# The Chronicles of Early Melbourne/Volume 1/Chapter 23

CHAPTER XXIII.
SOME MUNICIPAL REMINISCENCES.
SYNOPSIS:— The Early Mayors. —Henry Condell, the "Father" of Civic Institutions. —His Early Life. —His Advent to Port Phillip. —"Condell's Entire." —His Legislative Defeat. —His Departure from the Colony. —Henry Moor. —Kerr's Animosity. —Moor's Waning Popularity. —Appointed Ecclesiastical Chancellor. —Elected to the Legislative Council. —Bitter Libels on His Character. —His Departure from the Colony. —Member of British House of Commons. —Dr. J. F. Palmer. —He Abandons His Profession. —Starts a Gingerbeer Factory. —Becomes Wine and Spirit Merchant. —His Accomplishments. —Non-success of His Mayoralty. —His Election to the First Victorian Legislature. —He Becomes its Speaker. —President of the Upper House. —His Knighthood, Retirement and Death. —Andrew Russell. —Results of Neglected Education. —His Advent to Port Phillip. —Becomes Wine and Spirit Merchant. —His Departure from the Colony and Death. —William M. Bell. —His Impartiality Questioned. —His Retirement from the Council. —Commercial Reverses and Death. —Augustus Frederick Adolphus Greeves. —An Early "Boniface." —His Literary and Personal Attainments. —His Success in the Mayoralty. —His Return to Victorian Parliament. —His Connection with Oddfellowship. —His Death. —William Nicholson. —His Arrival in the Colony. —His Connection with Separation. —His Premiership of Victoria. —His Death in 1870. —John Thomas Smith. —The " Whittington " of Melbourne. —His Early Ventures. —Becomes Hotelkeeper. —Was First White Schoolmaster in Melbourne. —"Father" of the Corporation. —Seven Times Mayor. —His Asinine Importation. —His Death in 1878. —Early Aldermen. —H. W. Mortimer, Ultimas Romanorum. —His Connection with the "Patriot" Newspaper. —John Orr. —His Departure from the Colony and Death. —John Stephen. —Advocate in the Police Court. —John Hodgson. —Likened to the Proverbial Cat. —His Mayoralty. —Gubernatorial Entertainment. —Member of the Legislature. —His Death in 1860. —J. S. Johnston. —His Arrival in Melbourne. —Becomes Publican. —His Aversion to Superintendent Latrobe. —His Post-prandial Convivialism. —Member ofthe Legislative Assembly. —Holds Ministerial Office. —Co-Proprietor of the "Argus." —Francis Reilly. —First Councillor for Fitzroy. —The "Silent Member" Par Excellence. —His Aversion to Bell. —Toppers and Speechifying. —John Cosgrave. —He Becomes City Treasurer. —The Early Councillors. —Richard Heales. —His Spirituous Abstemiousness and Gastronomical Excesses. —His Employment in a Coach Factory. —His Alliance with the Temperance Cause. —His Active Political Life. —Becomes Minister of the Crown. —His Benevolence and Death. —D. S. Campbell. —Member of the Legislative Assembly. —George Annand. —His "Miscellaneous" Shop Described. —"Old George's" Signal when the Steam is Up. —His Business Integrity. —David Young. —His Death in Fitzroy. —Thomas M'Combie. —Sense and Silliness Combined. —Sometime Editor of the "Gazette." —His Lucid Intervals. —Author of "The History of Victoria. "—His Aspirations to the Mayoralty. —John O'Shanassy. —Johnny Fawkner. —à la Jack-in-the-Box. —Corporation Officials. —John Charles King, First Town Clerk. —His Delegation to London by the Anti-Transportation League. —He Enters Political Life. —Is Elected to Parliament. —Holds a Portfolio. —His Position on the "Argus" Newspaper, and Death. —William Kerr. —Succeeds to the Town Clerkship. —His Civility and Submissiveness. —"Chaos had Come Again." —His Retirement. —His Appointment as Stationmaster. —His Death in 1859. —E. G. Fitzgibbon's Appointment as Town Clerk. —His Conspicuous Loyalty and Ability. —Mr. Beith, First Civic Treasurer. —Messrs.J. Richardson, Chas. Farewell, and John Cosgrave, his Successors. —W. W. Howe, First Town Surveyor. —Charles Laing and James Blackburn, his Successors. —Francis John Sidney Stephen, First City Solicitor. —The Rate Collectors. —Ballingall and O'Farrell. —Barrett, Frencham and Edgar, Town Auctioneers.
