The former Severn Shire offices in Bourke Street are soon to be occupied by a School of Arts and Music.
How many people would know the name Severn is very significant in our history and goes back even further than the name of the town?
Oswald Bloxsome took up Rangers Valley in 1838 and named the river running through his New England property after the River Severn (pronounced Seven) which passed through his former property in Shropshire. It is the longest river in the UK and rises in the Cambrian mountains in Wales.
EC Sommerlad wrote in ‘The Land of the Beardies’ “…an old and faded document… dated Crown Land Office, New England, October 9, 1844, and signed by Commissioner McDonald reads…… ‘I wish to sanction the boundary of Mr Bloxsome’s run on the north side of the Beardie creek from its junction with the Severn…
The nearby village of Dundee was formerly known as Severn. The original centre of government for our area was the town of Wellingrove and Glen Innes was not formally gazetted until August 10, 1852.
The Severn Shire, comprising the area surrounding the town was proclaimed on 7 March 1906, being created after the passing of the Local Government (Shires) Act 1905.
The first council was not elected, but appointed by the Governor -Messrs Allan Ballard, Samuel Burridge, Thomas Chandler, George Morris Simpson, and temporary Clerk A A Veness. They met in the Town Hall. In November, after an election of residents in the area outside the town boundaries now divided into three ‘Ridings’ covering the extensive 23,000 square miles (59,569 square kilometres) six men became the first official Severn Shire Councillors. ‘A’ Riding Andrew Telfer and Charles Duddy, ‘B’ Riding Arthur FC Rogerson and John Sinclair, ‘C’ Riding Allan Ballard and George Morris Simpson who was elected Severn Shire President, with J L Eather, Shire Clerk.
The Severn Shire building was erected in 1910.
A later 1962 building on Church St is now occupied by Glen Innes Severn Council.
After years of discussion Severn Shire was abolished and split on 15 September 2004 with part of the shire absorbed by Tenterfield Shire and the balance merged with Municipality of Glen Innes to form Glen Innes Severn Council.
A booklet was produced of the 98 years containing names of all Severn Shire Councillors and photographs of Shire Presidents and Shire Clerks/General Managers.”
