NEWS FROM THE PAST

EARLY HISTORY OF TOOWOOMBA

The following letter appears in the Church Chronicle (Brisbane) over the signature of Rev Vincent F Ransome, Compton Basset Rectory, Wiltshire, England:

Sir, I observe in a recent number of the Church Chronicle that you ask for information on the early history of church work at Toowoomba, and that you mention my name as the first which appeared in the Baptismal Register commencing 1860. You add that I “kept a school and taught many who are now prominent residents.”

The slab building in which I taught was not a church but a school licensed for Devine Service. I “kept a school” in the same way as I have done for 40 years; teaching the Holy Scriptures for the first hour of each day and superintending the general instruction. I was about to add that the school was not a private venture, but in truth it became such in serious reality, for I was compelled to guarantee the master and mistress a fixed and liberal salary and my own stipend did not amount to the sum for which I was responsible to them, and although there was a school house there was no Parsonage. The Government system was not then in existence so that for some time St Luke’s was the only school in Toowoomba. The good people found such difficulties in supporting their clergyman that they were never asked to subscribe towards the school.

I recall, with deep interest, many names of my Toowoomba parishioners and their children, and have been very thankful to hear from some, and of others from time to time. As I write I remember the names of Alford, Boulton, Byers, Dent, Groom, Gray, Hemsworth, Kirkpatrick, Lloyd, Mather, Naeger, Paterson, Stumm, Shanklin, Tannock with many others whom I loved and shall never forget. Toowoomba was, physically, and in other respects in a primitive state in those days; Ruthven-street was not even cleared. There was no bridge in Russell street, and there were quite as many bark as slab huts in the township. Darling Downs Gazette, October 21, 1899