I HAD a special knowledge of the ways of many of the ancient "Corporators." I was much amongst them, in and out of the Council Chamber, and thus various odds and ends became known to me which will find no unfitting place in these sketches. Like most other aggregations of humanity they were of a heterogeneous kind, and an average reflex of the age in which they lived, in some respects equal and in others inferior, to succeeding Civic generations. During the period of which I am treating (1842-51) the Council had ten Mayoral elections, eight individuals were raised to the Civic Thrones, and two (Messrs.
The Early Mayors.
Henry Condell, the "Father" of Mayors, Aldermen and Councillors, stands at the head of the muster-roll. He was born in Madeira in 1799. His father was a wine merchant, of the firm of Condell, Innes and Co., and his mother a Roman Catholic, of Irish parents. Young Condell was sent at an early age to Scotland to his grandfather, a distiller and brewer, who for several years was re-elected Chief Magistrate of Leith. At sixteen the youth was despatched to India to fill a situation in the house of Small and Co., of Calcutta, but bad health compelled his return home in 1817. He next adventured to British America, where he remained for some time; and sailed from England in 1822 for Van Diemen's Land. Arriving at Hobart Town, he obtained an appointment in the Commissariat, and was thence transferred to the Ordnance. In 1830 he started business as a brewer, which he continued until 1839, when he migrated with his family to the infant settlement of Port Phillip. Purchasing some land at the northern side of Little Bourke Street, he put up a brewery there; and though "Condell's Entire," as his beer was facetiously termed, was never the best in the market, the local industry throve, its master's bank account throve too and the master himself soon came to be in the condition now colloquially known as "well in." Condell was not ambitious for public life until he became a candidate for Gipps Ward, at the first election in 1842, when he was returned mainly through the influence of his brewage. Even for the Mayoralty he was only trotted out at the last moment, when no other person could be got to oppose the " opular candidate," Councillor Patterson, upon whom the Scotch faction had a "down," and were determined to keep him out. In 1843 Condell committed a great blunder in allowing himself to be made a catspaw of in opposing Mr. Edward Curr at the first Legislative election for Melbourne (to be hereafter described); and though he won, a defeat would have been better personally for him than a victory, because he was brought into a prominence which made his utter incapacity the more conspicuous. As a Legislative representative he was an arrant failure; and he took an early opportunity to re-seek the more congenial sphere of his malting-houses, varied by the liveliness of the Council Chamber, to the scenes in which, Condell, to do him justice, listened with a wearisome disgust. After some years in the service of the City he retired from business, and went Home , once re-visiting the colony, and ultimately going the way of all mortality. There are two mementoes of him extant, viz.:— an oil painting in the Town Hall, and the clock in its tower, the latter being a presentation by his son (Mr. W . V. Condell); and as its hands diurnally travel through their horological routine, to how few does it occur that they perpetuate the memory of the first Mayor of Melbourne.
