Grangehill A link to Brisbane's Scottish Merchant Heritage
QUEENSLAND.
By the Yarra Yarra, from Brisbane, we have papers to the 19th instant.
ANOTHER FLOOD—We have scarcely ceased to write about the recent flood before another one calls us to record its disasters. This time, however, the scene of its operations is more 1imited, and the sufferers are chiefly dwellers in Brisbane. In the suburbs the rain tell on Tuesday night in tremendous quantities, filling creeks and gullies in an incredibly short space of time. There has not been in York Hollow and Spring Hollow, such an accumulation of water for many a long year. Again all the brick clay pits have been filled, and the work of the brick-maker completly put a stop to. So high did the water rise that it swept over the bridge that crosses the road a little beyond Mr Alexander Raff s house. During the last flood it never in this part rose so high, and yet at Bowen Bridge, only a little further on, it rose much higher on the former occasion. At Milton on the other side of the town, the creek rose nine feet in less than two hours. But the greatest damage was done, strange to say, in the centre of the town. The shopkeepers were the sufferers this time, not the farmers, at least so far as we have yet ascertained. Our town readers are aware that on the north side of Queen-street there runs a small creek, which in hot and dry weather becomes a stinking nuisance; but, inasmuch as it is the outlet of the reservoir, and drains a large area of ground between the reservoir and the town, in wet weather it runs brimful of water. In certain parts this creek is converted into a drain, and covered, and in other parts it is open. The drain is too small for the body of water that during floods comes rushing along; and, moreover, some parts of it being open, and subject to receive all kinds of rubbish, from empty cass to immense boxes, when such a fall of rain occurs as that by which we were visited on Tuesday night, some disaster must happen. This very serious and sudden watery visitation was not occasioned bv the bursting of the reservoir, as some persons thought, but simply by the drain behind that portion of Queen-street to which we have referred being too small, and some parts of it getting blocked up with empty boxes, boards, and rubbish. We have been furnished with the following trustworthy details by two gentlemen who were witnesses to the scene, and who, we are sorry to say, are also sufferers by the flood.
Alexander Raff
Wikipedia Information
Alexander Raff (1820–1914) was a politician in Queensland, Australia. He was a Member of the Queensland Legislative Council. Raff was born in Forres, Elginshire, Scotland, in July 1820, as the third son of James and Margaret Raff. Raff arrived in New South Wales in 1845, following his eldest brother, George Raff, who had arrived in 1841. After first settling in Victoria pursuing pastoral interests, Raff arrived in Brisbane, aboard the Souvenir schooner on 9 April 1851. Raff purchased two blocks of land on what was to become Gregory Terrace in Spring Hill on 14 May 1860 for £312.4.3. A third adjacent block was subsequently bought by Raff in 1864 from the original 1860 purchaser, John Frederick McDougall. In January 1861, Raff was seriously injured when he was thrown from his horse.
Raff married Elizabeth Millar Patterson, the elder daughter of a prominent Scottish medical family, in Sydney on 5 June 1862. The newly-weds arrived in Brisbane aboard the Balclutha on 13 June 1862. Raff and his wife Elizabeth had seven children, six of whom survived to adulthood. At some point prior to the birth of his first child, Jessie Watson, on 18 April 1863, the now heritage listed house Grangehill was built on the Gregory Terrace site and occupied by Raff's family. In 1865 Raff was appointed to the position of Official Assignee of Insolvent Estates, and in 1868 he was promoted to the position of Curator of Intestate Estates. The Official Assignee was responsible for collecting the assets of an insolvent debtor and distributing them among the creditors; the Curator of Intestate Estates administered the estate of deceased persons, thought to have died intestate.
