THE WAY WE WERE
MARY Ann Campbell and George Booth, arrived Darling Downs, 1876.
On April 14, 1876, Mary Ann Campbell and George Booth from the Parish of Ardboe, on the banks of Lough Neagh in County Tyrone, Ireland left their home to go to London to board the City of Agra bound for Maryborough, Queensland.
George and Mary Ann ultimately settled in Swan Creek, outside Warwick on the Darling Downs.
Mary Ann was 28 and George was 21. George and Mary Ann were recently married and Mary Ann was pregnant.
Mary Ann had four children (John, Elizabeth, Helena and Patrick) with her first husband, John Keenan who had passed away in Ireland in 1875.
The four Keenan children accompanied their mother Mary Ann and stepfather George on the City of Agra for the 84-day trip to Hervey Bay, Queensland.
Only a few passengers disembarked the City of Agra when it arrived in Hervey Bay on July 14, 1876.
This was because of poor employment opportunities at the time partly caused by the cheap "kanaka" labour.
Two steamers took the remainder of the passengers to Brisbane. Presumably this included George and Mary Ann and their children although no records have been found.
We know that they had arrived in Swan Creek by November, 1876 because the Warwick's St Mary's Catholic Church records show that George and Mary Ann's first child William Booth was born and baptised in November 1876.
They chose Swan Creek because four Mary Ann's sisters and one of her brothers had previously migrated to Queensland and settled in or around Swan Creek.
Mary Ann and her children were remittance passengers most likely supported by her family.
Mary Ann's sisters and brothers-in-law: the McGuckins, Murphys, Campbells and Kelehers made notable contribution to the early days of Warwick and district.
George and Mary Ann established a successful dairy and mixed crops farm at Swan Creek on a property called Aleah Hill.
George and Mary Ann went on to have seven Booth children making a blended family of eleven.The farm remained in the hands of the Booth family until it was sold in 2010. Aleah Hill was the home of Des Booth MLA, state member for Warwick from 1977 – 1992.
Des had lived in George and Mary Ann’s home farm all of his life. Of Mary Ann’s four Keenan children, two daughters (Elizabeth and Helena) went to Tenterfield where they married.
John Keenan, the eldest son made a life in Clifton. A number of his sons were involved with the butchering trade there. Patrick, the youngest of the Keenan children was a well-known horse trainer and sportsman.
William, Joseph, and George were successful farmers in Loch Lomond, Junabee and Freestone. Joseph was very involved in the wheat industry before his death in 1935.
George and Mary Ann’s two daughters, Ellen and Minnie married farmers in Emu Vale and Talgai. James, Des’s father, took over the farm at Swan Creek.
Sadly the youngest son Edward died as a toddler. Many Booth and Keenan descendants still live on the Darling Downs in and around the Toowoomba and Warwick area.
A gathering to celebrate the contribution of George Booth, Mary Ann Booth (nee Campbell) and the Keenan and Booth families is being held on Saturday, March 31 at Swan Creek.
A plaque will be placed at the entrance to Aleah Hill to mark the occasion.
Enquiries about the event can be made to Pauline Peel, denpaul@tpg.com.au.