Craigsmount

In 1885, John Craig Gibson purchased just over one rood of land at Toowong and in the same year took out a mortgage for £160. In 1887 Gibson was first listed at Burns Road, Toowong - the closest intersecting road to Curlew Street. The property was listed as ‘Craigsmount’ and by 1888 was being listed at Curlew Street. ‘Craigsmount’ was one of only two houses in Curlew Street at this time. As with many of the owners of the large houses built at Toowong in this period, Gibson was a member of the upper middle-class in Brisbane and worked as the manager for the mercantile company, Robert Harper and Co. Pty.  

In 1897 Richard John Cottell and his wife Lily Theresa Cottell purchased the property. When first residing in ‘Craigsmount’, Cottell was working as a conveyancer for the Supreme Court of Queensland; he continued to work in the Law throughout his life. In 1904 Cottell was elected as Alderman in the Toowong Shire Council. Brisbane at this time was made up of small local councils; it was not until the creation of the Greater Brisbane City Council under the City of Brisbane Act of 1925 that these shire councils were dissolved. In 1908 Cottell contested the seat of Toowong in the Legislative Assembly and was successful. In 1909 Cottell was elected as Mayor for the Toowong Shire Council, a position he held for one year. Cottell played a large role in the development of the Toowong district. Throughout his time in Toowong, Cottell resided in Craigsmount. It was between 1900 and 1911 that Cottell built the current house at the front of the property. This is demonstrated by the design of the house. The original house may have been moved on the lot to accommodate the new house; it was joined to the new house. Alderman Richard John Cottell, M.L.A died in 1911.

In 1920 ‘Craigsmount’ was sold to Archdeacon Edward Castell Osborn. In this same year he was appointed Archdeacon by the Church of England. Osborn had first been ordained a priest and deacon in 1878 by the Archbishop of Brisbane. He then served his curacy in Warwick until 1881, was then rector in St. Pauls, Roma from 1881 to 1886. In 1887 to 1889 he served in Gympie and then at St. Andrew’s at Lutwyche. He remained at St. Andrew’s for the next thirty years. In 1896 Osborn was appointed an honorary Canon. Archdeacon Osborn moved to Toowong in 1921 and retired in 1925. In 1926 Archdeacon Osborn died. He was remembered in an article in the Queenslander in February 1926, it stated that Archdeacon Osborn was “One of the best-loved and most revered dignitaries of the Church of England in Queensland…The late Archdeacon Osborn was ever ready, in addition to official duties, to take the place of a priest who was ill, to give counsel and advice, and to present their needs at headquarters…The late Archdeacon Osborn will be remembered most as a faithful pastor, who had an extraordinary gift in winning the affection of the members of his flock”1. Archdeacon Osborn was an extremely well respected member of the Anglican Church and contributed to the welfare of many throughout his years serving the Church.

In 1926 ‘Craigsmount’ was sold to Lewis Joseph Kimber. Once again the house became home to an affluent, upper-middle class family. Lieutenant Colonel Kimber was a career soldier and from 1921 to 1939 served with the Australian Instructional Corp. at Victoria Barracks as Assistant Director of Supplies and Transport. Kimba served as an officer in the First World War initially mobilising troops in North Queensland, was appointed Captain of the 31st Battalion A.I.F in Egypt and in 1917 served in Bullecourt, France with the 46th Battalion.  He was badly wounded in France and lost his leg. He returned to Australia that same year. After continuing to serve in the Army as Major until 1939, he retired from the military due to ill-health. At retirement he was given the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel. Even though he no longer served in the military Kimber continued to play a large role in both the Returned Services League and the Limbless Soldier Association until his death in 1960. 

Throughout its history, ‘Craigsmount’ has been home to some of Toowong’s most respected residents. The house retains the detached kitchen at the rear of the property as well as the set of sweeping stairs with masonry balustrades at the front of the house.

1. The Queenslander, Saturday 20 February 1926, p19

2. Judy Gale Rechner, Brisbane House Styles 1880 to 1940: a guide to the affordable house, Brisbane: Brisbane History Group Studies No. 2, 1998

3. Historic Titles, Department of Environment and Resource Management

4. Queensland Post Office Directories

5. Metropolitan Water and Sewerage Survey Maps

6. Queensland Electoral Rolls

7. The Queenslander, Saturday 20 February 1926, p19

8. Cairns Post, Wednesday 17 February 1926, p4

9. The Queenslander, Saturday 9 September 1911, p29

10. The Brisbane Courier, Wednesday 16 March 1910, p6

11. The Brisbane Courier, Wednesday 27 January 1909, p10

12. The Courier Mail, Friday 4 August 1939, p3

13. Record of Officers’ Services, Australian Imperial Force, “Lieutenant L. J. Kimber,” National Archives