Recently we were advised to use the Legh Street Showground gates to enter items in the pavilion sections for the Glen Innes Show. There may have been many people who have never seen that short street bisecting Clarke Street, between Bourke and Torrington Streets.
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How did it come by that name?
In our archives we have an index to the Municipal Council minutes and an entry for 22/6/1971 states it was named after solicitor William Montagu Legh who served as mayor from 1917 to 1918.
Council has had a policy of naming streets and other thoroughfares after former Mayors and that year the other three Mayors proposed to be thus honoured were Sawmiller Eric Potter, Butcher Edgar McIntyre, and Flour Miller Frederick Bates.
It was noted in the newspaper report that Alderman Alice Robinson did not agree 'that former mayors should be recognised in this capacity', however she was overruled.
William Montagu Legh was the son of Christopher & Jane (nee Anderson of 'Newstead') Legh who owned 'Glen Legh Station' originally part of 'Blair Hill Station - former owners had been Dumaresq brothers and Major Innes.
.... There is no doubt about our fellows. All the generals refer to them as 'the -care-for-nothing independent fighting devils...'
- William Legh
Monty commenced his legal studies as a clerk in Solicitor Henry Richard Crossman's office but interrupted them to be one of the 44 who enlisted in the Boer War from Glen Innes in 1899 and his name is inscribed on the Boer War monument on the Grey Street intersection opposite the Post Office.
With the rank of Corporal, he sailed for South Africa in January 1900.
Some of his letters home have been reproduced in AW Cameron's publication 'The Boer War - A Perspective from the Glen Innes Examiner 1899-1902.'
11 Sept 1900
... 'I am sorry that my letters have not been received regularly as I have written on every opportunity on the march and have given an account of every fight and places, we have been in.
.... There is no doubt about our fellows. All the generals refer to them as 'the -care-for-nothing independent fighting devils...'
He passed his final law exam in 1902 and later set up Chambers in Fitzgerald's building' [possibly Great Central Hotel].
There was hardly an organization in the town that he was not either a keen supporter or an office bearer - Musical Society, Jockey Club, Picnic Races, Tennis, Polo Team, School of Arts, P&A, Hospital Board and so on.
