EDWARD WALTER HYNDMAN (1871—1937)

Enthusiastic District Advocate

Edward Walter Hyndman was born at Brighton, New Zealand in 1871 and came with his wife Martha to Australia sometime before 1903. Before his arrival in the district, Edward had interests in gold dredges in both New Zealand and Victoria and on the 1903 Electoral Roll he is listed as a clerk living in Pine Street, Randwick.

 By the following year the couple were living on Malvern Road Miranda (now the Kingsway)¹ and the 1907 rate books show Edward as the occupier of three parcels of land owned by T S Holt or the Holt-Sutherland Estate. Two of these are listed in A Riding, one was a block of 8 acres 1 rood and 30¼ perches, the other was Lot 21 and was 4 acres 21 roods and 20 perches in size. The remaining smaller piece of land was Lot 38 Kurranulla Road, 3 roods and 33  perches in size.

On the property in Malvern Road, Edward and Martha ran a poultry farm. The Sutherland district had limited opportunities for farming and raising poultry was one of the more successful ones. His interest in the poultry business would see Edward taking a keen and active part in the management of the Poultry Farmers Co-operative Society in later years.

Edward was a man of some influence and shortly after he established himself in the Shire he became involved in the local political scene. This was the time of the formation of the Council when the provisional council of five men was formed on 7 March 1906. Their role was to prepare for the Council election which was held on 24 November 1906. Edward was not selected for this initial group but he successfully stood as a candidate for A Riding, winning the position with 107 votes. The votes received by the other candidates for the Riding were - LeHane 71, Diston 57, Thacker 40 and Roberts 24. This was the beginning of over thirteen years of service on the Council.

The first elected Council served for just over a year before the next election was held. The intention was to bring the timing of elections into line with the triennial municipal Council elections. At the second election Edward and Tom LeHane were unopposed and held office for the 1908-1910 term. The following three elections resulted in Edward being returned each time. On the occasion of the first Council meeting attended by Edward, William Judd took the office of President which he held until he first stood down in 1911. The position then went to Edward and he held it until the end of 1915. Unfortunately when the election was held on 31 January 1920 he was defeated, bringing to an end his career as a Councillor.

During his term of office Edward Hyndman featured in the local newspaper in a series of articles focused on prominent people.² The following was written: Councillor Hyndman is a vigorous advocate of strong road construction policy and the rapid development of access to many beautiful bays and beaches with which Sutherland Shire abounds. He is an enthusiastic advocate of this district and in his last presidential minute he feels sure that the Shire of Sutherland is certain to become the premier and most popular tourist resort in New South Wales.

Over the years Edward was called upon to give evidence for the Tramway Report of 1908; the Water Bill 1918 as well as the Surf Bathing Enquiry. He was known to be a ‘dominant figure in the Liberal Party branch and was considered a potential candidate for the state seat of Hurstville.’ ³

Apart from his work on the Council, Edward was very involved in other local affairs. He was President of the Miranda School of Arts and a member of the Miranda Progress Association. As a poultry farmer he held the position of Chairman of Directors of the Poultry Farmers Co-operative Society for many years. Even though Edward and Martha did not have any children Edward was an active member of the Parents and Citizens Association.

When Edward’s position on the Council came to an end he turned his hand to Managing the Cecil Apartments at Cronulla and later in 1927 he also managed the Cecil Hotel. He then forsook his association with the Shire and in 1930 took up the position of Manager of the Oceanic Hotel in Carr Street, Coogee.

By 1937 the couple were living in Ocean Road Woollahra and on 1 August of that year Edward died in a hospital at Beecroft. Two years later, at Flemington, his wife Martha also died. The name Hyndman is commemorated in the naming of Hyndman Parade in Woolooware.

 Barry Gallagher & Maree McKinley

 First published in  Sutherland Shire, Some Early Residents, 2006, by Botany Bay Family History Society. Compiled by Maree McKinley and Sue Hewitt.    

Click on the name EDWARD WALTER HYNDMAN (1871—1937) at the heading of thIs story. You will be taken to the database entry for Edward Hyndman and his family.

 Endnotes:

1. 1904-05 Electoral Roll

2. St George Call 12 Mar. 1912

3. Maryanne Larkin, Sutherland Shire: a history to 1939