and white accessories. The best man was the bridegroom’s youngest brother, Walter.
The church was tastefully decorated with bowls of poppies, stocks and arum lilies. The reception was held in the Alliance Hall and Rev. Roche presided. The three-tiered wedding cake was made and iced by the bride’s aunt, Miss Gwynne. The happy couple left for the Northern Rivers where the honeymoon will be spent, the bride travelling in a frock of teal crepe, with tan accessories.

We don’t have a wedding photo so we will post this photo of Thelma with her parents Mary and Jack Gwynne. Thelma Walk currently lives on the Gold Coast.

17/09/2026

2 FORDE STREET
From County Cork to Allora.
If you want to know something, ask an expert. I asked Michael Maher about the ownership of 2 Forde Street prior to 1954 and the Lehmann family. He said that it was owned by Joe and Nora Sullivan. Michael had some inside information in this, his grandmother Maher was nee Margaret Sullivan (Joe’s aunt).
Timothy Sullivan came to Queensland from Ballydehog, County Cork, Ireland, in 1861. He married Hannah Cronin and they had a large family including Daniel Patrick Sullivan. Daniel Patrick Sullivan married Catherine Frances Smith of Talgai West. They had a son Jeremiah Joseph ‘Joe’ Sullivan who married Nora Margaret Brown of Clintonvale, on the 3rd June 1939. I am assuming that Joe and Nora then moved into the house at 2 Forde Street? Delma Sullivan was enrolled in St. Joseph’s Convent School in 1947, Brian in 1949, and Keith in 1952. A phone call from Michael to Graham Masters confirmed the occupation of 2 Forde Street by the Sullivan family. Graham’s mother, Mary, was Nora Sullivan’s sister. Graham said that Joe Sullivan also owned the allotment on the N.W. corner of Arnold and Darling Streets (where Denny’s shed was later built) and the house next door at 26 Arnold Street where his mother lived.
The photo from Noel Sullivan is used to establish the connection between County Cork and Australia. Noel (right) visited his distant cousin Joe O’Sullivan on the family farm at Ballydehog in County Cork in 2008.

16/09/2026

2 FORDE STREET
When researching the history of the house at 2 Forde Street I realized that we have photos of four of the known owners of the land on which it stands. We have a gap of about thirty years from the 1920s to the early 1950s.
I realized then, what a great collection of research material and photos have been gathered from various sources over the years. The photos of the owners of the land come from several people. The photo of William Gorden Gillam has been given to us both by the Ken Gillam family and the J. C. Gillam family collection. The photo of Lawrence Geck comes from both the Geck family and the Weber album. The photo of Samuel and Rachel Rooney probably comes from Roy Neale whose grandmother was a sister of Samuel. The wedding photo of Vic Lehmann and Velma Kratzmann comes from Mark Lehmann.
W. G. Gillam came to Queensland with his parents and siblings in 1863 at the age of 22. He was a carpenter and wheelwright by trade and only two years later bought the seven acre allotment in Allora. He ran a hotel near Stanthorpe before returning to Allora and his carpentry trade, building St. David’s Church in 1888. The family lived near the Darling and Forde Street’s corner and William built a cordial factory next door in 1890. He advertised the factory for sale in 1895 and left for Innisfail where his daughter lived. He returned to Clifton and passed away there in 1926 at the age of 85. William was buried in the Allora cemetery with his wife Sarah.
Lawrence Geck came to Queensland from Germany c.1865. He worked as a carrier before taking up a farm just to the west of Allora.
I am not sure when he bought the fifteen acre block bounded by Darling, Arnold, South and Forde Streets, but in 1907 he had it surveyed into 56 allotments and offered it for sale as the ‘Geck Estate’.
Samuel Rooney was born in Queensland in 1866. He married Rachel Lawson and they lived on a farm near Hendon. At the ‘Geck Estate’ sale he bought two allotments on and near the corner of Forde and South Streets. The family went to Warwick in 1918 and Samuel passed away there in 1920. The two allotments were probably left to his wife and sold after probate of his will was granted in 1922.
Vic Lehmann would have been brought up in the Nobby district. He married Velma Kratzmann in the South Burnett in 1933. They came to Allora in 1954 and bought the house and land on the corner of Forde and South Streets.
The photos show in order: W. G. Gillam, Lawrence Geck, Samuel & Rachel Rooney, and Vic & Velma Lehmann.

