Councillor William Plummer Francis (1865-1941) was Mayor of Brighton in 1911 and 1918. Born in 1865 Geelong, he was originally worked as a miner, then at Melbourne Tramway Company before becoming a greengrocer with stores in Middle Brighton and Sandringham. He became a member of the Brighton Council in 1906, elected Mayor in 1911 and then again in 1918. He died on 14 July 1941 in Brighton.w.p. francis, councillor, mayor, brighton, city of brighton, portrait, jabot, mayoral robe, local government, william plummer francis

This photograph records the Councillors and officers on the day that the Town of Sandringham became a City, and the first meeting of the City of Sandringham Council was held. Sandringham was originally part of the Shire of Moorabbin. On 28 February 1917, Sandringham was severed from Moorabbin and incorporated as the Borough of Sandringham. It was proclaimed a Town on 9 April 1919 and a City on 21 March 1923. city of sandringham, councillors, local government, municipality, mayor, cr. h.b. grace, cr. w.h. kay, cr. j.m. ramsay, cr. f.n. gibbs, cr. g.w. knott, cr. r. chisholm, t.g. farrant, cr. c.a. hartsmann, m.h.t. williams, town clerk, cr. j.t.d. beck, m.w.t. sanderland, surveyor

politician, mayor, premier, bust, sculpture, margaret baskerville, speaker, member of parliament, member of lower house, local government, councillor, brighton, public art, bayside, thomas bent, unveiling, ceremony, mayoress, sculptor, councillor wilson, crowd, 1913, nepean highway, mrs bent, elizabeth bleazby, fountain, memorial, john madden, lieutenant governor

This work is a plaster maquette of a large bronze statue of politician and land speculator Sir Thomas Bent by Margaret Baskerville that is located on the corner of Bay Street and Nepean Highway, Brighton.Margaret Baskerville, Sir Thomas Bent c.1911, patinated plaster, 55 x 49 x 49 cm. Bayside City Council Art and Heritage Collection. Donated by Charles Douglas Richardson, 1931.patinated plaster thomas bent, politician, mayor, premier, bust, sculpture, margaret baskerville, land speculator, speaker, local government, councillor, member of lower house, portrait

When Thomas Bent, politician and land speculator, was appointed Speaker of the Victorian Legislative Assembly in 1892, a number of local Brighton constituents and supporters raised money to present him with an oil portrait. Bent had been a member for Brighton for 21 years, and the painting was seen as a way of showing their appreciation of his services to the Brighton constituency, as well as congratulating him to his new position as Speaker. In June 1892, British/Australian landscape and portrait artist Charles E. Gordon-Frazer was given the commission to paint the portrait. Thomas Bent is depicted as standing in his Speaker's robe on the dais beneath the canopy in the Legislative Assembly Chamber in the act of addressing the House. He wears the traditional Speaker’s dress of a black silk and gold laced robe over a three-piece black suit, lace jabot and cuffs, buckled shoes and a ceremonial long wig. The top of the gold parliamentary mace sits on the right of the work near the frame's edge.sir thomas bent, thomas bent, speaker, mayor, premier, brighton, moorabbin, land speculator, local government, councillor, official, member of lower house, portrait, parliament, ceremonial robes, legislative assembly, jabot, wig, mace

Arguably Margaret Baskerville’s most famous work, the bronze statue of politician and land speculator Sir Thomas Bent was Baskerville’s first public commission and a significant turning point in her career. Originally located in the centre of the Nepean Highway, in Brighton, it became somewhat of signpost for many Melbournians until it was relocated to the corner of Bay Street in 1980.The statue of Sir Thomas Bent is of historic and social significance to the State of Victoria. The statue is historically significant for commemorating Bent's long, active and infamous political career in Victoria. He was responsible for many important speculative ventures both within his electorate and in the wider context of Victoria. Although not without thought for personal gain, Bent was a committed advocate of public utilities, railways, roads, tramways and gasworks. The statue is historically significant as the first large public commission given to a woman sculptor in Victoria. This work helped the sculptor, Margaret Baskerville, preserve her name as Victoria's first professional woman sculptor. The statue is socially significant as testimony to the late nineteenth century land boom and the financial and political corruption and scandals that accompanied it. https://vhd.heritagecouncil.vic.gov.au/places/12614bronze and granite thomas bent, politician, mayor, premier, bust, sculpture, margaret baskerville, speaker, member of parliament, member of lower house, local government, councillor, brighton, public art, bayside

