Coate's Brickworks Site

Statement of Significance

The place is notable as an early site in the business and commercial development of the town of Woodanilling.

Physical Description

The only remnants of the brick works is a hole from which the clay was excavated to make bricks. This is east of the house near the road. Around 2000 this was filled in

History

A new arrival in 1902 was Jethro Coate. He had emigrated to Queensland from Somerset, England in 1888, and was followed later in 1902 by his fiancee Agnes, and her widowed mother Janet Grover whom had been living at Charters Towers. On her arrival at Albany, Agnes Grover married Coate at the Presbyterian Manse. They boarded the train the same day and at Woodanilling set up house by the
bridge on the Robinson Road. The house already prepared by Coate for his bride was a "magnificent structure of bush timber, hessian walls, iron roof and mud floor, with an outside bakery oven".

During his early years at Wooclanilling, Jethro Coate worked in a variety of positions. Some time was spent working for the Cornwalls at the Beaufort and with the local shopkeepers Alfred Keirle and much later PN Rogers. Keirle had been his schoolmaster at Taunton In Somerset, years before. Coate worked for Rogers as the country delivery man, operating mainly in the Cartmeticup and West
Wooo!anilling areas. Having delivered his goods, he would often bring back the settlers' produce of eggs, butter and skins etc for credit or sale.

Jethro and Agnes Coate and their young family, now numbering three, spent some time developing a block four miles west of Woodanilling. However, by October 1909 they had run out of finance and were forced to sell. The homestead lease of 160 acres was to have been freeholded the following year. Coate had constructed a tin dwelling with a hipped roof. They also had another block of 196 acres adjoining. Following this, the Coate family had a number of shifts from the old hotel to William Gilmour's house south east of the town, before moving to Boyerine during the Great War to work for
Doug Wilson. It was here just one week before Christmas 1916 that their farm house was gutted by fire. All the contents were destroyed except a sewing machine and a mirror. At the time of the fire, Coate was secretary of the Woodanilling Rifle Club and had custody of the rifles and ammunition.

These together with a set of priceless Scottish saddlery loaned for a concert that week by the local school master, Wallace, were all lost in the fire. While arrangements were made for the Coates and their three youngest children to be accommodated at WocKiamiling, in C Meharry's mud brick house

Integrity/Authenticity

site only

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

Publish place record online (inHerit):

Last Update

Disclaimer

This information is provided voluntarily as a public service. The information provided is made available in good faith and is derived from sources believed to be reliable and accurate. However, the information is provided solely on the basis that readers will be responsible for making their own assessment of the matters discussed herein and are advised to verify all relevant representations, statements and information.