ASHG actively publishes local history books about the areas covered by the former Stephens Shire. Books are available for purchase from the our History Room, during its opening hours, and from Annerley Meats, 502 Ipswich Rd, open Monday to Saturday. We also offer these books for sale at ASHG events and stalls. The books are also available for perusal in our History Room, and at Annerley Junction Library. Note: Prices listed exclude postage.
This book, compiled by Stephen Sheaffe, yet again expands the collection of stories of Stephens, with a diverse array of topics. These include pre-colonisation views of Yeronga, local scouting, railways, local churches, local Chinese people, Tennyson, a remarkable local GP, World War II stories, graves and cemeteries, houses, state heritage properties and more. Chapters include:
– Yeronga 1823 (Dr. M. Macklin) – Stephens Army of Boy Scouts (D. Marshall) – The Wilderness of Tarragind (G. Dove) – Dr Lindsey Page Winterbotham (Prof. J. Pearn) – The Forgotten (d. Hacker) – From Softstone to Tennyson (J. Wiley) – Chinese in Stephens (Dr. J. Hanley & J. Richardson) – Toohey Forrest Land-use History (Dr. W. Metcalf) – State Heritage Properties in Stephens (G. Sheaffe)
This book celebrates the lives and stories of women from all walks of life who contributed to the rich tapestry of the south-side of Brisbane. It is a compilation of the papers delivered at the 16 October 2021 lASHG local history conference. The book is compiled edited by Pauline Peel, Kate Dyson and Denis Peel. Chapters include:
– The headwomen of the Chepara people (K. Wilshire) – Tracing female convict lives (J. Richardson) – Nurses of World War One (Prof. L. Shields) – Jessica Anderson’s Yeronga (R. Blair & A. Hay) – Calling Paula Gubar a dressmaker …. (K. Forsythe) – The story of the Fairfield Hat Factory (S. Monk & L. Hurse) – The Brisbane Line (Dr J. Powell) – Four Generations of Annerley-Stephens (G. Dove) – Annie MacKenzie (J. Wiley) – Lady Cilento (S. Sheaffe AM) – Local women: a designer, an author & a poet (K. Dyson) – Mabel Alice Love (Kathryn Watters)
This book is an exploration of wartime and its legacy from a local perspective, and it is a revealing chronicle of the people, streets and parklands of Stephens Shire.The papers delivered at ASHG’s 26 October 2019 conference are collected in this book. The book is edited by Stephen Sheaffe. Contents include:
– Yeronga Park (R. Walding) – Burnett, Qld Aboriginal soldier in the first AIF (R. Pratt) – Military camps in Stephens (P. Dunn) – Local History Beyond Appearance (N. Buch) – War Service Homes (C. Black) – Interwar housing a Four Mile Swamp ( K. Dyson) – Annerley Drill Halls on Portion105 (M. Baker) – Finding the first war Service Homes (D. Peel and K. Dyson) – The military hospital at Greenslopes (C. Strakosch)
Echoes of Stories of Stephens contains 18 vibrant chapters exploring our local history . The book is based on Annerley-Stephens History Group local history conference of February 2019. The book is edited by Stephen Sheaffe. Contents include:
– Stephens Divisional board 1886-1903 (T. McKell) – The Yerongpan of the Chepara People (K. Wiltshire) – The Comercial Development of Annerley Junction 1866-1966 (M.Baker) – Cotton Growing in Stephens Shire during the Americal Civil War (M. Macklin) – Brandons Shoe repairs (M. Scully) – Annerley Meats (M.Scully) – The Stephens Croquet Club (V. Layne) – Tarragindi Buses (N. Wilson) – The ‘Sunbeam’, Streetscape Heritage in Fairfield (J. Pearn).