The fountain was commissioned by Elizabeth Beazby, daughter of Sir Thomas and Mrs Bent, and unveiled 27 October 1913 by Mrs Wilson, Mayoress of Brighton.The fountain is of historical interest and aesthetic significance. The memorial is a good example of the smaller commemorative work of sculptor Margaret Baskerville. The memorial commemorates the wife of notable local resident, Sir Thomas Bent, who was a long-standing parliamentary representative, Mayor of Brighton and Premier of Victoria from 1904-1909.bronze and granite thomas bent, politician, mayor, premier, bust, sculpture, margaret baskerville, speaker, member of parliament, member of lower house, local government, councillor, brighton, public art, bayside, mrs bent, memorial, fountain, drinking fountain, cherubs, elizabeth bleazby

politician, mayor, premier, bust, sculpture, margaret baskerville, speaker, member of parliament, member of lower house, local government, councillor, brighton, public art, bayside, thomas bent, unveiling, ceremony, mayoress, sculptor, councillor wilson, crowd, 1913, nepean highway, mrs bent, elizabeth bleazby, fountain, memorial

sir thomas bent, mayor, politician, brighton, speaker, premier, land speculator, local government, councillor, member of lower house, portrait, wig, jabot, government, photograph

sir thomas bent, thomas bent, speaker, mayor, premier, brighton, moorabbin, land speculator, local government, councillor, official, member of lower house, portrait, parliament

Artist unknown, Sir Thomas Bent 1909, oil on canvas, 29.5 x 24.5 cm. Bayside City Council Art and Heritage Collection.sir thomas bent, mayor, policitian, portrait, brighton, speaker, premier, councillor, land speculator, local government, member of lower house, mayor of brighton, premier of victoria

thomas bent, politician, mayor, premier, land speculator, speaker, local government, councillor, member of lower house, portrait, brighton, moorabbin, mayoral robes, mayor of brighton, premier of victoria

council, meeting, brighton, town clerk, councillor, reporters, press table, elizabeth bleazby, city engineer, g. woodward, hallkeeper, c.e. tuxen, j.h. taylor, mayor, portrait, thomas bent, local government, brighton town hall, cr. j.a. grant, cr. f.e. rogers, cr. a.r. horton, cr. a. giles, cr. e. bleazby, cr. j.v. satchwell, cr. j.a. kennedy, cr. h.e. hall, cr. e.m. young, cr. r. eustace tracey, cr. j. redapple

Carl Alfred Hartsman (1865-1932) was one of the first nine councillors of the new municipality of Sandringham in 1917. He was Mayor of Sandringham in 1923-24 and 1931-32.c.a. hartsman, councillor, sandringham, local government, municipality, mayor, justice of the peace, mayoral robes, portrait, carl hartsman, mayor of sandringham

Theodore George Farrant (1868-1936) was one of the first nine councillors of the new municipality of Sandringham in 1917. He was Mayor of Sandringham 1920-1921 and 1926-30.councillor, sandringham, local government, municipality, mayor, justice of the peace, mayoral robes, portrait, cr. t.g. farrant, theodore george farrant, mayor of sandringham

Benjamin James Ferdinando (1852-1922) was one of the first nine councillors of the new municipality of Sandringham in 1917. He was the municipality's first Mayor in 1917-18.councillor, sandringham, local government, municipality, mayor, justice of the peace, portrait, cr b.j. ferdinando, benjamin james ferdinando, borough of sandringham, mayor of sandringham

Councillors and the mayor seated at table while attending the first Sandringham Borough Council meeting after severance from the Shire of Moorabbin. Shown L to R: Cr. C.A. Hartsman; Cr. T.G. Farrant; Cr. W.T.C. Kelly; Cr. B. Champion; Cr. B.J. Ferdinando (Mayor) [standing]; Cr. O.R. Snowball Esq. (M.L.A.); Cr. E.L. Belyea; Cr. H. B. Grace; Cr. G.W. Knott; Cr. F.W. Hearnden.councillor, sandringham, local government, municipality, mayor, justice of the peace, cr b.j. ferdinando, borough of sandringham, cr. c.a. hartsman, cr. t.g. farrant, cr. w.t.c. kelly, cr. b. champion, cr. o.r. snowball, cr. e.l. belyea, cr. h. b. grace, cr. g.w. knott, cr. f.w. hearnden, council meeting

John Thomas Douglas Beck (1869-1942) was a member of the Sandringham council for 17.5 years and was Mayor in 1922-23. Sandringham was proclaimed a city in 1923.councillor, sandringham, local government, municipality, mayor, mayoral robes, portrait, cr. j.t.d. beck, john thomas douglas beck, city of sandringham, mayor of sandringham

