- John Petrie (Australian Craftsman & Politician)
John Petrie (
1822 -1892 ), contractor and mayor, was born onJanuary 15 1822 atEdinburgh , eldest son ofAndrew Petrie and his wife Mary, née Cuthbertson. He arrived inSydney with his family in1831 and was educated at J. D. Lang's school. In1837 he went toMoreton Bay , where his father had been appointed clerk of works, and accompanied him on explorations to the west and north ofBrisbane ; he also became a champion oarsman.After 'apprenticeship' in the family building and contracting business John assumed increasing responsibility for its management after his father's blindness in
1848 forced him to retire. John became sole proprietor and the firm was changed from Petrie & Son to John Petrie. The enviable repute for fine workmanship under his father was sustained by John. His skill can still be seen in many buildings in Brisbane, but he lacked his father's drive and business acumen. In 1882 Petrie's son,Andrew Lang , became manager of the reconstructed firm, John Petrie & Son. The business was then centred on cabinet making and joinery, brick and tile making and monumental masonry. The firm went bankrupt in [1894] during the depression; it later revived but confined its operations to monumental masonry.Although Petrie seems to have had little interest in politics, he was public-spirited and held many important offices. He topped the poll in Brisbane's first municipal election in 1859 and was mayor three times by
1862 . He twice resigned from the council in protest against what he deemed the high-handedness of the majority faction, but continued after re-election to serve as an alderman until1867 . As mayor he had welcomed the first governor ofQueensland , Sir George Bowen, to Brisbane in1859 . Practical experience and common sense fitted Petrie for laying the sound foundations of municipal administration in Brisbane and for guiding the council in providing public works and services. Closely associated with theEnoggera Creek scheme while it was planned by the council, he later saw it constructed as a member of the Board of Water Works; as its chairman in1875 he was a leader in implementing theGold Creek project and planning of theMount Crosby scheme . After serving as mayor, he had difficulty in 'playing second fiddle' and was prone to indulge in such manoeuvres as walking out of council meetings.Petrie devoted much time to community welfare. For years he served on the management committee of the Brisbane Hospital and was chairman after
1885 . He was also a member of the Board for Administering Outdoor Relief and the Central Board of Health. Appointed to theNew South Wales Commission of the Peace in1859 , he remained a member of the Brisbane bench until1892 . He gave long service on the Brisbane Licensing Board and was often returning officer for the parliamentary electorate of Brisbane. A trustee of the Brisbane general cemetery and of Bowen Park and a ranger for protecting native birds on the Enoggera Water Reserve, he was a director of several building societies and of the Queensland Steam Navigation Co. Elected to the North Brisbane School of Arts Committee in 1864 and 1866, he was also an enthusiastic member of the first Masonic lodge in Queensland.On 5 September 1850 Petrie had married Jane Keith, daughter of
Daniel McNaught ofDunbarton ,Scotland , who became foreman of the Petrie business and contracting business after migrating to Brisbane. Of their five sons and five daughters, Andrew Lang was the eldest son and heir to the family business; he represented Toombul in the Legislative Assembly in 1893 and, apart from his insolvency in 1894, held the seat until 1926. John Petrie died on 8 December 1892. A staunchPresbyterian , he was an elder and worked with enthusiasm for building St Paul's Church. Integrity and long association with the city made him one of the best known citizens of Brisbane.
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