1851: North and West Melbourne

July 1, 1851, was an important date in the history of Victoria, and particularly for North and West Melbourne.

It was the year that the building of the Melbourne Benevolent Asylum was completed, and the date that Port Phillip was proclaimed to be no longer a part of the Colony of New South Wales but the independent colony of Victoria.

This occurred on July 1, and celebrations were held throughout the colony. Fireworks, firing of cannons from Flagstaff Gardens, and the ringing of church bells meant that it must have been a raucous, noisy time.

But, for society’s rich and privileged, it meant attendance at a Grand Ball held in the magnificent Benevolent Society building that, three or four months later, was to house many of the poor and crippled residents of the colony.

The history of Melbourne’s Benevolent Asylum was written by Mary Kehoe and published by the Hotham History Project in 1998. The very first chapter describes the celebrations held to commemorate separation that were held in the “impressive Tudor structure situated on the brow of a hill in rolling green countryside”.

The guest of honour was Charles Latrobe, the Lieutenant-Governor of Victoria, previously the Superintendent of the District of Port Phillip. There were at least 250 paying guests, and the night must have been rowdy as 246 bottles of spirits and wine were emptied.

The building was at that time situated in bushland, accessed along a muddy track where there was a danger of getting “bogged”. The area was patrolled by police and soldiers to prevent any mishap to the elegantly dressed revellers. The evening ended with a display of fireworks.

These celebrations were the preliminary to what was to become a bonanza to the local area as the discovery of gold led processions of diggers to the goldfields. Shops sprang up to provide tools and provisions for the adventurers who arrived in great numbers to seek their fortunes. And no doubt some of them found only destitution and ended up in the Benevolent Asylum, by which time the surrounding bushland had been replaced by shops, workshops, and homes, including boarding houses. The Benevolent Asylum soon attracted more residents than it could house and 60 years later (1911) it was relocated to Cheltenham.

As the city expanded in area and population the St James Cathedral that had been built close to the corner of King and Collins streets became too small to accommodate all who wished to attend. It was moved to its present position on the corner of King and Batman streets some years later. At the time of separation there was only one bell in its belfry, an old ship’s bell, but new ones were acquired and rung for the first time in 1852. But no doubt in 1851 the one bell rang out in celebration

This year is the 175th anniversary of the Colony of Victoria and there are likely to be more than usual celebrations to mark the occasion. There are plans for a peal of bells to be rung from the St James Old Cathedral on the corner of King and Batman Streets during the afternoon of July 1.

More details will follow in the next edition of the North West City News … •