Citation
Historical study of Lambert Park and the Skyline Reserve: Peter H. MacFie, 1995, for the Hobart City Council (51p)
Abstract
A historical study of Lambert Park and the Skyline Reserve. This includes the area from the Mt Nelson Signal Station nearly down to Sandy Bay Road, The original report was prepared for the Hobart City Council in 1995 and has been reformatted in 2017.
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Lambert Park and Skyline Reserve 2017-12-07.pdf
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Excerpt
The original 10 acres of Lambert Park were made over by Sir Lambert Dobson on 7th December 1896 to the old Queenborough Town Board. These were accepted on behalf of the inhabitants of the town for this ‘valuable gift.’ The reserve was to be named ‘Lambert Park.’[1]
The chairman of the Queenborough Town Board also received a plan of the area reserved from Sir Lambert Dobson, which showed the land given, and also ‘the improvement to be made.’ The Chairman thought it a most generous gift, and it would be a greatest boon for the town as well as the inhabitants of Hobart, as it would be a retreat, and when they could lay it out with seats, etc. he thought it would be thoroughly appreciated by the inhabitants.’[2]
Born at Gateshead in County Durham, England in 1833, Lambert Dobson emigrated as an infant with his parents, John, a lawyer, and Mary Ann Dobson. He was educated in Hobart at Hutchins School and Christ College, but was sent to England for his law degree. He returned to Hobart as a barrister in 1857. Dobson represented Hobart (1861-2) and Campbell Town (1864-70) in the House of Assembly, becoming attorney general in the Weston and Chapman Governments. He was responsible for abolishing imprisonment for debt (1867) and the Public School Act (1868), Tasmania’s first public school act. Appointed Chief Justice 1886, Dobson was public spirited, accepting a number of senior positions. These included as the first chancellor of the University of Tasmania, president of the Tasmanian Council on Education, vice president of the Royal Society, trustee of the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery, and president of football and cricket clubs of southern Tasmania. A keen botanist, Lambert Dobson was a member of the Linnean Society and was trustee of the Botanical Gardens and vice-president of the Royal Society.[3] He was knighted in 1886.[4]
Lambert Dobson was active in the Anglican Church and Chairman of the Bushfire Relief Fund. He died of typhoid fever after visiting bushfire victims in 18th March, 1898[5] And his premature death was to have long term ramifications for the Park he had bequeathed to the community.
Donated to the public in 1896, the unexpected death of Dobson in December 1898 left the legal status of the land incomplete and a Management Committee was appointed from members of the Queenborough Board. In March 1900 the Certificate of Title was to be transferred, and it was agreed that ‘a declaration of Trust be drawn – signed by the Board of Trustees of Sir Lambert Dobson’s estate vesting the land in the Town Board.’ In April 1909, the unresolved nature of the Park’s status was again raised.
- H. Webster wished to resign from Lambert Park Committee. Warden explains unresolved nature of Lambert Park legality, the transfer of the property not having been quite completed at the time of the donor’s death. Since then the Trustee of the will, Hon Alfred Dobson had gone to England as Agent General and had subsequently died, leaving the matter uncompleted. The Council now held the Park without any Trust deeds. It would therefore be necessity for several members of the late Town Board who knew the particulars under which the Park was donated to make statuary declarations as to the gift, and the Trust could be then set forth.
Councillor Lucas advised the Council to keep clear of the Trust under the will. Lady Dobson was not one of the Trustees, and he thought it would be very difficult matter through the Trust. He judged the best plan would be for the Council to go to the Supreme Court explain what Sir L. Dobson had intended, and get the grant direct from the Court.’ [6]
In 1910, a letter from the Land Titles Office concerning the incorrect boundaries was read but not detailed.[7]
Over the next 20 years, additional land was added to the Lambert Park Reserve. In 1916, the Town Board purchased land adjoining the Queenborough Cemetery for £1500 from Henry Dobson. [8]
End of excerpt.
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References from excerpt
[1]MCC 16/2/250, Queenborough Town Board 7/12/1896, p 118. AOT
[2]Tasmanian Mail, 12/12/1896, p.30 c1, AOT.
[3]Australian Dictionary of Biography, VOL. 4 P 78-9.
[4] Bennett, S and Bennett, B, Biographical Register of the Tasmanian Parliament 1851-1960, p 47.
[5] Robson, L. A History of Tasmania, vol2, p 243.
[6]MCC 16/2/50, 20/4/1909 p252.
[7] AB311/1, 18/1/1910, p360.
[8] Ibid.