Henry Moor,
A Solicitor, was the second aspirant to the Mayoralty. An Englishman of very plausible manner, and fair experience in his profession, Mr. Moor arrived in Melbourne in 1842, and soon got into lucrative business. He was a popularity monger; he soon chose his side in the partyism of the time; he stood well with some of the newspapers; and took a laudable interest in every movement for the public weal. He was among the candidates for the first Town Clerkship, although making money faster than he ever expected. After his election to the Council, he was opposed to what was known as the "Kerr," or "Scotch" clique, for which he was never forgiven, and was exposed to many newspaper libellings, and Kerr's animosity to him never died whilst Kerr lived. In 1844-5 Moor was elected Mayor, and of him it can be said that he was the only man who ever held the office without some allowance or emolument! During his first Mayoralty he was the best-liked man in Melbourne. His pecuniary position was such as to enable him to be liberal and bountiful to every public or charitable project. His manner was pleasant, and there was a merry twinkle in his eye, which imparted a partial fascination. Shake hands and smile constituted a personal property with which his nature was largely stocked, and kept ready for profuse distribution. With the people in general he managed to be good friends; and if there was a National or Friendly Society of influence, Moor had the adroitness to back up its funds with a handsome donation, and for professional business he would only charge costs out of pocket. Condell, Moor, Smith, and the modern Meares, were the only Mayors ever re-elected to the Civic Chair. In the interval of his first and second Mayoralty, Moor's popularity ​waned, possibly because there was m u c h unreality in his character, and the qualities before so captivating were to a large extent only cleverly assumed. It would be incorrect to write him d o w n an impostor, for he was not; he was rather a consummate actor, w h o atfirstplayed his part with a wonderful degree of cleverness, and then w h e n he began to tire of his rôle, or was careless about continuing the disguise, he became so indifferent to rehearsals that his imperfections began to be seen through. With m u c h natural bonhomie, he was a participator in all the public convivialities going, and liked to enjoy life in every available way. Though a professing Episcopalian, he had none of the ascetic ; and when, after the arrival of Bishop Perry, he developed into a thorough church-goer, and had the appointment of Chancellor of the Diocese conferred on him, m a n y perceived an incongruity between the real and the ecclesiastical Henry Moor. This event led to the publication of some bitter libels on his private character, for which he sought redress in the Supreme Court, and obtained more than one verdict of damages. H e was elected a m e m b e r of the Legislative Council, in which capacity he introduced measures affecting the polity of the Church of England, and thereby enlarging his unpopularity. W h e n he left the colony, to pass the residue of his life in England, the number regretting his departure formed but a small proportion of those who, a few years before, would have looked upon it as little short of a public calamity. H e afterwards obtained a seat in the Imperial Parliament, and whenever it was in his power to do a good turn for Victoria, it yvas cheerfully done. As Mayor of Melbourne he evinced m u c h aptitude for public business, and his legal training, and bright, pleasant manner, when presiding at the Council meetings, allayed, in some degree, the angry feelings, and restrained the offensively personal character of the debates, or rather altercations of the time. H e made an excellent Police Magistrate, and was, taken as a whole, an acquisition of no ordinary kind to the infant city.
J. F. Palmer
Was born in Devonshire (England) in 1814, and studied for the Medical Profession. As a surgeon he held an honorary position in St. Thomas' Hospital, London, and endeavoured to obtain a high staff appointment there, but failing in which he left H o m e in 1839, and cast his lot with the early fortunes of Port Phillip. If he had followed his profession, which he did not particularly like, there is reason to believe he would have attained to eminence as a surgeon, for which he revealed some special qualifications ; but, throwing his "physic to the dogs," he resigned the scalpel, and embarked in more than one ofthe pursuits then and now open to clever and enterprising colonists. H e established thefirstginger-beer and soda-water manufactory, at the western side of Elizabeth Street, where he expanded into a wine and spirit merchant, and deservedly prospered. H e fixed his private residence at Richmond, and was the first to lay a punt across the Yarra there, for the conjoint benefit of himself and the public. Dr. Palmer's n a m e figures prominently in most of the public agitations of the olden time, and he rendered invaluable aid in the founding of our early Charities. H e was an accomplished scholar, with a highly cultivated intellect, and in everything he undertook, though