Exquisitely restored in James Street is this survivor from early Brisbane with many stories to tell. The heritage register shows Cairncross House has had many owners and has ties to the early 1860 period of Brisbane. One resident Sir Arthur Hunter Palmer in particular is of interest in the role he played in the state's history.
A brief summary of the history of Cairncross House is taken from the Brisbane City Council Heritage Register.
‘Cairncross House’ was possibly built by 1864 following the 1862 property transfer to Elizabeth Cairncross, wife of merchant William Cairncross, of ‘Colmslie House’ fame. The house may have been designed by the architect James Cowlishaw, who had built four Albert Street shops for William Cairncross in 1865. In 1867 the house served as early lodgings for St Vincent’s Catholic Orphanage, known then as the Roman Catholic Orphan School. It had several owners before being purchased by Sir Arthur Hunter Palmer in 1882 (Premier of Queensland from 1870-1874) and was then known as ‘St Clair’. The two-storey, stone dwelling of eight rooms with fruit and flower garden, was described as ‘one of the most substantially-built private residences in Brisbane’. Though the property remained in the Hunter-Palmer family until 1924, it was occupied by various tenants over the years. In the early 1890s it operated as a private hospital and from 1905 to the early 1940s as a private school.
During the parliamentary recess from August 1872 to May 1873 Palmer revealed his growing liberalism by working on a bill for the complete reform of state education. Strangely enough, he was at one with Lilley, his staunchest political opponent, both believing that state education was the only form which government expenditure should support. He collaborated with Lilley in drafting the bill and as a private member introduced it on 3 June 1873. It recommended only one class of schools and one system of primary education, the administration of which was to be directly responsible to parliament under a ministry for education. The principle of free education was vital to Palmer. In this bill he proposed that, after free primary education, the students who passed examinations could proceed to free grammar schools and even to a free university. For Palmer, free education was also to be compulsory; 'he looked upon it as the first duty of the State—particularly in a colony like this, where every male adult possessed such large political privileges—to educate the inhabitants so that they might know how to value and avail themselves of these privileges'. This liberal stance lost Palmer much favour from his own party members, who preferred the church school system with state aid. The Roman Catholics and Anglicans vigorously opposed this system as they stood to lose all financial support from the state and no provision was made in the bill for religious instruction during school hours. It failed at the second reading with most of Palmer's colleagues voting against it and he resigned.
Queenslander (Brisbane, Qld. : 1866 - 1939), Saturday 26 March 1898, page 600
Death of Sir Arthur Palmer.
Sir Arthur Hunter Palmer, K.C.M.G., President of the Legislative Council, whose protracted illness had during the past few days assumed a critical aspect, and whose death has been almost hourly expected since Friday last, passed away at his residence, Easton Grey, Toowong, at a quarter to 8 o'clock on Sunday morning. The death of Sir Arthur Palmer removes from political life in Queensland a figure which for over thirty years has been conspicuously associated with the growth and progress of the colony. Though the generation which knew Sir Arthur in his more active and more aggressive days in politics is passing away, and new faces are predominant in the Legislative Assembly, there are few who have not an accquaintance, from history alone, of the part he played in the past, especially in the stormy times of political contention. Sir Arthur was always regarded as an honest and capable administrator. His manner was brusque, but it was felt by those with whom party warfare at times brought him into conflict that his intentions were good and his purposes honourable. Sir Arthur Palmer was born in Armagh, Ireland, in 1819. His father was Lieutenant Arthur Palmer, R.N., and his mother was Emily, the daughter of Robert Hunter, of Dublin and Downpatrick. Sir Arthur as a lad attended Youghal School, and his education was completed by private tutors in Dublin. In 1838 he arrived in New South Wales, and entered the service of Mr. H. Dangar, working in connection with sta-tion