Gawler's Hidden Secrets: "James Martin Memorial Statue"
<Transcript>
Remembered
as “The Father of Gawler” James Martin’s Phoenix foundry on Calton Road
produced railway locomotives, agricultural machinery and mining equipment.
Established in 1848, the company soon became known as James Martin and Company
Limited, and went on to employ 700 people in Gawler, making the town one of the
most important industrial regions in South Australia of the time. Martin and Co
Built 268 locomotives that were sent all over Australia.
James Martin also went into politics and served firstly as an Alderman on Gawler’s first council, and in 1861 Mayor of Gawler, a position he served in for 8 years. He also served as the Member for Parliament for the Barossa from 1865-1868 and a Member of the Legislative Council from 1885 until 1899.
James Martin
was also a Freemason, serving as Master of the Lodge of Fidelity from 1860
until 1870. He was the President of Gawler Institute, of which he had donated
the land for the building to be constructed on, the President of the Gawler
AH&F Society, an elected member of the Gawler School of Mines Council, a
Co-Trustee of the St Georges Church fund, Captain of Gawler Rifles and a member
of the Gawler Race club, just to name a few of his associations with the towns
various organistions.
A statue
commemorates industrialist James Martin. The statue was originally located at
the corner of Murray Street and Calton Road. A plaque detailing a brief history
of James Martin was added to the statue in 1998.
After his death on
December 24, 1899, a public meeting was held in Gawler in January 1900. It was
decided a memorial fund would be created and that a memorial to Martin be established, in which it
was voted that a Statue would be erected in his honour.
The statue was carved by sculptor Gustave
Henri Marchetti in Italy and is made from Carrara Marble, with a pedestal made
from South Australian Granite. -it contains an inscription that reads:
"James. Martin, 1821 -1899. A Public Tribute to His Worth."
The statue was unveiled with much pomp and ceremony on the
15th August 1903 by Sir Samuel Way in its original position, adjacent to the
Foundry Office of James Martin and Co on the corner of Calton road and Murray
street.
In 2014 the statue underwent restoration, with a little
cosmetic surgery to fix Mr Martins nose which had been broken off may years
previously.
It was relocated to its current position on Whitelaw Terrace
on the 2nd of June 1969.
<End Transcript>
You can also find more of Allen’s work on his Blog and
facebook on the links below:
Blog:
http://hauntedadelaide.blogspot.com/
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/TheHauntsOfAdelaide/?ref=bookmarks
https://www.facebook.com/AllenHauntingAustralia/
https://www.facebook.com/TheHauntsOfAdelaide/?ref=bookmarks
https://www.facebook.com/AllenHauntingAustralia/
No comments:
Post a Comment