Buckingham Reserve
by David Thompson
Buckingham Reserve is near the western edge of Garden City. It is named for former Councillor and Mayor Theodore Thomas Buckingham.
Tom Buckingham was elected to Port Melbourne Council on 21 January 1961 and served until 1986. He was Mayor on three occasions 1964-65, 1969-70 and 1972-73.
The Buckingham family were drapers. As early as 1922 the Sands and McDougall Directory lists Mrs E Buckingham, draper at 85 Bay Street with Roger Buckingham also listed at the same address. It seems that Roger may have died in the first half of the 1930s as only Mrs E Buckingham is listed in the 1935 directory. She remains there as a draper until 1943 when T Buckingham, draper is, instead, listed at the property. He probably remained there for the next four decades.