Augustus Edward Cheesman Craig MansfordOBE (27 September 1885 – 13 June 1962) was Mayor of Palmerston North (New Zealand) from 1931 to 1947; the longest-serving mayor in the city's history.
Mansford was born in 1885 at Suffolk Villa in Wellington.[1] His father was Alfred Edward Nelson (died 1921) and his mother was Jessie Graham Mansford (née Cheesman, 1851–1898).[2][3] Gus Mansford had two younger siblings; his sister Ellen was born in 1887 and his brother Thomas was born in 1890.[4] Mansford received his education at Nelson College.[5]
Mansford played cricket; first for Nelson and then (from 1907) for Manawatu. He held an Australasian record for cycling.[5]
Businessedit
In October 1906, Mansford bought an auctioneering business in Palmerston North from Henry Munro.[8] The owners of the auctioneering business—including Mansford—sold the business in November 1907.[9] Subsequently, Mansford worked as an accountant.[5]
Public serviceedit
Mansford first stood for the Palmerston North Borough Council at the April 1927 local election and was successful.[10][11] In 1929, Mansford first stood for the Hospital Board and topped the poll.[12]
Mansford first contested the Palmerston North mayoralty at the May 1931 local election and had a clear victory over the other candidate, Meldrum Alfred Eliott.[13] At the subsequent mayoral elections in 1933 and 1935, Mansford was returned unopposed.[14][15] At the 1938 local election, Mansford was challenged by a Labour Party candidate, Victor Alexander Christensen, for the mayoralty but regained his position with a substantial majority.[16] At the 1941 local election, Mansford was challenged by Clarence Robert Murphy (Labour) and Blair Tennent (National) for the mayoralty but he was once again successful.[17] At the 1944 local election, Mansford was declared elected unopposed.[18]
Mansford contested the Palmerston electorate (later Palmerston North electorate) three times as an independent, and on all three occasions he was defeated by the Labour Party candidate. At the 1935 election, Joe Hodgens defeated Mansford by a small margin. The incumbent, Jimmy Nash of the Reform Party, came third and this defeat caused ongoing friction between Mansford and the National Party (Reform renamed as National in 1936).[19] At the 1943 election, Hodgens narrowly defeated Mansford in another three-way contest.[20] At the 1946 election, Mansford was defeated by Ormond Wilson in a two-way contest.[21]
In 1936, Mansford was first appointed to the council of Massey Agricultural College. In 1947, he was chairman of the council before he retired at the end of the year.[22]
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Augustus Edward Cheesman Craig Mansford OBE 27 September 1885 13 June 1962 was Mayor of Palmerston North New Zealand from 1931 to 1947 the longest serving mayor in the city s history Mansford in c 1932 Contents 1 Early life 2 Sport 3 Business 4 Public service 5 Death 6 ReferencesEarly life editMansford was born in 1885 at Suffolk Villa in Wellington 1 His father was Alfred Edward Nelson died 1921 and his mother was Jessie Graham Mansford nee Cheesman 1851 1898 2 3 Gus Mansford had two younger siblings his sister Ellen was born in 1887 and his brother Thomas was born in 1890 4 Mansford received his education at Nelson College 5 In 1906 Mansford moved to Palmerston North 6 On 4 May 1907 he married Margaret Anne Douley listed as Donley in Who s Who in New Zealand 5 7 Sport editMansford played cricket first for Nelson and then from 1907 for Manawatu He held an Australasian record for cycling 5 Business editIn October 1906 Mansford bought an auctioneering business in Palmerston North from Henry Munro 8 The owners of the auctioneering business including Mansford sold the business in November 1907 9 Subsequently Mansford worked as an accountant 5 Public service editMansford first stood for the Palmerston North Borough Council at the April 1927 local election and was successful 10 11 In 1929 Mansford first stood for the Hospital Board and topped the poll 12 Mansford first contested