Kelly's Brigade

Did you know that the Ingham Picture Theatre was the former J.L. Kelly Memorial Public Library building dedicated to James Lawrence Kelly?  Who was James Lawrence Kelly?

James Lawrence (Larry) Kelly was a very popular Shire Chairman who followed another popular chairman, Frank Cassady. He was only 26 years old when he was elected to the position.  Kelly’s terms were 1936 till 1943, and again from 1946 until his death in 1952 at the age of 42.  He was born in Ipswich and educated by the Christian Brothers. His first job was as an accountant with the Taxation Office. He came to Ingham and worked for Hardy and Venables. He had political pedigree being nephew of Edward Michael Hanlon, Premier of Queensland (1946-1952). As an executive member of the Ingham branch of the Labor Party (and President from 1944) he attempted to enter parliament at both the State and Federal levels without success. In his roles as Shire Chairman, citizen and parishioner of St. Patrick’s Catholic Parish he was popular, conscientious and active though his detractors accused him of dominating the Council. He served on many committees and boards.

Given recent flood events and discussions about low lying land a little story told in Janice Wegner’s thesis “Hinchinbrook: The Hinchinbrook Shire Council, 1879-1979” is worth recounting. Wegner shows Kelly to be fair-mined, compassionate and sensible. An example of his good sense was when there were plans to build a fountain. The site chosen for the fountain was criticized because it would be "in a semi-swamp below flood mark, confronting the remains of the old Ingham Chinatown" (Wegner, 444). Kelly pointed out, flood-prone areas were the most logical choices for parks! On a more serious note, his good sense and compassion were visible in his support of Councillors Frederick Hecht and Giuseppe Cantamessa in 1939 on the outbreak of WW2 when others doubted their loyalty. He reminded those doubters of how much Hecht and Cantamessa had contributed to the district.

Kelly is credited with many achievements despite having to work within wartime restrictions. Under his leadership the Council was able to construct a new aerodrome of a sufficient standard to attract services from the two airlines, A.N.A. and T.A.A.; take over the Showground and make substantial improvements; build a municipal library for Ingham and establish another in Halifax; construct with the Main Roads Commission, a new jetty at Dungeness; commission a town plan for Ingham and take over the picture theatre in the Hall. (Wegner, 470-1)

Dan Sheahan refers to those achievements (somewhat tongue in cheek) in his poem “Vote Kelly’s Brigade”:

            Now gaze around and think of what Labour has done

            The networks of roadways that shines in the sun.

            The fountains that sparkle, the concrete tower

            Symbols of beauty and progress and power” (Sheahan, 94)

Kelly died as the new library was being completed. Consequently, the J.L. Kelly Memorial Public Library was dedicated to him when it was opened on June 13, 1953. Prior to that library the School of Arts — established in Ingham in 1895 and another in Halifax in 1898 — conducted libraries.

The Library relocated to Lannercost Street when office space was needed pending the construction of a larger Hall and office complex to replace the then Shire Hall (opened in 1963). In 1987 the Shire Picture theatre, which had formerly been in the Shire Hall, was relocated to the J.L. Kelly Memorial Hall. Again the library was relocated to Lannercost Street. In 1999 it moved to the purpose-built building shared with TAFE. It then moved to its present location in the TYTO precinct.

Libraries are welcoming spaces whose value is measured not so much as economic capital but as social capital. James Lawrence Kelly would no doubt approve, that today the Ingham Picture Theatre, housed in his building, is a social venture of the Ingham Disability Support Services.

Opening of J.L. Kelly Memorial Public Library, 13 June 1953. Source: Hinchinbrook Shire Council Library Photograph Collection

James Lawrence Kelly, Ingham Shire Chairman. Source: Hinchinbrook Shire Council Library Photograph Collection

Dignitaries at the opening of the Ingham Aerodrome, 1939. 

Sources:

Sheahan, Dan. “Vote Kelly’s Brigade.” In Songs from the Canefields. Ingham: Josephine R. Sheahan, 1982 reprint.

Vidonja Balanzategui, Bianka. Portrait of a Parish: A History of Saint Patrick’s Church and Parish Ingham 1864-1996. Ingham: St Patrick’s Parish, 1998.

Vidonja Balanzategui, Bianka. The Herbert River Story. Ingham: Hinchinbrook Shire Council, 2011.

Wegner, Janice. “Hinchinbrook: The Hinchinbrook Shire Council, 1879-1979.” Master’s thesis, James Cook University, 1984.