Victor Felix Palazzi Cunnamulla Saddler 1890’s
Cunnamulla History of Victor Felix Palazzi a Cunnamulla Saddler from 1890’s.
Victor Felix was born at Araluen on 15 December 1871, the second son of Baptist and Assunta. He was six years old when the family moved to Wagga Wagga so most of his growing up and schooling would have been in Wagga, although he certainly would have remembered his early life in Araluen.
At the age of about 24 or 25, he moved to Cunnamulla, Queensland in the mid 1890’s, where he established a saddlery and harness business in Jane Street. The building is still standing and is the former Service Stores building and Ashley Sports n All Building. The business prospered and supported several employees including Vic’s daughter Vicki later on.
During the early days in Cunnamulla, there were often gatherings of the young folk for parties down by the banks of the Warrego River. It is likely that it was at such a gathering that he met Sabina Jessie Smith, whose family had property in the Cunnamulla area. Vic and Bina were married in Cunnamulla on 10 April 1898.
The first child Sabina Victoria (Vicki) was born on 29 May 1896 at Jane St Cunnamulla, the Palazzi home, this being next door to the saddlery business. Vicki was followed by Teresa Rose, born 8 February 1898, who sadly died on 4 June 1899 at 16 months of age.
Their daughter Vicki was schooled at the “Star of The Sea” Catholic Girls Boarding School in Brisbane. Following her schooling, she returned to Cunnamulla and worked in the saddlery business for 4 – 5 years as the secretary/bookkeeper. During this time, father and daughter were often entertaining visitors and guests as Vic was a very accomplished musician and Vicki was an excellent singer and pianist.
In 1919 Vic bought the property Moruya, situated about 100km north of Cunnamulla, and several years later bought Banksia, situated in the same area. He spent the rest of his life producing wool on these two properties. The nearest railway siding was Quilberry and during the outbreak of plague in 1920, the Pilazzi’s would go to the siding for the stores from Cunnamulla. Vic would insist that Binna and Vicki wait about 50 yards away from the siding whilst he went to collect the goods, well masked up and all in order to avoid the plague. Presumably the stores would then have to be disinfected somehow.
Victor was a solid member of the Cunnamulla Masonic Lodge, and also very involved with the organisation and running of the annual Brisbane Exhibition. It was whilst they were at one of the Brisbane ECCAS that they bought their fancy Buic car (Q59-814). This was a very plush and fine vehicle and a real treasure in the eyes of V.F. Palazzi.
It was during the 1936 shearing at Moruya, when a bad storm was brewing, that Vic went down in the late evening to shut the very heavy door of the shearing shed. He was a bit unwell with heart troubles and in attempting to close the door, had a massive heart attack. After a while in Charleville Hospital, he was flown to Brisbane where he died on 15 October 1936 at the age of 64.
Information and images provided by relative Gary Lloyd-Jones Mob: 0402 563 553 email:loyjones@bifpond.com