History

Kingston House was built at the turn of the century, around 1901, for mine manager.  David Menzies and his wife Mary.  Mary was the widow of John George Henry, a mine manager who was granted a large portion of land surrounding Channon St in the 1870’s. He died in his early 40’s and she remarried Mr. Menzies.

They built the house on the land left for Mary. After her death in 1928, the house and a portion of the original land grant was left to her daughter, Clara Marion Henry. There is a large table in the Gympie Library history room that was donated by her.

In the 1930’s, Clara sold the house to Dr Cunningham and his wife, who turned the house into a private surgery and maternity hospital.

Dr Cunningham and Dr John Stanley practiced in the building, but unfortunately, under mysterious circumstances, Dr Stanley was found dead in his room by Dr Cunningham’s wife. It is said that Dr Stanley had finished his work for the day and was on his way to a social function at the golf club but suspiciously overdosed on insulin. Mrs Cunningham was sent to hospital suffering from shock. After the tragedy, Dr Cunningham moved to Tasmania leaving the house vacant and later divorcing his wife.

The house remained vacant for a couple of years. Dr Warriner and his wife bought the property and continued to operate Kingston house as a doctor’s surgery and residence for about 20yrs. Dr Warriner and his son were in a car accident, his son died instantly and Dr Warriner soon after because of the accident. His new practitioner Dr Stan Green and his wife Pam bought the house from the widowed Lola Warriner and were here for 32 years until his retirement in 1994.

Jenny and Chris Wilson bought the house and opened it as “Kingston House Tea Rooms” in December 1994. Paul and Kim Jones bought the House in 1996 from Jenny and Chris and turned it into “Kingston House Impressions” the wonderful Restaurant it is today.