Lilydale Inaugural Council
Elections for the first Lilydale Council were held in December 1907.
Several Country Road Trusts were replaced by Municipal Councils at this time.
Results:
DORSET WARD
G Archer 58, C White 50, A Box 37 (elected) CE West 35, W Clare 27
TANKERVILLE WARD
L Bardenhagen 94, F Benn 83, G Peddle 63, (elected) FH Mahnken 40, FF Kowarzik 33, T Kelly 27, RW Evans 25
TURNERS MARSH WARD
R McKenna 77,T Windsor 62, PW Adams 56, (elected) C Haas 54, JT Robertson 53, R Barrett 32
From the Country News section of the Examiner 1907:
LILYDALE….Little interest is being taken in the forthcoming municipal elections. A few of the old trustees are offering themselves for election with good prospects of success.
LEBRINA…..A good deal of canvassing for votes has been carried on here lately. The candidates are Mr PW Adams of Lebrina and Mr James Robertson also of Lebrina. Mr W Lockhart refuses to put his name forward as a candidate.
The annual sports meeting was held on Mr Nevins property recently. This is the most suitable part of Lebrina for picnics of this kind and it is understood that overtures are to be made to Mr Nevin for its purchase by the Lilydale Council, after its inauguration.
The Minutes of the first meeting on Monday 6th January 1908 appeared in The Examiner
Mr Peddle was voted to the chair. Mr C White moved and Mr RJ McKenna seconded that Mr JA Box be appointed Warden. Carried. Proposed by Mr Peddle, seconded by Mr Benn that Mr J Power be appointed Council Clerk. Carried. Mr GE Archer moved and Mr L Bardenhagen seconded that Mr CE Brewer be appointed codlin moth inspector. Carried. Mr G Sulzberger was appointed Pound Keeper.
Mr Archer moved and Mr McKenna seconded that Mr L Bardenhagen be appointed treasurer. Carried.
All the above appointments are for three months until the annual election April next.
Standing: John Power (Council Clerk), Ludwig Bardenhagen (Treasurer), Percy Adams, Charles White,
Gerald Archer
Sitting: RJ McKenna, Frederick Benn, James Box (Warden), George Peddle, TG Windsor
JOHN DUNN POWER was a native of Tralee, Ireland who arrived in Tasmania in 1855 aboard the Äntipodes. He married Margaret Moir in Campbell Town before taking up land at Lilydale in 1862. He cleared this property and named it “View Point”.
At the councils inception in 1908 Mr Power was appointed council clerk, a position he held till failing eyesight forced his retirement in 1917. Mr Power passed away in 1929 and his remains are interred in the Lilydale Cemetery.
LUDWIG BARDENHAGEN is a well known name in Lilydale. His general store built in 1888 still remains as a constant reminder of the influence of this German born settler. Ludwig arrived in Tasmania from NZ, having spent a few years in Victoria previously. He married Miss Tamar Arnold in 1876 and together they built quite an impressive empire which included a butter factory. He sold butter under the brand name “Wheat Sheaf”. Ludwig and Tamar were staunch supporters of the community donating land for the first hall and a church. Ludwig died in 1919 and Tamar in 1922. Their remains are interred in the Lilydale Cemetery. Ludwig and Tamar created a very rich legacy but were childless. The Bardenhagens in Lilydale today are descendants of Ludwig’s brother Luder.
RJ MCKENNA was honoured with an obituary in The Advocate newspaper in 1940
The funeral of the late Mr RJ McKenna of Upper Burnie who died on Monday took place at the Wivenhoe Cemetery at Waratah on Wednesday afternoon. There was a large and representative attendance. The chief mourners were Messrs HJ and WM McKenna (sons) and J Mahnken (son in law). Carriers were Messrs T McKenna, W Hayes, K Nolan and J Hiscutt. Pallbearers were Messrs JH Jade, F Miles, A Young and D Duff senior.
The late Mr McKenna was born at Launceston 76 years ago and when a boy moved to Turners Marsh with his parents. He married Johanna O’Callaghan. Later he went to Karoola where he successfully carried on farming. While in the district he was chairman of the Old Road Trust and later when the municipal council was formed was a member of that body for many years, being warden for some years. He was also chairman of many social committees and was churchwarden of Sacred Heart Church at Karoola for over twenty years. He moved to Upper Burnie fifteen years ago and resided there till his death. His wife pre-deceased him two and a half years ago and he is survived by his family of two daughters and three sons, Mrs J Mahnken (Lebrina), Miss N McKenna (Upper Burnie), Mr J McKenna (Karoola and Messrs H and W McKenna (Upper Burnie). The late Mr McKenna was for many years a strong supporter of the Burnie Agricultural and Pastoral Society and a member of that committee.
GERALD E ARCHER was a member of the Lilydale council from its inception in 1908 until his death in 1949 when he was replaced by his son Frank Robert Archer. Frank was a member until the council amalgamated with Launceston. Gerald Archer was previously a member of the Dorset Road Trust.
Gerald s father Frank Archer, a Member of Tasmanian parliament, visited Lilydale School in 1902. Later that day he set off to walk to Lisle, collapsed on the track due to heart complaint and died. Frank Robert Archer passed away at his family property “Landfall” in 1983.
The Rocherlea Recreation Ground of 10 acres was given to the municipality by the Archer family.
PERCY ADAMS was the only surviving member of the inaugural council when the 50th anniversary of local government in the municipality occurred in 1958.