Raff continued his pastoral interests in Queensland, on his property, Logie Plains on the Darling Downs. For many years from the 1880s, Raff was a partner of Smellie and Co, looking after the financial interests of the company. In August 1884 Raff was appointed to the Queensland Legislative Council. Raff was an active member of various organisations and societies, including the Brisbane School of Arts, where he was elected treasurer in January 1854; the Pilot's Board; the Queensland Horticultural and Agricultural Society and the Queensland Philosophical Society, in both of which he acted as treasurer during the 1860s. Raff was the first president of the Young Men's Christian Association in Queensland. Other organisations of which he was a member include the Queensland Steam Navigation Company; the Board of National Education pending the passing of the Education Act in 1860; and, later, the men's steering committee for the Brisbane Children's Hospital established in 1878. Raff was a director of the Scottish Mutual Land and Mortgage Company; the Agricultural Company; the Brisbane Gas Company and National Mutual Life Association. Raff was an elder in the Presbyterian Church. Raff retired from the legislative council on 10 June 1910 (he was approaching his 90th birthday). Raff died on 26 January 1914. He was buried in the Toowong Cemetery on 27 January 1914.
Alexander Raff and the Smellie Company
Evening News (Rockhampton, Qld. : 1924 - 1941), Friday 9 October 1925, page 4
The Late Mr. James Milne.
Brisbane 8-10-25, The death of James Milne deprives the commercial and financial world of the State of one of its personalities. The late Mr. Milne was born In Lanarkshire, Scotland, In December. 1850. As a youth he entered the employ of the Arm of which lie was afterwards destined to become the head Messrs. Smellie and Co. Subsequently he became a partner with the Hon. Alexander Raff, and his son James Raff. When Alexander Raft retired from the firm the business was floated into a limited liability company, with Mr. Milne as managing chairman of directors, which position he held until the time of his demise. He was chairman of directors of the London board of Messrs. Thos. Brown and Sons Ltd., and was this morning to have attended a meeting of the local hoard of directors. He occupied the position of chairman or directors of the Queensland National Bank, and also held the post as director of the Union Trustee Company and The United Insurance Company.
Death of Alexander Raff
Beaudesert Times (Qld. : 1908 - 1954), Friday 1 May 1914, page 5
Big Estates. Brisbane; April 28.
Probate has be granted in the will of the late Mr. Alexander Raff, M.L.C., of Grange Hill, Brisbane. Deceased left property valued for probate purposes at over £57,273. All the real and personal estate is bequeathed to his wife,his son James, and the trustees upon trust, with instructions to realise subject to the following annuities: — £1000 a year to Mrs. Raff, £200 a year to his daughter, Elizabeth Kelly; £80 a year to his wife's sister, Mary Kirk of Yass (N.S.W.); £80 a year to his wife's sister Agnes H Paterson, of Glasgow. All his plate, jewellery, furniture, find other personal effects are left to his wife. He also bequeathed £50 a year to the Seamen's Institute, Brisbane. The residue of tho trust estate is left for the benefit of certain of testator's children and grandchildren.
Grange Hill as a Hostel and Home
Daily Mail (Brisbane, Qld. : 1903; 1916 - 1926), Wednesday 5 December 1917, page 3
GRANGE HILL CONVALESCENT HOME,
The trustee in the estate of the late Alexander Raff, recently made available. "Grange Hill," .Gregory-terrace, as the first convalescent home in Queensland for returned soldiers. The committee in charge of tho home have been working assiduously in an effort to raise the nessecary funds to furnish the place and provide the required foodstuffs. Gifts of money or in kind will gladly be received and splendid results have so far attended the efforts of the committee. But in one particular way country people can assist. The institution is in special need of a few dairy cows. Mr. A. F. Moore. M.L.A., has generously donated one beast, and a large city firm have promised another but a couple of others are still required, Communications should be addressed to Mrs. S. Balls, "Bon Hill," Ascot,
Brisbane Courier (Qld. : 1864 - 1933), Tuesday 5 April 1927, page 33
THE HEIR APPARENT.
THE visit of the Prince of Wales to Australia in 1920 is of such recent date that there are few residents in Queensland who will not be able to recall his genial personality and smiling features. His genuine, good nature, fondness for outdoor sports, and his partiality for dancing at once endeared him to people of all sections of the community, and he earned for himsef such titles as "Prince of Smiles," "Prince Charming,'"etc.
