Reg Bartley

Reginald James (Reg) Bartley (died 16 January 1982)[1] was a businessman, company director[2] and Lord Mayor of Sydney in 1943–1944 and 1946–1948.[3] He was succeeded by Ernest Charles O'Dea. Referred to as a "civic reform" lord mayor, Bartley was attacked by a member of the Communist Party of Australia over a proposal to demolish "Maramonah", a mansion in central Sydney, inhabited by 600 squatters, in order to build a park. Bartley's plan was eventually taken up, and the site of the mansion is now a park in King's Cross. Bartley later said that he regretted the incident had become one between "communists and lawful authority".[2]

In March 1946 Bartley was instrumental in moving to demolish the Sydney Mint and the Hyde Park Barracks, stating that they should "make way for modern structures".[4]

Bartley's service to the City of Sydney is commemorated by the naming of Reg Bartley Oval at Rushcutters Bay[5] and Bartley Street, Chippendale.[6] The City of Sydney Florence Bartley Library was named in honour of Bartley's wife and Lady Mayoress Florence.[7]

References

Civic offices
Preceded by
Stanley S. Crick
Lord Mayor of Sydney
1943-1944
Succeeded by
W. Neville Harding
Preceded by
W. Neville Harding
Lord Mayor of Sydney
1946-1948
Succeeded by
Ernest Charles O'Dea