The historic records of Stanthorpe in 1911 show plenty was happening in town, from the installation of street lights to the alleged finding of radium.
The 1911 Census stated the population of Stanthorpe was 2475.
On April 2, The Stanthorpe Telephone exchange opened for business with 36 subscribers.
Subscriber No. 1 was MJ O’Mara; The second was The Border Post. Other subscribers included the Show Society, Police Station, Post Office, Court House, and Railway Station.
On April 9, a subscription list opened for the new hospital. The site remained unannounced, but a sub-committee formed.
On 19 May, School No. 803 at Mt Janet was ordered to close. It was situated on a 2-acre school reserve site on the Pikedale-Goldfields road about thirteen miles from Dalveen. It remained closed for three years before it was moved to Thulimbah and reopened.
On June 23, there was a Record Gathering for the Coronation. Reverend A. Stoke made a lengthy speech. There were 600 people on the ground. Elsewhere, the Coronation was marked by a reduction of sentences on prisoners: 19 were released from St. Helena’s prison and 20 from Brisbane Prison.
On June 30, the discovery of radium was reported in the Stanthorpe district. This was later denied.
On July 7, a sports meeting was held in the School of Arts Hall and all the children received a Coronation medal. They raised £38/6s/7d for the School of Arts Hall, raised by “corn guessing bottles”, sovereigns to the be raffled, and guessing the pole competition.
A ball was held at night, with a children’s dance and fireworks, and a football match between Texas and Silverspur.
On July 14, 2600 acres were opened as a grazing homestead at Mingoola. 105 applications were received. 82 applicants had to draw before the envelope containing the word “accepted” was drawn from the box – drawn by R. B Lawson, agent for E.A. Hollingworth, Texas.
“Never before was there such a rush for land at the Stanthorpe Land Court and we doubt whether 105 applications for one piece of land does not constitute a record for the state.”
Stanthorpe Shire Council applied to the Land Department for use of the old Showground for park purposes on this day. S & D Progress Association (representing 90 per cent of fruit growers in the district) objected on the grounds that the land would be required for show purposes. The Show Society wished to retain the old ground as security.
On July 21, Stanthorpe got a new hotel. John Sheehan planned a new hotel on the main street opposite the Royal Bank, with a ground floor bar, two bar parlours, a coffee room, kitchen, dining room, and upstairs fourteen bedrooms and a parlour.
The Hupmobile Motor Car was also demonstrated in Stanthorpe on this day.
On September 1, Stanthorpe got its street lights.
“On Saturday night, the much-discussed street lights sent forth their rays for the first time and as might have been expected, there were many expressed as to their general efficiency or otherwise. The general opinion was favourable to the lights and while some of the more pronounced opponents of the lamps could see no virtue in them, which was perhaps too much to expect, those not prejudiced freely admitted the lamps were a great improvement. Their installations makes a distinct advance in the town and we believe after they have been in existence for a year, they will have a host of admirers (From “Old Time Records” September 18, 1934)
