Brisbane military barracks, c. 1870

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Background

Three of the Archer brothers and their families. The Archer brothers were among the earliest settlers in Queensland. They were explorers and pastoralists. Seven sons of William Archer, a Scottish timber merchant, spent varying amounts of time in the colony of New South Wales, mainly in parts of what later became Queensland.

The one with the long beard, in the centre of the frame, is Archibald Archer who was member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly from 1867 to 1869 and from 1879 to 1895. He served as colonial treasurer and minister for education from 1882 to 1883. He was a supporter of the movement to have Central Queensland declared a separate state. In 1870 he accepted the position of Agent-General for Queensland, but resigned when he realised that his plan to present a petition from the supporters of separation to the Colonial Office was inconsistent with his holding of that position.

 

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