his discretion yvas occasionally questionable, he brought to his work varied information and a classic,florid,though often over-laboured style. Three or four of his public speeches were amongst (if they were not) the best displays of the kind ever delivered in the colony, and are worthy of preservation. H e was never a people's idol, for he and the oi polloi sometimes knocked heads together. Popular applause he neither sought nor cared for, and very little of it he ever got. His Mryoralty, though marked by much energy and ability, was not a success, and as a Police Magistrate he was no better. In both offices his organ of Combativeness was occasionally developed, and if he fixed a notion in his mind, he doggedly carried it through, regardless of consequences. Sometimes, when opposed in his views, he hit out viciously, whilst at others, though he would never throw up the sponge, he would take his punishment yvith resignat.on, if not good humour. Soon after the expiration of his Mayoralty, he bade farewell to the Council and aimed at higher game. In 1851 he was elected to thefirstLegislature of Victoria, became itsfirstand only speaker, and, on the establishment of a second branch of Parliament, in 1856, he secured a seat in the Upper House, was itsfirstPresident, and so continued until 1870, when impaired health compelled him to
Andrew Russell
Was a native of Glasgow, who, whilst young, losing his parents, was put by his guardians to learn the trade of a brassfounder. From a speech delivered by him on his election to the Mayoralty, it transpired that his education had been neglected, or rather omitted altogether, and he proclaimed himself "a tradesman—a tinsmith, a coppersmith and a brassfounder." Subsequently he proceeded to London, acquired a knoyvledge of the business of a furnishing ironmonger, and, returning to Glasgow, yvas successful in that avocation. H e made a tour of Australia and Van Diemen's Land, yvrote and published an account of his travels, and, after a time, made up his mind to emigrate to Port Phillip and settle there. Prior to his departure he was entertained at a public dinner in his native city, a compliment which, in his opinion, " enabled him to leave with clean hands." Arriving in Melbourne, he entered into mercantile pursuits, and was for many years in the wholesale wine and spirit business in Little Collins Street. H e was not much of a "shining-light," but a commonplace, persevering piece of ordinary respectability, slightly affecting the upper crust of society, but in a manner that could scarcely be termed snobbish. H e was a quiet, useful, well-to-do citizen, and if one failed to discover any special ability in him, an honesty of purpose and well-meaningness rendered him, in his way, a very desirable member of the community. As a rule, at the Council meetings he maintained a propriety of demeanour and evenness of temper, the example of which was often productive of good; but on occasions the Scotch imperturbability would vanish, when he would jump into thefightingarena and hit out like an Irishman. Fawkner used to call him " T h e Tinker," and generally came armed with a copy of " Russell's Travels " in his pocket. This unfortunate volume he yvould suddenly pull out, brandish it, tomahawk fashion, in Russell's face, as if he meant to brain him with it, and, timing the manual exercise with a loud laugh, would passionately and scornfully exclaim : " Oh, that mine enemy would write a book !"
Russell's Mayoralty was more successful than Palmer's, though the former possessed not a tithe of the Doctor's ability; but he had an even tenor in his way of doing business, yvhich placed him as a favourite, not only at the Council Board and in the Police Court, but with the people in general. H e left the colony many years ago, and died at H o m e .
William M. Bell.
In olden times there yvas a mercantile firm in Melbourne, trading under the style and title of Bells and Buchanan, or two Bells to one Buchanan. The Bells yvere Christian-named William Montgomerie, and Henri, and W . M . Montgomerie was the leading partner. This gentleman yvas thefifthMayor of Melbourne, a blunt, brusque, frank-spoken, straightforward kind of man, but whose public conduct was often open to question, more, perhaps, from an obstinacy, largely tinctured with egotism, than any less worthy cause. N o one doubted for a moment that Mr. Bell meant well in yvhat he did, and believed he was doing right; yet, by suffering his self-sufficiency to lead him into extremes, he so set at nought that canon of impartiality, that should be the guiding-star of every person placed in a position of judicial or ministerial responsibility, that many yvho admired the private worth of the honest m a n and good citizen, declined to endorse the crotchets of the well-intentioned but erring Alderman or Mayor. Mr. Bell was a rigid Presbyterian, and one of thefirstand most influential of that sect to follow the Rev. James Forbes in the memorable Free Church Secession, which once happened in Melbourne. After Mr. Bell retired from the Council, he continued in business for a while, yvhen commercial reverses beset him. H e died about twenty years ago.
