The singer John Williamson (pictured above) is the winner of twenty-six Golden Guitars. But it was another John Williamson with a penchant for gold who one hundred and forty years ago set records of another kind. I told a version of this story on West Bremer Radio.

In 1884, John Williamson had been living for more than two weeks at the Ulster Hotel on Brisbane Street, Ipswich. The historic Ulster that’s there today was built in 1910. It replaced the hotel in which Williamson stayed that had been on the site for many years.

He was there trying to sell an array of goods. These included a gold watch and chain, diamond ring, two gold seals and key, two pieces of gold, another gold watch and chain, a gold brooch, yet another gold watch, chain and locket, a gold cross, and a whole lot more.

The problem was that none of these things were his, and on the 22nd of March 1884 he was arrested on a charge of having committed several larcenies in Brisbane. When Williamson was arrested, he was even wearing a silver watch and chain that weren’t his either.

When he faced court, the list of victims was so long that they couldn’t all be listed in the newspaper reports, which simply said that there still more similar charges.

A key witness against Williamson was the artist Henry Parris who was also staying at the Ulster. Parris was a reasonably desirable artist, his last recorded sale was in 1993 for $20,000. Three years later, Parris shot himself, but that’s beside the point.

The problem for Williamson, as well as the sheer volume of his life’s work, was that he faced some very formidable foes in both who he stole from, and who arrested him.

The arresting officer at the Ulster Hotel was the powerful Senior Sergeant Andrew O’Driscoll. He was from Ballydehob in County Cork, Ireland.

O’Driscoll was said to be a man of splendid physique, a well-known and picturesque figure in the early days of Queensland policing. He stood six feet four inches tall, which was a giant of a man back then. His athletic prowess was long talked about, especially his boxing encounters with Larry Foley. Foley was the middleweight world champion who became known as the father of boxing in Australia. Foley was also Sergeant O’Driscoll’s brother-in-law.

So when Williamson was arrested in Ipswich, he never stood a chance.

Those who Williamson stole from were equally as influential. One was Richard Hews of South Brisbane. Williamson took from Hews a gold watch and chain, diamond ring, gold seals, monograms, gold key, and another ring. Hews was owner of the long-standing Brisbane printing firm R.S. Hews & Co. His sister was the central figure in an unexplained death after her husband the solicitor William Miskin disappeared from Dovercourt, Toowong, in 1891. When Hews passed away in 1896, his estate was worth more than six million dollars in today’s money.

Another victim of Williamson was William Overell of Milton in Brisbane. He lost a gold watch, chain and gold brooch. Overell was the founder in the 1870s of one of the biggest draperies in Queensland. His brother-in-law was the chief bailiff of the Supreme Court.

Overell’s grandson Bertram was a member of Z Special Unit. They famously carried out Operation Jaywick which was an attack on Japanese shipping in Singapore Harbour during the Second World War.

When Overell the elder died suddenly in 1917 he was worth tens of millions of dollars.

Anyway following the trial in 1884, Ipswich’s John Williamson was sentenced to three years penal servitude for stealing from a dwelling, and one year imprisonment for larceny, to be served concurrently.

After he got out in 1886, was he arrested on North Quay in Brisbane for vagrancy, but it was quickly realised how he was supporting himself – he was charged with stealing yet another gold watch and chain and sentenced to a further three years in gaol.

At that point, Ipswich’s most prolific thief who was arrested in the Ulster Hotel, disappeared from history.

Not the case for John Williamson the singer, who continues his own quest for gold.

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO A VERSION OF THIS STORY TOLD LIVE ON RADIO.

Photo credits:
John Williamson promotion photo, 2024 – Queensland com.
Alex Fairley’s Ulster Hotel in the 1893 floods – Sue Bostock family collection.
Seated Gentleman on Trap, mounted oil on canvas, by Henry Frederick Parris, 1877 – courtesy of Leonard Joel.
Inspector Andrew O’Driscoll aka Driscoll, 1905 – Queensland Police Museum.
Overell’s Drapery, Fortitude Valley, c1900 – State Library of Queensland.
William James Overell – Truth, Brisbane, 27 March 1949, page 36.