A. E. Roberts

About 1853 Mr. R. Harvey established a coachbuilding business at the corner of Gordon and Brisbane Streets that was taken over by A.E. Roberts between August 1884 and 1885. Previously Roberts had his carriage works business in upper Brisbane Street. 

Albert Edward Roberts was a coachbuilder. His company built all manner of horse-drawn vehicles including night carts, or night-soil carts. They also repaired carriages and wagons. In 1895 they were buying, selling and exchanging coaches. The company won medals and awards for their work and built many vehicles for Ipswich and Queensland residents/businesses.

When cars became popular the firm graduated their business from horse-drawn vehicles to motorised ones, performing body repairs. Son Bert Roberts built bus bodies and became a Ford dealer. He opened a garage at the Five-ways in the late 1920s.