The Pattemores 1907 – 1948

The Pattemore family of New South Wales moved to the Maleny district in 1906-08. John Robert (JR) Pattemore was born on 7 August 1850 in England. His parents emigrated to New South Wales in 1855, and raised their family at Ulladulla, New South Wales, where Mr Pattemore worked as a market gardener. JR trained as a butcher. He married Emily Craddock Organ in 1871 and in 1879 he, Emily and their young family moved to Tilba Tilba, where JR worked as a butcher. They later moved to Central Tilba where they operated both a butchery and a property called Myrtle Vale. They raised four sons and three daughters. Harriet Eliza b 1871, Emily Elizabeth b 1872, William John (Bill) b 1875, Albert Aaron b 1878, Ethel Beatrice b 1880, Ernest Edward b 1883, and Herbert Stanley (Stan) b 1885.

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According to family folklore, the 1902 drought was so severe that the Pattemore family decided to move to a farming area with more reliable rainfall. The Blackall Range in Queensland, then being promoted for its dairying opportunities, was a perfect choice.

The Pattemores sold their New South Wales interests in 1906 and in 1906-07 two of JR’s sons, Bill and Stan, purchased 5 Maleny farm blocks for the Pattemore family – one for their father and one for each of the four sons. Title to portion 1257, the site on which Fairview was soon constructed, was registered in the name of John Robert Pattemore in September 1907. The block comprised 154 acres, much of it bordered by Obi Obi Creek.

Fairview was erected by the Pattemore brothers on JR’s block in 1907, with JR and Emily following them to Maleny in 1908. Robert and Emily arrived by ship into Brisbane in 1907. Unfortunately, Emily Pattemore contracted rheumatic fever around this time and was incapacitated for the rest of her life. Two of Emily’s widowed daughters came up from New South Wales to look after their mother.

By 1907 all of Robert Pattemore’s sons were farming at Maleny. Bill Pattemore also retained his interest in the Thynne and Pattemore sawmill on Thynne’s homestead block at Maleny. For some years there was also a mill on Fairview.

JR Pattermore operated his Maleny property as a dairy farm based on the share-farming principle. A share-farmer’s house called “Mosman” was built in 1908/9. For some years Ernest helped run the farm on Fairview, but in 1923 moved to Nambour. Albert returned to butchering, first at Cooroy and later in Brisbane, where Pattemores Meats are still proudly operating to this day. Bill had moved to Cooroy about 1920 and by 1924, Stan was the only son remaining in Maleny, where he was farming his own property, Forest Lodge (now on North Maleny Road) north of his father’s property. Fairview continued as a dairy farm, mostly with a share-farmer.

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John Robert Pattemore retired from farming in 1914 but continued milking a few cows at Fairview and growing corn until the end of his life in 1947. On his retirement, the farm was run mainly by share-farmers. In JR’s latter years his son Stan took on responsibility for the home farm, cultivating the corn and any farm work. His sisters continued to look after the house and their parents. Following Emily Pattemore’s death at nearly 87 years in 1937, her husband remained on his farm, and in August 1941 celebrated his 91st birthday as Maleny’s oldest resident. Following his death on 10 January 1947, title to his farm was transferred out of the Pattemore family in August 1948. JR and Emily are buried at the Witta Cemetery, just outside Maleny.

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Pattemore Family