Philip Henry Mayer
Northcote Mayor (1926 - 1927)
Born in Fitzroy in March 1889 and died at Warburton September 1953 aged 64, Philip Henry Mayer is buried in Coburg Cemetery. He was a City of Northcote Councillor from 1922/23 to 1927/28 and was elected as mayor in 1926/27. Mayer Park is named after him. He was an honorary member of Northcote RSL. Whilst mayor, he laid the foundation stone of the Thornbury Baby Health Centre on December 8, 1926.The centre was officially opened on March 31st 1927.
He owned three delicatessens in Preston before retiring in 1928 and moving to Warburton in 1929 where he ran the Warburton Chalet guest house - a small farmhouse he purchased in 1915 - situated at the base of Mt Little Joe. He established the golf links there. He became involved with the community at Warburton, serving on the council, and becoming Shire President in 1933. There was much speculation about his acquisition of several properties in the area and his loyalty to Australia during the Second World War, with correspondence exchanged with Intelligence Departments in Canberra. His son was killed during the conflict in New Guinea.
Sources
Lemon, Andrew (1983). The Northcote Side of the River. North Melbourne: Hargreen.
Swift, William George (1928). The history of Northcote: From its first settlement to a city. Northcote, Vic: Leader Publishing.
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