StateLibQld 1 108600 Arrival of Mrs Wheeler to unveil the School War Memorial at Springsure, ca. 1920

Arrival of Mrs Wheeler to unveil the School War Memorial at Springsure, ca. 1920
Annie Margaret Wheeler , soldiers' welfare worker, was born on 10 December 1867 at Saunders Station, Dingo. She was educated at a Rockhampton convent school and In 1896 married Henry Gaudiano Wheeler of Cooroorah Station, near Blackwater. After his death in 1903 she once again made Rockhampton her home. In 1913 she took her only daughter, Portia, to England to complete her education. At the outbreak of war in 1914 Mrs Wheeler worked as a probationer nurse in a hospital in Sussex. Moving to London Mrs Wheeler endeavoured to contact all soldiers from Central Queensland. She kept a detailed card index on them, corresponded with servicemen on the battlefield, forwarded packages and mail, provided for their needs and supervised the care and comfort of those in hospital.

Mrs Wheeler's card indexes to Central Queensland soldiers are held by the John Oxley Library (OM 82-67). Sign on shopfront in background reads: Jones, Tailor, Mercer and Outfitter.