Thomas Blacket Stephens
Encyclopedia
Thomas Blacket Stephens (1819-1877) was an alderman
and mayor
of Brisbane
. His middle name is often written as Blackett.
, Lancashire
, England
, the son of Rev. William Stephens and his wife Elizabeth Blacket. In 1849 Thomas emigrated to New South Wales
where he married Anne Connah in Balmain
, Sydney
at the home of his cousin, Colonial Architect Edmund Blacket, in 1856.
The couple moved to Moreton Bay
, now Brisbane
and had 12 children in Brisbane (4 of whom died in infancy). Their children were:
In 1860, Thomas erected a two-storey house in South Brisbane called 'Cumbooquepa' from the Aboriginal name for the waterholes on the land.
Thomas died in Brisbane on 26 August 1877.
In 1890, his widow Anne built a newer home 'Cumbooquepa' above Vulture Street on the property at South Brisbane. This house was later purchased in 1919 as the boarding school
for the Brisbane girls' school Somerville House
and is now heritage listed. It is often stated that Thomas built or occupied this 'Cumbooquepa', but he is only associated with the earlier house.
near Moreton Bay
.
In 1856 he purchased land at Stones Corner near Ekibin Creek and established a woolscour. The following year (1857) he purchase some adjacent land at Annerley and established a fellmonger
y and tanning
business in Essie Street.
In May 1861, Thomas purchased The Moreton Bay Courier and he soon turned it into a daily newspaper, the Courier. In 1864 it became the Brisbane Courier. In June-July 1868, he floated the Brisbane Newspaper Company, and transferred the plant and copyright of the Brisbane Courier to it. He was the managing director until he retired in November 1873, when the paper was auctioned.
He was also one of the first people on the board of trustees at Brisbane Grammar School
from 1859 to 1864 and was mayor
in 1862 of the Brisbane Municipal Council
. He served on a number of committees:
From 10 June 1863 to 13 May 1875 Thomas was the elected Member of the Legislative Assembly
of Queensland
(lower house) for the electorate of the Town of South Brisbane
.
He held many senior positions in the government including"
On 22 July 1876, he was appointed a life Member of the Legislative Council
of Queensland
(upper house) until his death on 26 August 1877.
He was one of the original trustees of South Brisbane Cemetery
and was buried there upon his death in 1877.
Alderman
An alderman is a member of a municipal assembly or council in many jurisdictions founded upon English law. The term may be titular, denoting a high-ranking member of a borough or county council, a council member chosen by the elected members themselves rather than by popular vote, or a council...
and mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
. His middle name is often written as Blackett.
Personal life
Thomas Blacket Stephens was born on 5 Jan 1819 at RochdaleRochdale
Rochdale is a large market town in Greater Manchester, England. It lies amongst the foothills of the Pennines on the River Roch, north-northwest of Oldham, and north-northeast of the city of Manchester. Rochdale is surrounded by several smaller settlements which together form the Metropolitan...
, Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, the son of Rev. William Stephens and his wife Elizabeth Blacket. In 1849 Thomas emigrated to New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
where he married Anne Connah in Balmain
Balmain
Balmain can refer to:Places:* Balmain, New South Wales, a suburb of Sydney, Australia* Electoral district of Balmain, an electoral division in New South Wales, Australia* Balmain East, New South Wales, a suburb of Sydney, Australia...
, Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
at the home of his cousin, Colonial Architect Edmund Blacket, in 1856.
The couple moved to Moreton Bay
Moreton Bay
Moreton Bay is a bay on the eastern coast of Australia 45 km from Brisbane, Queensland. It is one of Queensland's most important coastal resources...
, now Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
and had 12 children in Brisbane (4 of whom died in infancy). Their children were:
- William (1857 - 1925), a Member of the Queensland Legislative AssemblyQueensland Legislative AssemblyThe Queensland Legislative Assembly is the unicameral chamber of the Parliament of Queensland. Elections are held approximately once every three years. Voting is by the Optional Preferential Voting form of the Alternative Vote system...
- Emily (1860 - 1918)
- Marian (1862 - 1862)
- Elizabeth (1863 - ??)
- Richard (1865 - 1865)
- Laura (1866 - ??)
- Thomas Connah (1868 - ??)
- Henry (1869 - 1870)
- Sophia (1870 - ??)
- Anne (1872 - 1872)
- Llewellyn (1873 - ??)
- Stephen (1875 - ??)
In 1860, Thomas erected a two-storey house in South Brisbane called 'Cumbooquepa' from the Aboriginal name for the waterholes on the land.
Thomas died in Brisbane on 26 August 1877.
