Government House Queensland
Visitors to Government House often wonder why there is an imposing stained-glass portrait of the Scottish hero, Robert the Bruce, at the head of the grand cedar staircase.
The answer lies in the heritage of John Stevenson, the wealthy 19th century pastoralist and parliamentarian who acquired Fernberg in 1882 and, six years later, commissioned one of Brisbane’s best-known architects to design a substantial extension – including provision for a stained-glass window.
Stevenson had come to Australia from Perthshire in Scotland as a 20-year-old in 1854, but remained a proud Scot all his life, making several return trips to his homeland. On one such trip, he commissioned the design for a stained-glass portrait of the revered Scottish hero, Robert the Bruce, who had reigned as King of the Scots for 25 years at the beginning of the 14th century after defeating the English at the Battle of Bannockburn and ultimately securing Scotland’s independence in 1328.
The artist who created the design is not known but was possibly from one of the many famous stained-glass studios that operated in Glasgow in the late 19th century.
Similarly, the craftsmen who created the window from the design in Brisbane are unknown but, as is evident in many Queensland churches and other buildings of that era, there were many skilled stained-glass artisans working in Brisbane at that time.
Symbols incorporated in the design include the blue and white saltire of Scotland and tree branches representing the ancient oak in Dumbartonshire believed to have been planted by a young Robert the Bruce.
When Sir Henry Abel Smith became Governor in 1958, he requested that the window be replaced by clear window glass. Fortunately for visitors today, the request was not approved by the Department of Public Works.