Recently it was the 123rd anniversary of the royal visit to Ipswich that some say never happened, but I’ll tell you it did! I shared a version of this story on West Bremer Radio.

It was exactly one hundred and twenty-three years ago this week that there was a highly anticipated royal visit to Ipswich, Queensland, that many people have forgotten about.

It was just on noon on Friday the 24th of May 1901 that the royal train, on its way south, steamed up to the Ipswich railway station platform. The train with its regal passengers was visiting cities and towns around Australia.

On board was the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall and York (pictured above). They were the future King George V and Queen Mary who are the great-grandparents of our King Charles III today. This was the first visit to Australia by a royal heir-apparent, they were here to open the first Australian commonwealth parliament, and were causing a frenzy of social activity everywhere they went.

Brisbane was awash with street decorations including a royal ceremonial arch that was built over George Street, and a second indigenous arch that included Aboriginals standing in ceremonial dress. The governor of Queensland read the late Queen Victoria’s proclamation of Australia’s federation from the balcony of the treasury building. Nearby, Ipswich was also caught up in the excitement and showed that it too really knew how to throw a party.

There was a large crowd assembled to greet the royal visitors at the Ipswich station. Light refreshments were available, with waiters from government house being in attendance.

The crowd gasped as the train pulled up because the duke and duchess could be seen together inside one compartment of their car, both facing the front. The duke was nearest to the platform, and the duchess could be plainly seen through the central window.

Lord Lamington was the first to alight. He was the Queensland governor who had read the federation proclamation at the treasury building. Today he is immortalised having given his name to the lamington cake. The collective excitement of the Ipswich crowd was pulpable.

A number of Aboriginals had assembled at the station. They burst into signing in language and clapping of hands. They performed a full-on corroboree especially for the occasion.

Miss Fanny Hunt was the headmistress of Ipswich Girls Grammar School. She was there with her girls who had gathered on the embankment overlooking the line below the schoolgrounds.

Charles Alfred Flint was the headmaster of Ipswich Grammar School. He had his boys assembled at the Waghorn Street railway gates. Mr Flint was known to have a robust tenor voice and was ready to lead his boys in cheers.

Finally, the Aboriginals cheered and cheered again as the royal train departed on its way to Sydney. The Grammar school girls waved the royal visitors farewell. The Grammar school boys, with their masters, gave hearty cheers for the royal highnesses.

Of the refreshments that were on the platform, however, neither of their royal highnesses partook. The duke and duchess had remained seated in the one compartment of their railway car the whole time. The duke sat nearest to the platform, but kept the blind down covering the window.

The duchess at one stage did stand to watch the corroboree through the window, and graciously bowed and smiled, but on the whole sat quietly reading a newspaper.

The royal stay in Ipswich lasted less than fifteen minutes. The royals never left the carriage, and yet it seemed half the town was there. Two days were declared as public holidays in Ipswich to mark the occasion.

There have officially been ten royal visits to Ipswich since 1868. This would make it eleven – if you want to count it.

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

Photo credits:
Their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall and York May, 1901 – National Library of Australia.
Ceremonial arch Brisbane visit of the Duke and Duchess of York and Cornwall May 1901 – Stat Library of Queensland.
Lord Lamington leaves Treasury Building after reading Proclamation of the Commonwealth, Brisbane ,1901 – State Library of Queensland.
Governor of Queensland Lord Lamington, 1899 – State Library of Queensland.
First Headmistress of Ipswich Girls Grammar School Fanny Hunt, c1885 – Picture Ipswich.
Charles Alfred Flint – Queenslander, Brisbane, 2nd April 1910, page 21.
Platform Ipswich Railway Station, 1890-1900 – State Library of Queensland.