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Diary of Victoria - Part 8 (1) - 1842

From Diary8a From: "R + L Fletcher" Subject: Re: Diary of Victoria - Part 8 (1) - 1842 Date: Mon, 15 Nov 1999

1842 January 1 Saturday. The Savings Bank of Port Phillip opened from 7pm to 8pm to receive deposits in the office of the Melb Fire and Marine Insurance Company, Melbourne Chambers in Collins St. On the 5th the bank opened from 1 pm to 2pm to make repayments. 2 Rev James Forbes announced that the following ministers had been appointed by the Colonial Committee of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland: Rev Peter Gunn as Gaelic minister in Melb - arrived in the Welcome from Greenock on 25th Feb. Rev Alexander Laurie minister at Portland Bay -arrived in the William Nichol from Leith on 8th Feb. Rev Thomas Mowbray as ininerating minister in the interior - he arrived in the Robert Burns from Greenock on 26th Jan.. 3 The Market Commissioners selected a site for a Cattle Market, on the north-west corner of Elizabeth and Victoria Sts - opposite the present (1935) Victoria Markets. 6 Henry Field Gurner appointed Clerk of the Peace and Crown Solicitor at Port Phillip. 12 John Leahy Griffin appointed Registrar of the Court at Melbourne. 15 La Trobe informed the Colonial Secretary that 107 immigrants were employed upon the construction of the dam and of the road from the punts to Liardet's Beach. February 4 William Verner was sworn in as Chief Commissioner of Insolvent Estates, Melbourne, by Judge Willis. The financial crisis was caused by the downfall of the pastoral industry. The price of sheep had dropped to as low as 6d per head, with the result that most of the stock owners were ruined. The collapse reacted upon the rest of the community, all of whom had been living extravagantly for some years and many speculating in land on credit. In 1842 10 firms and private individuals passed through the Insolvency Court. In a few years prosperity was attained in the pastoral industry by the adoption in 1843 of the 'boiling down' works, a more careful and less expensive management of the runs, a redirection in the cost of living and a rise in the price of wool, which before the crisis had fallen greatly. 8 A meeting was held at Geelong in James Stanley Stewart's 'Corio Class-room' for the purpose of founding a Mechanics Institute. Rev A Love was Chairman. A committee was appointed to form the Institution, the members were Rev A Love, Dr Jonathan Clerke (Colonial Asst Surgeon), Dr Forster Shaw, George Thomas Lloyd, James Harrison, Mr Miles and Mr Harding. 10 John Marshall McLaurin appointed Clerk of Petty Sessions, Melb. 16 Judge Willis sentenced George Arden, the editor and proprietor of The Port Phillip Gazette, to 12 months imprisonment and to pay a fine of 300 pounds, for printing and publishing a libellous attack on the Resident Judge. Arden was imprisoned until 15th April when he was released by Willis and in May, the fine was remitted by the Governor in response to a large petition sent from Melb. Although an able lawyer, Willis was extrmely erratic if not mentally deranged. The enemies he made by his outspoken remarks were increased by the action of the eccentric judge, in assuming the role of public censor until eventually he earned the hostility of all those with who he came in contact officially. A fourth memorial sent to Gipps led to Willis' retirement and return to England on 13 July 1843. 20 A temporary Wesleyan Chapel was opened by Rev Benjamin Hurst at Geelong. A large wooden building was purchased and removed by Mr Hunt and re-erected on a site in Yarra St between Malop and Little Malop Sts. 21 Henry Edmund Dana authorised to form a corps of 20 Native Police at Narre Narre Warren. In March Charles Dudley Le Souef was appointed second in command and later in the year was sent in charge of 6 Mounted Native Police to form a station at Mt Rouse. In September 10 Mounted Native Police were stationed at The Grange and 4 to Western Port.The corps, which doubled in number, was maintained until the death of Dana in November 1852 when it was disbanded. The uniform of the corps was a green jacket, opossum skin facings, black or green trousers with red stripes and a green cap with a red band. The men were armed with a short carbine and bayonet and when mounted, wore swords. The first dramatic performance was held in the Pavillion, Bourke St, which was given the name of Theatre Royal. The actors were amateurs and produced The Widow's Victim' a comedy and the Lottery Ticket, a farce. George Buckingham was stage Manager and Mr Southall the scene painter. Tickets were 7/6d each. 22 The Melbourne Total Abstinence Society was formed. March 1 Rev Alexander Laurie arrived as first resident minister at Portland. For 2 months Rev Laurie preached in the house of Dr William Sinclair Sutherland then a small church was erected. 