In 1871 two great international stars visited at the same time, only one felt the love of the town. I told a version of this story live on Ipswich’s West Bremer Radio.

One of the visitors was Anthony Trollope, a famous and prolific English novelist typical of the Victorian era. His grandfather was the sixth son of Sir Thomas Trollope, 4th Baronet, and his own grandsons would inherit the baronetcy.

Trollope wrote his first novels when he was a post office inspector in Ireland, occasionally getting ideas by reading what was in the “lost letter” box. In the 1860s, he made postal history by introducing the pillar box or mailboxes to the world. In the meantime, his novels brought great success, so much so that Trollope became a household name.

In 1871, he made his first trip to Australia. In Brisbane he was a guest of Queensland’s first chief justice, Sir James Cockle. Trollope then boarded a coach and went to Ipswich where he was the guest of the Ipswich alderman Mr. William Vowles at his Springvale Gardens in Newtown.

Vowles was one of the pioneers of Ipswich. He built the first house in Ipswich which was where the old Caledonian Hotel on Bell Street is today, and was a very enthusiastic orchardist and floriculturist, regularly exhibiting very fine oranges, loquats and pineapples at the Ipswich show. Vowles’ son was said to be the first white baby born in Ipswich, and his grandson was a member of Queensland parliament and leader of the opposition.

What attracted Trollope to the Vowles garden was a very interesting, although ultimately unsuccessful experiment of growing grape vines. Trollope was only a brief visitor and from there he left town, riding out through Cunningham’s Gap heading for the Darling Downs.

Meanwhile, back in Ipswich at the very same time was a giant by the name of Zhan Shichai or “Chang the Chinese Giant”. He was over eight feet or around two-and-a-half metres tall and travelled the world making public appearances.

Chang and Trollope were competing for newspaper space, and while Trollope was entertained by the chief justice and founders of the colony, Chang the Chinese Giant swooned townsfolk with his suavely told stories from China.

Chang wowed the town at the Ipswich School of Arts (pictured top of page), charging two shillings a head ad attracting hundreds of visitors a night. He was an irresistible attraction at twenty-four years old and handsome with natural charm and refinement. He walked among his audience, describing Chinese collectibles which of course were for sale, all the while talking and laughing in a very pleasant manner. Chang was a scholar which he claimed was like his father before him who was also a disciple of Confucius, his grandfather was a sage famous for his wisdom, and his great-grandfather was a man of war whose deeds were sung about by poets.

Chang even invited onto stage the popular English acting couple Rosa Cooper and Lionel Harding, the latter who was rumoured to be illegitimately linked to aristocracy including his very close friend Lord Belmore the governor of New South Wales.

In short, Ipswich fell in love with the giant Chinaman.

Meanwhile, after Trollope’s visit he wrote a travel guide. He accurately noted that Queensland hated New South Wales, and New South Wales hated Victoria. But regards Ipswich, he alienated the whole population. He commented on Ipswich’s post office, two or three businesses, and what he described as the usual assortment of “dull rectangular streets” which he said prevented the town from ever looking any more than bland.

Aloof and pandering to the political class that hosted him, Trollope said that the only redeeming feature of Ipswich was that it was represented by three politicians in parliament, as opposed to Rockhampton a city of the same size which only had one.

That’s right, the one good thing Trollope said about Ipswich was its over-supply of politicians.

So in this 1871 popularity contest with the endearing Chang the Chinese Giant, Trollope was universally despised and finished a very distant second. The giant came out on top.

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

Photo credits:
Ipswich Art Gallery when the School of Arts, Brisbane Street, Ipswich, 1895 – Picture Ipswich.
Anthony Trollope by London Stereoscopic Photographic Company – National Portrait Gallery.
James William Laing, Springvale Gardens, drawing of Spring Gardens, New Town, Ipswich, 1869 – State Library of Queensland.
Chang the Chinese Giant, 1870 – State Library of Victoria.
Lord Somerset Richard Belmore c1868-1872 – State Library of New South Wales.