Memories of my dad, the mayor
As the anniversary of Thuringowa applying for city-status proclamation approaches, the daughter of the city’s first mayor has fondly recalled her family’s Townsville connections.
In June 1985, the Thuringowa Shire Council decided to apply for city proclamation.
Thuringowa Shire chairman Dan Gleeson became Thuringowa City mayor the following year.
The city council lasted 32 years, until it was incorporated into the Townsville City Council in 2008.
On the eve of the city’s historic proclamation application, Mr Gleeson’s daughter, Margaret Hewson, 89, recalls memories of working with her father.
“He would give me a fair bit of work to do because my
mother wasn’t well,” Ms Hewson said.
“I would go and do things with him like public appearances and meetings.”
Ms Hewson had five children and had to step back from helping her dad.
After raising her children, she got back to work.
“When I started working, I worked for a place called Carol’s, which was on Flinders St – it was the biggest main shop there,” she said.
“After that, my kids went to the Weir School on Ross River Rd. They had no way of getting food, so I opened the tuckshop, then I worked at Lifeline for 29 years.”
Ms Hewson has only ever left Townsville for a 12-month trip around Australia, and now resides at Bolton Clarke Glendale.
“All my children are still in Townsville – they are all married with families and I have 21 grandchildren now,” she said.
“It’s been surprising that Townsville has grown and developed so quickly over the years.”
Mr Gleeson held the mayoralty until 1991. Les Tyrell was then mayor until the 2008 amalgamation.