Ex-Mayors.
Mr. George Lumsden
, who was twice Mayor of Invercargill, had also been a member of the General Assembly, and of the Pro vincial Councils of Otago and Southland. He was a member of the Waste Lands Board of Southland for several years, and sat on the Education and High Schools Boards from their inception up to April, 1997. The town of Lumsden—an important agricultural centre situated at the junction of the Kingston and Waimea railways. Hokonuidistrict, Southland—was named after him. Mr. Lumsden was born in Fifeshire, Scotland, in 1815—the year of the battle of Waterloo. He received the rudiments of his education at the hands of an ancient dominie, who kept the Kilrenny school, Fife, and afterwards became apprenticed to his uncle, who was a watchmaker is the town of Pittenweem, Fife, About 1836 Mr. Lumsden went to Edinburgh, and worked for Mr. James Whitelaw, a watchmaker of that city, with whom he remained for some years. In 1842 he married Miss Anderson, of Fifeshire, who was bom in 1814; and had a family of eight children. Mr. Lumsden was In business in Edinburgh until 1858, when he came out to Australia in the ship “Ravenseraig.” He started in Geelong as a watchmaker, but only remained in that city for twelve months, in consequence of the great discovery of gold at Ballarat. Mr. Lumsden afterwards returned to Geelong, and reopened his old shop; and kept it until be removed to Southland in 1861. He then opened a jeweller's shop in Invercargill, and pursued his calling there for over forty years. When Mr. Lumsden arrived in Invercargill, there were only three or four dwellings in Dee Street, notably the old “Southland News”' office and two hotels; consequently he witnessed the rise and progress of the town and the provincial district of Southland generally. He was elected to represent Invercargill in the General Assembly, but resigned after
attending two sessions—in consequence of his absence at Wellington affecting his business. He also sat on the Provincial Council of Southland, prior to that body amalgamating with Otago, and continued to represent his district in the Otago Council, until the abolition of Provincial Governments. He was a member of the Executive in both Councils. Mr. Lumsden died on the 11th of February, 1904.
Mr. Thomas Pratt
, who was Mayor of Invercargill in 1870, and served on the first Borough Council, was born in 1838, in Liverpool, England, where he was educated and brought up in a ship broker's office. He arrived in Victoria, in 1860, and came to New Zealand on the opening up of the Otago goldfields. In 1863 Mr. Pratt settled in Invercargill, and for twenty years carried on business as a general merchant. He is now a land and commission agent and valuer. During the days of the Provincial Government in Southland, he was for a short time a member of the Council. Mr. Pratt served on the Bluff Harbour Board, and was at one time chairman of that body. He was married, in 1869, to Miss Parsons, of London. His wife died in 1902, leaving four daughters and one son.
Mr. Nicholas Johnson
served as Mayor of Inveicargill in 1881, and was a member of the Council for about six years. He was born in Cornwall in 1841, of Irish parentage, landed in Otago in 1862, and has been connected with Southland since 1863. For some time he was in business as a baker and sawmiller, but subsequently went into the hotel trade, with which he was connected for many years. Mr. Johnson was married, in 1865, to a daughter of the late Mr. J. Fullarton, of Arran, Scotland, and has, surviving, a family of one son and four daughters.
Mr. John Kingsland
was Mayor of Invercargill in 1883, and also served about ten years as a councillor. He was born in Kent. England, and came to the colonics in 1852. After being ten years at Bondigo, he settled in Southland, and established himself in business in Invercargill as a bootmaker. He has taken a prominent interest in the, progress and development of the district, has served in the Volunteers and in the Fire Brigade, and is a member of the Order of Oddfellows. He was married, in 1854, and his wife died in 1901, leaving five sons and three daughters.
Mr. George Froggatt
, who was Mayor of Invercargill in 1885, and again in 1903–04, entered the Council in the year 1877, and, except for two
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or three years, he has been a member ever since. He was born in Shropshire, England, where he was educated and brought up to country life. For about four years he farmed on his own account until coming to Port Chalmers in 1864, by the ship “Adjmere.” Mr. Froggatt was for a short time at Mount Pleasant, between Dunedin and Port Chalmers, but finally settled at Invercargill, where he took contracts for road making, and in 1867 he acquired a butchery business, which he conducted till 1886. In 1888 he established his present business as an auctioneer, stock and station agent in Esk Street. Mr. Froggatt served for about twenty years on the Invercargill school committee, of which he was several times chairman, and he was for twelve years on the Southland Education Board, of which he was chairman for one year. He is now a member of the Southland High School Hoard of Governors, and has served for thirty years as a member of the Southland Building and Investment Society. Mr. Froggatt takes an active interest in all social work. He has been treasurer and circuit steward of the Primitive Methodist Church for over thirty years, has attended conference several times, and was president one year; Mr. Froggatt has been connected with the English and Irish Lodges of Freemasons in Invercargill. He was married, in 1864, to a daughter of the late Mr. William Andrews, of Yygrove, Canham, Shropshire, England, and had two sons and one daughter, but the daughter is dead.
Mr. William Horatio Hall
, who was Mayor of Invercargill in 1891, and served as a councillor for live years, was born at Boston, United States of America, in 1838. He landed in Victoria in 1853, and ten years later removed to Invercargill. For fourteen years Mr. Hall conducted a general store in Dee Street, and erected the handsome building now-owned by Messrs Hallonstein Brothers, he served as a member of the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board, and was also a member of the Bluff Harbour Hoard, and has taken a general interest in the development of Southland. Mr. Hall was married, to a daughter of the late Mr. G. J. Joiss, of Victoria, and has four sons and one daughter.
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