G'day ALL ...
After an aborted attempt as Port Arthur was being settled around 1804,
what was to be become Victoria finally got started around 1834 ... 5
years after the Swan River Colony.
The difference between the east and the west was undoubtedly their
cessation of convict transportation as we were starting, and the
discovery of gold and the wealth in goods and population that followed.
(Ours was to come in the 1890s when the 't'other-siders' headed west to
help uncover our gold after their financial crisis of the 1880s.)
Still looking at my HELLIER family, I looked into their arrival in
Victoria as assisted migrants and found that although my Eli was
missing, his mum and step-dad were there, along with his step brother
and two older brothers.
They traveled out on the NELEUS from Southampton on August 10, 1854 and
arrived in Melbourne on October 23, 1854 with 388 passengers. There were
5 deaths during the voyage, the first 4 from cholera on August 10, 11,
14 and 16 and the final death on October 19 of a 1 year old girl with
what seemed to read as a brain disorder.
----->
# 107 - John Hillman, agricultural labourer, ex-Gloucester, CofE, could
read & write, aged 45, began work on his own account in Melbourne on
October 30, 1854 for 1 year for 120 pounds with rations
# 108 - Mary Ann Hillman, ex-Gloucester, CofE, could read & write, aged 45
# 271 - James Hillman, blacksmith, ex-Gloucester, CofE, could read &
write, aged 20, engaged by the 'Express' steamer of Melbourne on
November 4, 1854 for 1 year for 120 pounds with rations
# 269 - John G. Helier, carpenter, ex-Gloucester, CofE, could read &
write, aged 21, engaged by Mr F.J. Stephens of Melbourne on November 3,
1854 for 3 months for 87 pounds with rations
# 270 - Thomas Helier, printer, ex-Gloucester, CofE, could read & write,
aged 24, engaged by the "Age" office of Melbourne on October 31, 1854
for 1 pound daily without rations
<-----
To help me, and anyone else who has time and inclination to read
further, the following article published soon after the NELEUS arrived
back in England from its previous voyage, is quite self explanatory as
the correspondent compares Melbourne in mid 1854 to the town he struck a
year earlier in 1853. In a supplementary article, he explains some
changes to the gold mining scene ... once again from first hand experience.
The first myth that gets exploded for me is the one that people flocked
out for the gold ... if they were assisted migrants, they came to work
and only tried the golden life at a later date, if ever.
The article for tomorrow will be much shorter, but really explains how
the labour market worked and coupled with the living costs explained in
today's article, should be quite enlightening.
Cheers and enjoy, ROB! rnelson@xxxxxxxxxxxx
-----< Lloyd's Weekly Newspaper (London, England), Sunday, June 4, 1854,
Page 9 >----->
EMIGRATION: MELBOURNE AND ITS CHANGES [From a Correspondent]
In the beginning of the year 1853, when I landed at Liardet's-beach
(Sandridge), two miles and a half from Melbourne, there was only one
public-house and a few tents; but on my return in December of the same
year, the locality was covered with buildings of almost every
description. A large wooden pier, nearly completed, was run into the
bay, forming the terminus of a railway in the course of construction
from Melbourne to the beach. The embankment, thrown up across a level
extent of marshy and sandy soil, was being rapidly completed from
Prince's-bridge to the town, which had within a surprisingly short
period sprung up on the shores of the bay. Trade was very brisk, and all
kinds of building contrivances extending in every direction,
notwithstanding the inconvenience of slipping ankle deep in the loose
sand at almost every step. A large handsome hotel, which would do no
discredit to any of the main thoroughfares of London, was crowded with
all classes of people, very motley in attire, and mostly of an aspect of
compact vulgarity peculiar to the monied ignorant. Other places of
accomodation, having spacious wooden parlours, well filled with
customers, were everywhere to be met with. Extempore bathing-machines
were being fitted up along the beach, together with refreshment stalls
at every available point, all of which appeared to be doing good business.
Numbers go from Melbourne daily to bathe in the clear salt water of the
bay, as bathing accommodation in the city is not to be thought of,-- the
fresh waters of the Yarra Yarra being the main source of supply to the
inhabitants, bathing in the river between sunrise and sunset was
forbidden under a penalty of 5l.
Omnibuses and other conveyances, chiefly started by Americans, ply
between the city and the beach, along a road partly paved with bundles
of sticks embedded in the sand - an extempere contrivance which shows
what curious expedients were adopted with a view to keep pace with the
rapid requirements of the locality.