The Stories of Stephens is the collection of papers about the First Nations People of Stephens, A short history of the Shire, Yeronga, and Fairfield as well as stories of prominent names of Stephens. The papers were delivered at the Annerley-Stephens History Group 2016 local history conference. The book is edited by Stephen Sheaffe. Chapters include:
– A Short history of Stephens (S. Sheaffe) – Aboriginal Landscape and History in Stephens Annerley (R. Kerkhove) – Yeronga from Colony to World War – Annerley’s Original Parkland (N.Buch) – Junction Park School (J. Lergessner) – Tramways of Stephens (p. Hyde & R. Thomson) – Strong and Dunn Families (J. Collins) – John Leary Cracknell (M. Morris)
This was the very first collections of stories about Stephens, drawn from the 17 July 1994 Annerley Conference, organised and curated by Stephen and Glenda Scheaffe. It represents the history of Annerley from its beginnings as farmland owned by T.S. Stephens to an important inner-city suburb of Brisbane. The book is edited by John Kerr. The contents include :
– The Stephens family (L. Stephens) – John Soden’s Omnibuses (B. Roberts) – Five Decades of Plicing in Stphens (B. Rough) – Growing up in Annerley between the wars (R. Wood) – Children of the Creek 1935-1940 (G. Jurott)
Children of Stephens $5
(Class packs available)
Children of Stephens is a delightful booklet written and researched by Jarrah Pearce. Jarrah recorded several oral histories to compile a collection of activities for primary school children. Lots of fun, and the booklet brings many insights into Stephens past. Contents include:
– Map of Stephens – Generations – Before the Second World War – Game: Hopscotch – During the War – Game: Beam – Post-War era – Game: Fly
If you would like the books posted out to you, or want to ask any questions about ASHG activities, please use the contact form below.
ASHG is excited to be launching a new publication, Memories of Stephens, compiled by Stephen Sheaffe AM. This is the latest publication produced by ASHG that tells the stories of the Annerley-Stephens area. It brings together the papers from the Memories of Stephens conference held in October 2023 at Our Lady’s College, Annerley. Several extra articles about the area are included.
Memories of Stephens has been edited by Stephen Sheaffe AM in conjunction with Associate Professor Gary Osmond.
The book was launched with guest speaker Dr Denver Beanland AM on Monday 2nd September 7.00 pm at Yeronga Community Centre, 62 Park Rd., Yeronga (enter via Villa Street).
PCopies of the books are on sale at the launch for $25.00.
There are 21 chapters in the fascinating new publication that features stories about the rich history of Yeronga, Annerley, Fairfield and surrounding suburbs. The beautiful cover gives a hint of the richness and diversity of the stories inside.
Expect to find a treasure trove of topics including the early history of Yeronga; the Chinese of Ekibin and Moorooka; local scouts and railways; Churches, families, landmarks and; stories of WW11 and heritage-listed properties.
The book includes wonderful images. Here is a glimpse of just some of the papers and related images. .
The photo below is a section from the Greenslopes State School mural and relates to the Chinese of Stephens written by Dr Janis Hanley and Jan Richardson. The photo is on the front cover.
Jeanette Wiley looks at Tennyson in her paper From Softstone to Tennyson. Below is an early image of the Brisbane River taken from Jeanette’s paper. The image is on the back cover of the book.
Two of the papers consider rail history: Along the South Coast Railway Line (Greg Hallam and Dr Ruth Kerr) and Railway Lines and Stations in Stephens (Railway Lines and Stations in Stephens). The image below is of the 1936 train derailment at Fairfield Station.
Bill Metcalfe takes us through the Toohey Forest Land-Use History. Below is a photo of the beautiful Frog Rock in Toohey Forest.
The launch follows the ASHG monthly meeting which commences at 6.00 pm.
It was standing room only at the Annerley Library on Saturday 10 August, with Dr Janis Hanley presenting a fascinating exploration of the multi-cultural beginnings of Ekibin.
Engaging maps, photographs and other documents presented gave a real ‘feel’ for the area and how it changed over time. A tale of fellmongers, tanneries, wool scours and manure dumps in the catchment that impacted Norman Creek (and gave a certain aroma to the area).
