WILLIAM HAWKINS GARRINGTON J.P.
MAYORALTY:- November 9th 1859-1860.
PROFESSION:- Surgeon
FIRST ELECTED TO COUNCIL:- November 1841.
WARD:- St George
FIRST ELECTED ALDERMAN:- 14th March 1862 on death of Ald Levy.
OTHER CIVIC POSITIONS HELD:- Magistrate 1860. Coroner.
RESIDENCE:- 18 St Andrew's Road. Southsea.
DECEASED:- 15th January 1884. aged 79. (1)
BURIED:- Highland Road cemetery.
Born in 1805 Garrington graduated from St Bartholomew's Hospital in 1835 then subsequently gained a diploma from the Royal College of Surgeons. He opened a practice in Portsmouth at 10 Union Street and was appointed Medical Officer to the Union House (workhouse). He first stood for the Council in 1841. He lost the seat in 1853 but regained it in November 1856. Three years later he was mayor.
MAYORAL ELECTION 1859
In a short speech Alderman Dr Garrington was nominated by Alderman Owen. This was a consensus choice and without further discussion Garrington was elected unanimously.
EVENTS OF MAYORAL YEAR 1859-1860
This was a placid tenure. In February 1860 the mayor, replete with chain of office, presided over the opening of the Portsmouth Athenaeum's great exhibition of photographs, busts, statues, and models of mechanical engineering at their premises in Bishop Street. For the military Eastney Barracks was completed and the RMA moved in from Fort Cumberland. There was however the omnipresent Camber Dock project and on September 27th 1860 the foundation stone of the new dock was laid. More significantly perhaps the government finally agreed to make a contribution to the local rates - albeit on their own valuations.
In February 1865 Garrington resigned his aldermanship upon succeeding William John Cooper, as the third Coroner of the Borough. He held this post for nineteen years and brought to it great skill, urbanity and probity. In politics he was a known Liberal albeit he never allowed party Preference to influence his actions. He was regarded as a shrewd magistrate and was from 1873 to 1881 Chairman of the Licensing Committee of the Justices presiding over the Brewster Sessions. Additionally he was surgeon to the 3rd Hants Rifle Volunteers and chairman of the South Harts Medical Association. He regularly worshipped at St Jude's. He worked virtually till the end of his life but in early January 1884 it was reported (2) that he was seriously ill with a suspected stomach cancer. He died on Tuesday 15th January 1884 leaving three daughters and one son (Dr Arthur Garrington). In its obituary the H.T. quoted:-
"Thus walked he stage by stage from youth to hoary age, Then fell asleep full ripe in well spent years."
Norman Gordon
1. Obituaries. Hants Post 18th Jan 1884. Portsmouth Times 16th Jan 1884. Hampshire Telegraph 19th Jan 1884.
2. Hants Post 11th Jan 1884.