Brisbane Courier (Qld. : 1864 - 1933), Saturday 29 January 1910, page 5


DEATH OF MR. GEORGE

GRIMES.

A QUEENSLAND PIONEER,

Mr George Grimes, one of Queensland's pioneers, died at his residence, Ashby House, Fairfield, yesterday morning, aged 74 years. Mr. Grimes, with his father (the late Mr. Wm. Grimes) and his brothers, William D. (late of Grimes & Petty), Samuel, and James--all well known citizens, the two former, having pre-deceased him--and two sisters, arrived in Moreton Bay by the Chasely, which brought to our shores many estimable col-onists in 1849. While the father and the elder and younger sons engaged in busi-ness in the city, the sons George and Samuel soon after their arrival, entered upon farming pursuits, first at Karilpa (West End), subsequently at Coongoon, Fairfield. They successfully farmed their own land, mostly by their own efforts,

and subsequently became large employers of labour in sugar and arrowroot growing and manufacture. Old residents will re-member their sugar mill at Oxley, which gave employment to a large number of

men, the firm of G. and S. Grimes being amongst the first growers and manufac-turers of sugar by white labour, and never employed any other. The late Hon. John Leahy mentioned with pride in Parliament that it was with G. and S. Grimes that he first engaged on his arrival in Queens-land, and the work was in connection with clearing their scrub lands. Mr. George Grimes was also associated with his late brother Samuel in the carrying on of the business of S. and G. Grimes, merchants, now James Grimes and Son. A great expansion of their sugar and arrowroot business made it nccessary to seek a larger field of operations, and in 1885 the firm purchased Hope Island, Coomera River, and erected on this pro-perty extensive sugar and arrowroot mills, as well as a sawmill, all of which were supervised by the the late Mr. Samuel Grimes

until his death. They were subsequently

THE LATE MR. GEORGE GRIMES.

-Mathewson photo.

overlooked by Mr. George Grimes until increasing years necessitated his relinquish-ing the control of the property there. The

arrowroot business has been under the direction of his daughters, Misses A. and L. Grimes, for some time, and is carried on at Tennyson as formerly.

The late Mr. George Grimes lived a strenuous life, and besides being a prac-tical farmer was a well-informed man generally, and associated himself with all forward movements. He was one of the founders of the National Association, in which he took keen interest in the earlier years of its history, and his firm was a prize-winner for sugar and arrowroot at many of the early exhibitions. He was also one of the founders of the East Moreton Farmers' Association, formed 40 years ago, which merged later into the National Association, and a member of the Queensland commission to the Inter-national Exhibition in Melbourne in 1888. Mr. Grimes was thorough and practical in anything he took in hand. He was asso-ciated with local government from its in-ception, being many years a member of the Stephens Shire Council, and held office as chairman. He also represented the constituency of Bulimba for one session in Parliament. His late brother Samuel represented Oxley for 20 years, and up to the date of his death. In 1863 Mr. Grimes married Miss Rogers, who survives him. Their three daughters (Mrs. H. B. Watson, and Misses Amy and Laura Grimes) were all near their father in his

last illness.

The late Mr. Grimes and his wife were highly respected and esteemed in the Fair-field district, where the deceased spent the 46 years of his wedded life, and many acts of kindness performed by them will be long remembered. The deceased was a man of sterling character, and his counsel was much sought after. He was one of the early members of the Baptist Church in Queensland, and was a deacon of the Vulture Street Baptist Church since its foundation. He also held office as presi-dent of the Baptist Association of Queens-land, and was a member of the committee for many years.

In addition to his widow and daughters, the deceased is survived by two brothers Messrs. James and Arthur Grimes, of Brisbane, and three sisters, Mrs. Wm. Bell, Enoggera, Mrs. John Kingsford, and Mrs J. Boyne Hall. The funeral will leave his late residence, Ashby House, Fairfield, at 3 p.m. to-day for the South

Brisbane Cemetery.