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West Ipswich
In 1862 there was a Big Ipswich, a Little Ipswich and North Ipswich.
In April 1935 the Queensland Times reported on the history of this area: “Little Ipswich” from the early 1850’s to the early 1860’s was the hub of this part of the newly-formed colony below the main range. The bullock driving fraternity were regarded as the uncrowned kings of West Moreton. A hardy race of fellows they were as a rule, their occupation tending to make them so. Ipswich was then the depot of the whole of the Downs and the “never Never” country beyond, and all the teamsters had to pass through “Little Ipswich” in bringing the wool to its destination. There is very little comparison between West Ipswich of to-day and the “Little Ipswich” of 70 years ago. The hearty knights of the bullock whip have toddled off to more congenial spheres, while residents who live near the main Toowoomba-road are not now disturbed by the leather-lunged admonitions of “wah, strawberry; gee’p, brindle’ get up, you brindle-boiled-bundle slow carnation of leather!” followed by a crack, like a young explosion, of the long-handled whip." There were four railway stations in Ipswich named: “Ipswich” – “Old Ipswich,” “New Ipswich,” “East Ipswich,” and “Little Ipswich.”
The Queenslander in 1899 told readers about Tommy Delong who was born in China in 1808. He had arrived in Sydney in 1842 and before coming to Ipswich he panned for gold in the Rocky River. He arrived in Brisbane in 1850 and travelled to Ipswich where he started a business at Little Ipswich.
Chinese market gardeners sold vegetable door to door with pair of traditional baskets hanging from a pole across their shoulders. At Christmas, they brought household gifts of small jars of ginger or fans. In the 1850s a house in Ridge Street was occupied as a sort of hospital by the Chinese population.
Little Ipswich had a church, school, lock-up, original police barracks, railway station, pound-yards, hotels, Dr. Dorsey’s hospital, boot-maker, saddler and harness maker, stores, Josiah Hancock’s mill opened in 1887. The first man to build a weather-board cottage in Little Ipswich was James England who became a large land holder in Bundamba and Tarampa. Another early settler was John Germain who commenced business as a tanner and currier in the late 1840s. Richard Watson grew cotton on his land in Little Ipswich. Other well-known families were: the Hills, Patricks, Farquhar Aberdeen, Peacocks, Smiths, Holmes, Hoares, Stanleys, Reddys, Dowlings, Gibsons, Connors, Ogilvies, Harrises, McLeods, Hasenkamps, Rodericks, McLeans, Behans, Bradfields, Fitzgeralds, Johnstons, Ashes, Ransoms and Gustav Rudoph Weise.
By 1881 the area was called West Ipswich.
References (online)1876 Ipswich Water Works PlanA Nonagenarian Chinaman, The Queenslander, 26 Aug 1899 p432Lonely Station, Queensland Times, 4 Oct 1949 p1Little Ipswich, Queensland Times, 16 Mar 1935 p12Glimpses of Ipswich History, Queensland Times, 16 Mar 1935 p12A Weeks Ruralising, Queensland Times, 13 Jun 1891 p2The Ipswich Park and Recreation Ground