Central Theatre
The Central Hall was built in 1916 by Joseph Sharpe on the former site of the Allora School residence. Mr. W. A. Deacon M. L. A., Minister for Lands, and a son of the first school teacher was to say when guest of honour at a later function in the hall, that he was born on the very spot where he then stood. Joe Sharpe died in 1919 and the hall was leased to the Star Picture Co. The first picture shown was “The Modern Muskateer” staring Douglas Fairbanks on the 1st March 1919. In the 1930’s the Allora Talkies were run by the Reppel family. Heather Neale’s uncle Harry Reppel was the projectionist, father Con sold the tickets, and aunt Mary was the usher. The theatre was owned by Beryl Sharpe, Joe Sharpe’s daughter, who sold it to A. C. Cameron. In early 1948 Clyde Stewart bought the theatre and the Stewart family ran the pictures until the theatre was sold to Hec. Hungerford in December 1954. Dwindling attendances saw the closure of the theatre at the end of June 1969. The last film to be shown was “The Great St. Trinian’s Train Robbery” starring Frankie Howerd.

Allora’s Past 75 years ago September 1934
New Street
Consideration was given by the Allora Shire Council to the proposal by the Chamber of Commerce for the construction of a street from Herbert Street to Raff Street entailing the extension of the blind street between the Central Hall and Messrs. Deacon & Co’s premises. This would entail the removal of the old lock-up which was an eyesore seen from Herbert Street and the resumption of some police property. Mrs. Sarah Clarke had already given portion of her property adjoining the Princess of Wales Hotel for the roadway. On the motion of Cr. Warfield it was decided that the overseer prepare a report on the project.
No street existed between Herbert and Raff Streets at that site until the sale of the School Reserve in 1911. After the sale of the two 1 acre allotments to Joseph Sharpe and Hubert Deacon a street was constructed from Herbert Street to the water lane to give access to the two premises. After 1934 the street was extended to Raff Street and was named Muir Street after long standing councillor, Thomas Muir who had retired after the 1933 local government elections.

Thomas Muir
Thomas Muir completed his schooling at the Allora School and would have played in the yard where a street was later constructed bearing his name. Tom Muir started his working life carrying with a horse team before taking up farming. He was first elected to the Allora Municipal Council in 1903 and served as mayor in 1907, 1908, and 1912. He was elected as the first chairman of the Allora Shire Council in 1915. He retired from local government but was elected as Shire Chairman again in 1921 and served in that position until his retirement in 1933. His major accomplishments were in having the road through the Allora Shire declared a State Highway and the lighting of the town in 1932. Tom Muir served on numerous organizations including the Show Society and the State Wheat Board. Thomas and Catherine Muir had thirteen children, eight of whom reached adulthood, but only five grandchildren including Ken Muir, and George and Don Gilmore.

Herbert Street Businesses
49 Herbert Street
140 years ago – School yard.
100 years ago – Wing of school building.
75 years ago – Part of Deacon & Co.
50 Years ago – Vacant land.
25 years ago – National Australia Bank.
Currently NAB.
For more details see Herbert South 4 on web site.

Allora’s Past 100 years ago September 1909
Narrow Escape
Our Glengallan correspondent reports that a violent thunderstorm took place on Wednesday last. It appears that that the family of one of the local residents of that locality had a narrow escape. During the progress of the storm one of the members of the household, Mr. Hermann Kirchner, had occasion to open the door of the house. Immediately a ball of fire entered the room, split one of the studs, rounding it off in a peculiar fashion, splintered an umbrella which was hanging on the wall, and apparently vanished up the chimney. The family was naturally very much alarmed but escaped without injury.

