Gillis Family

Robert Walter Ernest Gillis, known as Walter was born on 3 February 1874 in Portadown, Northern Ireland. In 1886 he started work as a clerk in the office of Thomas Sinton's Spinning Mills and he went on to learn the flax business. The Mills were just a short walk from the family home "Rose Cottage".

In 1894, Walter left Ireland to go to Canada where he worked in the firm of William Scudder, Machinist. He joined the Second Regiment Canadian Artillery Active Militia of Canada the following year and attained the rank of Company Quarter Master Sergeant.

Walter left Montreal in 1898 and moved to Vancouver B.C. and worked at the British Columbia Iron Works. Just three years later he received $100 Canadian from the Canadian Composing Company when he set out for Australia in their employ. Walter installed and instructed people on the use of the 'Monoline' at newspaper companies in New Zealand and in Australia, from Adelaide up to Charters Towers. He first travelled to New Zealand in 1902 and he went to Napier in July of that year. While in Napier he met Annie Bertille Holder whom he visited on many occasions between 1902 and 1904. He married Annie, who he called Birdie on 14 July 1904 at her family home.

Walter and Annie travelled to Australia, departing from Wellington in New Zealand on 16 July 1904. They moved to Queensland and in 1906 settled in Ipswich where Walter worked at 'The Queensland Times' Newspaper. Only two years before their arrival, Ipswich had been proclaimed a City.