Augustus Frederick Adolphus Greeves
(Or, as Johnny Fawkner sneeringly nicknamed him, " A. B. C") was an English Surgeon, who arrived early in Melbourne, and opened an hostelry, known as the Yarra Hotel, in Flinders Street; but he was not cut out for a "Boniface," and soon gave up superintending "nobblers" and pewter pots for more congenial ​pursuits. Professionally, he was not a success, possibly because he preferred the editorial sanctum as a mental dissecting room for the cutting up of municipal or political adversaries, to the more orthodox operation on " bodies" elsewhere. Although he received a modicum of medical practice, he did not take to it as kindly as to the newspaper, the platform, or the hustings. H e was a stipendiary free lance on all the old Melbourne newspapers. For a short time he edited the Gazette, but wrote m u c h for the Herald. A m a n highly educated, and thoroughly posted on every subject—political, economical, physical, and scientific—yvith a facile pen, a tongue well attuned to all the poses of public speaking, and a taking, studied, declamatory style, Greeves was one of the ablest m e n of a bygone generation, and might have become the most prominent person of his time but for an instability of purpose, a shiftiness of disposition, and an overweening confidence in his o w n wisdom, which invariably ended in his either overdoing or undoing everything he took in hand. T h e weathercock that mechanically points h o w the winds blow, the straws whirled about on a blowy day, or the ripple on the water, was not more inconstant than he, and his thorough unreliability was soon found out. Still he was (in m y opinion, not only one of, but) the best Mayor that ever filled the Civic Chair in Melbourne. T h e position he took in the City Council was invariably sustained by talent and intelligence ; and he was ever foremost in the initiation of some project for the advancement of the City, an appeal to the Government to remove a glaring abuse, or to remedy an indefensible neglect. In all the early political movements Greeves was in the van, and he was the originator of the electioneering coup by which Earl Grey yvas returned as m e m b e r for Melbourne to the Neyv South Wales Legislature, which, though denounced at the time as not only unconstitutional, but verging on the revolutionary, yvas treated very differently by the Colonial Office, and expedited the Colonial Independence of Port Phillip more than years of commonplace agitation would have done. Returned to the Victorian Parliament, he once held office as Commissioner of Trade and Customs, but his career in Senate or Cabinet did not add to his reputation. H e was one of the founders of our early Charities, and the principal planter in Victorian soil of that Oddfellowship which, like a Gargantuan tree, overshadows the land yvith its philanthropic branches, and yvhich, whilst inculcating habits of thrift and self-reliance, scare the wolf from many an honest door in seasons of sickness and distress. Greeves, with all his peculiarities and shortcomings, should never be forgotten in the colony; for, though he might have done m u c h more than he did for the land of his adoption (and most certainly for himself), he left good works behind him, the effects of which will be felt by future generations. H e died, m u c h regretted, 23rd May, 1874.
William Nicholson
Arrived in the colony in 1842, and carried on the business of a prosperous grocer for several years, in a small shop on the north side of Collins Street, between Swanston and Elizabeth Streets, and not many yards westward of where a half namssake of his (Germain Nicholson) till lately throve in the oldest grocery in Melbourne. H e had the blunt, taking way with him of a plain, good-natured "John Bull," and was candid and free with everyone. Though, unlike Russell, he never yvrote a book, still, like Russell's, his education smacked of imperfection; but, as with most m e n w h o are self-taught, Nicholson considered himself one of the cleverest fellows in the colony. H e was honest-purposed, had a large fund of practical good sense, spoke neither too m u c h nor too little, and soon came to be considered " somebody" in Latrobe Ward. Suffering from no lack of modesty, or of self-confidence, he quickly emerged from the crowd, and before his death attained to the high and honourable position of Premier of Victoria. H e m a d e a very fair Mayor, which office he held when the announcement of Separation arrived; and in the celebrations and rejoicings over that event, William Nicholson took, as became him, an active and foremost part. H e passed the last few years of his life in the country of the Upper Yarra, and died in 1870.
