Queensland Soldiers' Comforts Fund, a working subdivision of the Australian Comforts Fund, was established during World War I. The purpose of the Fund was to provide comforts to soldiers on active service. This was achieved via appeals for donations, public subscriptions, and organising fundraising activities. Numerous branches of the Queensland Soldiers' Comforts Fund were spread throughout Queensland, Australia during this period. [1]
Queensland Soldiers' Comforts Fund was inaugurated at a public meeting convened by the Mayoress of Brisbane on 21 September 1915. A committee for the fund was formed with Lady Goold-Adams, wife of the Governor of Queensland Sir Hamilton John Goold-Adams, elected as patroness, and Lady Cowley, wife of former politician Sir Alfred Cowley, appointed president. Premises for the operation of the Queensland Soldiers' Comforts Fund was secured at Panbury House in Eagle Street, Brisbane. [2]
One of the committee's first activities was to appeal for public donations of various items that could be dispatched to soldiers overseas in time for Christmas. Accepted items included shirts, undershirts with short sleeves, mufflers, balaclava caps, handkerchiefs, writing pads, envelopes, pencils, pipes, tobacco, cigarettes, bootlaces, toothbrushes, toothpaste, soap, Vaseline, sweets, coffee, games, books and magazines. [2] [3]
By the end of World War I, the Queensland Soldiers' Comfort Fund declared that since October 1915 they had packed and shipped 5,010 cases to soldiers overseas, which included 17,324 shirts and 37,983 pairs of socks. [2]
Queensland Soldiers' Comforts Fund established a number of branches outside of their main Brisbane office. These included Ayr, Beaudesert, Beerwah, Benaraby, Bowen, Bundaberg, Caboolture, Calliope Valley, Charters Towers, Degilbo, Emu Creek, Eumundi, Goondiwindi, Ipswich, Isis Girls' Club, Kedron, Laidley, Lake Clarendon, Longreach, Many Peaks, Mapleton, Maroochy River, Maroon, Memerambi, Mitchell, Morven, Mount Morgan, Nambour, Nanango, Ormiston, Poona, Pialba, Sandgate, Tallebudgera, Townsville, Tiaro, Toogoolawah, Warra, Wattle Branch and Wynnum. [2]
Queensland Soldiers' Comfort Fund oversaw several fundraising operations.
The Coo-ee Cafe was a volunteer-run cafe initially situated in the basement of the Brisbane Club building in Adelaide Street, Brisbane, before moving to the ground floor. The cafe was in operation between 6 February 1917 and 23 November 1918. During this period over £7,600 (approximately 40 percent of profits made by the cafe) were contributed to various comforts funds. [2]
War-time Kitchen in Southport, Queensland was opened in September 1917 and operated by volunteers. The kitchen sold home-made cakes, sweets, jams and pickles. [4] Seventy-five percent of profits made went towards the Queensland Soldiers' Comforts Fund, averaging £40 per month. [2]
Situated in a shop in the Podmore and Hall building in Adelaide Street, Brisbane, the Jam Shop sold home-made jams and pickles to the public. [5] [6] The shop averaged £25 per month of profits for the Fund. [2]
During the annual Brisbane Exhibition at the Exhibition Grounds in 1917 and 1918, the Queensland Soldiers' Comforts Fund maintained its own refreshment stall, selling sandwiches, fruit and soft drinks with proceeds going toward the Fund. [7] The stall realized profits of £301 and £640 respectively. [2]
The State Library of Queensland is the main reference and research library provided to the people of the State of Queensland, Australia, by the state government. Its legislative basis is provided by the Queensland Libraries Act 1988. It contains a significant portion of Queensland's documentary heritage, major reference and research collections, and is an advocate of and partner with public libraries across Queensland. The library is at Kurilpa Point, within the Queensland Cultural Centre on the Brisbane River at South Bank.
Sherwood is a suburb of the City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. At 2016 census the suburb recorded a population of 5,313.
The Shire of Cardwell was a local government area of Queensland. It was located on the Coral Sea coast about halfway between the cities of Cairns and Townsville. The shire, administered from the town of Tully, covered an area of 3,062.2 square kilometres (1,182.3 sq mi), and existed as a local government entity from 1884 until 2008, when it amalgamated with the Shire of Johnstone to form the Cassowary Coast Region.
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The Town of Sandgate is a former local government area of Queensland, Australia, located in northern Brisbane adjacent to Moreton Bay.
The Shire of Balmoral is a former local government area of Queensland, Australia, located in eastern Brisbane.
The Shire of Coorparoo is a former local government area of Queensland, Australia, located in eastern Brisbane.
Mount Alford is a rural town and locality in the Scenic Rim Region, Queensland, Australia. In the 2016 census the locality of Mount Alford had a population of 268 people.
The Queensland War Council (1915–1932) was established by the Queensland Government to co-ordinate Queensland's assistance to World War I soldiers and their dependents.
William Lennon was a politician in Queensland, Australia. He was a Member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly and a Member of the Queensland Legislative Council. He was Lieutenant-Governor of Queensland.
William Parry Colborne was a member of the Queensland Legislative Council.
Timothy John Donovan was a member of the Queensland Legislative Council.
John Stanislaus "Jack" Hanlon was a journalist and member of the Queensland Legislative Council.
Thomas Llewellyn Jones was a company director and member of both the Queensland Legislative Council and Queensland Legislative Assembly.
Herbert George McPhail was a member of both the Queensland Legislative Council and Queensland Legislative Assembly.
James Allan was a draper and a member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly.
David John Garland (1864–1939) was an Anglican clergyman and a military chaplain in Queensland, Australia. As senior army camp chaplain in Queensland from 1914 to 1917, Garland experienced the World War I both at home and at the front. He was one of the originators of the now annual Anzac Day ceremonies. Described as "overpoweringly energetic with a distinctive flair, if not genius, for organisation", he played a pivotal role in the Queensland experience of the war, and was a central figure in a variety of committees and organisations established to aid the war effort and support or commemorate serving or returned soldiers.
Annie Margaret Wheeler was an Australian volunteer welfare worker who assisted soldiers from Central Queensland during World War I. She maintained a detailed card index of all soldiers from Central Queensland so that mail and parcels from their families could reach them and she provided practical and financial assistance to soldiers who were wounded, on leave in England or needing assistance with the army's bureaucracy. She was nicknamed "Mother of the Queenslanders" and "Mother of Anzacs".
Formed in 1900, the Queensland Patriotic Fund was responsible for raising funds and fund administration to provide financial and other assistance to those who were serving or had served in the armed forces of Australia, as well as offering support to their families.