Amity, New Farm facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Amity |
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Amity, 2004
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| Location | 101 Welsby Street, New Farm, City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia |
| Design period | 1870s - 1890s (late 19th century) |
| Built | 1892 - c. 1900 |
| Built for | Thomas Welsby |
| Official name: Amity | |
| Type | state heritage (landscape, built) |
| Designated | 21 October 1992 |
| Reference no. | 600264 |
| Significant period | 1892-1941 (fabric) 1890s-1940s, 1980-1994 (historical) |
| Significant components | garden/grounds, kitchen/kitchen house, basement / sub-floor, lead light/s, fence/wall - perimeter, flood marker, gate - entrance, terracing, garden edging/balustrades/planter boxes, garage, paving, residential accommodation - main house, views to, views from, flagpole/flagstaff |
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Amity is a special old house in New Farm, Brisbane, Australia. It's a single-story timber home right by the Brisbane River. It was built between 1892 and about 1900. This historic house was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on October 21, 1992.
The Story of Amity House
Amity was built in 1892 for a man named Thomas Welsby. He was a very important person in Brisbane. Thomas Welsby was a successful businessman, a politician, a historian, and a sportsman.
Who Was Thomas Welsby?
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Thomas Welsby was born in Ipswich in 1858. He went to Ipswich Boys Grammar School. After school, he worked at banks in Brisbane. Later, he became an accountant and auditor. He was also part of the Brisbane Stock Exchange.
Thomas Welsby was active in local government. He was a member of the Booroodabin Divisional Board. He also led the New Farm State School committee. He helped start a big engineering company. He was also a director of the Royal Bank of Queensland.
Welsby's Political Life
Welsby tried to become a member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly several times. He finally won a seat in 1911. He represented the areas of North Brisbane and Merthyr. He served in parliament until 1915. People sometimes called him "Bung Bung." He didn't really enjoy being a politician.
Welsby's Love for History and Sport
Thomas Welsby loved history. He helped create the Royal Historical Society of Queensland. He was the first treasurer and later president. He wanted the government to help collect old records about Queensland. He also wrote seven books about the history of the Moreton Bay area.
He was also a big sports fan. In 1882, he played for Queensland's first Rugby Union team. He helped bring rugby back to Queensland in 1928. He was also president of the Queensland Rugby Union. He even donated a special trophy called the Welsby Cup. He also loved boxing and fishing. He was a founding member of the Royal Queensland Yacht Club.
Welsby collected many interesting things. These included plants, animals, old letters, and rare books. He even had the figurehead from the government steam yacht, the Lucinda. This was the ship where Australia's first Constitution was signed.
Welsby's Family and Home
Thomas Welsby married Margaret Gilchrist Kingston in 1893. They had two daughters and a son. They also fostered a young girl from the Torres Strait Islands named Jane. Sadly, their son died when he was very young. Margaret passed away the next year. Jane later became Welsby's housekeeper. She stayed with him until he died in 1941.
Amity was Welsby's only home in Brisbane. He moved into the house in December 1892. Soon after, in February 1893, a terrible flood hit Brisbane. The water came very close to Amity's verandah. Welsby marked the flood's height on the entrance stairs. You can still see this marker today!
Changes to Amity Over Time
Amity was first built with four main rooms and verandahs all around. It also had a kitchen wing at the back. As the family grew, the house became too small. An extension was built at the back. This added more bedrooms and a bathroom. The original kitchen wing was also included. This extension was finished by 1925.
In 1919, a company wanted to buy Amity and the land around it. They wanted to build a wharf. They offered a huge amount of money for the house. But the sale never happened.
After Welsby died in 1941, Jane lived in Amity for a while. Then the property was rented out. Later, Welsby's daughter, Marion Clark, moved back into the house. Her son built a corrugated iron garage in the backyard.
Amity's Later Owners
In 1952, the Colonial Sugar Refining Company bought Amity. They used it as a home for their refinery managers. Later, the Australian Navy bought the house in 1980. It became the home for the Navy's top officer in Queensland. The Navy base closed in 1994. Amity is still used by the Navy today.
Amity is the last old timber house left on the riverfront in New Farm. It shows what the area was like in the 1800s. In recent years, there have been plans to build apartments in Amity's backyard. These plans have been rejected.
What Amity Looks Like
Amity faces the Brisbane River. It is a single-story house made of timber. It has a corrugated iron roof. Verandahs wrap around three sides of the house, facing the river.
Outside the House
The front of the house, facing the river, is very balanced. It has a central entrance with a decorative timber panel. The entrance steps have the special marker from the 1893 flood. The verandahs have pretty cast iron railings. They also have adjustable timber panels for shade.
The back of the house has a newer part. It has a laundry and garage underneath. There are also special windows with colorful leadlight panels.
Inside the House
When you enter Amity, you walk into a central hallway. The main front door has beautiful leadlight panels. These panels show Thomas Welsby's initials, "TW." The fanlight above the door spells out the name "AMITY." There is a similar door at the back of the hall.
The house has a large living room. It used to have folding doors that separated it from the dining area. There's also a fireplace with marble. On one side, there are two bedrooms and a dressing room. This room was once Welsby's library. The walls are made of timber boards. The ceilings have decorative roses.
The back part of the house has a large central room. It has stairs leading down to the laundry and garage. There are also two more bedrooms. The kitchen has an old brick fireplace.
The Gardens and Grounds
The gardens at Amity slope down to the river. A path and stairs lead from the house to a timber fence and gate at the river's edge. The entrance from Welsby Street has a pretty wrought iron arch. The path leading to the front door has compass points set into it. Some garden beds are edged with coral.
There are two large palm trees near the river. One is surrounded by a big strangler fig tree. There are also large palms and timber steps on the east side of the house. Camphor laurel trees grow in the backyard. A small corrugated iron garage is located behind the house. There is also a flagpole near the river.
Why Amity is Important
Amity is listed on the Queensland Heritage Register. This means it is a very important historical place. It meets several special requirements.
A Glimpse into the Past
Amity is the last timber house on the New Farm riverfront from the 1800s. It shows that this area, which is now mostly industrial, was once a popular place for homes.
Unique and Well-Preserved
The house is very well-preserved. It shows a high quality of design from its time. Even though it's not overly fancy, it's very complete.
Beautiful Scenery
The large trees and gardens at Amity make the river area look beautiful. The palms, fig trees, and camphor laurels add a lot to the landscape.
Connected to a Key Figure
Amity was the main home of Thomas Welsby from 1892 until he died in 1941. He was a very important person in Queensland's history. The house still shows many signs of his life and interests. This includes its design, how it faces the river, and the special leadlight panels. The large gardens also show his interests.
The house stayed in Welsby's family until 1952. After that, it was used by the CSR sugar refinery as a manager's home. Then, the Australian Navy bought it in 1980. It has been an important Navy residence in Queensland ever since.