Wages were high. Clothing as cheap, or nearly so, as in England.
Provisions easy and abundant. Beef and mutton 6d. per lb., but on the
rise; bread 1s. 6d. per quartern; boots and shoes downwards in price, --
retailers were doing well, although barely 3 per cent. could be obtained
over invoice prices. American boots were in request, but of course
cheaper than before the market became so amply supplied. All kinds of
building materials were being bought up briskly enough, particularly
that description of rough boarding available for quick putting up; the
practice being to line the interior of such erections with calico or
canvass, and improve them at leisure, the immediate object being to
house as quickly as possible; and many a half-finished building is doing
a good business while the completion is going on, the owners meanwhile
sleeping in any odd corner.
Fronting for building varies in price according to situation. In central
parts the sums paid for favourable sites are almost fabulous; but in
some present suburban situations, such as Paarhan, Collingwood-flat,
&c., the prices are from 20s. to 60s. per foot.
Sandridge is the very place for an active person to begin, though master
of no particular trade. If he is strong enough to work, and can resist
the temptation to drink, he cannot fail to get on; and even if he does
drink, he can get well paid if he has just ability enough to do the work
required of him.
The appearance of Melbourne had greatly improved, although that odd
jumble of building patchworkery, called Canvass-town, was still a
necessary eyesore to the well-housed as well as to the houseless multitude.
Collingwood-flat, which is a sort of Battersea to Melbourne, was being
rapidly covered with two and three roomed shed-like cottages, with here
and there a building with some pretensions to appearance - the word
respectability being seldom used in the colony. But although the
habitations of the flat were certainly wretched in appearance, the
tenants were invariably well-to-do looking people, all seemingly in
active employment.
Great Bourke-street, one of the main thoroughfares of Melbourne, at the
corner of which, and facing Elizabeth-street, the new post-office is
situated, was being paved - the common labourers and workmen receiving
from 10s. to 25s. per day - and, indeed, it was time to begin, as the
almost impassable state of the streets in the rainy season was enough to
drive away the only class of people most fitted to render a city
flourishing.
The new town-hall is a fine large building, although of rather a heavy
style of architecture; and from its being built of a bluish black stone,
has rather a sombre appearance.
Next in point of size and style, are the churches, of which there are
several of all denominations, which must have absorbed an enormous
amount of capital and labour, as several were begun and finished since
the gold discoveries. The catholics and Wesleyans appear to be the most
numerous and successful; while the other sects seem to be making great
efforts to surpass each other. And it will be considered a matter of
regret that a spirit of rivalry should be so prevalent; just as if size
and architectural embellishments were more convincing than purity of
doctrine. But, although the catholics and Weslyans are the more numerous
as a body, by far the larger portion of the population of Melbourne are
non-church or chapel-goers, Sunday in the colony being generally passed
as a holiday, and shooting and pleasure parties being the rule. But,
nevertheless, I am glad to be enabled to state that, except among the
very worst classes, a spirit of fellowship and convivial friendly
feeling is everywhere observable.
The most noticeable features, however, in connection with the trade of
the town, are the public-houses, which are generally well filled,
morning, noon, and night. The Criterion, an extensive concern, was
fitted up a few months ago, at an immense outlay; and although with no
very prominent externals, the interior is very handsomely decorated:
crowds upon crowds throng thither daily, either to refresh or indulge
themselves with a choice of the infinite variety of drinks which the
establishment affords. The daily takings are beyond calculation, perhaps
even to the proprietors themselves; who seem to entrust the management
of the whole concern to the numerous staff of barmen, waiters, and other
employees.
The government house, and the buildings connected with the colonial
legislature, are but small things in their way; and as my chief object
is to give some idea of the protean character of the resources of the
country, it need only be said that government affairs were apparently
very little cared about, except by those who seemed to have an interest
in urging the passing of certain measures. The idea, however, is well
understood and acted upon, that the motley population, both of the city
and the diggings, are as fierce in their resistance to anything that
might appear to affect their rights as the most genuine red republicans
of any nationality.
An act extending the franchise to the diggers had just been passed; not
that the diggers seemed to care much about voting for Candidate
So-and-so, but because they could see nothing to object to in the
expoundings of certain amateur politicians, who are everywhere to be met
with, ready to go a long way rather than miss an opportunity for
propagating a favourite doctrine.
