Mayor Harkness is best known for abolishing liquor from the Town Hall and replacing the Mayor's Ball with a Monster Sunday School Picnic for children which took place in Ravenswood in 1883 and was attended by 15,000 people. Abraham Harkness arrived in Victoria in 1857 aged 28. He was initially successful in his search for gold and after a return trip to England in 1862 returned to Bendigo where he opened a general store and then a foundry manufacturing mining machinery. He stood for council from in 1880 and was elected a further eight times over the next twenty years. Cr Harkness served as Mayor in 1882, 1897 and 1898. His son Andrew became Mayor in 1908-09. Abraham Harkness married Jane Elizabeth Noble in Bendigo in1864 and together they had six sons and five daughters. Abraham died in 1912 and Jane in 1927. Town Halls serve many purposes. Symbolically they are an outward expression of a City’s prosperity while practically serving as an administration hub, a place to showcase industry and agriculture, host grand balls and royal visits and administer law and order. The Bendigo Town Hall has proudly served its citizens and played a vital role in nearly every major decision and event that has shaped the City. In the early years it included spaces for Surveyors, Engineers, Town Treasurer, Clerk of Courts, council meeting rooms and a separate office for the Mayor.Blue and gold printed invitation for Christmas Reception held at the City hall, Bendigo on 15th December 1897 by Mayor and Mrs Harkness. Front design features the Bendigo Coat of Arms, inside left message reads 'The Mayor of Bendigo and Mrs. Harkness wish the Citizens the Compliments of the Season - 15th December 1897'. Music program printed on right hand side and bird motif with 'Christmas, 1897 on the back of the invitationcity of bendigo town hall, mayoral reception, mayor harkness, mayoress harkness

Mayor Harkness is best known for abolishing liquor from the Town Hall and replacing the Mayor's Ball with a Monster Sunday School Picnic for children which took place in Ravenswood in 1883 and was attended by 15,000 people. Abraham Harkness arrived in Victoria in 1857 aged 28. He was initially successful in his search for gold and after a return trip to England in 1862 returned to Bendigo where he opened a general store and then a foundry manufacturing mining machinery. He stood for council from in 1880 and was elected a further eight times over the next twenty years. Cr Harkness served as Mayor in 1882, 1897 and 1898. His son Andrew became Mayor in 1908-09. Abraham Harkness married Jane Elizabeth Noble in Bendigo in1864 and together they had six sons and five daughters. Abraham died in 1912 and Jane in 1927. This elegant silver service was gifted to Mrs Harkness by her husband the Mayor in remembrance of the event and then gifted back to the City by their grandson Vern Harkness.Four piece Victorian tea and coffee silver service consisting of tall coffee pot, tea pot, two handled covered sugar basin and covered cream jug. Oval, chamfered shaped base tapering at top. Bodies are decorated with foliate decoration and central finial entwined with cartouche which holds either the Bendigo Coat of Arms, or the entwined initials J E H except the large coffee pot which has engraved dedication to Mayoress Harkness instead of the Coat of Arms. Insulated handles on pots. 0432.1 Coffee pot 0432.2 Teapot 0432.3 Sugar Pot 0432.4 Cream Jug Stamped back top left of each part and inside lids - Makers Mark: Martin, Hall & Co (Richard Martin & Ebenezer Hall). Hallmarks; (Lion) sterling silver, (Panther head) London Assay Office, (Women's head in left profile) duty paid, (A)1876 on coffee pot, (G) 1882 on other three pieces.mayor harkness, mayoress harness, jane noble

Large shield in wooden frame and under glass. The shield itself comprise two parts. On the larger, covered in blue material, the pictures of Abraham Harkness and nine other councillors. To the right we have J.H Abbott, A.S. Bailes, D.B. Lazarus, H.M. Marks, H.S. McGowan, W. Honeybone, S. Ryan, J.P. Carolin, J.R. Hoskins. The picture are oval in shape in a silver frame. Mayor Harkness is at the top. The picture are on a blue material and around a wodden shield, this shield possibly silver has the emblem of the City of Bendigo and the inscription: presented to Councillor Abraham Harkness by the Mayor, Councillors and citizens to mark their appreciation of the satisfactory manner in which he filled the high and honourable position of mayor of the City of Bendigo for the years 1897/8 and 1898/9. S.H. McGowan (Mayor) W. Honeybone (Town Clerk). Town Hall, Bendigo December 20, 1899. F.N. Prescott, Bendigo.bendigo, history, mayor harkness, from dudley house. stored at bendigo art gallery from 2000. returned to bhs 03/02/2023

