Fisher & Edmeston

FISHER & EDMESTON was an association in London of RG FISHER and James EDMESTON who as architects to the Vieille Montagne Zinc Co., designed terminal stations at Ipswich and Toowoomba and a smaller wayside station at Laidley for the Southern & Western Railway (S&WR) constructed west from Ipswich; and at Rockhampton for the Great Northern Railway (GNR) constructed west from Rockhampton. The stations were prefabricated by Frederick Braby & Co, London, a leading British firm of constructional engineers, sheet metal manufacturers and galvanisers who were manufacturing agent for the Vieille Montagne Zinc Co. The station at Laidley (S&WR) was illustrated in Braby’s catalogue of 1869. Other wayside stations on the S&WR were designed in the office of the Chief Engineer, AC FITZGIBBON. Those on the GNR were designed in the office of the Chief Engineer, HT PLEWS. The Toowoomba Station was not erected and components used at Brisbane, the later terminus of the S&WR. Fisher & Edmeston also detailed and supplied the zinc roof of Queensland’s Parliament House, under construction in Brisbane by day labour. To ascertain the interest of the company, Charles TIFFIN sent drawings and photographs. After their reply in July 1865, he forwarded tracings and specification for the roof and gutters and accepted their offer to send models. In January 1866, after Edmeston provided a report and estimate, the contract was agreed with the Queensland Government’s agent, W&B Brookes. From mid-October to late November zinc roofing and gutters were received with detailed instructions but damaged. A critical report compiled by James POLWORTH and a plumber James Stewart, foreshadowed a claim for loss and inconvenience. Except for the necessity to cover the buildings, the zinc would have been rejected. Vieille Montagne’s apology was received in late February 1867, but it is not known if a claim was made.