Ravenswood Historical Archive
Ravenswood, 85 kilometres east of Charters Towers, developed as the first major mining town in North Queensland when gold was discovered there in 1868. Pastoralists had moved into the area in the 1860s and the town was named was after one of the region's early stations. A small number of prospectors were working the field by 1869 when a further discovery of gold was made at the site of the present town. Crushing machinery was brought to the town to process the ore in 1870. The year 1870 also marked the year that the Ravenswood Miner newspaper was first published. In 1871 there were 2,000 to 3,000 miners on the field and Ravenswood was Queensland's first large inland settlement. In 1872, the first small School of Arts was formed, providing a lending library, newspapers and a meeting place for its members and in 1875 a separate library building was built beside it. In 1884, the current hall was built beside the library, presumably replacing the first small hall. In 1992 the library was demolished. Ravenswood was registered with the Australian Department of the Environment on 21 March 1978.
This collection consists of materials from prominent early Ravenswood organisations such as the Ravenswood Amateur Dramatic Society, Ravenswood School of Arts, and Ravenswood Rifle Club. Records from the Marine Board of Queensland are also present.
Archive Location: 458M-459R
Detailed Listing
Series 1: Mining Records
RHC/1/ Ravenswood Miners and Accident Association bank book (Queensland National Bank Limited, Ravenswood), 1906-1918
RHC/2/ The Charters Towers School of Mines, 1907-1920, syllabus books
RHC/3/ Ravenswood Miners and Accident Association, record of committee meetings, 1910-1918
RHC/4/ Ravenswood Miners and Accident Association Cash Book, 1912-1918, including statements of receipts [fragile]
RHC/5/ Ravenswood Miners and Accident Association Ledger Book, 1910 (?)-1918 [fragile]
RHC/6/ Ravenswood Miners and Accident Association Ledger Book, 1908-1914; Benefit Fund Revenue
RHC/7/ Docket book: Form for the Use of Manager of Public Crushing Battery, start date 1939 [fragile, water damage]
RHC/8/ Correspondence regarding dissolution of the Ravenswood Miners and Accident Association, 1918
RHC/9/ Docket: Miners' Accident Association with dividend details on the back, signed Otto Anderson, Secretary [undated]
RHC/10/ Bury and St. Edmonds Gold Mining Group Call Book, 1903
RHC/10a/ 'Mother Lode' Syndicate; notebook with minutes of meetings, 1920-1921
RHC/10b/ Two telegrams concerning 'Mother Lode' business, stock exchange
RHC/10c/ Invoices/accounts for mining and blasting supplies, Hollimans Ltd., 1920s
RHC/10d/ Invoice/account for Sam Woo & Coy., 1921
RHC/10e/ 'Mother Lode Syndicate' invoice/account for Stitt & Keller, 1921
RHC/10f/ 1 page handwritten account regarding transfer of 'Mother Lode' claim, undated
RHC/10g/ 1 page letter written to George by Miles A. Gabriel (?), Pioneer Mill, Pioneer, September 29, 1921 [damaged]
RHC/10h/ 'Mother Lode Syndicate' interim receipt from the State Government Insurance Office, October 11, 1921
RHC/10i/ Receipt for fee application exemption on 'Mother Lode' claim, October 4, 1921
Series 2: School of Arts
RHC/11/ Ravenswood School of Arts Minute Book, 1913-1937
RHC/12/ Ravenswood School of Arts, 1923-1931; list book of unspecified type
RHC/13/ R'wood School of Arts: Index of Library Books
RHC/14/ R'wood School of Arts ledger/register (?) of books borrowed (?), 1936-1945
RHC/15/ Ravenswood School Inward Correspondence, 1935-1936
RHC/16/ Ledger Book [fragile]
RHC/17/ School of Arts Receipts, 1930s [very fragile]
RHC/18/ School of Arts letters, notes, receipts, 1930s [very fragile]
RHC/19/ School of Arts Cash Book Receipts, 1930-1937 [bundle, very fragile]
RHC/20/ School of Arts Cash Book Receipts, 1930 (?)-1937 [bundle, very fragile]
RHC/21/ Ravenswood School of Arts receipts, 1922-1934; loose pages from a ledger/accounts book [fragile]
RHC/22/ Form E. Queensland. Libraries and Reading Rooms statistics form for 1936-1937 [fragile]
RHC/23/ Ledger/accounts book with 'Journal' inscribed on spine, 1908-1936
RHC/24/ Three Commonwealth Savings Banks (Townsville Branch) deposit books belonging to the Ravenswood School of Arts: 1935-1947; 1947-1948; 1948-1951
RHC/25/ Two Ravenswood School of Arts receipt books: Subscriber's Ticket book, 1947-1953; 1940-1944
RHC/25a/ Ledger Book, organised alphabetically
Series 3: Ravenswood Amateur Dramatic Society
RHC/26/ Special Grand Production of H.J. Byron's Comedy, 'Our Boys', at the School of Arts Hall, March 5th 1902
RHC/27/ The Ravenswood Amateur Dramatic Society Benefit to School of Arts. T.W. Robertson's Celebrated Comedy, in 3 Acts, 'Caste', April 4, 1907
RHC/28/ The Scarlet Troubadours. Mr. Edward Branscombe's English Costume Concert Company, Public Hall, Ravenswood, August 14th, 1908
RHC/29/ Script for play: 'Pick-pocket', Act I. Hand-written Mss.
RHC/30/ Script for play: 'Pick-pocket', Acts II and III. Hand-written Mss.
RHC/31/ Script for play: 'All for Gold'. Hand-written Mss, dated 3 June, 1911
RHC/32/ Script for play: 'All for Gold'. Hand-written Mss.
RHC/33/ Script for play: 'All for Gold' Typed Mss.
