The war memorial at Canungra in the Scenic Rim, Queensland, was built thanks to public subscriptions, but it recalls an incredible history of much more support than that. I told a version of this story live on West Bremer Radio.

The memorial was actually unveiled in 1938 just before the Second World War by a fellow named Adolph. Adolph was wisely called Alf back in the day, his full name was Adolph Gustav Muller, the local member of parliament and state minister.

In the past I’ve found names that are wrong on war memorials and had them corrected, and now I’ve found another one. On the Canungra memorial is Solomon James Lane and he’s incorrectly recorded on the memorial as well as a plaque in the street as S.L. Lane, but it should be S.J. Lane instead. He died of bronchitis in 1917 just weeks after arriving in England, he didn’t even make it to the front.

On the memorial there are also three names from one family who served in the First World War.

There’s Joshua Ernest Jenyns. He was reported missing on an attack on Pozieres, France, in 1916 and his status was later updated to killed in action.

There is also his Robert Sylvester Jenyns who was six feet tall which was quite tall back then.

And then there’s Edmund William Jenyns. As a sergeant he was mentioned in despatches in the attack on Pozieres in 1916 on the same day that his brother disappeared. Edmund would be mentioned in despatches a second time in the Second World War. Mentioned in despatches twice but in separate world wars is something that not many people have done.

Five more of the Jenyns family are also on the memorial for service in the Second World War, two of them were killed in action. The Jenyns family was a big one and included cousins in Ipswich.

There was the “Professor” Thomas Jenyns of Nicholas-street in Ipswich. He died at home in 1911 after working forty years as a hairdresser. His hairdressing skills were very highly regarded.

Another cousin was George Jenyns of Thorn Lane and Park Street in Ipswich. His son Norman died as a POW of the Japanese just three months before end of the Second World War.

George’s mother was Mrs Sarah Ann Jenyns. She was the founder of the Jenyns corset empire. She started the business in Brisbane in 1900 and pioneered a patent surgical corset. She was managing director and her philanthropic work included support to overseas missionary.

She died at her home Huntingtower at Annerley, Brisbane, in 1952 aged eighty-six. Her death continued a series of major legal battles similar to what you’ve seen with Gina Reinhardt and her children in recent years.

Even before her death, there were allegations that Mrs. Jenyns was induced to enter into transactions with the undue influence of her son, Herbert, who allegedly told his mother a number of untrue stories about his brothers. My uncle, who knew the Jenyns family, remembers hearing these stories. The result was that four other brothers were kicked out of the family business, they were Ebenezer, Harold, Jack, and Ipswich’s George Jenyns.

The famous Dr. Raphael Cilento visited Mrs Jenyns in her later years and testified that, “The lady was mad…(and) was obviously completely insane.”

Upon Mrs Jenyns’ death, her will was the subject of a writ issued out of the Supreme Court.

So next time you visit war memorials, particularly in Ipswich or Canungra, think of corsets because there’s a tight connection there with a family that contributed so much.

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

Photo credits:
Canungra War Memorial, 2024 – Harold Peacock 20240726_125728.
Adolf Gustav Muller, Queensland politician – Wikipedia Commons.
SL Lane street plaque, Canungra, 2024 – Harold Peacock 20240726_153106.
Sarah Jenyns – ABC-State Library of Queensland.
Jenyns patent – National Archives of Australia.
Huntingtower residence in Annerley, Queensland, c1910 – State Library of Queensland.