Note

The material for this booklet is derived mostly from information published in the Burra Record. I would like to acknowledge the help of Meredith Satchell for assistance with biographical data in Part 2. Other information in Part 2 was derived from business directories, but these entries must be regarded as a work in progress and any additional data and corrections would be welcomed for inclusion in any subsequent reprint. In some cases the existence of more than one person with the same name may have led to inaccuracies, for which I apologise. The paper is not always consistent with the spelling of names or the use of identifying initials. Every care has been taken, but some inaccuracies are still possible. Part 5 lists the sources for most of the information. Responsibility for observations and errors rests with the author.

Eric Fuss

April 2002

INTRODUCTION

When copper was discovered at Burra in 1845 the main population centre that grew up was the town of Kooringa, to the south of the mine, on the land of the South Australian Mining Association (SAMA). Their tight control of the town and their refusal to grant freehold title until the 1870s encouraged the growth of other towns or subdivisions beyond the border of their Special Survey. Most notably to the north there was the Government town of Redruth, but also the private subdivisions of Aberdeen, Llwchwr, Millerton and Hampton. (And others that did not develop.) To the west and south-west of SAMA’s land about nine subdivisions were made, but only Copperhouse and Lostwithiel had numbers of houses that persisted into the twentieth century.

Despite having a population in excess of 4,000 while the mine prospered, Burra did not have any form of local government for many years after far less populous centres and districts obtained either a District Council or a Town Council. The lengthy delay was due to a number of reasons. Sammie (as the Mining Association came to be known) discouraged any group or organisation which might have challenged its absolute control over its town. The fact that all businesses and houses in Kooringa were on relatively short term leases also discouraged local pride and capital investment in both real estate and infrastructure. The proliferation of ‘towns’ was a source of disunity, particularly because the majority of the population was divided into a southern centre at Kooringa and a northern concentration at Aberdeen-Redruth with a significant central gap occupied by the Burra Burra Mine and the lease of the English and Australian Copper Company which operated the smelting works. In addition the surrounding land was mainly held in large pastoral runs with few small farms and consequently not very many people living in the district.

Eventually in 1872 a District Council was formed which had some effect in bringing the disparate settlements together. As the mine declined the interests of Sammie also began to change and slowly through the 1870s some freehold properties were bought in Kooringa. The 1860s saw the beginning of the break-up of some of the old runs while the following decade also saw the spread of smaller farms in the newly proclaimed hundreds to the east.

In 1875 ratepayers from the towns other than Kooringa petitioned for a Corporation (i.e. a Town Council) of Aberdeen and Redruth. Since Kooringa was the largest population centre in the district this was unlikely to impress the government in Adelaide and the counter petition from ratepayers in Kooringa saw the move fail. After some twenty years of intermittent struggle the time had finally arrived when the question would not be shelved again and on 29 December 1875 a meeting in the Burra Institute drew more than 150 ratepayers who were determined to see a Town Council established. A memorial to the government attracted almost 400 signatures and this time they were successful.

The Corporation of the Town of Burra was proclaimed on 28 June 1876 and the first appointed mayor and town councillors were sworn in on 12 July 1876.

With the neglect of thirty years to rectify, the Council was faced with an immense task of road, footpath, and bridge construction as well as drainage and sanitation problems. A little over a year later the closure of the mine added the lack of a town water supply to their problems and resulted in a falling population and declining real estate values to add to their difficulties.

A serious economic depression that occurred in the late 1880s and 1890s makes the achievements of the Councils of the nineteenth century all the more remarkable. There is a fascinating book waiting to be written about the Councils, councillors and their employees, especially in the period before World War I. This was the time that saw so much infrastructure built. It was also the period when the Council was running the town water supply which resulted in much difficulty, a great deal of heartache, and sometimes episodes of high farce. The local paper reports some wonderful Council meetings where serious matters were in dispute, but where the script would not be out of place in a Gilbert and Sullivan opera.

This booklet lists the elections and Councils for the 93 years of the Burra Town Council before it amalgamated with the District Council of Burra Burra in 1969. It also gives some meagre information, where it was available, about those mayors councillors and municipal candidates.

PART 1

List of Councils and Elections 1876 – 1969

Note:

* Against a name in Council lists indicates the person retires at the next election.