properties, of which he ultimately became general manager. For twenty-three years he served Mr. Dangar, and then he came on to Queensland, and entered into pastoral pursuits. In 1866 he was returned to the Legislative Assembly for Port Curtis, and in the following year he joined the Mackenzie Government as Colonial Secretary and Secretary for Public Works. It was in August, 1867, he first took office, and in the September following he took the additional portfolio of Secretary for Lands. The Ministry lasted until November, 1868, when Sir Arthur went out of office with his colleagues. In May, 1870, Sir Arthur was sent for and formed an Administration, in which he was Premier and Colonial Secretary, and after some years he took the portfolio of Lands again. This Ministry lasted for about four years, and in January, 1874, Sir Arthur resigned. He then became a candidate for North Brisbane, and was returned, retiring from Port Curtis after some thirteen years' service. Some years of hard work in Opposition followed, but in 1878 the Mcllwraith Administration came into power, and Sir Arthur Palmer accepted office as Colonial Secretary and Secretary for Public Instruction. These positions he held until December, 1881, when, upon the death of Sir Joshua Peter Bell, he was offered and accepted the position of President of the Legislative Council. In the next year Sir Arthur (then Mr. Palmer) received the honour of knighthood. During his tenure of office as President of the Legislative Council Sir Arthur Palmer has several times administered the Government. After the departure of Sir Arthur Kennedy until the arrival of Sir Anthony Musgrave, and again from April, 1886, until De-cember, 1886, he acted as Governor; and again on the death of Sir Anthony Musgrave until the arrival of Sir Henry Norman. During the last two sessions of Parliament, Sir Arthur Palmer's health has not admitted of his carrying on his duties as usual, and last session he was not able to take his seat in the House at all. His place was taken by the Hon. F. T. BrentnalL Chairman of Committees. Of recent months it was evident to Sir Arthur Palmer's friends that his health was failing, but his splendid constitution enabled him to battle along for nigh ten years beyond the allotted span of which the Psalmist spoke. In his quiet home at Easton Grey, Toowong, Sir Arthur spent his last days peacefully, surrounded by the members of his family, and receiving the kindliest attention from loving hands. The last fourteen years of his life Sir Arthur spent in widowhood. He was married In 1865 to Cecilia Jessie, daughter of the late Archibald Mosman, of Armidale, New South Wales, and a sister of the Hon. Hugh Mosman, M.L.C., and of Lady Mcllwraith. Sir Arthur Palmer leaves three sons, Messrs. W. A. D., Cecil, and Carl Palmer, all of whom are well known in Brisbane ; also two daughters, who resided with their father at Easton Grey. Sir Arthur Palmer was honorary colonel of the Queensland Mounted Infantry, and always took a keen interest in defence matters. The funeral took place on Monday afternoon. A very large and representative gathering assembled, not with-standing the showery state of the weather. In compliance with the special request of the deceased, which coi-cided with that of the family, no State ceremonial was held. The procession left Easton Grey, Toowong, the residence of the deceased gentleman, about half-past 3 o'clock, the coffin, which was of cedar with silver appointments, being covered with many wreaths. Following the hearse were three mourning coaches. In the first were Miss Palmer (daughter of deceased), and Messrs. Palmer (sons); in the second was the Rev. T. Jones, of the Church of England, Toowong ; and in the third Mr. Robert Gray (Railway Commissioner) and the Hon. F. T. Brentnall (Presiding Chairman of the Legislative Council). Following the mourning coaches was a vehicle filled with wreaths, and after this came the carriage containing his Excellency the Governor, Lord Lamington. Members of the Ministry, the Legislative Council and Assembly, the officers of the various departments, &., and the general public followed in their order. A guard of mounted police was also present. The route was by the Sherwoodroad to the cemetery. The grave was on the crown of the hill, immediately alongside that of the late Lady Palmer, who died in 1885. The burial service of the Church of England was read by the Rev. T. Jones, and at the conclusion Captain Pelham, A.D.C. placed his Excellency the Governor's wreath upon the grave.
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