Friday, 20 March 2015

Harry and Vic Chivers

The Chivers family of Ingleburn were much loved and respected. Harry is best remembered as the former Ingleburn Council's longest serving mayor from 1921 to 1931. His son Vic had a distinguished war record and played a prominent role in early Ingleburn's commercial life.


Harry Chivers as mayor (on the extreme left) is on the platform with 3 other unidentified men

Thomas Henry Chivers, better known as Harry, was born in New Zealand in 1871. He came to Ingleburn around 1907 and joined Ingleburn Council in 1913 before becoming mayor in 1921 and for the next 10 years. He had endless energy and achieved much for the Ingleburn community. Water from the city was connected to Ingleburn homes during his term but his crowning glory came in 1930 when electricity was first switched on in Ingleburn. Harry was listed as a farmer but also had a shop in Ingleburn. The family home was a beautiful old house known as "Dunrobin" in Sackville Street. He lost his first wife Sarah in 1918 and re-married in 1919 to Alice Smith. Harry died in 1935.


Chivers family outside their shop in Oxford Road, Ingleburn 1925-1925. Harry is on the left with 2 unidentified girls. (Verlie Fowler Collection)

Albert Victor Chivers, better known as Vic, was one of two sons of Harry that served in the First World War. He was born in 1897 and was working as a printer when he enlisted in 1915. He served at the Somme but in February 1917 was sent to England with bad trench foot and did not rejoin until August. He served at Ypres and in April 1918 was admitted to hospital ill.


        Chivers family outside their home Dunrobin, Ingleburn (Verlie Fowler Collection)

After the war Vic worked as a shop assistant. He married Hilda McIlveen, the daughter of a local shop owner. He joined the 4th Battalion in World War 2 and was discharged in January 1945. Vic Chivers lived with his family at 34 Chester Road, Ingleburn. He died in 1976.


L. to r.: "Wac" Allan, Victor Chivers and Bill Hilder at the opening of Ingleburn RSL in Chester Road, Ingleburn (Enid Lowsby Collection)

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