Allora’s Past 75 years ago September 1934
Catholic Ball
Allora’s first Catholic Ball, which incidentally was also Allora’s first debutante ball, was an unqualified success. Over 800 attended the first of what will probably become one of the social highlights of the year. The ball, held in aid of the Allora Catholic Church, was organized by a ladies committee at the head of which was Mrs. D. Sullivan with Mrs. Schriek and Mrs. Robinson as joint secretaries. The patron was Father O’Shea. The door takings of £135 represent a record for any Allora ball. Thirty debutantes made their bow before Dr. J. Byrne D. D., Bishop of Toowoomba. Matron of Honour, Mrs. F. Donovan, introduced the girls to Dr. Byrne. A feature of the supper was the three tiered cake made by Mrs. E. Cowley and decorated by Miss M. Collins. Music was supplied by a Warwick orchestra and the M. C’s were Messrs. Phonse Marshall and Edwin Cowley.
Please ring Lyn Wright on 0408753085 with your deb ball stories and photos.

Spring Creek Hall
The annual meeting of the Spring Creek Hall Committee was held last week, Mr. J. Dalton (president) occupying the chair. In his opening remarks the chairman said that this was the third attempt to hold the annual meeting. Lack of interest on the part of the residents of the district was evident. There was a continued annoyance caused by campers breaking locks, entering the building, and thieving cups, benzine, and other goods. The whole position was most unsatisfactory.

Herbert Street Businesses
47 Herbert Street
140 years ago – School.
100 years ago – School.
75 years ago – Deacon & Co.
50 Years ago – Deacon & Co.
25 years ago – Deacon & Co.
Currently Allora & District Tyres – Barry & Anne Glass.
For more details see Herbert South 4 on this web site.

Deacon & Co.
In May 1904 Hubert and Charles Deacon started business as H. & C. Deacon, auctioneers, commission and general machinery agents in William Deacon’s former general store in Drayton Street. The firm of Deacon & Co. was formed in 1907 by a partnership of Hubert Deacon, Charles Deacon, and Clifford Alford. The school site was moved to Warwick Street in 1911 and Deacon & Co. bought the old site and buildings. Cliff Alford left the partnership in May 1911 and Deacon & Co. moved to Herbert Street in June 1912. Charles Deacon left the firm in 1914 leaving Hubert as sole proprietor. His son, Robert Gladstone Deacon, joined Deacon & Co. in 1945 on his discharge from the army, where he had served in the Middle East and New Guinea with the 2/25th Battalion. The old school buildings were re-modelled in the early 1950’s with the northern wing being demolished and a new show room built in front of the other section. Long time employee, Keith Masters, had begun his employment with Deacon & Co. in 1944 and took over as manager on the death of Bob Deacon in 1973. David and Daphne Tomlinson bought the buildings and site in September 1988 and Allan and Heather Green took over the firm of Deacon & Co. Keith Masters then retired after forty-four years with the company.

Allora’s Past 25 years ago October 1984
ENGAGEMENT NOTICE
Wayne Frizzell and Linda Lewis
 are happy to announce their engagement.

Allora’s Past 50 years ago October 1959
Central Downs A. & H. Association
To the residents of Allora and District.
On behalf of the Allora Show Society I am making an appeal to you to help us improve our showgrounds and therefore our show. Many of you must have noticed the fine line of cattle stalls just completed. These are to house dairy cattle. Now we intend to erect cattle pens so as to have a fat cattle section at our next show. Will you help us build these pens, supply material, or can you spare us a donation? I will be very pleased to hear from you and will be very grateful for any help that you can give.
        Jim Gwynne, President.

Herbert Street Businesses
45 Herbert Street
130 years ago – Mrs. Leggatt’s general store.
100 years ago – Paulsen’s photographic studio (?)
75 years ago – Donovan & Son.
50 Years ago – Donovan & Son.
25 years ago – Allora Medical Centre.
Currently Condamine Medical Centre, Allora.
For more details see Herbert South 4 on web site.

