Early Public Institutions
By Fitzroy
Post and Telegraph Offices.
One of the first things needed in a new community of even a hundred persons is a Post Office, and as a rule it is a matter that receives prompt attention from all Governments. In early times till the town was a large enough to warrant the erection of a building and the appointment of a Postmaster to attend to those duties exclusively, it was the custom to appoint a her storekeeper of some other business of repute to act as temporary Postmaster. The pay was always small and the responsibility considerable, consequently it was not a position that every storekeeper desired. It was recognised by some that it brought custom, but any advantage in that direction must have been inconsiderable.
Rockhamptons First Post Office Building
The writer believes P. D. Mansfield, the general storekeeper whose premises were near the back of the present Queensland National Bank, was the first Postmaster to be appointed in Rockhampton, and he accepted the duties in connection with his business. This appointment was in 1860. Mansfield apparently found the position not to his liking, for in 1861 John E. Rutherford, a chemist, whose shop was at the corner of Denham and Quay Streets, where the Bank of New South Wales is situated, was appointed. Rutherford's shop being near the first "Bulletin" office, which was burnt to the ground in August, 1862, had a very narrow escape from being burnt out also, but fortunately every time it caught the fire was put out before it made much headway. Finally the conflagration was subdued, and Rutherford's shop and was a saved though damage was done to the content and the building a little scorched. The mails were apparently were uninjured.
Whether this escape prompted the government to make proper provision for the requirements of the people, or the risks Rutherford had undergone caused him to resign the position, is not known to the writer, but soon after John Smith was appointed Postmaster, and premises erected, or provided, on what was then known as the Flat, or about the center of the block bounded by East, Fitzroy, Bolsover and Denham Streets. It was a miserable little building to be named a Post Office, but it was better than having to waits till the temporary officials were ready to dispense betters.
Rockhampton Post Office 1900
By this time the population had increased considerably, and after the arrival of every steamer a few hundred people would assemble outside the office awaiting betters. Not a few of those awaiting delivery would comment in and uncomplimentary terms on the slowness of the sorters, every word of which could be heard quite clearly. Occasionally these remarks and quips were amusing, if sarcastic, and must have been annoying to the listeners. Next a little makeshift building was erected were the Post Office now stands, and served requirements till a two-storey brick building was erected and opened in 1866. This was a really handsome building for those days, but the people were not to well pleased when it was found that Maryborough Post Office was built from the plans drawn for Rockhampton, and the Maryborough plans given to Rockhampton. This was done because timber and material were so much cheaper in Maryborough, and Rockhampton and had to put up with the inferior building. That building lasted for over 20 years, and then the present handsome freestone building was erected, which presumably meet all present requirements though the day may not be distant when a still larger building and will be required.
It was a few years before letter carriers were introduced, but it was during John Smith's term of Office. About 1870 Smith died and was succeeded by J. E. D. Daly, with Donald McPherson? as assistant. Then followed D. Paterson, D. Costa, W. Woolcock, T. R. Dickens, Beach, J. D. Murphy, the Postmaster appointed to succeed Mr Murphy is Mr T. McKee?.
Readers will understand that till 1865 Rockhampton was not connected with any other town by telegraph. The English mail had to be carried right round the coast by mail steamer, and the latest news from London was about two months old when it reached Rockhampton. When Rockhampton was connected with the south by telegraph the chief items of news were telegraphed from Albany on the arrival of the mail steamer. That system was in a vouge for some years till at length the overland telegraph a from Darwin to Adelaide was established, and then Rockhampton was placed in daily contact with the rest of the Empire, and the world.
Rockhampton Post Office Building 2001
The first Telegraph connection that Rockhampton had with southern cities was in a roundabout way, a from Brisbane to Toowoomba, Dalby, Hawkward and Banana. The urgency of telegraphic connection with the west and north was by time fully recognised, and contracts were carried out so rapidly that in the early Seventies Rockhampton was connected with all the chief centres in the state.
The first Telegraph offers in Rockhampton was a small affair, fixed up in C. Cripps's chemist shop, at the corner of Denham and Quay Street, who had succeeded J. P. Rutherford. A. H. Bauer a German, Afterwards of Clermont, assisted in making the connections, and his brother, W. D. Bauer, was the first Telegraph Master. Bauer was succeeded by O. G. Langley, who gave place to E. L. Hanna, who will be remembered by many, Hanna remained in Rockhampton twenty-two years, and saw the telephone introduced. He was promoted to chief of the Queensland Telegraph Service, and died about twelve years ago in Brisbane.
With the advent of T. R. Dickens the positions of Postmaster and Telegraph Master were combined and have remained so since in most places. Both the Post and Telegraph offices at Rockhampton carry large staffs, and both services are noted for the celerity and accuracy with which it dispatches its business.