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| Diary of Victoria - Part 4 | |||
From Diary4 From: "R + L Fletcher" Subject: Re: Diary of Victoria - Part 4 Date: Mon, 1 Nov 1999
1838January 1 Benjamin Baxter appointed Clerk to the Bench and Deputy Postmaster. The Melbourne Advertiser, Port Phillip, Australia, No 1. Written for and published by John P Fawkner. January the 1st Monday 1838, was issued. There were 17 issues. Nos 1-9 January 1 to February 26 were written in ink on a double sheet of foolscap. Nos 10-17 by Capt Lonsdale, as Fawkner had not complied with the provision of the Newspaper Act, which required him to forward recognisances and swear an affidavit in Sydney.January 2 The first overland mail arrived from Sydney carried by John Conway Bourke to Yass and then to Melbourne by a second post boy. Jan 22 Joseph Hawden and Charles Bonney with 9 men, left a station on the Goulburn River with 300 cattle which they drove to South Australia. Jan 28 Rev James Forbes, Established Church of Scotland, preached in the wooden church in William St. February 8 W F A Rucker opened a branch of the Derwent Bank Company. March 6 - 7 The Melbourne Race Club held a horse race between Batman's Hill and (present) North Melb Railway Station. Promoters were Henry Allen, William D G Wood, Edward D Wedge, W P Pickering, Henry Arthur, David Morley, Francis Nodin, James Brown and Christian L J De Villiers. George Hollins bay mare (owned by John Batman) won The Town Plate of 25 pounds. E W Umphelby also had horses in some of the races. March 25 Surveyor Smythe instructed to survey a sight in the neighbourhood of Corio for a township between the Barwon River and the beach. The main street to extend towards Mr Fisher's house on the Barwon to commence at the ravine and to extend to the rear of a building erected by Mr Rucker, as a store. John Hodgson applied for a licence to place a ferry on the Yarra Yarra. Instead, Lonsdale allowed Thomas Watt to operate the ferry. A year later the licence was withdrawn owing to Watt's misbehavior. John Welsh was then allowed to operate a punt at the same place. (In November 1839 Alexander Sim was permitted to operate a punt further down the Yarra. In 1840 a ferry was crossing the Yarra - operated by Charles Henry Le Souef. March A census of Melbourne and William's Town was taken. April 11 A large party of blacks attacked the shepherds in charge of sheep and bullocks belonging to William Pitt Faithfull, which had been brought from NSW to the Broken River near Benalla. Eight of the men were killed. April 15 The Bishop of Australia, Dr W G Broughton, preached at the wooden church in William street. He also christened 6 children on April 17 and 18. The cemetery is now occupied by the western portion of the Victoria Markets. Subscriptions raised money to build a fence around the cemetery. April 25 The Gaol and Government Store were burnt down. The fire was caused by two aboriginal prisoners who thrust a long reed though a hole in the wall and obtained a light from a candle. With their torch, they set fire to the thatched roof and escaped but were soon recaptured. Most of the stores were saved. May 1 Tenders invited for the erection of a Customs House. The contract was given to John Jones Pteers. Pteers ceased work due to the difficulty in getting paid and the stone building was then completed by Patrick Main. It forms part of the present Customs House in Flinders St. May 21 Rev William Waterhouse arrived in the Adelaide. June 19 A site was chosen for the first school and teachers residence comprising the block bounded by Collins, Russell, Lt Collins and Swanston streets. Until then, the only education for the residents was conducted by a female for very young children. July 1 Depasturing licences were issued for the first time for Melbourne and Geelong. The licences were for 6 months and the fee was 5 pounds. July 23 Rev Francis Tuckfield arrived to make arrangements for the establishment of an Aboriginal Mission Station. A site near Birregurra was chosen - named Buntingdale. Rev Benjamin Hurst joined Mr Tuckfield the following year and the Mission was carried on until 1851 when operations ceased.
