Eagle and Queen Street, c1880s

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The Courier Mail

Tuesday 24 December 1935

Eagle Street Fountain

Sir, - The Courier-Mail has been asked if the fountain at the corner of Queen and Eagle streets was erected as a memorial to J. T. Mooney, a fireman, who was killed on March 25 1877. Your answer is that it was not, but was erected by the Brisbane City Council in 1879 as a drinking fountain, and for no other purpose. 

There is certainly an inscription on the fountain to this effect, but why is the question asked 56 years after it was erected? Probably because there are some other old hands like myself, who remember it was stated at the time that it was to be a memorial to J. T. Mooney, and they have always believed that it was so. 

Background

The Eagle Street Drinking Fountain was completed in 1880 as part of a Council beautification project. The then Municipal Council funded the majority of the work and the remainder of the funds required was raised by public subscription. However, there was confusion as to the original purpose of the fountain, as donations were also being sought around the same time for a memorial to James Mooney, a young volunteer fireman who died in 1877 in the line of duty.

Although an official Mooney memorial was erected above his grave in Toowong Cemetery, the Eagle Street Drinking Fountain became inextricably linked with the young fireman.

 

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