Tapestry of Time — the Bill and Barbara McCutcheon Story, is a well researched but highly readable account of two of this state’s early pioneering families. Members of the family have played leading roles in the formative years of Chinchilla and district.
This is a book filled with fascinating stories from years long gone. There are tales of shipwrecks, desperate sea voyages, cattle-duffers, bushrangers, war heroes, colourful convicts, tragic fires, epic outback stock journeys, and even a mysterious lost bag of sapphires.
The McCutcheon and Ross families were drawn together through the marriage of former mayor of Chinchilla Shire, Bill McCutcheon, to Barbara Ross, in December 1962. It was a union brought about almost by destiny, for both the Ross and McCutcheon families have histories dating back to the terrible days of English oppression in Scotland, as tragically demonstrated through the years of the infamous Highland Clearances and even farther back in time to the equally infamous massacre at Glencoe in 1692. It is believed that this event brought about the emigration of members of the McCutcheon family to Ireland where, in later years, they suffered again in the potato famine of the 1840s. The famine killed over a million people and forced another two million to emigrate to places such as Canada, the US and Australia.
Bill McCutcheon’s grandfather, Joseph Francis McCutcheon, arrived in Queensland around 1910 and soon became involved in the sugar industry, operating a sugarcane plantation at Cowley, near Innisfail, where he lived with his Irish bride, Josephine Jane Clarke. They built a new house on their holding which was soon destroyed by the devastating cyclone of March 1918. About thirty-seven people were killed during the storm. Undaunted, Joseph and Josephine McCutcheon rebuilt their lives on the ruins left by the cyclone and ‘Joe’ McCutcheon, as he was known, became a leading light in the history of sugar production in the state.
Their son, Bill’s father, army officer Captain William John McCutcheon, would be killed accidentally during the Second World War while on a training flight with the RAAF. Bill’s mother was Annie Ethel Colls, daughter of Howard Colls, one of the early pioneers of Chinchilla Shire where, along with two brothers, he had taken up land near the present site of Brigalow.
Bill’s maternal grandfather, Henry Gilbert White, was a founder of the town of Haden, near Toowoomba, having come from the village of Henton in Somerset, England. Bullock-driver, farmer and even gold-digger, Henry was hugely influential in the formation of Haden.
The family history of Barbara McCutcheon (née Ross) is as diversified and colourful as the history of Queensland itself. Barbara’s grandfather, David Ross, whose family fled Scotland at the time of the brutal ‘Clearances’, was a shearer in western Queensland during the time of the great shearers’ strike of 1891 — a strike which, as history has demonstrated, almost erupted in armed conflict and which eventually led to the formation of the Australian Labor Party.
The Ross family later became leaders in the Isisford district where David was prominent in racing circles and a member of both the town’s racing clubs. David Ross also served as chairman of the Isisford Shire Council from 1939 to 1945.
There are tales of shipwrecks, desperate sea voyages, cattle-duffers, bushrangers, war heroes, colourful convicts, tragic fires, epic outback stock journeys, and even a mysterious lost bag of sapphires.
Barbara Ross is also closely related to Albert Dahlke who, with his friend Constable George Doyle, was murdered by the Kenniff brothers at Lethbridge’s Pocket, Western Queensland, in 1902. Dr Matthews has written a carefully researched and in-depth account of this tragic event which led to the conviction of brothers Pat and James Kenniff. Both brothers were sentenced to death for the crime, however, James’s sentence was later commuted to a term of imprisonment while Pat Kenniff was hanged at Boggo Road Gaol on the morning of 12 January, 1903.
Following their marriage in 1962, Bill and Barbara McCutcheon settled on Bill’s family holding, Wandella, near Chinchilla. Bill served for many years on the Chinchilla Shire council, becoming mayor in March 2000 and retaining that position until 2008. Bill then put himself forward as a councillor on the newly formed Western Downs Regional Council. He was successful in his bid and served in the new council until retiring in 2012.
Both Bill and Barbara McCutcheon have been deeply involved in equestrian and were among the earliest participants playing Queensland polocrosse in which Bill has served in numerous executive capacities including deputy chief umpire of the Polocrosse Association of Australia.
Tapestry of Time is to be released during a special book launch at the Chinchilla RSL on August 20. All are welcome to attend. RSVP to 0429 981 216 or visit www.tapestry-of-time.weebly.com