Police Station, Taroom
Letterbook
10. 2.1907 - 4. 4.1911
QS 646/1(1) Queensland State Archives
29. 1.1883 Toby, charged with attempted murder. Toby and his gin
were caught by the Police and in the ensuing struggle Toby and
one of the Police were killed. Toby is said to have been one of the
few survivors of his tribe following their virtual extermination
as a sequel to the Frazer massacre. He was a child at the time.
This is a typed letter stuck onto cardboard.
23. 3.1907 About Tommy Lake
Was sentenced to four months in Brisbane Gaol. Has now returned
to Taroom. His gin is Mary Bundi H/C. Mary was removed to
Deebing Creek in November 1904. Tommy went after her and brought
her back. Tommy is a troublemaker.
4. 4.1907 About employment of Tommy, a Bollon Aborigine
Sydney Sharkey was supposed to return Tommy to Bollon.
29. 4.1907 William Smith, half caste, naturalised, married to
a white woman, died today.
7. 5.1907 William Smith H/C on the Electoral Roll
9. 7.1907 About Tommy Lake
Sentenced to two months in Brisbane Gaol for assault. Still has
a half caste gin here
16. 7.1907 Details on widow of William Smith H/C
Name Teresa Smith
Age 27 years
Children Mary Ellen Smith, age 10 years
Teresa Catherine Smith, aged 6 years
Eva Clara Smith, aged 4 years
Rosey Bell Smith, aged 20 months
Expecting another child. William Smith is the father of them all.
Her sister is Eva Lehr?, aged about 20 years, with an illegitimate
child aged 27 months, named John Edward Lehr?.
Eva and Teresa's mother died last month.
15. 8.1907 Fat Paddy died in the Black's Camp at Taroom a
fortnight ago. Has a brother named Carrabah George at Taroom.
Carrabah George is looking after two little Aboriginal girls
whose parents are dead.
7.12.1907 William Smith is described as a H/C Aboriginal.
7.12.1907 Relatives of Teresa Smith are
Eva Lehr, sister, Taroom
Elizabeth Lehr, sister, Taroom
William Lehr, brother, Taroom
Page 182 Additional relatives of Teresa Smith
John Lehr, brother
Minnie Brennan, sister
31.12.1907 Unclaimed property at Taroom Police Station.
Mentions Billy Palmtree found a gold ring
4. 1.1908 About seventy Aborigines and half-castes in the district.
4. 2.1908 Following four children of Teresa Smith approved
for admission to St Vincents Orphanage, Nudgee.
Mary Ellen Smith
Teresa Catherine Smith
Eva Clara Smith
Rosey Bell Smith
28. 4.1908 About Mary Lake @ Mary Bundi, wife of Tommy Lake who
is at Barambah Aboriginal Station. Mary lives at the Blacks Camp.
Like most Aboriginals about Taroom she lives by prostitution.
6. 5.1908 Smith and Lehr families to be sent to Brisbane.
20. 5.1908 Fat Paddy's estate spent on Carrabah George and his
two little girls.
26. 8.1908 About 60 to 70 Aborigines in the district. Mentions
Fat Tommy whose gin, Minnie, died in Taroom Hospital.
4. 1.1909 About 70 Aborigines and half-castes in district
16. 3.1909 Mentions youngest child of Teresa Smith was dead.
21. 4.1909 John Barnie employed as Tracker for a while. Also
employed for a while was Charlie Wallor. Also mentioned is
Joe Barme (Joe Barney).
8. 5.1909 Charlie Wallor employed as Tracker to search for
Dick Normanton, a deserter.
8. 6.1909 Joe Barney working at Bauhinia Downs. Was also employed
as a temporary Tracker at Taroom
4. 9.1909 About Archie H/C formerly employed by Mr H Richter,
a travelling piano tuner. Archie's parents are in the Blacks
Camp at Taroom.
3. 1.1910 About 80 Aborigines and half-castes in district
22. 1.1910 Harry Tommy Tommy sentenced to two months in Brisbane
Gaol for being illegally on premises. Harry belongs to the
Condamine but has been at Taroom for about twelve months.
4. 3.1910 On the 1. 3.1910 Hornet Bank Peter reported that a
half-caste named Harry Murphy murdered his gin Tilly at daylight
that morning at Hatfords Camp on Kinnoul Creek about 5 miles up
the Creek from Kinnoul Station. There were 8 adults and
2 children in the camp, namely
Bella
Tottee
Cissey
Tilly
Peter
Davey
Alick
Harry Murphy
Tilly's two children
Tilly's brother is Davey
Bella's husband is possibly Jack Hatford H/C who was away shooting.
24.10.1910 Harry Tommy Tommy free but has not yet come to Taroom.
8. 6.1910 Mentions a row at the Black's Camp and mentions
Tommy Gulf
Sandy
Fanny, Sandy's gin
11. 7.1910 Harry Tommy Tommy at Gwambeguine Station, Taroom
30.12.1910 About 90 Aborigines and half-castes in district
7. 2.1911 Moonshee, an Indian, wants to employ Moses, an
Aborigine.
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