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William Douglas Lysnar (30 April 1867 – 12 October 1942), known as Douglas Lysnar, was a New Zealand politician of the Reform Party.
The accountant James Charles Dunlop had a house built in 1886 that became known as Kelvin Rise. Dunlop got into difficulties and sold the house and associated land to Lysnar in 1898, who had it extended in 1900 and a ballroom and tower added in 1919. The house was "a hub of social activity in Gisborne", with various dignitaries entertained there over the years. Lysnar died on 12 October 1942 in Gisborne, and was buried at Makaraka Cemetery. According to his will, Kelvin Rise was to become a museum. Lysnar's daughter transferred the land to the council in 1954 for it to become a park and sold the house to the city for a nominal amount. Kelvin Rise opened as a museum and art gallery in 1955. The 1919 additions were split off in 1975 and moved to the city's marina and the remaining house relocated on the land to make room for a new museum building known as Tairāwhiti Museum.
Early life
He was born inOnehunga
Onehunga is a suburb of Auckland in New Zealand and the location of the Port of Onehunga, the city's small port on the Manukau Harbour. It is south of the city centre, close to the volcanic cone of Maungakiekie / One Tree Hill.
Onehunga is ...
, Auckland, New Zealand on 30 April 1867. He was educated by his father, who was a school teacher. The family settled in Gisborne in 1879. His sister was Frances Lysnar who became the first woman in New Zealand to be a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society
The Royal Geographical Society (with the Institute of British Geographers), often shortened to RGS, is a learned society and professional body for geography based in the United Kingdom. Founded in 1830 for the advancement of geographical scien ...
.
Political career
Local body politics
From 1908 to 1911, he wasMayor of Gisborne
The mayor of Gisborne is the elected head of local government in the Gisborne District of New Zealand's North Island; one of 67 Mayors in New Zealand, mayors in the country. The mayor is based in the principle city (and namesake) of the district, ...
.
Member of Parliament
He represented the Gisborne electorate from1919
Events
January
* January 1
** The Czechoslovak Legions occupy much of the self-proclaimed "free city" of Pressburg (later Bratislava), enforcing its incorporation into the new republic of Czechoslovakia.
** HMY ''Iolaire'' sinks off th ...
to 1931
Events
January
* January 2 – South Dakota native Ernest Lawrence invents the cyclotron, used to accelerate particles to study nuclear physics.
* January 4 – German pilot Elly Beinhorn begins her flight to Africa.
* January 22 – Sir I ...
, when he was defeated.
In the 1928 contest Lysnar stood as an Independent
Independent or Independents may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Artist groups
* Independents (artist group), a group of modernist painters based in Pennsylvania, United States
* Independentes (English: Independents), a Portuguese artist ...
supporter of the Reform Party and was successful. During 1930, he stopped supporting the Reform Party and became fully independent. At the following election in 1931 he ran as an Independent, but was not returned, beaten by Labour's David Coleman
David Robert Coleman (26 April 1926 – 21 December 2013) was a British sports commentator and television presenter who worked for the BBC for 46 years. He covered eleven Summer Olympic Games from 1960 to 2000 and six FIFA World Cups from 196 ...
.
In his 1919 campaign, he employed Albert Davy as organiser. Davy went on to be an effective organiser for the Reform Party, though disagreeing over policies.
Douglas Lynsar was a brother of Frederick J. Lynsar the Liberal
Liberal or liberalism may refer to:
Politics
* Generally, a supporter of the political philosophy liberalism. Liberals may be politically left or right but tend to be centrist.
* An adherent of a Liberal Party (See also Liberal parties by country ...
candidate in the Bay of Plenty , who lost to the Reform candidate.
In 1935, Lysnar was awarded the King George V Silver Jubilee Medal
The King George V Silver Jubilee Medal is a commemorative medal, instituted to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the accession of King George V.
Issue
This medal was awarded as a personal souvenir by King George V to commemorate his Silver Ju ...
.
Life in Gisborne
The accountant James Charles Dunlop had a house built in 1886 that became known as Kelvin Rise. Dunlop got into difficulties and sold the house and associated land to Lysnar in 1898, who had it extended in 1900 and a ballroom and tower added in 1919. The house was "a hub of social activity in Gisborne", with various dignitaries entertained there over the years. Lysnar died on 12 October 1942 in Gisborne, and was buried at Makaraka Cemetery. According to his will, Kelvin Rise was to become a museum. Lysnar's daughter transferred the land to the council in 1954 for it to become a park and sold the house to the city for a nominal amount. Kelvin Rise opened as a museum and art gallery in 1955. The 1919 additions were split off in 1975 and moved to the city's marina and the remaining house relocated on the land to make room for a new museum building known as Tairāwhiti Museum.
References
Further reading
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Lysnar, Douglas 1867 births 1942 deaths Mayors of Gisborne, New Zealand New Zealand farmers 19th-century New Zealand lawyers Reform Party (New Zealand) MPs Independent MPs of New Zealand Burials at Makaraka Cemetery Unsuccessful candidates in the 1935 New Zealand general election Unsuccessful candidates in the 1931 New Zealand general election Members of the New Zealand House of Representatives New Zealand MPs for North Island electorates People from Auckland