Abraham Harkness was Mayor of the City of Bendigo when St Andrew's Presbyterian Church school hall was erected. The foundation stone was laid on Wednesday the 15th March 1899 to much ceremony including hymns and speeches. Abraham Harkness had arrived in Victoria in 1857 aged 28. He was initially successful in his search for gold and after a trip to England in 1862 returned to Bendigo were he opened a general store and then a foundry whereby his company manufactured mining machinery. He stood for council from in 1880 and was elected a further eight times over the next twenty years. Cr Harkness served as Mayor in 1882, 1897 and 1898. His son Andrew became Mayor in 1908-09. Abraham Harkness married Jane Noble in Bendigo in1864 and together they had six sons and five daughters. Abraham died in 1912 and Jane in 1927.Sterling Silver ceremonial trowel with silver collar and bone handle. Front surface is ornately engraved with fern leaf pattern scrolled around central middle section which holds the engraved dedication. Back section is plain. Engraved: PRESENTED / TO / A. HARKNESS. ESQ. J.P. / MAYOR OF BENDIGO / ON THE OCCASION OF HIS LAYING / THE / FOUNDATIONAL STONE / of / St Andrew's School Hall / 15th March, 1899. Hallmark: P.A & S E P (Peter Atkin ?) + (windmill or pump) mayor harkness, mayoress harkness, city of greater bendigo education

Abraham Harkness, Esq., J.P. was an influential Australian pioneer, industrialist, and civic leader who served as the Mayor of the City of Sandhurst (now known as Bendigo, Victoria) for the 1882–1883 council term. He served as a local magistrate hence 'JP' (Justice of the Peace)Large wooden framed illuminated address presented to Mayor Abraham Harkness. The frame has a flowery motive on the edges, with Australian animals (possums, rosellas, duck, bilby? ) in small circles at each corner and half way vertically. The edge including circles is golden in colour. Under a glass cover an ornate illuminated address to Abraham Harkness Esq. J.P. Mayor of Sandhurst 1882-3. Presented March 1883. Wording states: @ To Abraham Harkness Esq. JP, Mayor of Sandhurst 1882-1883. Dear Sir, We, the members of Parliament and officers of the City Council, the magistrates, the clergy, superintendent, teachers and pupils of the sunday school and other citizens of Sandhurst who accepted the invitation of yourself and Mrs Harkness to a Grand Picnic at Ravenswood on Wednesday January 17th 1883, hereby beg to express our united and cordial appreciation of your kindness and liberality on that occasion and to congratulate you on the success of the demonstration not only as regards the attendance of 10,000 adults and children but equally so on the excellent arrangements which enabled you and all to so thoroughly enjoy themselves. AS a souvenir of the picnic and as a small token of the high esteem in which you are held, both as mayor, chief magistrate, citizen and friend, we respectfully beg your acceptance of this Illuminated Address and we pray that you and you amiable partner in life and family may long be spared to each other and that you may continue to discharge the duties of the important civic offices held by you with so much credit to yourself and advantage to the citizens generally. On behalf of the subscribers, we are, dear sir, yours most respectfully. Signed, Chairman of Committee and signed, Secretary. Sandhurst March 1883.bendigo, history, mayor harkness, from dudley house. stored at bendigo art gallery from 2000. returned to bhs 03/02/2023.

Leslie John Bagust Collection. Black & White Photograph of The Conservatory Gardens Bendigo 1940. In the rose garden surrounding the Conservatory and Law Courts there is an iron statue of a man fighting wild animals, titles "Man Fighting Wild Animals". The inscription reads "Presented to the Citizens of Bendigo by Mayor Harkness 1899."Valentine Publishing Co. Pty. Ltd. Melbournebendigo, tourism, conservatory gardens bendigo, http://www.bendigo.ws/bendigo-attractions/bendigo-gardens/conservatory-gardens.html

One page ripped from a supplement to the Temperance News of May 1, 1902. On the page a black and white photo of Mayor Martindale (Clunes), Ex Mayor Harkness (Bendigo), Ex Mayor Ryan (Bendigo), Mayor Bro. Hoskins (Bendigo), Mayor Bro. Brokenshire (Ballarat City) and Mayor Jones (Sebastopol). Under the photo: Teetotal Mayors and Councillors see page 89.temperance news, mayors

A light green programme with gold print. On the front cover are the words 'Luncheon, Town Hall, Bendigo 9/12/'09. In honor of the first official visit of His Excellency The Governor of Victoria, Sir Thomas Gibson-Carmichael. Bart. K.C.M.G., To The City of Bendigo. A. Harkness, Mayor. Surrounding this in gold print is the insignia of the City of Bendigo and illustrations of flowers. On the inside is the menu and on the back cover is the Toast List and Orchestral Selections 'under the Conductorship of Mr. A. Stewart.' Cambridge & Young, Printers, Bendigo.person, government, menu, lydia chancellor, collection, menu, programme, program, luncheon, town hall bendigo, city of bendigo, civic mementoes, ephemeral, official, individual, person, sir thomas gibson-carmichael