Donovan & Son.
The firm of Donovan & Son was founded in December 1906 when Patrick Francis (Frank) Donovan joined his father, Patrick, at Donovan’s Auction Mart in the old Wesley Chapel building near the Drayton Street corner. Patrick Donovan had come to Allora in February 1888 as the first manager of the Queensland National Bank.  Frank took over the business from his father and ran it until his death in 1955. He had been joined in the business by his son John Purcell (Jack) Donovan. Jack Donovan was killed in a car accident in 1960 and the business was in the hands of the Donovan Estate when it was sold to Roy Smith in November 1962. Roy had joined the staff of Donovan & Son from school in 1952 and built the business into a very successful enterprise. Donovan & Son was bought out by Primaries Mactaggarts in March 1974 and traded in Allora under the Donovan & Son name until the end of 1976.

Allora’s Past 75 years ago October 1934
Allora Old Boy Returns
Retired police sergeant and former Allora resident, Mr. J. K. Cameron, the son of Allora’s first Town Clerk, Mr. Alexander Cameron, returned to the town last week. Mr. Cameron started his working life, aged 13, as a printer’s devil for the Allora Guardian newspaper in early 1880. The newspaper was founded by Messrs. McNamara and Barnes and was printed in the old Dalrymple Hotel building on the corner of Drayton and Raff Streets. Mr. Cameron’s job consisted of laboriously cleaning the printing rolls of the old hand operated printing press. He advanced to the job of compositor and after several shut downs and changes of ownership of the “Guardian” in the 1880’s, was printer’s foreman for Edward Harvey when he left the job after thirteen years at the newspaper. After spending a short time working for his old boss, Mr. McNamara at Southport, he joined the Queensland Police Force as a mounted trooper. He retired in 1931 after 37 years service with the police force. Mr. Cameron’s mother, Mrs. E. A. Cameron one of the Downs oldest residents, still lives an active life in Allora, aged 88.

Herbert Street Businesses
41 Herbert Street
110 years ago – Dr. Pain’s house and surgery.
75 years ago – Dr. Sapsford’s house and surgery.
50 Years ago – Cresswell’s Garage.
25 years ago – Allora Motors, Mal and Kay Graham.
Currently vacant.
For more details see Herbert South 5 on web site.

Dedicated Doctors.
From the 1920’s into the 1950’s the NE corner of Herbert and Warwick Street’s was known as Sapsford’s corner because it was occupied by the house and surgery of Dr. C. Pelham Sapsford. Prior to that it was probably known as Pain’s corner after Dr. Francis Pain who set up his house and surgery there in 1899. These two doctors between them, gave the people of Allora and district 63 years of dedicated service. Dr. Francis Pain arrived in Allora in 1887 from a coal mining district in the north of England. For the next 33 years he covered the district from King’s Creek to Glengallan, Goomburra to Talgai, in a horse and sulky in all weathers. He would have had to deal with every imaginable medical situation including the death by accident of one of his own sons. Ill health caused him to leave Allora in 1920 and his place was taken by Dr. Sapsford. Although no less dedicated, at least Dr. Sapsford had the luxury of a motor car to cover the district. Wet weather and poor roads would have meant frequent visits on foot. Both of Dr. Sapsford’s sons trained to be doctors and in 1950 Dr. Derek Sapsford took over from his father in Allora.

Dedicated Mechanic
Mal Graham started his working life as a 13 year old apprentice mechanic with Allora Motors on the Drayton Street corner. By 1983 he and Kay owned Allora Motors, then on the Warwick Street corner. Mal retired in April 2000 and in December 2000 was presented with an award from R. A. C. Q. for 55 years of dedicated service.