In Lonsdale-street, a very extensive building was being completed as
rapidly as an unlimited command of money could ensure its progress. It
is designed to be the Tattersall's of Melbourne, and managed according
to the plan of its London prototype.
In one of its large unfinished compartments a ball was given, in
December last, to the governor and staff in particular, and to the
public generally, the latter paying 3l. for each entire ticket,
excepting, as is customary in Melbourne, at almost all places of
entertainment, the ladies, who are exempt from toll of any kind being in
fact remarkably dear, in a particular sense, and especially in their own
estimation.
The affair was very well managed. The walls were temporarily lined with
papered calico, with here and there attempts at statuesque and scenic
effect. The consumption of wines must have been enormous, as the effects
were visible in the aspects of the majority of the guests. The excessive
heat of the assembly caused the iced beverages to go off indiscriminately.
The ladies were handsomely attired according to the latest importations
of European fashions. Mrs. Smith, (the mayoress) was dressed very
becomingly in invisibly figured muslin: but it was her fate to detract
from the impression which her pleasing liberality made on the guests by
sending an attendant for some half-and-half, which it was her pleasure
to drink openly, in preference to any of the more luxurious beverages.
Sleeping rooms in Melbourne contain from one to fifteen beds, and as the
majority of the occupants have been introduced to strange bedfellows in
transitu from England, few care for the inconvenience of having to stow
themselves among a lot of unknown individuals, the greater number of
whom are generally drunk, and of course cannot stumble into their
respective allotments without assistance, all which, however, is the
cause of more fun than annoyance. The price of accommodation is not very
different in the greater number of boarding-houses: 2s. per night for a
stretcher, &c, is the usual price; or from 35s. to 40s. per week for bed
and board.
It is remarkable that proportionately so few robberies are committed,
seeing the numerous temptations which the vice of drunkenness occasions.
Those who can abstain will always be safe so long as they do not let it
be known that they carry money about with them.
Among the various callings of the place is that of the water-carrier,
whose earnings amount to from one pound to five pounds per day, for
carting water to the premises of his customers, either from the Yarra,
or the pump yard of the water company, Flinder's-street. A horse and
cart, together with water-butt and hose, are all that are required to
begin with. The cost of conveyance is the chief regulator of prices;
thus the waters of the Yarra cost nothing, and yet are dearer to those
who cannot, or will not fetch it themselves, than bread or mutton. Many
houses pay over 5l. per week for their supply.
Features Of The Country Between Melbourne And The Diggings.
Many have written accounts of a journey to the diggings, and the only
way to account for the curious mass of exaggeration is with reference to
the writer's previous inexperience, and the excitement of his debut at
the antipodes. Sleeping on the ground, under a few yards of calico,
thrown over a line, and kept down by means of stones placed over the
edges, is anything rather than a hardship to one accustomed to sleeping
in a berth, tossed about by the waves of the ocean, provided that the
water does not channel through the sides and soak one to the skin. In my
case, having taken the wrong track, and lost the dray on which my swag
was thrown, I was compelled to make my bed like any wild animal, as
paying for accommodation was out of the question with barely sufficient
to find me in bread and mutton until I could reach the diggings.
The road to Forest Creek is now very different as regards communication,
from what it was on my first walking up. A four-in-hand stage, and
several other vehicles have been started, chiefly by American
speculators, for the conveyance of passengers, at from 1l. to 4l. per
head. The government roads were progressing, and although not very
satisfactory, promised to become so when less careless workmen could be
got, as far as the nature of the route would admit. The prices of things
had varied considerably; some were on the rise; sheep's heads, plucks,
and skins, not being thrown away as formerly. Bread, groceries, liquors,
&c., cheaper, according to the distance from Melbourne.
All the halting places and stations on the route to the diggings, where
at first I only noticed a few struggling tents and temporary sheds, are
now marked out into townships, each with its commodious public-house,
stores, and houses in the course of erection. Of course the value of
allotments has gone up considerably. Each township is rapidly extending,
and those who have established themselves in any line of business must
be doing very well.
-----< more tomorrow >----
************************************************************
Genealogy: Tracing yourself back to better people
************************************************************
To unsubscribe from the list
Email <dps-chat-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> with 'unsubscribe'
without the quotes in the Subject: line of the message
************************************************************
