Tonstad (municipality)

Tonstad is a former municipality that was located in the old Vest-Agder county in Norway. The 361-square-kilometre (139 sq mi) municipality existed from 1905 until 1960. It encompassed the southern part of the present-day municipality of Sirdal. The administrative center of the municipality was the village of Tonstad where Tonstad Church is located.[2]

Tonstad Municipality
Tonstad herred
View of Tonstad in 1948
View of Tonstad in 1948
Vest-Agder within Norway
Vest-Agder within Norway
Tonstad within Vest-Agder
Tonstad within Vest-Agder
Coordinates: 58°39′51″N 06°42′59″E / 58.66417°N 6.71639°E / 58.66417; 6.71639
CountryNorway
CountyVest-Agder
DistrictLister
Established1 Jan 1905
 • Preceded bySirdal Municipality
Disestablished1 Jan 1960
 • Succeeded bySirdal Municipality
Administrative centreTonstad
Area
 (upon dissolution)
 • Total
361 km2 (139 sq mi)
Population
 (1960)
 • Total
651
 • Density1.8/km2 (4.7/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+01:00 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+02:00 (CEST)
ISO 3166 codeNO-1046[1]

History

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The municipality of Tonstad was established on 1 January 1905 when the old municipality of Sirdal was divided into two municipalities: Tonstad (population: 828) and Øvre Sirdal (population: 753). During the 1960s, there were many municipal mergers across Norway due to the work of the Schei Committee. On 1 January 1960, Tonstad (population: 651) was merged with Øvre Sirdal and the Øksendal area of Bakke to form a new municipality of Sirdal.[3]

Name

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The municipality (originally the parish) is named after the old Tonstad farm (Old Norse: Þornýjarstaðir) since the first Tonstad Church was built there. The first element is the genitive case of the old female name Þorný (a precursor to the more modern name Tone). The last element is the plural form of the word staðr which means "place" or "abode".[4]

Government

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While it existed, this municipality was responsible for primary education (through 10th grade), outpatient health services, senior citizen services, unemployment, social services, zoning, economic development, and municipal roads. During its existence, this municipality was governed by a municipal council of directly elected representatives. The mayor was indirectly elected by a vote of the municipal council.[5]

Municipal council

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The municipal council (Herredsstyre) of Tonstad was made up of representatives that were elected to four year terms. The tables below show the historical composition of the council by political party.

Tonstad herredsstyre 1956–1959 [6]  
Party name (in Norwegian) Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) 3
  Joint List(s) of Non-Socialist Parties (Borgerlige Felleslister) 10
Total number of members:13
Tonstad herredsstyre 1952–1955 [7]  
Party name (in Norwegian) Number of
representatives
  Local List(s) (Lokale lister) 12
Total number of members:12
Tonstad herredsstyre 1948–1951 [8]  
Party name (in Norwegian) Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) 3
  Joint List(s) of Non-Socialist Parties (Borgerlige Felleslister) 4
  Local List(s) (Lokale lister) 5
Total number of members:12
Tonstad herredsstyre 1945–1947 [9]  
Party name (in Norwegian) Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) 3
  Local List(s) (Lokale lister) 9
Total number of members:12
Tonstad herredsstyre 1938–1941* [10]  
Party name (in Norwegian) Number of
representatives
  Local List(s) (Lokale lister) 12
Total number of members:12
Note: Due to the German occupation of Norway during World War II, no elections were held for new municipal councils until after the war ended in 1945.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Bolstad, Erik; Thorsnæs, Geir, eds. (26 January 2023). "Kommunenummer". Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian). Kunnskapsforlaget.
  2. ^ Store norske leksikon. "Tonstad – kommune" (in Norwegian). Retrieved 11 August 2016.
  3. ^ Jukvam, Dag (1999). Historisk oversikt over endringer i kommune- og fylkesinndelingen (PDF) (in Norwegian). Statistisk sentralbyrå. ISBN 9788253746845.
  4. ^ Rygh, Oluf (1912). Norske gaardnavne: Lister og Mandals amt (in Norwegian) (9 ed.). Kristiania, Norge: W. C. Fabritius & sønners bogtrikkeri. p. 348.
  5. ^ Hansen, Tore; Vabo, Signy Irene, eds. (20 September 2022). "kommunestyre". Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian). Kunnskapsforlaget. Retrieved 3 August 2023.
  6. ^ "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1955" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1957. Retrieved 22 November 2020.
  7. ^ "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1951" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1952. Retrieved 22 November 2020.
  8. ^ "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1947" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1948. Retrieved 22 November 2020.
  9. ^ "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1945" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1947. Retrieved 22 November 2020.
  10. ^ "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1937" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1938. Retrieved 22 November 2020.