''No Mean City'' (author George Doenau - written in 1960 - see last page for this - and maybe referenced in Marunari - see handwritten note on first page) Document consists of 36 typed pages covering Bendigo history with two final pages being handwritten. Covers the period from 1850s to 1901. Interesting coverage of history with a focus on council involvement. No references or bibliography.George Doenaubendigo, history, city history. the goldfields., bendigo history. goldfields, sandhurst, mr wright chief commissioner goldfields, ravenswood sheep run, burke & wills, mr king, long gully, ironbark, quarry hill, back creek, duke of edinburgh, galatea, queen victoria, shamrock hotel, corporate high school, mr aspinall, the camp, rosalind park, mr vahland, fortuna, coliban scheme, school of mines, red store, mayor cr. bayne, camp hill state school, juvenile industrial exhibition, sanders & finn, harneys bridge, new chum reef, ellesmere company, lansell's 222 claim, mr harkness, sir henry lock, mr cohn.

Second Edition of ''Gleams from the Golden City'' by Fred P. Morris. Price one shilling. On front page: The whole of the profits from the sale of this booklet will be given towards building a Baptist Sunday School at White Hills. Copies may be obtained from the author, care of A.M. Drummond, Printer, Bendigo. On Page 2 a dedication to those two venerable servants of God who have influenced my life The Rev. W.C. Tayler of White Hills and Abraham Harkness, Esq. of Golden Square. Acknowledgment is made to the following subscribers who have helped in publication expenses: His Worship the Mayor of Bendigo (Cr. A. Harkness), Sir John Quick, Senato McColl, Hon Joseph Sternberg, Dr. W.J. Long, Dr. J. McIntyre Eadie, Messrs. Barkly Heyett, J. M. Griffiths (Melbourne), J. S. Stewart, C. H. Davis, Vernon Rymer, H. Holmes, A. Dunstan, A. Bush, S.H. McGowan, and I.E. Dyason and Mrs. Thomson (Hamilton). White Hills Bendigo November 1908. On Page 3 a Dedication: Dear Mr. Morris, I wish you success in your effort to further the cause of our Lord Jesus Christ, your friend Charles W. Alexander.book, fred morris, baptist sunday school, white hills

Large framed item. At the centre a photograph of the Bendigo Mayoral Chain designed and manufactured by F. Prescott, jeweller, Bendigo At the right a photo of George Lansell esq. and on the left a photo of J.H. Abbott esq. A list of Mayor is underneath the two photos, starting from the left J.F. Sullivan 1857, J.H. Abbott 1860, J.J. Casey 1861, R. Burrows 1862, G. Aspinall 1869, J. Boyd 1870, G. Aspinall 1873, J.A. Woodward 1874, H.Hattam 1876, E. Neil 1876, A. Bayne 1877, J.A. Woodward 1879, P. Hayes 1880, W.G. Jackson 1881, A. Harkness 1882, S.H. McGowan 1885, P. Hayes 1886, T.J. Connelly 1887, J. Cohn 1888, J.P. Carolin 1889, J,R. Hoskins 1890, J.H. Abbott 1891-92-95. Under the Mayoral chain the words: Bendigo gold fields discovered 1851. Proclaimed municipality of Sandhurst 1855 and city in 1871. Name changed to City of Bendigo in honor of which event cnr. J.H Abbott inaugurated the mayoral chain and the medallion was presented to the City Council by George Lansell esq. To whose implicit belief in the inextinguishable nature of our gold resource and the indefatigable energy in developing them Bendigo manly owes its present prosperity. July 1893, W. Honeybone Town Clerk and signed by F. Prescott.bendigo, council, mayoral chain, from dudley house stored at bendigo art gallery from 2000

White menu and toast list for the Annual Mayoral Banquet by Cr. Jacob Cohn, Mayor, Tuesday, 16th April, 1889 at the Shamrock Hotel. On the front, on the left are three green grass stalks with three gold and copper flower heads and gold printing on the right. On the inside on the left is the menu and on the right, the toast list. Printed in red with gold border. On the back cover is a sketch of the Town Hall and printed 'Councilor Jacob Cohn, Mayor. Tuesday, 16th April, 1889. It has a double border. Printed by J. Robshaw, Stationer, Sandhurst.bendigo, council, mayoral ball, menu and toast list for mayoral banquet, cr jacob cohn, f wilkins, cr hayes, cr harkness, cr bailes, cr carolin, t j connelly esq, cr o'neill, cr hoskins, cr abbott, j robshaw

A5 size publication of the Gipps-Land Gate, October 1999 featuring an old picture of Dandenong on the cover. Back Where They Belong James Andrews: 1803-1891 James Fenton Andrews 1862-1933 Dandenong House Sherwood Lodge 1925-1949/50 Mayor Councillor Naim Melhem Proile Of Greater Dandenong Dandenong Cricket Club 1998-99 Oresident's Report Society Notes Harking Back 75 Years Ago Research Inquiries Needing Kneading Cuddling An interesting group of Early Dandenong Personalities, Places and Eventshotel history, early education in dandenong, interesting milestones, family histories