Lahey Family collections
By Marg Powell, Specialist Library Technician, Metadata | 22 August 2024
Original material collections - The Lahey Family
The collections featured here contain material relating to artist Vida Lahey, her five brothers and three sisters - children of David and Jane Lahey, all descendants of Francis and Alicia Lahey - pioneer settlers, timber getters and saw millers of Queensland.
Art Works | Correspondence | Family History | Keepsakes | Manuscripts | Photographs | Scrapbooks
Frances 'Vida' Lahey MBE
Vida Lahey (1882-1968) was born at Pimpama to David Lahey and Jane Wamsley, she had eleven siblings including conservationist Romeo Lahey and was one of the first female artists in Queensland to regard herself as a professional and sought to earn a living from practising her art.
These collections which were donated over several decades, came largely from Vida and her immediate descendants.
A bowl of flowers, watercolour by Vida Lahey, Illustrated page from The Queenslander Annual, November 6, 1934, p. 24
Romeo Lahey and Arthur Groom at breakfast, Arthur is balancing a sandwich on his head while adjusting his tie. Negative number: 196158, John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland.
Romeo Watkins Lahey MBE, ME
Romeo Lahey (1887-1968) son of David and Jane Lahey, soldier, engineer, businessman, and conservationist.
Educated at Brisbane Grammar, he studied engineering at Sydney University and served with the 11th Field Company Engineers during the First World War. Romeo and Alice Delpratt, married after his return and for a short time lived in the home he designed at Canungra 'Wonga Wallen'. This home was later bequeathed to his sisters Vida and Jayne in 1946.
A keen conservationist, in April 1930, Lahey founded the National Parks Association of Queensland (NPAQ), and established with Arthur Groom, Binna Burra Mountain Lodge, where people could stay and experience the beauty of the Lamington National Park rainforest.
6177 Romeo Watkins Lahey glass slides
31222 Shirley Lahey collection
Lahey's during the First World War
In 1916, Vida Lahey established a home base in London for her brothers and cousins who were on active service, including her brothers Jack, Romeo and Noel.
Letters written by Vida during this time record the anticipation of an armistice as she waited in London in 1918, and then in 1920 as she stood in Trafalgar Square with 50,000 people, as the Unknown Warrior was returned from an obscure grave in France, to Westminster Abbey.
In 1924 Vida painted the procession of women mourning and rejoicing at St Martin's in the Field, Trafalgar Square, 11 November 1918. 'Rejoicing and remembrance' is held by the Australian War Memorial.
Studio portrait of Vida Lahey and two of her brothers Noel Lahey, (died of wounds); and Lieutenant Romeo Lahey. Photograph by Beatrice 'Bee' Belton, London, October 1916. Image courtesy: Australian War Memorial, Accession number: P04598.001
- John 'Jack' Rowland Lahey, 25th Infantry Battalion
- Noel Alaric Lahey, 9th Infantry Battalion
- Romeo Watkins Lahey, 11th Field Company Engineers
Explore related collections ...
- Alice Sybil Delpratt youngest daughter of Henry Delpratt of Tambourine House, married Romeo Lahey
- Jane Lahey (1842-1890) married Reuben Nicklin, both perished when The 'Quetta' was wrecked in 1890 off Thursday Island.
- Daphne Mayo with her friend Vida Lahey, founded the Queensland Art Fund in 1928, which purchased works for the Queensland National Art Gallery (later Queensland Art Gallery). In 1936 she and Lahey established the State’s first art reference library.
- Harry Throssell's book on the history of Binna Burra Lodge, Lamington National Park, 'Where the Beech Trees Grow', 1984
Places associated with the Lahey's ...
Bellissima Guesthouse | Binna Burra, Lamington National Park | Canungra Sawmill | Corinda Sawmill | 'Greylands' Indooroopilly | Laheys Tramway (Canungra) | Laheys Lookout Tower (Tamborine) | Lone Pine, Fig Tree Pocket | Pimpama | Sherwood Arboretum | Sydney House, Toowong | Tygum | Wonga Wallen, Canungra (& St Lucia) | Wonga Wallen, Corinda.
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