John Thomas Smith,
The "septenary" Mayor, was inappropriately styled "the Whittington of Melbourne," for, in the facts and fictions related of both, he was very dissimilar to the munificent Sir Richard Whittington, " a citizen and ​mercer of London, w h o served the office of Lord Mayor three times, the last time in 1419." " J o h n T h o m a s " never left Melbourne to be chimed back by the church bells, promising him future greatness; and, though charitable and church-going in his way, he never founded almshouses or colleges. Born at Sydney in 1816, John T h o m a s Smith arrived, a youth, in Melbourne, and became assistant teacher at the Church of England Aboriginal Missionary School, established in 1837, on a portion of the n o w Botanical Gardens. After clerking for some time in the employment of Mr. John Hodgson he went into business, and kept a store and yvoodyard in Collins Street, near the centre of the present "Block." H e next betook himself to the keeping of public-houses in Little Flinders and Queen Streets, knoyvn as the Adelphi, and St. John's Tavern. H e built a theatre, gradually acquired m u c h property, and yvas yvhat might be termed a monied man. H e yvas thefirstschoolmaster in Melbourne, and at an early period was associated with Freemasonry, and reached the highest official position in that fraternity. With the exception of an interval of a few months, he remained connected with the City Council to the time of his death in 1878, at yvhich period he was " Father" of the Corporation and the Legislative Assembly, as the senior m e m b e r of both. For a brief term he held the portfolio of Minister of Mines. In one respect M r . Smith out-did Sir Richard Whittington, for he yvas elected Mayor of Melbourne seven times ; and as President of the City Council, and Police Magistrate of Melbourne, he brought to the performance of what yvere sometimes very onerous duties, an amount of shrewdness, energy, and strong c o m m o n sense, certainly not surpassed by any m a n w h o ever held the same positions. N o n e of the early Mayors spent so m u c h money in charitable purposes, private and public; and there yvere some years when the calls on Mayor Smith's benevolence were numerous and pressing. Sir Richard Whittington's n a m e is handed down to us with a legendary cat in his train, but M r . John T h o m a s Smith has associated with his n a m e one ofthe first veritable British-born asses that brayed in the colony. In 1858, as Mayor of Melbourne, he was delegated by the City Council to present an Address to the Queen on the occasion of the marriage of the Princess Royal, and, accordingly, he sped away to London, big yvith hope of returning yvith a Patent of Knighthood in his pocket. In this he yvas disappointed ; but he yvas accompanied by an assinine shipmate, whose presence was so familiarized in the public mind that no play-yvright would, up to Smith's death, venture to place on the Melbourne stage a Christmas pantomime without a reserved place in it for "John Thomas's donkey."
This exhausts the list of Mayors with w h o m I have to deal. It was said that one of them had m u c h difficulty in mastering the orthography of " City," and that another, w h o had a seat in Parliament, had such a horror of trying to spell the word, that he always revenged himself by knocking an "eye out of it;" but there was a modern Mayor in the Lower House, who was so economical of his ss's, that he could never afford more than one of them when spelling "Assembly;" yet by an amusing extravagance he always gave more than one "leg" to the Upper House, yvhich he invariably yvrote " Leg's'islative Council." A certain modern Mayor once took it into his yvise head to submit it to a course of private tuition for the acquisition of French and Latin phrases. Singular to say, with the " parlez vous" he got on moderately yvell, but the R o m a n classics yvere to him impenetrable. In the two well-knoyvn phrases, " a priori " and " a posteriori," he found a Scylla and a Charybdis, only that instead of steering safely between two dangers, or getting swamped by one of them, he became enmeshed in both. His tongue could never grapple yvith the pronunciation, though so m u c h easier than the Parisian; and causes and effect yvere, yvith him, convertible terms. Besides, he had an unalterable conviction that " a priori" meant his "ancestors"— those w h o yvent before him ; and " a posteriori " his "posterity ;" and his free translation of both phrases was " from father to son."