^# Against a name in nomination lists indicates the candidate was elected.

^‡ Indicates a note at the end of that list.

After the first council, which had an extraordinary term, mayors were elected for one year and councillors for two, with one councillor from each ward retiring each year.

Resignation without a reason accepted by the rest of council could result in a heavy fine. Most resignations were due to removal from the district, or pressure of business, and often took effect from the end of the year half way through the term of office. Extraordinary vacancies resulted from such resignations or from death or when a councillor in mid-term was elected as mayor.

Nominations were called in late November with elections in the first week of December, if required. Beginning in July 1935 the Municipal Year was changed to run from July to the following June. The Council term due to expire in November 1934 was extended to June 1935 to accommodate this change. Nominations were then called in May with supplementary calls, if needed, in May and June, and any necessary polling in early July. Extraordinary and supplementary elections held at irregular times are dated in the text whenever possible.

There were three wards: initially North, Middle and South, but from December 1884 they were North, East and West. This change was instituted to spread the ward incomes and needed expenditure more equitably. Similar reasons prompted notice of a further change in September 1938 which moved the southern border of North Ward from the northern edge of the special survey south to include within it all property north of the Mine Store and north of the southern boundary of the old Smelts Area. Presumably this change was implemented in time for the election in June 1939. (See Part 4, page 33 for more details.)

Burra Council June 1876 – November 1877

Mayor: Philip Lane*

North Ward: August Bartholomæus* George Sara

Middle Ward: Robert Sanders* Edward Lipsett

South Ward: John Snell* Joseph Roberts

Nominations for 1878[1]

Mayor: Edward Lipsett^{# ‡} 167

John Ricardo Stephens 121

North Ward: August Bartholomæus^# 83

William Brookes 16

Middle Ward: William Henry Batchelor^# 40

John Sampson jnr 14

South Ward: William Geake^# 86

William Pearce 41

^‡ Edward Lipsett’s election to the Mayoralty created an extraordinary vacancy in Middle Ward.

Extraordinary election, 17 Dec. 1877,[2]

Middle Ward Thomas Wesley Wilkinson ^#

Burra Council December 1877 – November 1878

Mayor: Edward Lipsett*

North Ward: George Sara* August Bartholomæus

Middle Ward: Thomas W. Wilkinson* William H. Batchelor

South Ward: Joseph Roberts* William Geake

Nominations for 1879[3]

Mayor: Edward Lipsett 175

William Peel Nesbitt^# 202

North Ward: William Rhodes Ridgway^#

Middle Ward: Richard Goldsworthy 24

Thomas Richardson ^# 54

South Ward: James William White^#

Burra Council December 1878 – November 1879

Mayor: Edward Lipsett*

North Ward: August Bartholomæus* William R. Ridgway

Middle Ward: William H. Batchelor* Thomas Richardson

South Ward: William Geake* James W. White^‡

^‡ James W. White’s seat was declared vacant 9 June 1879[4] creating an extraordinary vacancy in South Ward

Extraordinary election 16 June 1879[5]

South Ward No nominations

Thomas Drew^# was then nominated without his consent and elected unopposed

Nominations for 1880[6]

Mayor: Philip Lane^#

North Ward: John Dunstan jnr^#

Middle Ward: William Henry Batchelor^#

South Ward: John Lewis^#

Burra Council December 1879 – November 1880

Mayor: Philip Lane*

North Ward: William R. Ridgway* John Dunstan jnr

Middle Ward: Thomas Richardson* William H. Batchelor

South Ward: Thomas Drew* John Lewis

Nominations for 1881[7]

Mayor: Philip Lane^# 156

Thomas Richardson 88

North Ward: William Thomas Rabbich^#

Middle Ward: Edward Catchlove Lockyer^#

South Ward: John Sampson jnr^#

Burra Council December 1880 – November 1881

Mayor: Philip Lane*

North Ward: John Dunstan jnr* William T. Rabbich

Middle Ward: William H. Batchelor* Edward C. Lockyer

South Ward: John Lewis* John Sampson jnr

Nominations for 1882[8]

Mayor: Edward Catchlove Lockyer^#

North Ward: Thomas Hastie 23

Morris Rayner^# 35

Middle Ward: William Geake^# 27

William Henderson 19

South Ward: Thomas Whitney Pearce 31

Richard Ward^# 52

Extraordinary election caused by E.C. Lockyer’s election to the mayoralty[9]

Middle Ward William Geake^‡ 19

William Henderson 12

William Pearce jnr 11

^‡ Because William Geake won both the ordinary and extraordinary vacancy the extraordinary vacancy was recontested.

