This guy was my father’s mother’s grandfather:
There were few better known men
througout North Queensland than the late
Mr. George Simpson who took a most active
interest both in local and national politics.
Gifted with the power of speech and acute
reasoning powers he was an awkward
opponent, and whether in or out of the Mun-
icipal Council, he had always a say in the
local government of Townsville. Mr. Simp-
son who succumbed while chloroform was
being administered to him was about 44 years
of age, and was a native of New South
Wales. He came to Townsville about 15
years ago and started business as a saddler;
subsequently he edited the Townsville
Herald when it was a small four page bi-
weekly issued from an office opposite the
A.U.S.N. wharf. Afterwards Mr. Simpson
started as an Auctioneer and Commission
Fix this textAgent, and at the tame of his death was
keeping the Family Hotel. On and off he
was a member of the Municipal Council for
about 12 years but was never Mayor. In
1883 he contested the Kennedy against Mr.
Lissner but was defeated. Mr. Simpson’s
impetuous disposition and biting tongue
roused much temporary opposition but in
reality he was of an easy going temperament
and his sarcasms were soon forgotten. He
was an earnest advocate of the claims of
Townsville, in which place he held a large
landed interest; recently it is to be
feared with little profit to himself; the
value of property having collapsed there as
elsewhere.
Having a sarcastic difficult personality certainly makes him a Ford.
My father’s mother’s other grandfather was the Chinaman Chen R. Yeen, who operated King Yeen & Co. in Rockhampton and one of the products he trafficked in was opium.
My father published some short stories about crime in 1944 and 1945: Perfection, The Benevolent Looking Gentleman, One Night in Berlin, and Bolt from the Blue.
