R.F.DUNCAN & CO
THE HISTORY
BY ELLEN COGILL
The Livestock Agency of R.F.Duncan & co, located in Rockhampton, is believed to be the oldest Livestock Agency, operating in Australia to-day, still under its original name. It was founded by Robert Farquharson Duncan in 1905, and its office was situated where the National Australia Bank stands today, in Denham Street, Rockhampton.
Robert Farquharson Duncan Senior was born in Forfarshire, Scotland on 9 th October 1833 and ventured out to Australia, lured as were many at that time by the stories of the gold to be found there. It is unsure which goldfields he sought, but it may have been Canoona for he settled at Alton Downs in 1863 on a property called "Coolarah" with his wife Elizabeth. At the end of that year, his eldest son Charles was born.
In all, Elizabeth and Robert Duncan had seven children, three boys and four girls. Charles, Alexander, Mary, Elizabeth, Margaret, Jessie and the youngest son Robert, who was born in 1878. It was young Robert who founded R.F.Duncan & Co.
They all lived to a relatively good age, but obviously were not the marrying kind as neither Charles nor any of the four girls ever married. Alexander married Mary McMaster who was the sister of Sir Fergus McMaster, co-founder with Hudson Fysh of Qantas, and there were no children from that marriage.
Robert married Alice Eardley and they only had one daughter, Mavis Elizabeth born in 1909. So of the seven children of Robert Senior and Elizabeth, only one grandchild was born, that being a girl. Thus that particular family name of Duncan was not carried through generations.
Mavis married Frances Mildmay St John and they only had one son Jeremy. Mavis died in 1996. Jeremy St John great grandson of the original Robert Duncan today resides at Mosman in New South Wales and has two sons Angus and Duncan and one grandson Alexander Duncan.
When the First World War broke out in 1914, Bob Duncan enlisted in the A.I.F., and served overseas on active duty. Whilst he was away the firm was run by accountants.
When he returned from the War, he set about building up his firm in earnest and gradually acquired a large clientele. He held cattle sales on a regular basis and horse sales periodically.
In 1927, the business became a Company with ten shareholders, each holding one thousand shares at ten pounds a share. The Shareholders consisted of family members, local commission agents and prominent local graziers from the Rockhampton and Clermont districts. They were:-
Robert Farquharson Duncan
Alice Mary Duncan
Mavis Elizabeth Duncan
Anthony William Appleton
Sarah Appleton
Cecil Chase
Ruby Chase
William Hamilton
Eliza Margaret Hamilton
Stuart Ronald MacDonald
Cattle Sales continued to be held regularly, and the Company put out a report after each sale. Below is an extract of one such report, dated the first of April, 1927
"Dear Sir,
We held our usual fortnightly Store Cattle Sale on Wednesday last the 30 th March, submitted 742 head and sold 727 head at auction. There was the usual large attendance of Local Buyers - the Northern and Southern Districts also being represented. Animated competition prevailed throughout the Sale, three Buyers' purchases totalling 375 head. Prices showed a considerable increase generally on our previous Sale the average price for the yarding being within 10/- per head of our best average for this year. In view of the fact that the prices for Fats have since deteriorated about 7/6 per 100 lbs, and that we then had larger numbers of store bullocks to offer which realised much better prices than is the case today, we consider the result of this Sale to be very satisfactory. Steers and Heifers were strong in demand and although we only had a few breeders with calves to offer, prices showed an increase on our previous Sale, dry breeders being slightly easier. We had only a few store bullocks of fattening ages to offer, but on account of these being bred in the Western Districts they were not eagerly sought after, cattle from these centres not meeting with the same competition as those bred in coastal areas. Fat Cattle values were easier than at our previous Sale - cow beef making 21/- per 100 lbs - the Local Trade being over supplied for the time being .For the three months ending we sold 5653 head of cattle at our local auction Sales.
We will hold our next Sale on Wednesday the 13 th April and expect to yard up to 1000 head of cattle at this Sale comprising fattening age bullocks (which will probably include a line of 300 Herefords from Mt. Ravenswood Station) Breeders, Steers, Heifers and young cattle of both sexes, and will be pleased to see you in attendance either as a Buyer or Seller. Our paddocks in close proximity to the Sale Yards are at the disposal of our clients for holding their Sale stock, and your interests will be given our most careful attention. Thanking you in anticipation of your esteemed patronage.
We are, yours faithfully
R.F.DUNCAN & CO"
The saleyards at this time were located at the Rockhampton Showgrounds.
The Horse Sales held there were legendary with some of them lasting up to five days. As Bob Duncan was the only auctioneer in the firm, he did all the auctioneering over the five days. He would sell up to 1000 horses in this time. Horses were big business then, with the pastoral industry expanding , along with the Indian remounts market and also Hong Kong requiring racehorses and polo ponies.