RHC/34/ Script for play: 'Our Boys' Hand-written Mss, by Mary [Ambrose?]
RHC/35/ Script for play: 'My Bold Soldier Boy.' Hand-written Mss, by Michael O'Doe and Otto Anderson
RHC/36/ Script for play: 'Won at Last' Typed Mss, by Mary [Ambrose?] [fragile]
RHC/37/ Script for play: 'Under the Gaslight' Hand-written Mss.
RHC/38/ Two Ravenswood Amateur Dramatic Society bank books (Queensland National Bank Ltd.), 1910, 1920-1921
RHC/39/ Correspondence: letter addressed to Otto, from Robert Gard, Esq., Charters Towers, 19 February 1909, 2p.
RHC/40/ Correspondence: letter addressed to Robert Gard, Esq., from [?] Smith, Sydney, 2 January, 1909, 2p.
RHC/41/ Grand Production by the Herberton Dramatic Club of 'The Silver King', Shire Hall, Herberton, Boxing Night, December 26
RHC/42/ Rules of The Ravenswood Amateur Dramatic Society, 1908 [fragile]
RHC/43/ Handwritten list with heading 'Manuscript Plays', and notes on obverse side with heading '6 Feb. 1908'
RHC/44/ Handwritten notes for a play
RHC/45/ Script for play: 'Under Two Flags'. Hand-written Mss, by Bertie Cecil
RHC/46/ Script for play: 'The Ticket of Leave Man'. Hand-written notes in a notebook
RHC/47/ 1 page typed 'Programme' for a theatrical night out, undated
RHC/48/ Supplementary Catalogue. Will Andrade's Free-Acting Edition of Plays, printed in Melbourne; with publisher and importer's envelope; two magic card advertisements; and Will Andrade's No. 1 Catalogue, 1906
RHC/49/ Theatrical Scenery. J.E. McLeish, Supplier of Everything Theatrical, Russell Street, Toowoomba; and with business card
RHC/50/ Phil. Walsh's Comedy Company. 'All for Gold'
RHC/51/ The Towers Amateur Dramatic Society's Second Grand Performance, 'Confusion', Theatre Royal, 9th and 10th September, undated
RHC/52/ Notebook for play; inside cover is inscription 'Miss F. Irving As Lydia. In 'My Turn Next', c. 1903-1904
RHC/53/ Ravenswood Amateur Minstrel Society ticket/raffle book
RHC/54/ Hand-written note with play directions: '[?] before a file of his own men'
RHC/55/ Alphabetical notebook with inscription on cover 'Where Is It?'; inside cover is 'Ravenswood Amateur Dramatic Society' and typed attachment 'Plays in Manuscript', dated 18 May, 1909
RHC/56/ Queensland National Bank Ltd. chequebook, 1909-1911
RHC/57/ Notebook with notes to two plays: 'Our Boys' and 'Caste'
RHC/58/ Various publications: play books, the major series being French's Acting Editions books [mostly in fair condition, others fragile or missing covers]
Series 4: Marine Board of Queensland
RHC/59/ Marine Board of Queensland. Casualties. Marine Board Findings, vol. 1 [fragile]
RHC/60/ Marine Board of Queensland. Casualties. Marine Board Findings, vol. 2 [fragile]
RHC/61/ Marine Board of Queensland. Casualties. Marine Board Findings, vol. 3; includes date 1919 on the front cover [fragile]
RHC/62/ Queensland. Mackay Harbour Board. General Conditions of the Contract for the Construction of a Breakwater Harbour at Port Mackay 1934
Series 5: Ravenswood Rifle Club
RHC/63/ Service Roll, no. 106 [fragile]
RHC/64/ Cash Book, 1900-1916
RHC/65/ Loyal Hope of Ravenswood Lodge (Ravenswood Rifle Club), 1903-1908 [fragile, several pages are stuck together]
RHC/66/ Loyal Hope of Ravenswood Lodge. Ledger accounts, organised alphabetically
Series 6: Publications
RHC/67/ Life: 1 February, 1928; 1 September, 1931; 1 February, 1932; May 2, 1932 [fragile, all covers missing except 1932 issue]
RHC/68/ To-Day: 14 November, 1931; 12 December, 1931; 26 December, 1931; 23 January, 1932; 6 February, 1932; 19 March, 1932; 30 April, 1932; 14 May, 1932; 28 May, 1932; 9 July, 1932; 1 December, 1932; 1 February, 1933; 1 March, 1933; 1 September, 1933; 1 November, 1933; 1 January, 1934; 1 June, 1934; 1 July, 1934 [fragile, some with covers missing]
RHC/69/ Stead’s Review; Stead’s Review; A Monthly Magazine: February, April, August, September, October, December, 1929; January, February, April-August, October-December, 1930; January-August, 1931
RHC/70/ The Rationalist: The Official Organ of the Rationalist Association of Australia Ltd.: May-December, 1931
RHC/71/ The Literary Guide and Rationalist Review: April-December, 1931
Series 7: Miscellaneous
RHC/72/ Caledonian Association. Ravenswood, North Queensland, application for membership booklet
RHC/73/ Agency Register of Policies Maturing. New Zealand Insurance Company Ltd., Ravenswood Agency
RHC/74/ T. Willmett & Sons, Ltd. Advertisement/brochure for Letterpress & Lithographic Printing. ‘The Printing and Stationery Warehouse of North Queensland’
RHC/75/ Three photographs:
i. Post card with two young girls in portrait pose, and on back: ‘From Gertie to Mrs Harris wishing her a Merry Xms. and a Happy New Year’
ii. Colour post card entitled ‘The old Castle’; writing on back illegible
iii. Photograph of young man in suit [according to what is left of writing on back, probably taken in 1899]