In 1890, his widow Anne built a newer home 'Cumbooquepa' above Vulture Street on the property at South Brisbane. This house was later purchased in 1919 as the boarding school
Boarding school
A boarding school is a school where some or all pupils study and live during the school year with their fellow students and possibly teachers and/or administrators. The word 'boarding' is used in the sense of "bed and board," i.e., lodging and meals...
for the Brisbane girls' school Somerville House
Somerville House
Somerville House is an independent, boarding and day school for girls, located in South Brisbane, an inner-city suburb of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia....
and is now heritage listed. It is often stated that Thomas built or occupied this 'Cumbooquepa', but he is only associated with the earlier house.
Business Life
He had a number of companies as well as interest in land development. His first business in Brisbane is believed to be a woolscour at OrmistonOrmiston
Ormiston is a village in East Lothian, Scotland, UK, near Tranent, Humbie, Pencaitland and Cranston, located on the north bank of the River Tyne at an elevation of about 276 ft....
near Moreton Bay
Moreton Bay
Moreton Bay is a bay on the eastern coast of Australia 45 km from Brisbane, Queensland. It is one of Queensland's most important coastal resources...
.
In 1856 he purchased land at Stones Corner near Ekibin Creek and established a woolscour. The following year (1857) he purchase some adjacent land at Annerley and established a fellmonger
Fellmonger
A fellmonger was a dealer in hides or skins, particularly sheepskins, who might also prepare skins for tanning. The name is derived from the Old English ‘fell’ meaning skins and ‘monger’ meaning dealer...
y and tanning
Tanning
Tanning is the making of leather from the skins of animals which does not easily decompose. Traditionally, tanning used tannin, an acidic chemical compound from which the tanning process draws its name . Coloring may occur during tanning...
business in Essie Street.
In May 1861, Thomas purchased The Moreton Bay Courier and he soon turned it into a daily newspaper, the Courier. In 1864 it became the Brisbane Courier. In June-July 1868, he floated the Brisbane Newspaper Company, and transferred the plant and copyright of the Brisbane Courier to it. He was the managing director until he retired in November 1873, when the paper was auctioned.
He was also one of the first people on the board of trustees at Brisbane Grammar School
Public service
Thomas was an aldermanAlderman
An alderman is a member of a municipal assembly or council in many jurisdictions founded upon English law. The term may be titular, denoting a high-ranking member of a borough or county council, a council member chosen by the elected members themselves rather than by popular vote, or a council...
from 1859 to 1864 and was mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
in 1862 of the Brisbane Municipal Council
Brisbane Municipal Council
-History:On 7 September 1859, Brisbane was proclaimed a municipality. Thus after the passing of the Municipal Institutions Act 1864 the area could establish a municipal council to administer the district - with powers relating to by-laws, to rating, to borrowings, to the control or regulation of...
. He served on a number of committees:
- Finance Committee 1860, 1861
- Improvement Committee 1860 - 1863
- Incorporation Committee 1862,1864
- Water Committee 1862 - 1864
- Bridge Committee 1862 - 1864
- Legislative Committee 1863, 1864
- Brisbane Board of Waterworks 1866 - 1877
From 10 June 1863 to 13 May 1875 Thomas was the elected Member of the Legislative Assembly
Member of the Legislative Assembly
A Member of the Legislative Assembly or a Member of the Legislature , is a representative elected by the voters of a constituency to the legislature or legislative assembly of a sub-national jurisdiction....
of Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
(lower house) for the electorate of the Town of South Brisbane
Electoral district of Town of South Brisbane
Town of South Brisbane was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of Queensland from 1860 to 1873.Taking in areas of Brisbane south of the Brisbane River, it was a single member consistuency and one of the original sixteen districts contested at the first state...
.
He held many senior positions in the government including"
- Colonial Treasurer: 21 May 1867 – 15 August 1867
- Colonial SecretaryChief SecretaryThe Chief Secretary is the title of a senior civil servant in members of the Commonwealth of Nations, and, historically, in the British Empire. Prior to the dissolution of the colonies, the Chief Secretary was the second most important official in a colony of the British Empire after the...
: 25 Nov 1868 – 28 Jan 1869 - Colonial Treasurer: 27 Jan 1869 – 3 May 1870
- Postmaster-General: 13 Nov 1869 – 28 Jan 1870
- Secretary for Public Lands: 8 Jan 1874 – 27 May 1875
On 22 July 1876, he was appointed a life Member of the Legislative Council
Queensland Legislative Council
The Queensland Legislative Council was the upper house of the parliament in the Australian state of Queensland. It was a fully nominated body which first took office on 1 May 1860. It was abolished by the Constitution Amendment Act 1921, which took effect on 23 March 1922.Consequently, the...
of Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
(upper house) until his death on 26 August 1877.
He was one of the original trustees of South Brisbane Cemetery
South Brisbane Cemetery
The South Brisbane Cemetery is a heritage-listed cemetery located in South Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, adjacent to the Brisbane River. It is adjacent to Dutton Park and consequently is often called Dutton Park Cemetery. The cemetery was established in 1866 and remained in active use until the...
and was buried there upon his death in 1877.