Extraordinary election, 10 Dec. 1881,[10]

Middle Ward William Lasscock^#

Burra Council December 1881 – November 1882

Mayor: Edward C. Lockyer*

North Ward: William T. Rabbich* Morris Rayner

Middle Ward: William Lasscock* William Geake

South Ward: John Sampson jnr* Richard Ward

Nominations for 1883[11]

Mayor: Edward Catchlove Lockyer ^#

North Ward: Charles W. Brown ^#

Middle Ward: John Drew ^#

South Ward: Alexander Harris 51

John Sampson jnr ^# 78

Burra Council December 1882 – November 1883

Mayor: Edward C. Lockyer*

North Ward: Morris Rayner* Charles W. Brown

Middle Ward: William Geake* John Drew

South Ward: Richard Ward* John Sampson jnr

Nominations for 1884[12]

Mayor: Robert Brummitt ^#

North Ward: James Tiver ^#

Middle Ward: John Finlay Duff ^#

South Ward: William Francis Coglin ^# 81

Julius Evan Petherick 53

Burra Council December 1883 – November 1884

Mayor: Robert Brummitt*

North Ward: Charles W. Brown* James Tiver

Middle Ward: John Drew* John F. Duff* ^‡

South Ward: John Sampson jnr* William F. Coglin* ^‡

^‡ John F. Duff and William F. Coglin retired due to the redrawing of ward boundaries.

Nominations for 1885[13]

Mayor: John Dunstan jnr ^#

North Ward: William Rhodes Ridgway ^#

East Ward: ^‡ Arthur Frederick Akhurst 36

John Sampson jnr ^# 66

Matthew Symons ^# 84

West Ward: ^‡ William Anderson 20

William Francis Coglin ^# 53

William Pearce Sen. 28

William West ^# 49

^‡ Two councillors were elected for each of these new wards: the one with the fewer votes taking the one year term.

Burra Council December 1884 – November 1885

Mayor: John Dunstan jnr*

North Ward: James Tiver* William R. Ridgway[14]

East Ward: John Sampson jnr* Matthew Symons

West Ward: William West* William F. Coglin[15]

Nominations for 1886[16]

Mayor: Daniel Spencer Packard ^#

North Ward: William Pearce jnr 63 ^‡

James Tiver ^# 63 ^‡

East Ward: John Sampson jnr ^#

West Ward: William Anderson ^#

^‡ The seat was awarded to James Tiver on the casting vote of the returning officer: John Dunstan jnr.

Burra Council December 1885 – November 1886

Mayor: Daniel S. Packard*

North Ward: William R. Ridgway* James Tiver

East Ward: Matthew Symons* John Sampson jnr

West Ward: William F. Coglin* William Anderson

Nominations for 1887[17]

Mayor: Frederick William Holder ^#

North Ward: Philip Lander Killicoat ^#

East Ward: Alexander Harris ^#

West Ward: William Pearce Sen. ^#

Burra Council December 1886 – November 1887

Mayor: Frederick W. Holder*

North Ward: James Tiver* Philip Lander Killicoat

East Ward: John Sampson jnr* Alexander Harris

West Ward: William Anderson* William Pearce Sen.

Nominations for 1888[18]

Mayor: Philip Lander Killicoat ^#

North Ward: Henry Pinch ^# 37

Thomas Davies ^{# ‡} 21

William Thomas Rabbich 19

East Ward: Henry Thomas Hindmarsh Morris ^#

West Ward: Daniel James O’Leary ^#

^‡ The election of P.L. Killicoat to the mayoralty created an extraordinary vacancy in North Ward.

