FRANCIS JAMES McLAUGHLIN
by John Nicholson
Francis (Frank) J. McLAUGHLIN was born at Naracoorte in 1890, the eldest son of James and Lucy McLaughlin. Most of his life was spent at Millicent and throughout he showed a very real sense of the obligations of citizenship, being connected with practically every forward movement in the town. He was also very keen on sport and had a good athletic record. He married Mary Irene JOYCE in 1923 but the marriage was childless. Unfortunately Frank died on the 6th September 1931, 3 months short of his 41st birthday, the result of a car accident at Tantanoola. He was one of three occupants of a single seater car that turned over while negotiating the right angle turn from the summer track onto the main road to Millicent, at Tantanoola. The car ended up upside down in a drain containing about 18 inches of water with all three occupants trapped. Rescuers raised the car and released the driver Mr. George NEWMAN who had been able to keep his face above water. The other two occupants, Mr. Thomas TOTHILL and Frank McLaughlin were then extricated but had been face down in the water and appeared to have drowned. Attempts to restore life were made, Mr. Tothill regaining consciousness after two minutes, but Frank McLaughlin unfortunately did not, even though the rescuers continued their attempts for ten minutes.
One of the enduring memorials to Frank McLaughlin’s efforts for the district was the improving of the sports ground on Plunkett Terrace, which was to later become known as McLAUGHLIN PARK. In September 1921 at the annual meeting of the Millicent cricket club Frank McLaughlin submitted a series of proposals aimed at improving the recreation reserve at Plunkett Terrace. At the time sports clubs in Millicent carried on under more unfavourable conditions than any other town of its size in Australia, and also very many smaller towns. A public meeting was held on the 29th Sept. where Mr. F. J. McLaughlin outlined his proposals, the outcome being unanimous agreement for adopting them. A committee was formed to approach the Millicent district council, to enlist their support in carrying out improvements to the sports ground. Consequently the council agreed to a lease on the recreation reserve of 21 years, at 5/ per annum, with the right of renewal, the chairman Mr. J. B. MITCHELL and Cr E. F. R. BONEHAM were appointed to represent council on the sports ground committee, and although the council were not prepared to grant funding towards the improvements they would allow the use of council plant at the working bee called for the 26th April 1922, where the playing area of the sports ground would be filled and graded.
Accordingly at a meeting of the sports ground committee on the 6th April Mr. A. R. GORDON was elected chairman of the sports ground committee and Mr. F. J. McLaughlin secretary pro tem. A sub-committee was appointed to draw up a constitution and a levy of 15 per cent to be made on gate receipts from all fixtures on the ground was decided on. The South Eastern Times for the 2nd June 1922 carried an article headed “Millicent Sports Ground Association” which stated that the association was issuing members tickets at 10/6 each which entitled members to admission to all sports engagements held on the recreational reserve. The sports ground improvements progressed steadily following the first working bee and were ongoing. They included fencing, tree planting, improvements to the playing surfaces, erection of dressing sheds, and the installation of electric lighting.
Frank McLaughlin retired from the secretaryship of the Millicent Sports Ground Association at the annual meeting in April 1930. As founder of the sports ground association and its chief executive officer since its inception his resignation awakened much concern amongst the other members, but was accepted with profound regret when they were unable to get him to change his mind. A motion was put forward that, in recognition of his service he be appointed a life member of the association. It was carried unanimously.
During the previously mentioned period Frank also served on the Millicent District Council as the representative for Central ward, having been elected in 1925. Whilst on the council Frank McLaughlin put a lot of effort into moves to beautify the town’s park lands and reserves, tree planting being a part of this. At the monthly council meeting in August 1927 he moved that a row of flowering gums be planted from the bridge to the weighbridge and this was carried. In June 1928 he moved that council adopt a tree planting programme, this was carried with the added suggestion of a sub-committee also be appointed to select suitable varieties of trees. Crs McLaughlin and CLIFFORD and Mr. F. KAY made up this committee. In September 1928 the tree planting committee reported that a row of English elms had been planted on the fringe of the reserve running adjacent to North Terrace. In August 1929, Cr McLaughlin, in referring to the unsightly state of the enclosure at the Millicent bridge opposite the soldier’s memorial suggested that council should enlist the services of Mr. W. D. ROBINSON, of Mount Gambier, who was a very capable landscape gardener to draw up a plan for the improvement of this area. The suggestion was adopted and in late September council employees began filling and levelling the old approach to the ford across the main drain, as a first step towards effecting Cr F. J. McLaughlin’s scheme for the beautification of that portion of the town.
At the February 1931 council meeting a letter from Cr McLaughlin tendering his resignation from council was read. This came as a great shock to the other councillors and it was with much regret that they respected his wishes and accepted the resignation. It was stated that he had been a most valuable and outstanding councillor and the chairman moved that a special minute of appreciation be recorded setting out the council’s high estimation of Cr McLaughlin’s services, and the regret at his resignation. The motion was seconded and carried.
