Illuminated testimonial, presented to Alderman John Cosgrave 1861

Registration number

1799271

Title

Illuminated testimonial, presented to Alderman John Cosgrave

Production date

1861

Medium

vellum, ink, wax, ribbon

Dimensions (H x W x D)

54.4 x 36.5 cm

Inscriptions

TO / John Cosgrave Esq. / We the Mayor, Alderman and Councillors of the / City of Melbourne in accepting your resignation of / the office of Alderman of the City for Gipps Ward / desire to couple with such acceptance an expression of our sense / of the able and satisfactory manner in which you fulfilled the / duties of that office for a period of nearly nine years and those of / Councillor for Bourke Ward for some two years previously. / We regret that your retirement deprives the Council of the / experience which your long and active service enabled you to bring to / its deliberations and removes a representative distinguished alike by / steadiness of judgement and courteous regard to [illeg.] and convic / tions of others. In taking leave of you as a member of the Council we / assure you that you carry with you our warmest regard and esteem / and our best and kindest wishes.

Credit line

Donated by Mrs Desma McDonald and Mr William (Bill) McDonald, 2021
City of Melbourne Art and Heritage Collection

Keywords

Alderman John Cosgrave Esq., Illuminated testimonial, 1861

Summary

Illuminated testimonial presented to Alderman John Cosgrave on 19 August 1861 for his 11 years of service to council. He was Councillor for Bourke Ward for two years and Alderman of the City for Gipps Ward for nearly nine years. Cosgrave is the subject of multiple references in contemporary newspapers (see Trove). His relationship with Melbourne City Council is unusual in that he began as a Councillor/Alderman and then became a salaried employee as treasurer. Cosgrave had a foundational role in the establishment of yachting as a recreational pastime in Port Phillip Bay. As an Alderman he was presented with a ceremonial trowel on the laying of the foundation stone of the City of Melbourne Abattoirs. The trowel is also in the collection.