This anecdote is from a series written by Roy Porter and published for family members (courtesy Ross Porter)
Uncle SandyThe Porter brothers - James, Sandy and Bob - had the name of being hard men to deal with - Grandma Margaret Marshall called them "kittle cattle ", whatever that may mean in English - but Sandy was the toughest of the trio.
It was Sandy who opposed the payment of wages to the small army of sons – eight of James' and five of his own - that formed most of the work force of the partnership's properties.
It was Sandy who masterminded the keeping of coloured fleeces of the black sheep in the Porter flocks, and having them made up into brown suits by Cribb & Foote, the Ipswich weavers - a "cacky brown" the 15 young Porter lairs called the colour.
It was Sandy who caused the first break in the Porter's workforce. This came about when Alex, James' eldest son, was appointed manager of "Elgin and "Scrub Paddock" properties, as well as receiving reams of advice from James and Sandy, he was also given a cheque book to finance the operations. But, alas, "easy come, easy go" seemed to be young Alex's motto and he lavished the firm's cash on a spanking sulky and thoroughbred, with which he wooed and won - sometimes with disastrous after-effects - a succession of South Burnett beauties.
Of course, all good things have an ending, and Alex was brought home in disgrace. His father gave him a tongue lashing, but Sandy used his stout walking stick. Alex's young manhood rebelled at this assault, and he threw Uncle Sandy into the nearby washpool, packed his bag, and left home. (He became assistant superintendent of the Westbrook Home, and eventually retired to Wooloowin with Aunt Frances and his family -Cecil, Grace and Stanley).
I remember being a passenger in Uncle Sandy's Buick roadster on a trip from Pittsworth to "Boxthorn", his family property. Uncle's favourite perfume was Johnny Walker, and he had evidently used it lavishly. Uncle and I sat in the rear seat, with grandson Norman driving. In his high spirits, the old chap wanted speed and more speed. "Faster, boy, faster!" he urged Norman, emphasising his wishes with heavy blows of his walking stick. Norman tried to create a record for the 14-mile trip, but the combination of Uncle Sandy and a rough bush road beat him. I still think Norman would have made it except for the short cut we took through two fences on the way.
When in town, Uncle Sandy always stayed at the Royal Hotel in Pittsworth, and Mrs Forrest took special care of him, even to the extent of giving him a balcony room directly above the public bar. The old chap liked to relax on the balcony, thumping on the floor with his walking stick when he needed liquid refreshment from the bar for himself and the cronies who visited him.
He and his brothers, James and Bob, were members and Masters of the Masonic Lodge, in the days when Masonic banquets were really something. It is a matter of record that James and Sandy, no doubt inspired by good fellowship and sundry other ingredients, decided to have a buggy race over the 8-mile course to "Roseneath". Search parties were sent out when the revellers' horses arrived home with no buggies or drivers, and brothers lying on the roadway where their vehicles had come into collision.
Porter-Davidson marriages (PDF)
Service number: 5398
Rank: Private
Unit: 26th Battalion (Infantry)
Service: Australian Army
Conflict: 1914-1918
Date of death: 9 October 1917
Place of death: Belgium
Cemetery or memorial details: Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Belgium
Source: AWM145 Roll of Honour cards, 1914-1918 War, Army
Transcript of Obituary
The death is announced of Mr. A
E. (Sandy) Porter, one of Queensland’s pioneers, at the age of
82 years 2 months. There were probably few men better known on the Darling
Downs
and in
the early
days
of Brisbane than the deceased and his brother James, and they were recognised
as authorities on pastoral matters.
He was born at Perth, Scotland, in 1839, and when 10 years of age came
to Australia with his parents on the ship Scotia. After a passage of
five months, they landed
at Sydney, but came on to Brisbane immediately.
With their father, “Sandy” and his brother James were employed
by Mr. Andrew Petrie, grandfather of the present member. Captain Wickham, P.M.,
was then the chief man in authority, and a company of the 11th Infantry was
stationed
in the town. There were hundreds of blacks in the district, and owing to trouble
with them, all were compelled to leave the village in the evening.
Later the father and the two boys went gold mining, “humping bluey” through
New South Wales. They did some harvesting during the trip, and “Sandy” was
fond of relating that for rations they were given so many lbs. of wheat, which
they had to grind into meal as best they could. The price they got for reaping
(sickle work) was 12/6 per acre.
They visited various mining fields, eventually reaching the Ovens, in Victoria.
After two years’ absence they returned to Brisbane, and again worked for
the Petries. Subsequently “Sandy’s” father bought a farm
at the Junction, Ipswich, where he died.
The brothers then went to the Downs, working first at Eton Vale (then owned
by Hodgson and Watt, father of Mr. J. Watt, of Corinda), building yards and
the
washpool there. Afterwards they built washpools on stations all over the Downs,
including Western Creek (then owned by Captain Vignoles, who, as captain of
the Scotia, had brought them out), Jimbour, St. Ruth’s, Felton, Balgownie,
Jondaryan, etc.
They conducted the Prince Alfred Hotel, on the Eton Vale Road, for a time,
this being in the days when Drayton was a great deal more important than Toowoomba.
The first land they held was Stratharman (which is still in the family), near
Tummaville, where they struck a bad drought (1872), followed by a big flood.
The men being away with the stock, the women took refuge on the roof, whence
they were rescued by the late Mr. J Pont, who brought a boat from Tummaville.
The brothers then took up land on North Branch, which eventually became their
headquarters, and where they resided until their deaths.
Another brother, Robert, had land adjoining. The three brothers married three
sisters, the Misses Davidson.
The surviving children from the three marriages number 18, grandchildren 32,
and great-grandchildren 6.
“
Sandy” could relate many humorous anecdotes of the early days, one being
that on the day of landing at Brisbane (72 years ago) Mrs. Porter hung the
blankets on some nice green bushes on the river bank for an airing. Those bushes
were
prickly pear, and the family experiences that night may be guessed.
He was a member of the first Jondaryan Divisional Board, with James Taylor,
Frank Gore, C. Campbell, and others.
His wife predeceased him by 18 years, and of a family of five sons and three
daughters two of the sons (Robert and Andrew) are dead, Andrew giving his life
for his country in the Great War.
The Brisbane Courier 25th May 1921