Robert Frank Roylance

Robert Frank Roylance was the youngest child of Thomas Roylance and Hannah Stubbs Brocklehurst. He was born in Brisbane in 1896. His family lived at Wellington Street, South Brisbane. In 1916 he was working as a lad porter with the Queensland Railways at Roma Street Station. By 1935 he held the postion of  porter.

World War 1 commenced in 1915, but Frank was too young to enlist.  However, like many teenagers of his time, he was a member of the army reserve and regularly attended miltary camps until the end of the war in 1918.


Frank lived with his mother and sister Maud (1993-1969) at Highgate Hill. Maud worked as a seamstress at Alexander Stewarts, Brisbane. She had a workmate called Ethel Maud Roylance (1895-1991) whose parents had died. She and her brother lived with her grandparents, James (1833-1918) and Rachel Gallant (1843-1928) at Vale Street, Kelvin Grove. Frank and Ethel were engaged for ten years. After  Hannah's death in 1922, the couple were married on 2 May 1925 at the Windsor Baptist Church. The wedding party included Ethel's brother, Edgar Gallant (1897-1979).

The newly weds built their home in Brisbane. It was a  Queenslander on a large block of land. Over the years, Frank built a fence and developed the acerage with gardens featuring native flowers and vegetables. He and Ethel loved gardening, growing seedlings, planting and harvesting. He had a fine reputation for being a man with 'green fingers'.They raised two children who were baptised at the Baptist Church, Windsor, and attended Wooloowin State School.

The family lived comfortably at Gordon Park. However, Frank unexpectedly died at home on 29 July 1935, after a short illness.  His death was a shock to the family and placed the family in peril. His death meant hard times for the family.  To help Ethel and the children,  Ethel's brother, Edgar Gallant (, returned to Brisbane from Townsville where he was working  as  a civilian driver for the American land army.  A kind and friendly man, he is remembered for his financial generosity to family members.  He lived at home at Gordon Park until his death at the Royal Brisbane Hospital on 17 October, 1979.

Robert Frank Roylance is buried at the Balmoral Cemetery (Portion 1, Allotment 24) with his mother, Hannah Roylance (1861-1922) and infant sister, Edith (1888-1890)  He was survived by his wife, Ethel and two young children.  Vale Frank.