A special meeting of the district council was held on the 18th September 1931 to receive the audited balance-sheet for the year ended June 30, 1931. At that meeting the chairman remarked that, since the council last met, a well-known family in the town and the district generally had suffered an irreparable loss in the death of Mr. F.J. McLaughlin. Speaking with considerable feeling he added that no better councillor had ever sat at that table. Cr WILLIAMS added that the late Mr. Frank McLaughlin was a man of rare ability, and so modest and good natured that one could not help entertaining affection for him. In business, he was a keen, level-headed, broad-minded man. He threw himself whole-heartedly into every movement for the advancement of the community. He had a kind and generous disposition, and they would not forget his cheerful greetings whenever they met him. Cr Williams also remarked that several of the small parks and gardens which now beautified the town of Millicent owed their origin to the late Mr. McLaughlin’s foresight. He suggested that the memory of the townsman that created them might be fittingly perpetuated if one of the reserves were named after him. The council decided to discuss Cr William’s suggestion at the October meeting. Nothing along these lines occurred however, until a letter from the secretary of the Millicent sports ground association was read at the district council meeting of 3 May 1932. At the annual meeting of the association in April a resolution was carried that the secretary write to the Millicent district council, stating “that the members of the Millicent sports ground association are unanimously in favour of the ground being re-named ‘McLaughlin Park’ out of respect for, and in memory of the splendid services rendered to the association by the late Mr. F. J. McLaughlin, the foundation secretary; and that this association respectfully recommend the re-naming of the sports ground for the consideration of the councillors. That the memory of the late Mr. McLaughlin be perpetuated in this tangible manner is the earnest desire of my members, and we confidently recommend the suggestion to the favourable consideration of your councillors.” Cr MALONE moved, and Cr NITSCHKE seconded, that the reserve be named McLaughlin Park. The motion was carried unanimously.
Whilst on council Frank McLaughlin moved that the council take steps to have Millicent included in the itinerary of the excursionists who visit the S.E. under the auspices of the tourists’ bureau. This was agreed to but a letter received from the director of the State tourist bureau in March 1928 stated that it would not be possible to fit Millicent in for the moment. Frank didn’t give up on getting Millicent included on the tour and further correspondence ensued, but I haven’t been able to find any record of Millicent being included before Frank died.
Frank McLaughlin was a member of a number of other local organizations and held an office position in most of them at some time. These included the Millicent Brass Band, Swimming Club, Cricket Club, Football Club, Racing Club, and Institute Committee. He was the council representative on the Board of Management of the Thyne Memorial Hospital for the whole of his term as the central ward member.
A widely representative and enthusiastic public meeting was held at Millicent on the 2nd August 1929 to form a committee for a Millicent branch of a South Eastern broad gauge railway league. This was the inaugural meeting of the South-East Development League and Frank McLaughlin became one of the eight committee members, he was still part of the league at the time of his death. The main objective of the S.E. Development League was to agitate for a new railway system through the centre of the S.E. to connect Mount Gambier with the interstate railway between Bordertown and Tailem Bend.
THE FUNERAL From the South Eastern Times, Friday Sept 11, 1931
Tuesday afternoon the funeral rites of the late Mr. F. J. McLaughlin were attended by the largest concourse of mourners who have paid a last tribute to the memory of a Millicent citizen. Glorious spring sunshine, a gentle zephyr from the north, wattles and gums and orchard trees in flower, the green of the fields and the songs of the bush brought many who joined the sad procession to a realization of the uncertainty of human life, the immutable certainty of death, and the vanity of all human pursuits.
For the first time on the occasion of a funeral, business in Millicent was suspended, all trading establishments closing their doors from 2.30 until after 3pm., and the streets and roads were lined with silent spectators. Mr. J. GIDDINGS, who directed the mortuary arrangements, has never previously been called upon to marshal so large an assemblage of motor cars. There were 93 in all, and a number of horse-drawn vehicles, and the cortege was lengthened by a procession in regalia of members of the Oddfellows’ Lodge, of which the late Mr. McLaughlin was a prominent officer.
The flower-clad motor coach conveying the casket had reached the butter factory, on the Mount Gambier road, before the last vehicle in the line had left the main street of the town. Every garden in Millicent had contributed to the expansive pall of floral tributes, wreaths and crosses were sent from Penola, and car loads of blooms came from the hot-houses and gardens of Mt. Gambier.
Life-long friends had hurried from Casterton and other centres across the Victorian border to attend the funeral. Amongst the institutions which forwarded wreaths were the I.O.O.F., M.U., Millicent sports ground association, staff of J. McLaughlin and Co., Millicent racing club, Millicent golf club, Millicent football club, Millicent district council, Millicent institute, Commercial Milling company of Mt. Gambier, and D. & W. Murray, Ltd., Adelaide. Mr. and Mrs. McLaughlin and family have been overwhelmed with letters and telegrams conveying condolences from all parts of Australia.
This article is taken from the November 1999 newsletter, issued and printed by the South East Family History Group, Millicent, SA
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