BRISBANE: FAMILY LIFE 1862-1880
Evidently the growing family took up residence in Gregory Terrace, in an area called Breakfast Creek. Breakfast Creek is a small tributary on the northern bank of the Brisbane River as it enters the river but it is properly called Enoggera Creek from its headwaters on the southern slopes of Mount Nebo in Brisbane Forest Park. The creek was named by the explorer and surveyor John Oxley after an encounter with members of an aboriginal clan just after he had his breakfast one day in 1824.
Two children were born while living in Breakfast Creek:
17 May 1863 Ada Mary Gregory Terrace (married Cyrus Williams 1888)
31 January 1865 Herbert Nelson Gregory Terrace
In mid-1865 the family moved to the house James had built less than 2 kilometres downstream. This house was named “Toorak”, and it still commands a splendid view across the river and south across the centre of Brisbane today.
4 June 1866 Agnes Melanie Toorak, Hamilton (Never married)
10 October 1867 Grahame Irving Toorak, Hamilton
2 December 1868 Power Le Poer Bookey Toorak, Hamilton
1 June 1870 Lucy Isobel Toorak, Hamilton
3 October 1871 Emma Fortunata Grace Toorak, Hamilton
22 August 1874 Edith Lillian Toorak, Hamilton
19 February 1876 Harold Arthur Toorak, Hamilton (Died aged 3 months)
14 November 1878 Harold Octavius Toorak, Hamilton (8th son)
Annie produced 15 children in 22 years. Of these only two died in infancy which would have been unusual for the time. During these years James was forging a successful and busy career, in both the business and political spheres. In January 1880 his world, and that of his children, was shattered when Annie died, totally unexpectedly. The events surrounding her unfortunate demise were thoroughly reported in the Brisbane newspapers of the day, and the facts seem to be as follows:
There had been a social gathering at the family home “Toorak” during the evening of Tuesday 13 January 1880, and after the guests had departed Annie was checking the house to ensure all was safe and secure. Along the way she picked up a pistol belonging to James, which he kept in the house because there had been burglaries in the area. “Not knowing the weapon was loaded she proceeded to withdraw what she believed were empty cartridges when one of them exploded, the bullet going through the palm of her right hand with which she was grasping the pistol. Fortunately the bullet passed through the fleshy part without touching the bone.”
Medical attention was sought immediately and it looked as if Annie was going to survive this incident. During the next couple of days though the symptoms of tetanus began to appear, and eight days later Annie was dead.
At the time, tetanus was probably called lockjaw as one of the symptoms of tetanus infection is muscle contractions in the jaw and neck. Annie’s death, taking days, was likely to have been agonising and terrifying for all around her. The symptoms include difficulty swallowing as well as spasms and stiffness in various muscles, especially those in the jaw, abdomen, chest, back, and neck. This would have been accompanied with a fast heart rate, fever, sweating and high blood pressure.
A few days later the papers reported that between 5 and 6.00am on Friday 23 January” Mrs Dickson succumbed to the shock consequent to her late accident.” The same paper further reported “this sad event deprives a family of thirteen children, the youngest of who is only three months, of a mother’s watchfulness and care and is so awful a bereavement Mr Dickson may be assured the deepest sympathy of the whole community”.
Annie was only 40 years old. The next afternoon, precisely at 3 o’clock, the funeral cortege of Annie Dickson left “Toorak” and made its way to the German Station Cemetery at Nundah, Queensland's oldest surviving cemetery and the first to be associated with free settlement in the colony.[1]
[1] Nundah Cemetery is a heritage-listed cemetery, located at 88 Hedley Avenue in the suburb of Nundah, Queensland in the city of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. The cemetery commenced as a small burial ground in 1846. It was officially opened in 1862. At that time, the district was known as "German station", as the earliest settlers were Lutheran missionaries, and hence the cemetery was originally known as "German Station Cemetery".
Evidently the growing family took up residence in Gregory Terrace, in an area called Breakfast Creek. Breakfast Creek is a small tributary on the northern bank of the Brisbane River as it enters the river but it is properly called Enoggera Creek from its headwaters on the southern slopes of Mount Nebo in Brisbane Forest Park. The creek was named by the explorer and surveyor John Oxley after an encounter with members of an aboriginal clan just after he had his breakfast one day in 1824.
Two children were born while living in Breakfast Creek:
17 May 1863 Ada Mary Gregory Terrace (married Cyrus Williams 1888)
31 January 1865 Herbert Nelson Gregory Terrace
In mid-1865 the family moved to the house James had built less than 2 kilometres downstream. This house was named “Toorak”, and it still commands a splendid view across the river and south across the centre of Brisbane today.
4 June 1866 Agnes Melanie Toorak, Hamilton (Never married)
10 October 1867 Grahame Irving Toorak, Hamilton
2 December 1868 Power Le Poer Bookey Toorak, Hamilton
1 June 1870 Lucy Isobel Toorak, Hamilton
3 October 1871 Emma Fortunata Grace Toorak, Hamilton
22 August 1874 Edith Lillian Toorak, Hamilton
19 February 1876 Harold Arthur Toorak, Hamilton (Died aged 3 months)
14 November 1878 Harold Octavius Toorak, Hamilton (8th son)
Annie produced 15 children in 22 years. Of these only two died in infancy which would have been unusual for the time. During these years James was forging a successful and busy career, in both the business and political spheres. In January 1880 his world, and that of his children, was shattered when Annie died, totally unexpectedly. The events surrounding her unfortunate demise were thoroughly reported in the Brisbane newspapers of the day, and the facts seem to be as follows:
There had been a social gathering at the family home “Toorak” during the evening of Tuesday 13 January 1880, and after the guests had departed Annie was checking the house to ensure all was safe and secure. Along the way she picked up a pistol belonging to James, which he kept in the house because there had been burglaries in the area. “Not knowing the weapon was loaded she proceeded to withdraw what she believed were empty cartridges when one of them exploded, the bullet going through the palm of her right hand with which she was grasping the pistol. Fortunately the bullet passed through the fleshy part without touching the bone.”
Medical attention was sought immediately and it looked as if Annie was going to survive this incident. During the next couple of days though the symptoms of tetanus began to appear, and eight days later Annie was dead.
At the time, tetanus was probably called lockjaw as one of the symptoms of tetanus infection is muscle contractions in the jaw and neck. Annie’s death, taking days, was likely to have been agonising and terrifying for all around her. The symptoms include difficulty swallowing as well as spasms and stiffness in various muscles, especially those in the jaw, abdomen, chest, back, and neck. This would have been accompanied with a fast heart rate, fever, sweating and high blood pressure.
A few days later the papers reported that between 5 and 6.00am on Friday 23 January” Mrs Dickson succumbed to the shock consequent to her late accident.” The same paper further reported “this sad event deprives a family of thirteen children, the youngest of who is only three months, of a mother’s watchfulness and care and is so awful a bereavement Mr Dickson may be assured the deepest sympathy of the whole community”.
Annie was only 40 years old. The next afternoon, precisely at 3 o’clock, the funeral cortege of Annie Dickson left “Toorak” and made its way to the German Station Cemetery at Nundah, Queensland's oldest surviving cemetery and the first to be associated with free settlement in the colony.[1]
[1] Nundah Cemetery is a heritage-listed cemetery, located at 88 Hedley Avenue in the suburb of Nundah, Queensland in the city of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. The cemetery commenced as a small burial ground in 1846. It was officially opened in 1862. At that time, the district was known as "German station", as the earliest settlers were Lutheran missionaries, and hence the cemetery was originally known as "German Station Cemetery".