Soccer and strikers dominate the era

"I could not help thinking of the many exciting contests I witnessed there.”

SUCCESS STORY: The original Bush Rats football team in 1890.

IN OCTOBER, a patent slip which Messrs Campbell & Co had for some time been constructing at Redbank was completed.

It was stated that although its dimensions were not great, it was admirably adapted for the small vessels which were able to proceed up the Brisbane River as far as Redbank.

The slip previously used was made of logs that had been temporarily laid down on the river bank.

The masters of vessels found this very inconvenient.

Messrs Campbell & Co was given the credit of having constructed the first "bona fide" slip in Queensland.

At the time of this article appearing in the newspaper, the steamer Hawk was hauled up on the new slip and as soon as repairs were completed, the slip was to be opened to receive any vessel which may require the use of it.

The new slip was not able to accommodate large vessels but there were several sites near the town of Redbank for the formation of either a dry dock or a patent slip of any required.

BLACKSMITHS OF IPSWICH

The blacksmiths of Ipswich in the 1850s were Messrs Richard Harvey, John Basilie, Donald Campbell and John Yule.

They combined at that time and paid a coal miner (known as "Lanky Jack") to supply them with fuel which he obtained near Coal Pit Gully in North Ipswich.

But the product he furnished was simply won by working near the surface.

When those blacksmiths could not get coal, they had always an excellent substitute to fall back on - charcoal supplied by Indigenous people in bags. This was by carrying the bags on their heads.

TIME OF THE REDBANK STRIKE

At the Ipswich Court in 1861, eight men were charged, as miners employed by John Campbell & Son at Redbank (some paid four shillings and sixpence, some at four shillings and some at six shillings) to cut coal, and having conspired to prevent plaintiffs from enjoying the lawful use of their property at the Redbank Pit.

James Campbell proposed that when the miners knocked off, he ordered the labourers to go back to work, but they said they could not without fighting the miners.

The miners demanded five shillings a ton for coal-cutting.

One of the miners said: "The first man that goes into that pit will get a pick in his head."

Mr Campbell said he was under a bond of 1000 pounds not to let any steamer call without getting coal.

The men were aware of that.

The miners were committed for trial.

Police magistrate Colonel Gray accompanied by inspector E. Dunn and several policemen went to Redbank and read the riot act.

The men were found not guilty.

Later it was reported that nearly all the miners concerned in the strike at Redbank had returned to work and were then under monthly agreements and to have monthly settlements.

Among those on strike were Thomas Jones, Hugh Carter, Abel Alford, Edward Lewis, George Smith, John Coleman, and Thomas Stafford.

TEAMWORK: Dinmore Bush Rats in the years 1905-06.

BUSH RATS MAKE THEIR MARK

A mention was made in the early 1900s about the celebrated Bush Rats Football Club of Dinmore.

The football field had been "carved" out of the bush by the members' own exertions some 20 years prior and a representative of The Queensland Times said: "I could not help thinking of the many exciting contests which I witnessed there in earlier days."

I remember also a dear old lady, Rachel Nunn, a long-time resident of the Dinmore district who was a keen enthusiast of both "soccer" football and also cricket.

She had always made a point of honour to be present at all the matches of any note.

Her pleasant, familiar face would certainly be missed by the Bush Rats.

She left behind numerous family of who all the sons were engaged in the coal-mining industry.

Also mentioned at that time was the fact that Dinmore was showing evidence of substantial growth.

Recently a cottage had been erected on the southern side of the Brisbane Rd and immediately opposite the old Dinmore club and looking down the main thoroughfare towards the river a row of buildings could be seen.

Originally published as Soccer and strikers dominate the era