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R E I Q J O U R N A L
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L E T T E R S T O E D I T O R
Black's oldest real estate family
Dear Editor,
We wish to congratulate you on the
recent family business edition for
acknowledging these successful families.
There is one point which we feel does
need clarification.
In relation to the Blocksidge family
probably being the oldest real estate
family business in Queensland, we
would like to advise you that Blacks
Real Estate (formerly Henry L. Black
and Co) is the oldest real estate firm
in Queensland.
This year we are celebrating 135 years
of continuous real estate business, as
we were established in 1881.
In 1881, Henry Lindsay Black joined
his brother-in-law Henry Wallace in a
business venture that included livery
stables, a horse bazaar and later a
coach service in the Mackay region.
Livestock auctions were conducted
at the Victoria Street premises each
week until the sale yards were built
for the business that was to be called
Henry L. Black and Co.
Henry’s sons, Frank and Archie, joined
the firm prior to World War I breaking
out and upon his return from the war
in 1919, Archie was made a partner.
When Henry died in 1926, the business
was run by the brothers, Frank and
Archie. A new building was constructed
at 75 Victoria Street in 1935.
Unfortunately, the outbreak of World
War II ended plans to expand the
business. After the war, Frank retired
and Archie’s son Chubb Black joined
the firm. He retired in 1987 after 41
years of service.
Ross Wallace, the grandson of
founding partner Henry Wallace
joined the business in 1954 and held
the position of REIQ President in the
late 1990s, before retiring in 2000.
The post-war years saw considerable
expansion into residential sales and
the business was eventually renamed
Blacks Real Estate Pty Ltd.
The office now employs 22 people.
Former managing director Ian Black
remains as a consultant. Greg Lewis
and Royce Dunn are relatives of the
Wallace family and are directors today.
Andrew Black the great, great
grandson of founding partner Henry
Black joined Blacks Real Estate in 2001
and is now a Director.
Regards,
Greg Lewis
(Managing Director)
Ian Black
(Former Managing
Director)
Editor’s note:
The Black family has an
astonishing five generations working
in real estate, beginning in 1888, which
means they have pipped the Blocksidges
(four generations, established in 1888),
the Deans (five generations, established
in 1920), the Matthews (four generations,
starting in the early 1920s) and the
Whites (four generations, established in
1902) as Queensland’s oldest real estate
family business.
In addition, according to the REIQ
history book,
Dreams, Deeds and
Dedications
, Ross Wallace, great
grandson of founding partner Henry
Wallace, was the first REIQ President
to be appointed from outside the
southeast corner of the state, serving
a two-year term from 1997 to 1999.
And when Ross served as the Mackay
branch president of the REIQ (1983-
1989), Mackay had a 100 per cent
membership rate!
Congratulations to the Wallace and
Black families on such an incredible
achievement! We apologise for omitting
you from our profile of Queensland’s
oldest real estate families.