An overview of how Chinese market gardeners used nutrient-rich creek water (from upstream slaughterhouses) to fertilise organically and grow vegetables successfully and productively.
Janis carefully navigated the complexities of antiquated and exclusionary immigration policies and revealed fascinating information about local Chinese residents from official historical documentation.
After the talk the room was abuzz and several descendants of Chinese Market gardeners recalled stories from their childhood.
Dr Janis Hanley provides some interesting narratives using historical maps.
Heritage is best experienced in place – not musty conference halls or footnoted tomes. A Walk in the Warm Zone is an encounter of the living heritage kind.
The walk, created by Pauline Peel and supported by a team of contributors was launched last Friday. It starts in Villa street Annerley and explores the surrounds through the writings of well known author Jessica Anderson.
Heritage resides is the living fabric of communities. We can really only access this heritage by walking streets, paying attention to the surrounds, connecting with others, exploring forgotten corners and sharing stories.
History becomes our-story, through the magic of storytelling as the many threads, and the layers of the past that haunt places, are acknowledged, shared, and become entangled with our own life experiences.
These ongoing encounters maintain a living heritage — adapting, and constantly renewing, as stories are re-told, and places re-experienced.
The walk
A walk in the warm zone, cleverly weaves together place, fiction, memory, and performance, seeking out and enriching this living heritage.
Jessica Anderson’s fictional characters reflect her own experiences growing up in Annerley-Yeronga in the 1920s. All are brought to life. Denis’s performances as Jessica’s Dad, steels the show, bringing both humour and hard truths.
Through the walk, Pauline Peel gently takes us by the hand, leading us to places thick with memory.
Together we visit the backyard of Jessica’s childhood and follow her memories through the back gate into Yeronga Memorial Park. We gather outside her primary school, and sit in the pews of the church she insisted on attending.
Along the way we hear about discoveries made by current owners of Jessica’s house, as well a reminiscences by the team members, Jeanette and Wendie who grew up in the area during WWII and post-war. Their memories of park and school entwine with the experiences of Jessica’s characters.
Finishing up at ASHG’s history room in Villa Street gave us a chance for a cuppa and a chat.
This walk is creative heritage at its best: collaborative, artful, and engaging the senses. It affects, at times deeply, and at other times playfully. It is an inspiring co-created mash-up of performance, creative writing, memory, artefacts and storytelling.
The Inspiration
Pauline writes of her inspiration for telling Jessica Anderson’s stories in this way.
The making
It is founded on considerable research and is a collaboration. PaulineASHGs Villa Street Project brought collaborators, and revealed local knowledge, further developing these ideas. Denis Peel, Jeanette Wiley, Kate Dyson, Wendie Hirsch and various community members contributed to the making of this event.
Join Pauline, Jeanette and Wendie to Walk in the Warm Zone starting outside 48 Villa Street at 9.45 am on Friday 21 June and Saturday 22 June.
Walk in the Warm Zone celebrates the Australian author Jessica Anderson (1916-2010), who grew up at 56 Villa Street in the 1920s and early 1930s. Her family were Charles and Alice Queale and she had three siblings.
Jessica Anderson drew on her memories of her Brisbane childhood in her writing including Tirra Lirra by the River which won the Miles Franklin Award, Stories from the Warm Zone and Sydney Stories and her short memoir Starting too Late. Jessica Anderson referred to Stories from the Warm Zone and Sydney Stories as autobiographical fiction.
Walk in the Warm Zone combines local history with the richness of Jessica Anderson’s writing. At the end of the walk we hope you can join us in the ASHG History Room, Yeronga Community Centre to continue to talk history and have a cup of tea.
Ever wondered about the changing Service Stations of Annerley. Find out more on Monday 3rd June at 7.00 pm when Mark Baker will presents The Rise and Fall of Service Stations in Annerley.
Mark Baker has worked in the heritage sector since the 1970s.
The event is free. Donations are welcome.
See you there for what promises to be another fascinating insight into our local history.
The talk will be preceded by the (optional) monthly meeting at 6.00 pm.
