Haskins St in Margate is named after long time Redcliffe residents Margaret and Thomas Haskins.
Margaret Whelan was born on 20th July 1853 in Brisbane.
Thomas Patrick Haskins was born on the 5th December 1856 in Brisbane and married Margaret Whelan on 2nd November 1877 at the St Stephens Cathedral in Brisbane.
They settled in Redcliffe where Thomas was engaged in bush and road work.
Council Road Gang c.1920
Back row: G.W. Greenstreet, George Corscadden, Dick Devers,
Centre ; Tom Haskins, Harry Peiper, John Webby, Andy Belcher, Sam Walker, Fred Williams
Photo:John Oxley Library.
Photo of the Moreton Bay Hotel c.1909 with patrons including:
William Stubbins, Fountain Pikett, Robert McGregor, Lilly Sophia Pikett, Robert Sparkes, John Espie McGregor, William Pikett, Ernie Cutts, Tom Haskins, Thomas George Beedham, Harold "Sleight" (Jack) Beedham, Eliza Jane Pikett, Sarah Pikett, Alice Pikett.
Tom also worked for the Redcliffe Shire Council and Margaret and Thomas had 9 children.
Patrick Thomas Haskins (1878-1932) George Edwards Haskins (1880-1941) Alice Annie Haskins (1883-1960) Elizabeth Rose Haskins (1883) Margaret Esther Haskins (1884-1964) Frances May Haskins (1889-1966) William Haskins M.M (1891-1947) James Whelan Haskins (1892-1947) and Phillip Thomas Haskins (1896-1975)
1933 Land sale estate map of subdivision at Margate Beach showing subdivisions of Portions 187 and 188. The roads\streets included in this subdivision are MacDonnell Road, Langdon Avenue, Margate Parade, Haskins Street and Oxley Avenue.
The Brisbane Courier December 5th 1924:
Grannie Haskins NOTABLE IDENTITY.
When the children have the right to call an interesting old lady Grannie, and they freely exercise their perogitive it is not surprising that all the other youngsters in the town would adopt the same mode of address. This is the happy experience of Mrs Margaret Haskins who, for a long time, has received that endearing appellation from nearly every one in Redcliffe, and has become almost like a title of nobility. Nearly as interesting as the cottage in which the Grannie of Little Red Riding Hood lived is the home of Grannie Haskins There are flowers of a bygone generation in the tiny garden, where scented verbenas and geraniums, the latter delicate pink and brick dust red feel that some one still thinks them lovely although fashion has thrust them out of favour with the majority. During the course of an interview, Mrs Haskins said that it was 61 years ago last May since her father, Mr Patrick Whelan bought a place at Hayes's Inlet. Mrs Haskins who was then a young girl remembers that there were only a few scattered houses about Redcliffe, and only two dwellings at Scarborough. She recalls with a merry twinkle in her eyes some of the pranks in which she and her brothers and sisters used to indulge when they were children. Horses used to be ridden down to the seas without letting their parents know of their escapade; and if no bridles were available the children manufactured substitutes out of bark. Two-piece Canadian costumes were not known in those times and Mrs Haskins remarked that on one occasion, when they had stolen away from home, she manufactured costumes out of bran bags, by cutting a circular hole in the sewed end and slicing off a piece in each side, or that the arms could pass through. Mrs. Haskins speaks about the blacks with affection. She says that they were docile and kindly, and that her mother was greatly loved by them. Mrs. Whelan has been a housekeeper at Amity Point where she became acquainted with numbers of aborigines. When it was known that she was an Hayes Inlet they came over as a body to visit her, bringing as presents oysters, fish and crabs, as well as dugong oil, which they esteemed as a cure for rheumatism. Among those blacks whose names were mentioned by Mrs. Haskins was Sam, who took as his surname Bell, as he lived at the home of Mrs Bell, another early settler with whom the blacks were very friendly. Sam gained considerable fame and a lot of cash by dancing on the pier. When he died a tombstone was erected over his grave, the cost being defrayed by public subscription. It is of sandstone and is in the shape of a tree stump, with notches upon it. Recently a sensation was created in Melbourne by the discovery of gold at Fitzroy, one of its suburbs. It is probable that an experience like this may some day befall Brisbane, as Mrs Haskin's father, Mr Patrick Whelan, discovered pieces of quartz, impregnated with gold near the Central Railway Station. Mrs Haskins still has a cutting from the "Courier'' dated 64 years ago, which states that the specimens had been brought to the office of that paper. The locality was not disclosed then. it being only stated that the place was close to the city. Mr Whelan was anxious to get the promise of Government aid before letting any one know the position of his find, but the Ministry of the day did not respond to his request, and so he kept silence