1-2-4 The Melb Race Meeting was held at Flemington - William Ryrie and Godolphin H Arundell were stewards and Hugh Jamieson secretary. 2 Collingwood was named at the request of La Trobe, after Admiral Collingwood. The Collingwood at the time was a portion of the present City of Fitzroy as far as Alexander Pde and the existing City of Collingwood was then called East Collingwood. 3 The first Pastoral and Agricultural Show was held. Horses and cattle were shown at the Cattle Market and farm and garden produce at the Royal Hotel in Collins St. 24 The Pyrenees Turf Club held a race meeting at the station of Adolphus Goldsmith, Trawalla near Beaufort. 31 Rev Thomas Mowbray selected by subscribers as minister of a Presbyterian Church to be erected at Campbellfield. April 9 The Melbourne Times was published at Great Collins St, Melbourne, New South Wales, by Ryland John Howard. Weekly, it was the first evening newspaper but became a bi-weekly morning paper on 14 July 1843 and ceased publication with it's issue of 29 December 1843. 18 The Hay and Corn Market was opened. It was on the site of St Paul's Cathedral with an entrance from Flinders St. The weigh bridge was made by Pattinson and Foster of Bourke St. May 7 La Trobe reported that the 207 immigrants employed on the dam and the raod to Liardet's Beach had gone on strike against a reduction in their pay which, in view of the depressed state of the public finances, he had found it necessary to make. The pay of the immigrants, who were married men with 2 children, was reduced from 3/4d to 3/0d per day. They returned to work the next day. 9 The Geelong Advertiser announced that a branch of the Union Bank would open there before the end of the week with M Mann, from Launceston, as manager. The present (1935) Manager Mr G Hedley, ascertained that the branch opened on 18 May 1842 in a house owned by Dr A Thomson. 13 The Port Phillip Herald reported that a branch of the Bank of Australasia was to be established at Geelong. According to the present Manager (1935) Mr R C Stanley, the branch was first opened in July 1846 with George Matson manager for 2 years, followed by George Faircloth. June 15 Rev James Yelverton Wilson arrived as Portland - the first resident Church of England minister there. Rev Wilson opened a school before August 1842 with teachers Mr and Mrs C Hedditch. 23 A meeting was held in Melb by the owners of land in the vicinity of the Sydney road for the purpose of improving the road. D C Simson, H B Morris, T H Power, Neil Campbell, A Forlonge, Duncan Cameron and Dr McCrae were elected trustees for th road. The first road made been made by the residents. 28 The St Patrick's Society was formed at Melb with Dr John Patterson as President and T H Osborne as secretary. July 3 The first Presbyterian Church opened at Geelong by Rev Andrew Love. 25 The foundation stone of a Court House in Melb was laid by Judge Willis. James Rattenbury was the architect and George Beaver the contractor. 30 An act for the Government of New South Wales and VDL, passed by the Imperial Government, received Royal Assent. This statute introduced representative government into Australia. Provisions were made for a Legislative Council consisting of 36 members, 12 nominated and 24 elected. Of the latter 6 were allotted to the Port Phillip District - 1 to Melb and 5 to the rest of the Province. The election for Melb was held on 17th June 1843 when Henry Condell, the Mayor, defeated Edward Curr. On the 20th Charles Hotson Ebden, Dr Alexander Thomson, Dr (later Sir) Charles Nicholson, Thomas Walker and Rev John Dunmore Lang were elected - the other candidate Sir Thomas Mitchell being defeated. All the 4 latter were residents of Sydney. Regards Lori Home Seven or Eightb

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