David Rayner

Story

David Rayner was born on 28/02/1833 in Hardwick, Buckinghamshire to Jessie Rayner and Elizabeth Pain. He married Martha Rae who was born in 1836 in Weedon, Buckinghamshire to John Rae and Rachel Prior. The marriage took place in Weedon, Buckinghamshire in 1855.

It is not known why they came to Australia.

Their first child Henry Jesse was born in Camden Town, London where they stayed with David’s brother William before embarkation. They arrived in Moreton Bay Colony 26/06/1856 on the ship “Persia.’ David aged 21, is listed on the ship’s manifest as an agricultural labourer and Martha was aged 20.

As Martha had a brother (who migrated earlier) living at Limestone, Ipswich, this was the first place they stayed before travelling by bullock wagon to Condamine where David obtained work on “Tieryboo Station.” He later worked on Warkon and The Wallan and finally took up land at Condamine which he called “Moraby” as early as 1860. “Moraby’ has been continuously owned by the family in a reduced form for 148 years.

On this land a typical Queensland house was built of wooden slabs with huge vertical struts. The kitchen was built separate from the house. In 1864 he obtained a publicans license and so the “Prince of Wales Hotel” came into being. An advertisement re application for a continuation of a Publicans license in the Dalby Herald in 1866 states:-

I, David Rayner, now residing in Moraby, in the district of Condamine, do hereby give notice that it is my intention to apply at the next Annual Licensing meeting to be holden for this district on 7th April next, ensuring for a Publicans general License, for the sale of fermented and spirituous liquors in the house and appurtenances thereunto belonging, situated at Moraby, and known as the “Prince of Wales Hotel,” having three sitting rooms and six bedrooms, exclusive of those required for my own family, and which I intend to keep as an Inn or Public House. I am married , having a wife and 5 children, and have held a license for two years. Given under my hand, this thirteenth day of March 1866. Signed DAVID RAYNER

CHILDREN of DAVID and MARTHA .

Henry Jessie. Betsy Martha, Helen Eliza, William Frederick, Annie Lucy Lady Nugent.

Sadly on 29th April 1866, his wife died in childbirth and is buried on “Moraby.” David then married Elizabeth Orchard/Clift, who had been their housekeeper during Martha’s pregnancy.

Prior to 1866, David realised the need for travellers to replenish their food stocks and rest their horses etc., and so Moraby became a small self-contained village with a general store, post office and a blacksmiths shop and stables which was needed for Cobb & Co. as a changing station. Passengers stayed overnight in the hotel. Drovers kept their horses in the stables and stayed in the accommodation while engaged in short droving jobs in the area.

In March 1866, David submitted an advertisement to the “Dalby Herald’ newspaper:-

MORABY STORES

The undersigned begs to inform the public that he has JUST RECEIVED a large supply of RATIONS and GENERAL STORES, which he is prepared to dispose of CHEAP for CASH. Being located in the interior, squatters and others requiring the above, would do well to favour D. R. with a call before purchasing elsewhere, and thereby save any vexatious delays that may occur in the transmission of goods during the present drought.

signed DAVID RAYNER

CHILDREN of DAVID and ELIZABETH

John Thomas Orchard , Herbert Ezra, David Francis, Alfred Ernest, George Charles, Walter Arthur, Sydney Mark, Alice Maud.

David employed a schoolteacher to teach his and his emploees children. Moraby was self-sufficient with large gardens and acreage. They grew all manner of crops:- rye, wheat, arrowroot, grapes for wine, fruit and vegetables. Pigs were killed and cured for bacon and ham and sold in the store. Cattle, sheep and horses were bred. David is listed as buying two stallions at Tattersall’s Horse Bazaar in Brisbane. One was a clydesdale”Rantin Robin” and the other an arabian “Dandalo.”

He sold horses to the Army in India. A racecourse was also built on Moraby. David was involved in local government and was a member of the Divisional board. He had extensive interests in Toowoomba and Brisbane. He and his son were invited on board the ship when the Duke of Clarence visited Brisbane.

David died during a severe heat wave in January 1884, one month short of his 51st birthday and is buried at Condamine. Elizabeth died aged 84 years and is buried in the Lutwyche cemetery in Brisbane on 7/04/1926.

< Back to the Stories