Extraordinary election[19]

North Ward Thomas Davies^#

Burra Council December 1887 – November 1888

Mayor: Philip L. Killicoat*

North Ward: Thomas Davies* Henry Pinch

East Ward: Alexander Harris* Henry T.H. Morris ^‡

West Ward: William Pearce Sen.* Daniel J. O’Leary

^‡ Henry T. H. Morris resigned in Nov. 1888,[20] creating an extraordinary vacancy in East Ward.

Nominations for 1889[21]

Mayor: Philip Lander Killicoat ^{# ‡}

North Ward: William Thomas Rabbich ^# 34

Thomas Davies 25

East Ward: William H. Hardy ^# 34

Alexander Harris 16

John Pearce 21

West Ward: John Alexander Watt ^#

Extraordinary vacancy

East Ward William H. Hardy 25

John Pearce 15

John Sampson jnr ^# 29

^‡ P.L. Killicoat was elected unopposed, but on seeing the election results he resigned immediately[22]. At the Council meeting on 10 December 1888 Cr Rabbich said the real reason for the resignation was the mayor’s unwillingness or inability to work with John Sampson jnr. Cr Sampson sought [unsuccessfully] to impose the full £50 fine for the resignation.

Extraordinary election, 24 Dec. 1888,[23]

Mayor Frederick William Holder^#

Burra Council December 1888 – November 1889

Mayor: Frederick W. Holder*

North Ward: Henry Pinch* William T. Rabbich

East Ward: John Sampson jnr* William H. Hardy

West Ward: Daniel J. O’Leary* John A. Watt

Nominations for 1890[24]

Mayor: Thomas Wesley Wilkinson ^#

North Ward: George Butterworth ^#

East Ward: John Sampson jnr ^# 36

Charles Chichester Williams 22

West Ward: Thomas Kitchen 12

Daniel James O’Leary ^# 54

Burra Council December 1889 – November 1890

Mayor: Thomas W. Wilkinson*

North Ward: William T. Rabbich* George Butterworth

East Ward: William H. Hardy* John Sampson jnr

West Ward: John A. Watt* Daniel J. O’Leary

Nominations for 1891[25]

Mayor: Henry Pinch 106

William West ^# 174

North Ward: William Henry Linkson 42

William Thomas Rabbich ^# 48

East Ward: William Harrison Hardy 45

George Parks ^# 75

West Ward: Ernest William Crewes 11

John Alexander Watt ^# 56

Burra Council December 1890 – November 1891

Mayor: William West*

North Ward: George Butterworth* William T. Rabbich ^‡

East Ward: John Sampson jnr* George Parks

West Ward: Daniel J. O’Leary* John A. Watt

^‡ The Council voted to ‘amove’ W.T. Rabbich from office on 24 March and his seat was declared vacant. This was part of a farcical series of events stretching over two months beginning in mid-February. This purported to create an extraordinary vacancy in North Ward.

Extraordinary election, 12 Apr. 1891,²⁴

North Ward No nominations

The Council elected William Neville on 12 April 1891, but on 17 April he refused to be sworn in on the grounds that the Council had not complied with clause 23 of the Municipal Corporations Act 1890 and therefore there was no vacancy to be filled. The Council could not afford to argue their case in court and so William Rabbich remained councillor for North Ward.[26]

Nominations for 1892[27]

Mayor: Henry Pinch 149

William West ^# 183

North Ward: William Henry Linkson ^#

East Ward: William Harrison Hardy ^# 71

John Sampson jnr 59

West Ward: Thomas Kitchen ^# 56

August Miller 30

Burra Council December 1891 – November 1892

Mayor: William West*

North Ward: William T. Rabbich* William H. Linkson

East Ward: George Parks* William H. Hardy

West Ward: John A. Watt* Thomas Kitchen

Nominations for 1893[28]

Mayor: William R. Killicoat 99

William Thomas Rabbich ^# 166

John Alexander Watt 110

North Ward: William Bentley 64

Thomas Walsh ^# 80

East Ward: George Parks ^#

West Ward: William Geake 39

William Charles Leonard West ^# 50

Burra Council December 1892 – November 1893

Mayor: William T. Rabbich*

North Ward: William H. Linkson* Thomas Walsh

East Ward: William H. Hardy* George Parks

West Ward: Thomas Kitchen*^‡ William C. L. West

^‡