Margaret Haskins c.1890
1942 aerial
August 1956 aerial:
NameWilliam Haskins, SN 2818, Service Record Date of Birth: 12 September 1891, Redcliffe
Date of Death: 22 June 1966, Redcliffe
Buried: Redcliffe Cemetery, 24 June, 1966
William Haskins was born at Humpybong in 1891 the son of Thomas Haskins and Margaret Whelan, a well-known pioneer family. William attended Humpybong State School and he enlisted in October 1916. He appears to have led a charmed life in the trenches. Wounded in several battles in France he was awarded the Military Medal, the citation reading:
On 12th August, 1918, during operations on the Somme, near Proyart, when the Battalion was advancing on Proyart Ridge, this man was severely wounded, and after having the wound dressed he continued the advance but was immediately again wounded. After receiving further attention he advanced with his Company until blown over with a shell. He continued to advance with the remainder of another Platoon and engaged enemy machine gun with rifle fire. Stretcher bearers being wounded he volunteered to carry out a very heavy man, and did so under intense machine gun and ground shrapnel fire, bringing the wounded man two and a half kilometres to the RAP. [Commonwealth Gazette No 61, dated 23 May 1919]. William was finally discharged in August 1920 and returned to life on the farm at Redcliffe. Not long after his return he broke his leg in a riding accident. It was discovered that a piece of shrapnel had lodged close to the bone in the broken leg which ultimately led to an amputation of the leg below the knee. William married Emily Eliza Trinder in 1925.
Margaret Haskins with 4 of her sons: From left James Whalen Haskins, Thomas, Margaret , Phillip and William Haskins:
The Humpybong Weekly - June 30th 1932
Obituary PATRICK THOMAS HASKINS
After several months illness, the death occurred on Friday, June 24, in the Brisbane General Hospital, of Patrick Thomas Haskins following upon a very serious operation performed a day or two previously. Deceased, was 55 years of age, and very well known in Redcliffe, where he was born, and lived all his life. He was a trustee of the Redcliffe sports reserve, also a foundation member and a prominent and active worker of the Redcliffe show society. He was the son of Mr. andMrs. Tom Haskins old and respected residents of the peninsula, who survive him. He is also survived by his widow and nine children — Thomas George, William, Ellie (Mrs. J. Symons), May, Kathleen, Joseph, Alfred, and Norman, who now reside in Mount Kilcoy. The funeral, which was very largely attended, took place to the Redcliffe cemetery, on Saturday, June 25. the Rev Father O'Beirne, of Brisbane, officiating at the graveside. The chief mourners were the widow and family, father and mother, W., J., and G Haskins (brothers) Mrs Chadwick, Mrs. Gall, Mrs. Pirtwistle (sisters), Mrs. M. Ryan (sister in-law), Mr. P. Brereton (brother-in law). Among others present were Mrs. W. Haskins Mrs. J. Haskins Mr. W. Chadwick, Mr.Gall, Mr. W. Mumford, Masters W. and J. Chadwick, and G. Haskins (nephews), Mr. W. B. Rawlinson (trustee sports reserve), Mr. R. G. Gardner (hon. sec. show society). Among the many floral tributes were those from his wife and family, father and mother, "Bill, Emily and Eileen," "Jim, Violet, and Bill," "Sarah, Will, and family," Mr. and Mrs. R. B. Barron, Mr. and Mrs. A. R. Stevenson, Mr. Geo. Jenkins, senr., Mr. and Mrs. R. Dillaway, Mr. and Mrs. H. A. Elson, Mrs. M. Walker and family, Mr. and Mrs. F. Payne, Mr. and Mrs. A. G. Hargreaves, Mr. and Mrs. H. Corscadden, Mr. and Mrs. B. Cutts, Mr. and Mrs. Giles, Mr. and Mrs J. Beedham, and Redcliiffe Show Society.
Margaret Haskins passed away on the 25th September 1933 aged 80 years
Thomas Haskins passed away on 26th December 1944 aged 89 years.
They are buried together at the Redcliffe Cemetery.