Considering the convivial usages of the era in which they reigned, the old Mayors were a comparatively steady set of men. At public entertainments there was m u c h more "business" done in the drinking line than now, and one of them might occasionally become "slightly elevated." Once a Civic chief when the serious part of a public dinner yvas over, and a "free-and-easiness" set in, jumped upon the table, and treated the remnant of the company to a few turns of a Highland Fling; but it will hardly be contended that this was as excessive a post-prandial feat as travelling homeyvard in the " w e e sma'
THE EARLY ALDERMEN.
H. W. Mortimer
Who was one of the first Aldermanic quartette, was also ultimus Romanorum, the last man of the original dozen, who, under manifold] difficulties, lent a hand in floating the little cock-shell craft of a Corporation, which has since become a stately clipper. H e was intelligent and conscientious, but had a precise and pragmatical mannerism, which prevented him from becoming popular. H e did not remain long connected with the Corporation, from which he retired to take part in the management of the Patriot newspaper. In the course of years hefilledthe post of Registrar of Births, Deaths, and Marriages, in Fitzroy. For many years he resided at Geelong, but shortly after passing hisfour-scoreyears and ten, he went to that " bourne from which no traveller returns."
John Orr,
One of an old mercantile firm, known as Turnbull, Orr and Co, another of the first Aldermen, was a pleasant, mild-mannered young man, too quiet for the early rowdyism of the T o w n Council, and always out of his element there. H e sold off and left the colony many years ago, and has been dead some years.
John Stephen
Was a remarkable man in his yvay. He was an early settler in Melbourne, and one ofthe first Secretaries of the Mechanics' Institute. A sfinea looking fellow as one yvould meet in a day's walk, with a plausible tongue, aflexibledisposition, and a smattering of general information, he frequently contributed to the early newspapers. Obtaining high rank as a Freemason, he might have acquired a position of note; but though not by any means so great a " trimmer" as Greeves, there yvas an unsteadfastness about him which often created distrust, and people did not believe in him. H e belonged to a branch of that Stephen family so well known in the Australian Colonies, and once he publicly declared " that he had been rocked in the cradle of the law." N o family ever settled at the Antipodes has produced more members of the legal profession than the Stephens ; and the prestige so obtained no doubt gained for Alderman John Stephen a privilege which he enjoyed until his death, viz, practising as an advocate in the Melbourne Police Court, where his coolness and good temper often made him more than a match for the regular " limbs of the law," who were anything but pleased at the locus standi to which he attained.
Whomsoever he fell foul of, John Stephen always took good care to keep right with the Justices, upon whom his oily, gentlemanly manner had such an effect, that no attempt to displace him would have had the slightest chance of success.
Of all the mediocrities forced by circumstances to the surface of public affairs,
John Hodgson
Attained the highest place, considering that he was very deficient in those qualities which bring men to the front. A very old colonist, he was connected with all the speculative undertakings, real or imaginary, lasting or ephemeral, for which the old times were distinguished. Financially speaking he must have had as many lives as the proverbial cat; and like that animal, whenever he did fall it was always on his feet. He was late in his appearance in the City Council, but he made his way to the top of the tree in an unusually short time. H e rapidly obtained an Aldermanship, and was Mayor in 1853-54, when he had the honour of entertaining Governor Sir Charles Hotham, at a grand dinner at the old Royal, then changed to the Criterion Hotel. Politically he was eminently successful. H e represented Melbourne in thefirstLegislative Council, and was the premier member of the Upper House (through heading the poll for the Central Province at thefirstelection in 1856). W h e n a second Chamber was added to the Victorian Legislature, it was said he aspired to the Presidency of that Chamber, but had to give yvay to an ex-Mayor (Dr. Palmer) ​incomparably the better man. He was appointed Chairman of Committees, and held it and his seat up to his death in 1860. Mr. Hodgson possessed no force of character, and but little ability of any kind; yet, from an inoffensive manner, though marked by no little obtrusiveness, he not only won a certain amount of popularity, but kept it.