July 31 Hoddle instructed Smythe to survey a township on the Goulburn River where a detachment of troops was located. August 21 Lonsdale instructed Clerk of Works to erect a jetty at William's Town. This was completed 23 February 1839. It was made of stone, 110 feet long and from 12 to 20 feet broad, 6 ft 9 inches high at the water extremity. Hoddle sent the Deputy Surveyor a plan of the town of Geelong prepared by Smythe. August 28 From the diary of Rev William Waterfield. This morning I repaired to the Church and united in the bonds of wedlock 2 parties: Edward Marny Sayers and Anna Tyrrel and William Overton and Elizabeth Jane Rule. It went off very quietly seeing it was the first time any denomination had celebrated marriage at Port Phillip. NOTE: T B Naylor is said to have performed the 1st marriage 30 April 1837. David Charteris McArthur opened a branch of the Bank of Australasia in a small brick building on the north side of Little Collins St west of Elizabeth St. August 30 A regatta was held in Hobson's Bay - the first at Melbourne. September 10 The bishop of Australia appointed the Rev John Couch Grylis to be a surrogate for granting marriage licences. Sept 12 The first complete censes of Port Phillip recorded a total population of 3511 - 3080 males, 431 females. Livestock 300,946 sheep, 13,272 cattle and 524 horses. The first sale of Crown country land at Port Phillip in the parishes of Will-Will-Rook, Wollert and Keelbundora, county of Bourke, was held at Sydney. All 42 blocks offered were sold for 25,286.pounds one and sixpence. It was an area of 38,853 acres extending from the Plenty River to Broadmeadows. Sept 13 More Melbourne town allotments sold - this time sale held in Sydney. October 9 The site fixed upon for a township at Mitchell's Town on the Goulburn, about 72 miles to the north of Melb, was officially announced. The minimum price of land was 5 pounds per acre. October 10 The Colonial Secretary advised Lonsdale that Sir George Gipps proposed to send immigrants to Port P within 3 months. Lonsdale replied that the immigrants would find immediate employment as the demand for labour was very great. The class of men mostly required were farm and other labourers who would receive 5/- to 6/- per day, or 30 pounds per year with rations. Some bricklayers and carpenters in particular were wanted. If good men, they would be readily employed at 10/- per day. October 15 A branch of the Union Bank was opened by William Highett. October 27 The first number of the Port Phillip Gazette was issued. Edited, Printed and Published by George Arden and Thomas Strode, Queen St Melbourne. This was the first licenced newspaper in Melb. At first is was published weekly but from 17 April 1839, it was issued bi-weekly. October 28 The steamer Fire Fly commenced plying between William's Town and Melb. W Pearson, master. The fare for passengers was 2/6d. Freight was 8/- per ton and towing vessels 5 pounds. November 6 Lonsdale informed the Colonial Secretary that there was very little land under cultivation and that no one grew enough wheat for his own consumption. Flour was imported from Sydney or VDL. November 12 A public meeing was held to support a petition to Gipps, asking for a quicker conveyance of the mails between Sydney and Melb. and for a weekly service. It was stated that it took a fortnight to convey the mail from Melb to Yass. November 16 Lonsdale purchased from Francis Nodin, storekeeper, for 150 pounds, a building to be used partly as a hospital for convicts and partly as a Police Office. The building was on the corner of Collins St and Flinders Lane and had been built on Crown land. November 17 The Melbourne Club was founded with William Meek, solicitor, as honorary secretary. The meeting to form the club was convened by 23 officials and colonists comprising: Lonsdale, G B Smyth, Dr Patrick Edward Cussen, Colonel White and his son, A M Mundy, F A Powlett, Captain Bacchus and his son, William Meek, G Arden, B Baxter, W H Yaldwyn, R W Murdoch, James MacFarlane, W W Darke, R Russell, Mr Scott, H W H Smythe, Mr Hamilton and 3 members of the Ryrie family. On 21 February 1839, rooms were taken at the Lamb Inn Collins St but in June, Fawkner's Hotel, enlarged and extended to Collins St, was leased. The building contained 22 rooms with offices and cellars. Some years later the Club moved to a brick house built by Michael Carr. A cricket match was played between the military and civilians - the latter winning. The match was held in William St - the spot now (1935) occupied by the Royal Mint. A cricket club was formed by the following gentlemen: A Powlett, Robert Russell, A M Mundy, C F N Mundy, Geo B Smyth. At a meeting held in November Messrs Smith, Donald, Gordon McArthur, P Snodgrass, W Ryrie, Highett, Williams, Meek, Sans, Jamieson, Webster, Brock, Bacchus, Allen, Pitman and I Hind were proposed as members. Bats, balls and stumps were purchased from Mr Henry Davis for 2 pounds 3 shillings. November 26 A day school for boys and girls was opened in the Presbyterian wooden church - Collins Street west, under the mastership of Robert Campbell. December 11 John Bullivant was appointed Sheriff's Bailiff. George Augustus Robinson appointed Chief Protector of Aboriginies with Edward Stone Parker, William Thomas, Charles Wightman Sievewright and James Dredge assistant Protectors. December 13 Lonsdale suggested to the Colonial Secretary, that the lanes of Melbourne be named as buildings were being erected in them. December 17 Trustees of a projected Savings Bank were appointed - Lonsdale, Rev Clow, James Smith, Skene Craig, Rev John Couch Grylls and Benjamin Baxter. The savings bank was not established until 1841 when new trustees were appointed. STATISTICS FOR 1838 1260 immigrants arrived by sea. The value of imports to Melbourne was 40,000 pounds and expenditure was 16,874 pounds. Exports value 27,998 pounds and 136 vessels sailed from Melb. 7424 letters and 2795 newspapers passed through the Post Office. Livestock - 524 horses, 13,272 cattle, 310,946 sheep 149 acres of land under cultivation - wheat 82 ac, oats 22 ac, maize 20 ac, potatoes 20 ac, tobacco 4 ac. 320,383 pounds of wool valued at 21,631 pounds, were produced. PS to the First Land Sales in 1837 - Michael Pender purchased an allotment on the south side of Collins St east of Queen St, for 19 pounds. When he sold it 40 years later, he received 33,000 pounds for the property. Henry Howey purchased a block (today opposite the Town Hall in Swanston St) for 120 pounds. It was valued in 1888 at more than 1 million pounds but Howey and his family were lost at sea within 1 year of purchasing it and so he gained nothing. Home Three 1837 or Five 1839 |
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