Historic Tree
In regard to deliberations over the fate of the tree near the corner of Forde and Warwick Streets in the light of safety concerns due to its proximity to the pedestrian crossing, I thought that I would outline its history.
The tree is the last standing of 21 planted on the 21st July 1897 to commemorate the Diamond Jubilee of the reign of Queen Victoria. The trees were paid for by public subscription and a subsidy from the Allora Municipal Council and sited on the main intersections of the town. Three species of pines were planted including the Aleppo and Stone pines. The trees were supplied and planted by Mr. George Moulday of the Mount View Nursery, Berat, in the presence of the Mayor, Cr. W. Deacon, the Town Clerk, Mr. J. Stay, and others.
Other trees were planted by private citizens including probably the ones in front what would have then been Reppel’s Boarding House at No. 21 Drayton Street. One of these blew down in a storm on the 20th November 2008. An Aleppo pine planted in 1897, on what was then part of the Recreation Reserve, and now in the grounds of the Allora State School was included on the National Trust Register of Significant Trees in 1992 on the instigation of Mr. Peter Doherty, Principal of the School.

Herbert Street Businesses
Herbert/Warwick Street’s corner.
130 years ago – Rickert’s saw mill.
100 years ago – Chemist shop is moved.
75 years ago – C. B. C. Bank.
50 Years ago – C. B. C. Bank.
25 years ago – Vacant.
Currently Alan J. Smith, Dental Surgeon.
For more details see Herbert South 5 on web site.

Almost a Calamity.
In 1879 Rickert’s saw mill stood on the SE corner of Warwick and Herbert Streets. Spencer Briggs writing as “The Angel” in the Allora Guardian tells an amusing story concerning Adam, one of the three Rickert sons.
“Adam Rickert being a very enterprising man, decided to turn the donkey engine which drove the saw mill into a traction engine. All went well except that he had not devised a method to stop it and once started it took off, crossed Warwick Street and demolished Dr. Sapsford’s house, crossed Herbert Street and went through the Post Office, over the top of the butcher’s shop, and ended up in the middle of Barnes & Co. Emporium…………or would have done if any of those buildings had been there at the time.”
C. B. C. Bank
The foundation stone of the new premises for the Commercial Banking Co. of Sydney in Allora was laid on the 22nd February 1910. Local builders Daniel Stoddart and William Leggatt had been granted the contract for the erection of the building but withdrew due to numerous other contracts. The bank building was completed by Toowoomba contractor Mr. J. D. Droney for a total price of £1,800. Except for probably Henry Reppel’s bake house, it was Allora’s first brick building. The official opening took place on the 5th October 1910 followed by a light repast in the Protestant Hall. The C. B. C. Bank ceased trading in 1981 following its amalgamation with the National Bank of Australasia to form what is currently known as the National Australia Bank.

Allora’s Past 75 years ago October 1934
Child Welfare Clinic in Allora
Mothers of young children will be interested to learn that a welfare clinic is to be established in Allora before the end of the current year. Arrangements are now being made for the purchase of necessary equipment and the Allora clinic would be one of the first to be organized. The clinic will be located in the Country Women’s building, the Allora branch having made one room available for the purpose. The scheme being organized provides for the attendance of a trained nurse at each branch one day every week.

Allora’s Past 100 years ago October 1909
New Season’s Wheat
Mr. W. A. Dean of Messrs. Barnes & Co. had shown the “Guardian” representative a sample of new season’s wheat. The grain was a good sample of the Hermitage variety but showed signs of having been harvested too hastily. The sample contained an undue percentage of green grains. Millers stressed the fact that this class of wheat was too risky to handle, the great danger being that it was liable to turn musty in the sack, or when milled, the mustiness would be noticeable in the flour.

Allora’s Past 50 years ago November 1959
A Pre Wedding Evening
A Pre Wedding Evening will be tendered Miss Ivy Hoey
in the Spring Creek Hall on Saturday night 26th December
(Boxing Night) in honour of her approaching marriage
to Mr. Bruce Burge.

Allora’s past 75 years ago November 1934
Goomburra
Snakes are now becoming quite numerous and many have been killed in the district. While working on what is known as Mr. T. W. Wright’s mountain, Messrs. Jack Wright and Ronald Hoffman encountered a death adder which put up a savage fight before it was despatched. It measured 2ft 1 ½ in.