Jack Collins was the yardman at that time and he worked for Duncans for many years. Frank Beasley, Bill Woods and Theo Goa bought for the Indian Army, and W.Jones was a Hong Kong buyer. Alan (Pal) Collins son of Jack, was a teenager at the time and did a lot of the breaking-in of many of the Indian remounts.
R.F.Duncan & Co also sold many properties through the auction system. The following is an extract from an advertisement for a Public Auction of Land, to be held at Rockhampton, on Friday, 22 nd August 1924.
Lot l " Normanville"3003 acres
Lot 2 "Camping Paddock" 159 acres
Lot 3 "China Gully" 368 acres
Lot 4 "Moonlight" 1027 acres
Lot 5 "Blackfellow's Gully" 2048 ac.
Lot 6 "Bonds Paddock" 2830 acres
Lot 7 "Coreeen" 35 sq. Miles .P.L.
"Coreen" Pastoral Lease is situated 60 miles from Dingo Railway Station and Trucking Yards, 45 miles from Marlborough Railway Station and Trucking Yards and about 100 miles from Rockhampton by road .Its area is 35 square miles, the lease has 16 years to run, rent 40s. per sq.mile. Application has been made for a reduction of the rent. It is watered by 12miles of the McKenzie River, giving a permanent supply, also by numerous Lagoons. It is Open Dead Brigalow and open forest country and Fattening country on the river flats. Well Grassed. It is securely fenced and subdivided into two paddocks, Crossings at River are fenced off Practically all fencing erected within the past few years. Dip and Yards cost over 250 pounds. Iron House of 2 rooms with verandah on high blocks and tailing yards.
Properties No 2,3,4,5,and 6 comprise all good Cattle Country and Agricultural Land, heavily grassed and timbered with Broadleaf, Ironbark and bloodwoood. These are all situated in close proximity to"Normanville" and Ridgelands Railway Station and Trucking Yards and will be sold separately."
R.F.Duncan & Co, also owned several properties in their own right, in and around Rockhampton and Central Queensland. These included:-
"Coorumburra" near Marlborough, which in recent times was owned by the Atkinson family, but in the last couple of years has been sold to a
mining Company. "Aeroview" at Ridgelands and of course "Coolarah" at Alton Downs. They also owned "Ayrshire Park" near Gracemere, and "Belmont" Station.
Bob Duncan was closely associated with the Racing Industry and bought and sold many racehorses. In the early 1940's the McKenzie Brothers through Duncans bought a racing Sire from Melbourne. It was purchased sight unseen on Bob Duncan's guarantee. The stallion travelled by steamer to the Rockhampton Wharves. His name was Sir Geraint and he turned out to be a good station sire and also a leading sire of racehorses for a number of years.
The McKenzies' had many earlier dealings with Duncan's Agency, and in 1918 , John McKenzie bought "Coolarah", from the Duncan family.
The Coolarah McKenzies have dealt with R.F.Duncan & Co ever since. They were also from Scotland and settled in the district, the same year as the Duncans, 1863, at "Calioran", South Yaamba.
Another notable Scottish family who settled in the district were the Rutherford family. They settled in the district in 1882, and today reside at "Redbank" Morinish. They also have dealt with R.F.Duncan & Co, over the years and still do today.
Bob Duncan had other interests outside the Agency, and around the time of 1913 was a Councillor with the Fitzroy Shire Council.
He was also believed to be the founding Hon. Secretary of the Central Queensland Amateur Racing Club in Rockhampton.
A Committee Report dated the 22 nd October, 1934 states:-
"At the first meeting of Committee Mr. H.V.Brumm was elected Chairman of Committee, Mr. W.H. Kettle, Treasurer and Mr R.F.Duncan was again appointed Honorary Secretary."
A drinking fountain named in his honour was erected and still stands today at the Rockhampton racecourse, Callaghan Park.
Dave Pierce of Midgee worked for Bob Duncan in the 1920's, and he said of Bob, that he was a good cattleman, a great horseman and a gentlemen.
In approximately 1937 the Company was handed over to William Hamilton who continued operations until 1951. William (Bill) Hamilton was originally a livestock buyer for Lord Vesties' Lakes Creek Abattoirs. Bill was credited in his earlier years as being the first meatworks buyer in Australia to inspect cattle by flying in a two-seater bi-plane. This was about 1921.
In 1952 Cec McElrea and John Cahill, who both worked for New Zealand Loan, took over R.F.Duncan & Co, and had a wonderful partnership until Cec retired in 1986. John Cahill continued as Principal until his retirement in July 1992.
The current Principal David Francis, commenced with John Cahill in May 1992 and took over the company when John retired two months later.
It is to the credit of R.F.Duncan & Co, that it is still privately owned, in this day and age of mergers of big companies for cost effectiveness, which usually results in swallowing up the smaller firms, or putting them out of business.
It is also to the firm's credit that they have retained many valuable clients down through the generations, showing that the level of service must always have been first class, and their values highly regarded. It is reminiscent of the days when a handshake was a good way of settling a deal.