Andrew O'Driscoll's Cottage

Both sides of Twine Street were subdivided from the original portions into small allotments in the early 1860s soon after the land was granted to its first European owners. The street was well established by 1876 when postal records list 14 households.

Allotment 4 in Twine Street, measuring just over 17 perches, was purchased by Andrew O’Driscoll (also known as Driscoll) by 1872.  He was living in the cottage by the mid 1870s but appears to have subsequently rented the property to a succession of tenants, including a cab proprietor and a storeman. At this time, the house was no. 6 Twine Street. The neighbouring property at 25 Twine Street (originally no. 8) was owned by O’Driscoll’s wife, Kate, from 1879 (or earlier) until 1908.

By 1905, Andrew O’Driscoll had been promoted to Inspector of Police and was living in Maryborough. He returned to Brisbane within a couple of years and took up residence with his wife, Kate, in Cordelia Street, South Brisbane. 

Twine Street is slightly higher along the rise of Wickham Terrace and the cottages at nos. 21 and 25 are more substantial homes than the tiny cottages in neighbouring Lilley Street. The occupants of Twine Street often had more skilled occupations which had a higher social status and income, such as printer, master mariner, bootmaker, confectioner, shipwright, accountant and Courier reporter.

Driscoll sold his property at 21 Twine Street in 1907. In 1912 it was purchased by Andrew S Mills who took up residence in the house. The house remained in the Mills family until 1969. It has since had several owners.

This house is significant as modest 1870s Spring Hill cottage. It provides evidence of the pattern of development in the area from the mid-19th century which saw wealthy citizens build substantial homes on the ridges while those of lesser means, for example, artisans and the working class, occupied smaller homes on lower land.

No 21 Twine street is one of a pair of similar cottages which have survived modern development in the area surrounding Twine and Lilley Streets.

1. Brisbane City Council Building Cards

2. Brisbane City Council Detail Plans

3. Commonwealth Electoral Rolls. Subdivision of Maryborough 1905, Subdivision of Brisbane South 1908

4. Department of Natural Resources, titles records

5. Lawson, Ronald 1973, Brisbane in the 1890s: A Study of an Australian Urban Society, University of Queensland Press, St. Lucia

6. Queensland Post Office Directories

7. Rechner, Judy. Spring Hill Heritage Tour Wickham Terrace. Brisbane: Playground & Recreation Association of Qld in association with Brisbane History Group and Applied History Centre, U of Q