You may not know about the driving force behind the earlier times of Longford, such as the founder of the Tousey hospital, a prisoner-of-war who went on to educate a generation, a convict turned farm pioneer, a transport pioneer, a grand prix or humanitarian efforts but you will now.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
These six names may ring a bell, James Denton Toosey Junior, William Pitt, George Carins, Arch Flanagan, Roy Preece and the Longford Motor Racing, and a new project hopes to highlight them further.
The Longford Legends plaque project at Stokes Park opened on Wednesday and it aims to recognise the contribution individuals and events made to make the town a better place and hopes to inspire future generations.
Five individuals, an organisation and an acknowledgement of the Panninher clan were inducted as the first legends.
Committee member Tim Flanagan said already they were looking to add more legends, including women, but there was one catch - they had to be deceased.
In other news:
One of the legend's was James Denton Toosey Junior. He was a farmer in the Cressy district who left his will with instructions to purchase land and build a hospital in Tasmania to treat people free of charge. In 1925, the Tousey Memorial Hospital was opened in Longford and gave free care until the 1960s.
William Pitt was another legend recognised after he came to the state as a convict for stealing a silk handkerchief in 1828. He was freed after 13 years and purchased Longford House, before becoming an innovative farmer and investing in the country's first rural railway from Launceston to Deloraine.
Next was transport pioneer George Carins who established a horse drawn cartage business between Launceston and Longford in the early 1900s, then a three hour trip. He also brought the first motorised omnibus to the area, operated the first semi-trailer in the state, was involved in a number of community organisations and was a councillor and mayor for the Longford Council.
The plaques are on the Abel Tasman Avenue walking track in the park and each year three or four more will be added to the footpath in Stokes Park.
Another legend prisoner-of-war Arch Flanagan for inspiring a generation as the Longford headmaster from 1949 to 1963. This was after he was captured as a volunteer in World War II in the Fall of Java and became a Japanese POW.
Roy Preece was the final individual recognised for his landmark shopkeeper corner in the town, involvement in numerous organisations and part in the town's football golden era.
The final recognition went to the Longford Motor Racing 1959 and 1965 Australian Grand Prix. As the town was home to the fastest racing circuit in the south hemisphere, a 7.2 kilometre track, and it attracted world champions.
A committee was formed to pick the legends and collaborate with the Longford Rotary Club and the Northern Midlands Council to make the project possible.
Councillor Janet Lambert said it was a very importantly project and she looked forward to see who the next five inductees were going to be.
"You just never know what's going to happen in a small town or who you might bump into, who has done amazing things in their lives," she said.
"I think this is the start of bringing those people to life for the younger generation to hopefully appreciate, but also for the families of these wonderful legends, to be able to relive their history and relive the wonderful things they have done in the town to help keep this wonderful town alive."
Sign up to one of our newsletters: