In July 1938, Townsville
Mayor, JS. Gill, the man who went on to become one of the city’s longest-serving
public officials, ushered in a new era in the history of Queensland by placing the
first free municipal library in the State under the control of a Local
Government Authority.
At this time, the
School of Arts library in Walker Street, which operated through public
subscription and meagre state government subsidies, was in financial decline. The
council agreed to take over the existing liabilities of the institution, which
amounted to £1,200, and acquire the assets - which included the library and
land and buildings, valued at £16,500 - for the sum of £1,000.
At a small ceremony
to take possession of the title deeds to the School of Arts, Alderman Gill
remarked hopefully:
“On behalf of the
Townsville City Council and the citizens of Townsville, I now enter into
possession of the School of Arts, and I hope that it will always be an
institution of help and education to the younger people of this city.”
The council also took
on the staff of the School of Arts, including Secretary-Librarian, Mrs Mabel C.
Classen, who had served in her position for 17 years, from 1921 to 1938. After
the council took over Mrs Classen held the position of Librarian in Charge at
the new Townsville Municipal Library for the next 26 years.
Although it was
considered to be a “free” library, borrowers were required to pay a security
deposit of five shillings per book, to encourage their return. This doesn’t
seem to have deterred borrowers though, and membership of the library more than
doubled in the first year. In late 1964, security deposits were waived, which
finally made it a truly free service.
The council’s
decision to take over the School of Arts in 1938 was an unprecedented move,
never having occurred before in the history of Queensland. It was, in many
ways, a testament to the leadership of the city’s Mayor, Alderman JS. Gill.
John Stewart Mitchell Gill, no date. Photo: Townsville City Libraries. |
After arriving in Townsville
in 1885 from Devon, England, John Stewart Mitchell Gill worked for the firm
Burns Philp & Co. as a clerk, and later shipping manager, for close to 25
years until 1909.
Long, loyal stints
must have been in Gill’s nature, because in 1910 he became the Clerk of the Thuringowa
Shire Council, where he remained for the next 23 years. He only resigned from
that position because he wanted to run for Mayor of Townsville, and the Local
Government Act prevented him from holding this position at the same time.
After a decisive
victory, Alderman Gill, aged 66, was sworn in as Mayor of Townsville in 1933, a
seat which he went on to occupy for the next 19 years.
In 1952 he retired
from the Mayoralty at age 85, after having successfully contested six local
government elections. He continued to serve the council as an Alderman for
another six years, by which time he was 91 years old.
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