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In 1861 Joshua Peter Bell married Margaret D'Arcy, the daughter of an Ipswich doctor. Six children were born of the marriage - Joshua Thomas, 1863; William, 1865; Colin, 1867; a baby girl who died in infancy in 1868; Oswald, 1871; and Maida, 1872. With the exception of Joshua Thomas, all were born at Jimbour.
After the death of Thomas Bell in 1874, Joshua Peter Bell, who was 47 at the time, became the sole owner of Jimbour. He was already well on the way to making for himself and Jimbour a name which will always be identified with the early history of Queensland.
The sheep, cattle and horse studs that he established became a hallmark throughout the country, and Jimbour sheep were in great demand for stocking of new stations, which were being continually developed at that time.
Politically, Dalby and the Bell family were closely linked. Joshua Peter Bell had a distinguished Parliamentary career. He was first elected to Parliament as Member for West Moreton in 1863- four years after the separation of Queensland from New South Wales.
He soon made his mark in Parliament and, in 1864, was appointed Treasurer in the Herbert Ministry. In 1868, after a redistribution of electorates, he contested and won the seat of Northern Downs (afterwards known as Dalby) which he represented until 1879, when he was appointed to the Legislative Council as President.
Joshua Peter carved out his own greatness. He occupied many executive positions in his time, being Treasurer on several occasions, Minister for Lands, Speaker, President of the Legislative Council and finally, acting Governor of Queensland. He was knighted in 1879.
Joshua Peter Bell's public career was said to be characterised by the strictest integrity and honourable dealings. From all accounts he was not a brilliant orator, but he always commanded the attention of Parliament.
He had a distinguished racing career. He was founder of the famous Grange Stud near Ipswich and, for some years, was president of the Queensland Turf Club. He won nearly every race of importance on the Queensland racing calendar, including the Derby four times, the Brisbane Cup, the Brisbane Handicap and the St. Leger. Joshua Peter Bell also took a keen interest in country racing. He raced in Dalby and in the small townships around Jimbour. The Jimbour four-in-hand coach which conveyed the family from meeting to meeting was famous throughout the district and its arrival at any function was of great interest.
Joshua Peter Bell was one of the founders and original shareholders of the Queensland National Bank, which was established in 1872. He also served as President of the Queensland Club from 1872 to 1875.
Decline in Bell Family Fortunes
In 1881 Sir Joshua Peter Bell merged his pastoral interests with those controlled by Sir Thomas McIlwraith and Smyth to form the Darling Downs and Western Queensland Land Company. The original directors were Sir Thomas McIlwraith, J. C. Smyth, Sir J. P. Bell and W. V. Ralston, who was later General Manager of the Queensland National Bank. Sir Thomas McIlwraith was Premier of Queensland at the time, having attained that position in 1879. The reason for the merger seems to have been the need for an injection of capital for the development of the property.
Sir Joshua Peter Bell, died suddenly in a cab in Queen Street, Brisbane on 20 December, 1881, at the age of 54 years.
This merger seems to have marked the decline in the Bell fortunes and there followed a series of disasters in addition to Sir Joshua Peter's sudden death, including a major drought and floods. Ultimately both the property and the House came under the control of the Queensland National Bank, which itself then collapsed. |
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