15/09/2026

2 FORDE STREET
As a follow-up to the post on ‘The Best Little Town on the Downs’ page, we attempt to put together the history of the house at 2 Forde Street, Allora. There is a big gap in our knowledge, but someone may remember grandparents living there pre-1954.
Allotments 1 & 2, Section 19, Town of Allora, bounded by Darling, Arnold, South and Forde Streets, were sold in a Government land sale on the 29th November 1865. They were each 7 acres 2 roods and 27 perches in area. Allotment 1, fronting Forde Street, was bought by William Gorden Gillam. Allotment 2, fronting Arnold Street, was bought by William’s brother-in-law, John Hawkins. John Hawkins sold his block to William Gillam, and in 1895 the two blocks totalling just over 15 acres were sold to Lawrence Geck.
Lawrence Geck grew crops and hay on the block in conjunction with his Dalrymple Creek Road farm, and in 1907 had it sub-divided into 56 allotments and put it up for sale as the Geck Estate. Samuel Rooney who lived on a farm on the Hendon Road with his wife, Rachel, and three daughters, bought Allotment 26, on the corner of Forde and South Streets, 1 rood and 1.8 perches (just over ¼ acre) for £21. He bought the adjoining Allotment 27 on South Street, with the same area, for £15.
It is not known if the Rooney’s ever built on Allotment 26. Samuel Rooney later suffered from ill health and passed away while living in Warwick in 1920. Allotments 26 and 27 were included in the probate of Samuel Rooney’s will when it was granted to his wife Rachel and brother John in 1922.
The next that we know of Allotments 26 and 27, is that they were bought by Vic and Velma Lehmann in late 1954. Vic and Velma had six sons, Charlie, Jack, Trevor, Max, Barry and David. Max (age 12/11), Barry (9/4) and David (7/7) were enrolled in the Allora State School on the 24th January 1955. Their Parent/Guardian was Victor Jesse Lehmann, Poultry Farmer, Forde Street. If there were poultry sheds on Allotment 27, Vic must have cleared and replaced them with a large vegetable garden which he worked with a steel-wheel Fordson N Model tractor. (He later donated the tractor to the Allora & District Historical Society). Vic worked in the grading shed of the Allora & District Co-operative Society, across Forde Street from his house.
Velma Lehmann passed away in 1994 at the age of 81. Vic lived at 2 Forde Street until moving into ‘The Homestead’ nursing home where he passed away in 2004 at the age of 97.
Allotment 27, on which was probably the bore, must have been sold off. Father Brian Sparksman had a new brick house built on this block.
The photo of 2 Forde Street was taken in 2017 by Trevor Neale. Additional information and comments welcome.

14/09/2026

ST. DAVID’S TENNIS CLUB
St. David’s Tennis Club had their final function in St. David’s Hall in 2004.
There were more than these ladies and men there but these may have been still playing at the finish.
Ladies, back from left: Linda Smith?, Shirley Gwynne, Jean Mason, Rhonda Holmes, Glennis Stallman, Val Telford, Margaret Darr. Centre: Lenore Robin, Sheila Littler, May Abernethy, June Lawson. Front: ???, Phyllis Shooter.
Men, back from left: Pat Lawson, Murray Robin, Keith Masters, Les Gwynne, Ron Teys.
Front: Jack Littler, Brian Smith, Nev Guy.
Keith Shooter and Daph Chandler at side.

12/09/2026

ST. DAVID’S TENNIS CLUB
Allora Advertiser 75 years ago September 1951
The newly formed St. David’s Tennis Club took part in its first social match on Saturday afternoon last when a mixed team played St. Joseph’s Club on the latter’s courts.
Final scores were St. David’s 53 games 8 sets, St. Joseph’s 27 games 1 set.

The tennis courts in what is now Neale Avenue were officially opened in July 1929 by the Diggers Tennis Club. The local Sub-Branch of the R.S.S.A.I.L.A. had acquired a 1 acre allotment between Forde Street and the water lane (now Neale Avenue) with the intention of building a club house there. The club house never eventuated on that site. They sold off the ½ acre fronting Forde Street and built two tennis courts on the back ½ acre.
When the Digger’s Tennis Club folded up, the St. David’s Tennis Club took over the courts in 1951. They used the courts until the club wound up in 2004.

11/09/2026

OBITUARY
Allora Advertiser 75 years ago September 1951
The late Maureen Rita Mason
The residents of Allora & district were deeply shocked to learn of the sudden death of Maureen Mason on 19th August last, at the age of 17 years. Miss Mason was educated by the Sisters of St. Joseph in Allora, and finished her schooling at the Warwick Convent, and last year made her debut at the Allora Catholic Ball.
She was well known throughout Allora and had for some time been on the staff of Allora Motors, prior to taking up a nursing career at the Co-operative Hospital. At the time of her death, she was treasurer of the Children of St. Mary of St. Patrick’s Church, Allora.
The funeral was largely attended and Rev. Fr. Hayes conducted both services at the church and also at the graveside. She was laid to rest in the family section of the Roman Catholic portion of the Allora Cemetery. The children from the Convent School and the Children of St. Mary formed a guard of honour at the church. Many floral tributes were received and the funeral was the largest seen in Allora for some considerable time.

Allora Historical Society Inc.

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