Maryborough Queensland 1904 Cancel

I found this stamp today in one of my stock books. It is cancelled 30 December 1904 from Maryborough, Queensland, Australia. I looked up this town of 27,000+ people on Wikipedia, and learned this happened:

Pneumonic Plague

Australia's only outbreak of pneumonic plague occurred in Maryborough in 1905. At the time Maryborough was Queensland's largest port and reception center for wool, meat, timber, sugar, and other products. A freighter from Hong Kong, where plague was rampant, was in the Port of Maryborough about the time that a wharf worker named Richard O'Connell took home some sacking from the wharf, for his children to sleep on. Subsequently, five of the seven O'Connell children, two nurses, and a neighbor died from the disease. There were no more cases but the ensuing fear, panic, and hysteria totally consumed the town, and a huge crowd gathered to witness the family's house being burnt to the ground by health officials. A memorial fountain was built in the grounds of the City Hall and dedicated to the nurses, Cecelia Bauer and Rose Wiles.

Interesting tragic story,

Linus

Like the story. Love the stamp/cancel.

Stamps with History. Love it.

Linus

Interesting story. Found this on Wikipedia regarding the condition: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pneumonic_plague

Over night I started thinking that I had heard of this Maryborough, Queensland before. I started looking at my covers and sure enough I had
a postcard with that cancel.

That is a very nice postcard, moldman. Thanks for digging it out and sharing it with us. I would call that one a "keeper."

Thanks for all the kind words above and the link, gettinold.

Linus

Given the current situation in the world, it is ironic that I posted this story on January 2, 2020. It just goes to show you how history has a way of repeating itself, in a way. I have not heard of anyone burning down Covid-19 infected dwellings...yet.

Linus