Henry Beresford Grace (1856-1930) was one of the first nine councillors of the new municipality of Sandringham in 1917. He was Mayor of Sandringham in 1921-22.councillor, sandringham, local government, municipality, mayor, justice of the peace, portrait, city of sandringham, cr. h.b. grace, henry beresford grace, mayor of sandringham

George William Knott (1869-1927) was one of the first nine councillors of the new municipality of Sandringham in 1917. He was Mayor of Sandringham in 1919-20.councillor, sandringham, local government, municipality, mayor, justice of the peace, portrait, city of sandringham, cr. g.w. knott, mayor of sandringham

Benjamin Champion (1869-1952) was one of the first nine councillors of the new municipality of Sandringham in 1917. He was Mayor of Sandringham in 1918-19.councillor, sandringham, local government, municipality, mayor, justice of the peace, portrait, city of sandringham, cr b. champion, benjamin champion, mayor of sandringham

William Hargreaves Kay (1866-1936) was Mayor of Sandringham in 1927-28.councillor, sandringham, local government, municipality, mayor, justice of the peace, portrait, city of sandringham, cr w.h. kay, william hargreaves kay, mayoral robes, jabot, mayor of sandringham

James Little Brown (1866-1960) was Mayor of Sandringham in 1930-31.councillor, sandringham, local government, municipality, mayor, portrait, city of sandringham, mayoral robes, jabot, cr. j.l. brown, james little brown, mayor of sandringham

Councillor Walter Leo Simpson (1884-1946) was Mayor of Sandringham in 1934-35 and 1943-44.councillor, sandringham, local government, municipality, mayor, portrait, city of sandringham, mayoral robes, jabot, cr. w.l. simpson, walter leo simpson, mayor of sandringham

Frederick Bice Menadue (1895-1981) was Mayor of Sandringham in 1935-36.councillor, sandringham, local government, municipality, mayor, mayoral robes, portrait, city of sandringham, jabot, frederick bice menadue, cr. f.b. menadue, dickinson-monteath studio, mayor of sandringham

James Morrison Ramsay (1882-1963) was Mayor of Sandringham in 1926-27. He was a candidate for the Brighton Seat in the legislative assembly in 1928.councillor, sandringham, local government, municipality, mayor, mayoral robes, portrait, city of sandringham, jabot, dickinson-monteath studio, james morrison ramsay, cr. j.m. ramsay, legislative assembly, brighton, mayor of sandringham

George Albert Brown (1877-1949) was a councillor at Coburg and Sandringham, and was Mayor of both cities. He was Mayor of Sandringham in 1932-33 and 1944-45.councillor, sandringham, local government, municipality, mayor, mayoral robes, portrait, city of sandringham, jabot, dickinson-monteath studio, cr. g.a. brown, george albert brown, coburg, mayor of sandringham

Francis Norman Gibbs (1864-1938) was one of the first nine councillors of the new municipality of Sandringham in 1917. He was Mayor of Sandringham in 1924-25 and retired from office in 1932.councillor, sandringham, local government, municipality, mayor, justice of the peace, mayoral robes, portrait, cr. f.n. gibbs, francis norman gibbs, mayor of sandringham

Sandringham was originally part of the Shire of Moorabbin. On 28 February 1917, Sandringham was severed from Moorabbin and incorporated as the Borough of Sandringham. It was proclaimed a Town on 9 April 1919 and a City on 21 March 1923. The Sandringham Town Hall, located on Abbott Street, Sandringham (formerly the mechanics institute) was demolished in 1994.councillor, sandringham, local government, municipality, mayor, portrait, city of sandringham, sandringham town hall, abbott street, cr. e.l. belyea, cr. b. champion, cr. h.b. grace, cr. c.a. hartsman, cr. j.e.d. beck, cr. b.j. ferdinado, cr. t.g. farrant, cr. w.t.c. kelly, cr. g.w. knott, town, proclamation, bayside, hampton, black rock

Photograph taken on the day that the Town of Sandringham became a City, and the first meeting of the City of Sandringham Council. Sandringham was originally part of the Shire of Moorabbin. On 28 February 1917, Sandringham was severed from Moorabbin and incorporated as the Borough of Sandringham. It was proclaimed a Town on 9 April 1919 and a City on 21 March 1923.councillor, sandringham, local government, municipality, mayor, cr. c.a. hartsman, cr. t.g. farrant, cr. g.w. knott, cr. f.n. gibbs, h.t. williams, town clerk, engineer, cr. j.t.d. beck, b.r. sunderland, cr. w.h. kay, cr. r. chisholm, cr. h.b. grace, cr. j.m. ramsay, city, proclamation, council meeting, city of sandringham