Hallowe’en Ball
Vestiges to what the modern mind are strange beliefs, were apparent in the decorations used in the Hallowe’en Ball, held at the Central Hall on Tuesday night as a means to augment Church of England funds. Against a background of flame and yellow streamers were to be seen ferocious black cats, morbid owls and chuckling goblins, reminders of the almost forgotten legends that cling around All Hallows’ Eve.

To the Editor
Electric Light Service
Sir, -It is about time that someone voiced dissatisfaction about the laxity of the Allora Electric Authority in connection with the service given to consumers. Instead of the usual bright, cheery light associated with electricity, we are handed out the equivalent of the old kerosene lamp, in a dirty yellow light calculated to make one bilious.
         CONSUMER

Allora’s Past 100 years ago November 1909
Death of George Essex Evans
George Essex Evans, Queensland poet, died in Toowoomba Hospital after undergoing a serious operation. The late Mr. Evans was only 46 years of age and was well and popularly known in the Allora district having worked with his brother J. B. O. Evans on the property “Wyon”, Allora, which is still in the hands of the family.
As a poet he was in the front rank. His writings contained both beauty and the true genesis of poetry and were happily far removed from the “pub and paddock” jingles dear to the heart of the “Bulletin”. He was best known for his poem “Women of the West” published in 1902 and extolling the virtues of outback women.
Spencer Briggs’ diary in 1884 records his working with J. B. O. and George Evans building a dam on “Wyon”.

Allora’s Past 75 years ago November 1934
Cordial Factory Fire
Arthur Ruhle’s cordial factory in Herbert Street, along with the stock and plant were completely destroyed in a fire on Sunday last (18th November 1934). Volunteers were unable to prevent the destruction of the factory but were able to save Mr. Ruhle’s recently completed house which was situated only 30 feet away. About 200 people witnessed the fire and at one stage a loud hiss from a gas cylinder caused a scatter, many fearing an explosion.
The destroyed building had been erected over 40 years ago and had housed the Allora Guardian newspaper until bought by Mr. D. J. Ruhle a little over two years ago. Mr. A. L. Ruhle bought the business from his brother nine months ago. Although the building and contents were insured, Mr. Ruhle’s loss was expected to be considerable.

Mistaken Intentions
This story actually happened in an Allora home one night recently but names have been changed to protect those involved.
Bill and the girlfriend were engaged in whispering the usual momentous nothings on the verandah when Mum overheard her daughter murmur “You’d better ask Dad”. Mum bustled up to Dad and hissed dramatically “Bill’s going to ask you for Lizzie’s hand”. A few moments later Bill walked in looking a little nervous. “Excuse me, Mr. Smith, I was just wondering if you ---”. But Dad cut him short. “Not at all, not at all! Take her my boy, take her!” he answered magnificently. “God bless you both”. The young man expostulated but Dad warmly shook his hand, and pushed him out on the verandah again. “Good heavens, Lizzie” Bill told her, “we can’t go to the Allora Talkies; we have to get married!”

Allora’s Past 128 years ago
Former Allora Student Reminisces
Mr. H. S. Jensen, a carpenter employed on the construction of the new butter factory at Allora in 1934, reminisced on his first arrival in the town 53 years previously.
On a bitterly cold day in 1881, Mr. Jensen, then a boy of eight years, travelled across from the railhead at Hendon on a wagonette, his box being deposited on the steps of the Church of England rectory. The boy was received by the Rev. H. J. Campbell and then introduced to his future teacher and five fellow pupils in the private school conducted in the church building. Their dormitory was in the rectory building. The routine of the private school was so strict that it was only on a few occasions that he saw anything of the township. What he does remember, however, was that he learned to swim in Dalrymple Creek and could dog paddle quite safely after he had been at the school for a few months. An old aboriginal woman camped on the banks of the creek and the scholars took it in turns on Sunday mornings to carry small luxuries to her from the rector, the gifts generally taking the form of tobacco, tea and sugar.