This Saturday Annerley-Stephens History Group is organising the conference on the history of Stephens Shire. I thought I would write few words about the locality. Below is also a short note from the organisers explaining what to expect on a day.
Annerley-Stephens History Group Inc in conjunction with The Royal Historical Society of Queensland – STORIES OF STEPHENS
Papers will be presented on the history of the Stephens Area, local Aboriginal history, tramway history, Junction Park and Annerley history, the history of Fairfield and of eminent pioneering families of the locality.
There will also be papers to assist researchers on family history and local house studies.
Over ten distinguished speakers have been engaged to present papers.
The Stephens Division was established on 16 Oct 1886 from parts of the then existing Yeerongpilly Division. Stephens Division – created on request of inhabitants – was separated from Yeerongpilly which at that time ran as far as present Forest Lake. The new local area covered the present suburbs of Yeerongpilly, Tennyson, Yeronga, Fairfield, Annerley, Tarragindi, Holland Park West, parts of Moorooka and Greenslopes. In 1902, The Local Authorities Act removed divisional boards and created city, town and shire councils.
The Shire was named after Thomas Blacket Stephens, who was a Southside alderman, and second Mayor, in the first Brisbane Municipal Council, while his son, William Stephens, was the first Mayor of the South Brisbane Council.
A significant project undertaken by the shire was the creation of the Yeronga Memorial Park, where a memorial avenue of trees along Honour Avenue was planted. Between 1917 and 1921 the shire redeveloped the park as a memorial to local participation in World War I, 14% of the population having enlisted for military service.
The City of Brisbane was created on 1 Oct 1925 under the City of Brisbane Act 1924 by the amalgamation of a number of local authorities, boards and public utilities, including:
– Cities of Brisbane and South Brisbane
– Towns of Hamilton, Ithaca, Toowong, Windsor, Sandgate, and Wynnum
– Shires of Balmoral, Belmont, Coorparoo, Enoggera, Kedron, Moggill, Sherwood, Stephens, Taringa, and Toombul and,
– Parts of the Shires of Tingalpa and Yeerongpilly
If you would like to learn more about a history of former Stephens Shire you are invited to come in this Saturday to the conference. I will be writing more about this area as it’s the locality where I live and I’m interested in learning more.