Friday, July 30, the fourth day of the Royal visit, was a little less strenuous than the previous days, nevertheless the Prince's time was fully occupied." According to the official programme the morning was "free," and his Royal Highness seized the opportunity to pay another visit to Ascot Racecourse, where he rode several horses at exercise and, incidentally, put up a new record for the track. The principal engagement in the afternoon was the People's Reception in the Botanic Gardens, and it is estimated that about 9000 persons were present. Subsequently the Prince visited the Grangehill convalescent home and the Military Hospitals at Rosemount and Enoggera. In the evening he was the guest of the Queensland Club at dinner, and subsequently he attended the Shakespearian ball. Affectionate demonstrations marked the progress of his Royal Highness during the day, and in the evening scenes of enthusiasm were witnessed as his motor car passed through the city en route to Bulimba.
James Raff -The Second Generation at Grangehill
Telegraph (Brisbane, Qld. : 1872 - 1947), Friday 8 September 1939, page 16
Late Mr. James Raff
The late Mr. James Raff was the eldest son of the late Hon. Alexander Raff, member of the Legislative Council of Queensland. Mr. James Raff commenced his commercial career with Smellie and Company in 1889. On the death of his father he carried on in partnership with the late Mr. James Milne until the company was converted into a limited liability company in June 1909 and was engaged actively until his retirement in December 1915. He remained a director until his death. Since his retirement he had spent several years abroad, being particularly interested in Italy. He also visited Mexico. He was greatly interested in Italian literature, paintings, and was a collector of Italian glass. Of recent years he spent most of his time at Russell Island. He never married.
Townsville Daily Bulletin (Qld. : 1907 - 1954), Thursday 9 November 1939, page 10
MR. JAMES RAFF.
Left Estate of £40,000.
An estate of £40,000 was left by James Raff, 72, retired business man, who was found dead on August 26 in his flat In Cordelia Street, South Brisbane, where he lived alone.
This was stated in the Brisbane Coroner's Court by Constable Joseph Edward Griffiths, Woolloongabba, at tbe inquest. Raff who was a son of the late Mr. Alexander Raff, M.L.C., had been a director of the firm of Smellie and Co., city, Griffiths said. He had lived in Italy for about 12 months. Before going to Cordelia Street he had lived at the Queensland Club. His flat was well appointed and he had every comfort. He had property at Hamilton. Beneficiaries under his will were James Raff, of Warwick, and Dr. A. Murphy, nephews, Mrs. E. B. C. Cullen, of Hamilton, a niece, and Frank Raff, of Warwick. Griffiths added that there were no suspicious circumstances about Raff's death. Harold Victor Jost, of Melbourne Street, South Brisbane, said that Raff owned the block of flats in which he lived at the back of Jost's shop. He used to buy food there and apparently cook it himself. On August 26 he came into the shop complaining that he was ill. Jost said that he had rung the surgery of Dr. Murphy, who, however, was in America. Jost then rang another doctor. The Coroner (Mr. J. J. Leahy) closed the inquest.
Courier-Mail (Brisbane, Qld. : 1933 - 1954), Thursday 9 March 1950, page 5
R.C. ORDER BUYS OLD MANSION
GRANGEHILL, on the spur of Gregory Terrace, near the Exhibition, one of Brisbane's oldest homes, has been sold to the Discalced Order of Carmelite Fathers as a retreat for laymen for £15,000, exclusive of furniture. Archbishop Duhlg said the money which was paid for the building was supplied by the mother house in Dublin. The Discalced Order, said Archbishop Duhig carried on principally the work of retreat for men, who wanted to spend; quiet week-ends listening to lectures. Members of the order also assisted diocesan priests in various ways. The order would be able to accommodate 20 men at a time at the home. A chapel would be installed later. Grangehill has been conducted as a guest house. It was formerly the home of the Raff family, a member ol which, the late James Raff, was a member of the Legislative Council. T. B. McGuire and Co., estate agents, introduced the buyer to the Union Trustee Co. of Australia, Ltd., which is handling the Raff estate.
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