Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
Pneumonic Plague
Australia's only outbreak of pneumonic plague occurred in Maryborough in 1905. At the time Maryborough was Queensland's largest port and reception center for wool, meat, timber, sugar, and other products. A freighter from Hong Kong, where plague was rampant, was in the Port of Maryborough about the time that a wharf worker named Richard O'Connell took home some sacking from the wharf, for his children to sleep on. Subsequently, five of the seven O'Connell children, two nurses, and a neighbor died from the disease. There were no more cases but the ensuing fear, panic, and hysteria totally consumed the town, and a huge crowd gathered to witness the family's house being burnt to the ground by health officials. A memorial fountain was built in the grounds of the City Hall and dedicated to the nurses, Cecelia Bauer and Rose Wiles.
Interesting tragic story,
Linus
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That's something to know about, I used to live in Maryborough, a beautiful place. next time I visit I'll look for the plaque (fountain) and of course their graves.
Rob
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Maryborough, Queensland cancel, looks like June 13,1919 with a 3d Sg#37 Die 1
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Hi Rob
Were you born in Queensland, or only lived there for a while. Just Curious.
Horamakhet
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Hi Horamakhet
Yes I was, my birthplace was Brisbane, I left Brisbane in my 20s and started travelling around, slowly reaching Rockhampton in Central Queensland, stayed there for about 12 years and then down to Sydney and then Victoria and back to Sydney, and have been here ever since; 2020 will be 21 years.
Rob
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I found this stamp today in one of my stock books. It is cancelled 30 December 1904 from Maryborough, Queensland, Australia. I looked up this town of 27,000+ people on Wikipedia, and learned this happened:
Pneumonic Plague
Australia's only outbreak of pneumonic plague occurred in Maryborough in 1905. At the time Maryborough was Queensland's largest port and reception center for wool, meat, timber, sugar, and other products. A freighter from Hong Kong, where plague was rampant, was in the Port of Maryborough about the time that a wharf worker named Richard O'Connell took home some sacking from the wharf, for his children to sleep on. Subsequently, five of the seven O'Connell children, two nurses, and a neighbor died from the disease. There were no more cases but the ensuing fear, panic, and hysteria totally consumed the town, and a huge crowd gathered to witness the family's house being burnt to the ground by health officials. A memorial fountain was built in the grounds of the City Hall and dedicated to the nurses, Cecelia Bauer and Rose Wiles.
Interesting tragic story,
Linus
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re: Maryborough Queensland 1904 Cancel
That's something to know about, I used to live in Maryborough, a beautiful place. next time I visit I'll look for the plaque (fountain) and of course their graves.
Rob
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re: Maryborough Queensland 1904 Cancel
Maryborough, Queensland cancel, looks like June 13,1919 with a 3d Sg#37 Die 1
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re: Maryborough Queensland 1904 Cancel
Hi Rob
Were you born in Queensland, or only lived there for a while. Just Curious.
Horamakhet
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this post
re: Maryborough Queensland 1904 Cancel
Hi Horamakhet
Yes I was, my birthplace was Brisbane, I left Brisbane in my 20s and started travelling around, slowly reaching Rockhampton in Central Queensland, stayed there for about 12 years and then down to Sydney and then Victoria and back to Sydney, and have been here ever since; 2020 will be 21 years.
Rob
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