the Palmerston North mayoralty at the May 1931 local election and had a clear victory over the other candidate Meldrum Alfred Eliott 13 At the subsequent mayoral elections in 1933 and 1935 Mansford was returned unopposed 14 15 At the 1938 local election Mansford was challenged by a Labour Party candidate Victor Alexander Christensen for the mayoralty but regained his position with a substantial majority 16 At the 1941 local election Mansford was challenged by Clarence Robert Murphy Labour and Blair Tennent National for the mayoralty but he was once again successful 17 At the 1944 local election Mansford was declared elected unopposed 18 Mansford contested the Palmerston electorate later Palmerston North electorate three times as an independent and on all three occasions he was defeated by the Labour Party candidate At the 1935 election Joe Hodgens defeated Mansford by a small margin The incumbent Jimmy Nash of the Reform Party came third and this defeat caused ongoing friction between Mansford and the National Party Reform renamed as National in 1936 19 At the 1943 election Hodgens narrowly defeated Mansford in another three way contest 20 At the 1946 election Mansford was defeated by Ormond Wilson in a two way contest 21 In 1936 Mansford was first appointed to the council of Massey Agricultural College In 1947 he was chairman of the council before he retired at the end of the year 22 Mansford was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire OBE in the 1946 New Year Honours for patriotic and social welfare services 23 Death editMansford died on 13 June 1962 and was interred at Kelvin Grove Cemetery 24 His wife died on 3 September 1963 and was buried next to him 25 References edit Births New Zealand Mail No 709 2 October 1885 p 12 Retrieved 25 March 2019 Death Nelson Evening Mail Vol LIV 21 December 1921 p 4 Retrieved 25 March 2019 Deaths Colonist Vol XLII no 9340 28 November 1898 p 2 Retrieved 25 March 2019 Births New Zealand Mail No 802 15 July 1887 p 18 Retrieved 25 March 2019 a b c d Petersen George Conrad 1961 Who s Who in New Zealand 1961 7th ed Wellington A H amp A W Reed p 203 Municipal Elections Manawatu Standard Vol XLVII no 124 23 April 1927 p 1 Retrieved 26 March 2019 Marriage registration number 1907 3206 Department of Internal Affairs Untitled Manawatu Standard Vol XLI no 8106 10 October 1906 p 8 Retrieved 25 March 2019 Commercial Manawatu Standard Vol XLI no 8447 25 November 1907 p 5 Retrieved 25 March 2019 Municipal Elections Manawatu Standard Vol XLVII no 129 30 April 1927 p 10 Retrieved 26 March 2019 To Day s Elections Manawatu Times Vol LII no 3582 27 April 1927 p 6 Retrieved 26 March 2019 Municipal Elections Manawatu Standard Vol XLIX no 129 2 May 1929 p 2 Retrieved 26 March 2019 Municipal Elections Manawatu Standard Vol LI no 132 7 May 1931 p 2 Retrieved 26 March 2019 City of Palmerston North Manawatu Standard Vol LIII no 121 20 April 1933 p 8 Retrieved 26 March 2019 Local Body Polls Manawatu Standard Vol LV no 121 24 April 1935 p 7 Retrieved 26 March 2019 City s Heavy Poll Manawatu Standard Vol LVIII no 138 12 May 1938 p 11 Retrieved 26 March 2019 Swing against Labour Manawatu Standard Vol LXI no 143 19 May 1941 p 8 Retrieved 26 March 2019 The Municipal Elections Manawatu Standard Vol LXIV no 150 25 May 1944 p 4 Retrieved 26 March 2019 The Palmerston Seat Manawatu Standard Vol LVI no 7 6 December 1935 p 8 Retrieved 26 March 2019 Close Contest Manawatu Standard Vol LXIII no 256 27 September 1943 p 6 Retrieved 26 March 2019 Final Count Otago Daily Times No 26327 5 December 1946 p 6 Retrieved 26 March 2019 Past Officers and Members of the Council and Honourary sic Graduates Massey University Archived from the original on 25 May 2015 Retrieved 22 May 2015 No 37410 The London Gazette Supplement 28 December 1945 p 160 Warrant Palmerston North City Council Retrieved 26 March 2019 Warrant Palmerston North City Council Retrieved 26 March 2019 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Gus Mansford amp oldid 1180320025, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