J. S. Johnston
Studied for the Medical Profession, but did not stick to it. Arriving in Melbourne he opened the Southern Cross Hotel, in West Bourke Street, the temporary residence of Bishop Perry in 1848. Johnston was an active member of the City Council, and some of his speeches were amongst the best of the time. He was dashing, sarcastic, pungent and punning. He had a strong aversion to Superintendent Latrobe, to whom he gave occasionally a sound dressing. His presence at the old Scottish celebrations was quite a feature, for he possessed the essentials for "running an entertainment " pleasantly—a rousing speech and a rallying song—at both of which he had hardly an after-dinner equal. It was thought he would cut a respectable figure in political life, and at the start this was warranted. In the first Legislative Council he played a leading part, which, after years did not sustain. In the Legislative Assembly, where he sat for some time, and once held a Ministerial office, he was only the shadow of the once fiery,knock-down Johnston. He was one of the original proprietors of the Argus, and, after selling his interest therein, visited his native country, "Caledonia stern and wild." After his return to Melbourne, he re-joined the Argus as business manager, from which he retired some years ago, bearing with him the good wishes of the whole establishment, from the editor to the "devil."
There was another rather eccentric Councillor who secured an Aldermanship,
Francis Reilly,
Who was once a wealthy publican, and one of the first Councillors for Fitzroy. It was difficult to account for his promotion on any other ground than by rotation, for he was the "silent member," par excellence, at the Council table. This may be a merit, though rarely acknowledged or rewarded as such. There were two things "Frank," as he was called, was never known to do, i.e., wear a "bell-topper," or make a speech. If you said to him, "Frank, why don't you mount a bell-topper?" his answer would be, "Do you think I am a fool?" And if you queried, "Frank, why don't you make a speech?" the reply was an emphatic, "Do you think I am a ————— fool?" The distinction in the responses marked his sagacity, because to those who knew him "Frank" would be more of a fool any day speechifying than "bell-toppered." Yet "Frank" was by no means a bad sort of a felllow; and be was generous enough with his cash, until it took wings and flew away.
Another of the reticent Councillors and future Aldermen, was
John Cosgrave,
Who differed from, and yet resembled "Frank," for he was rather partial to a "bell-topper," but as averse to orating. He worked the Council to more advantage than "Frank," for he walked from his seat into the snug billet of City Treasurer. Few who knew him envied his good luck, for he was reputedly one of the best fellows in Melbourne. An outcry was raised when his Civic brethren provided him with the retiring snuggery, but it soon died out; and supposing the motives for his "shunting" to have been personal, the city obtained a public purse-holder of extreme efficiency and rare integrity.
THE EARLY COUNCILLORS. Richard Heales
Was a remarkable man. He was something of the "Nicholson" stamp, more plausible, but less energetic, and perhaps a trifle less straightforward. He had read more than Nicholson, but, like Fawkner, imperfectly digested what he mentally swallowed. His ideas had a crudeness that required toning down. Possibly his abstemiousness in the use of stimulants would in some measure account for this, for Heales was an ardent teetotaller, but only as to the quality not the quantity of the fluids imbibed. Spirituous or fermented liquors he abhorred as emissaries of the Father of Evil; yet at a Municipal spread, or a "tea-fight" he would place himself outside such a cargo of sandwiches, buns, biscuits, bread and cheese, vegetables, tea, coffee, and ginger-beer, as to cause it a subject of speculation where he found corporeal stowage for so much assorted freightage. Mr. Heales was born in London, in 1818, and served an apprenticeship to a coachmaker. Arriving in Melbourne in 1842, he obtained employment in a factory, of which he afterwards became a partner. From the first he allied himself to the Temperance Cause, and it had no more persistent and unchanging advocate than he. After terminating his connection with the City Council, he plunged into the whirlpool of political life, and twice obtained office as Minister of the Crown, first as Chief Secretary and second as President of Lands. To the benevolent movements of the time he gave his active co-operation, and those who knew him best declare that in all his business transactions and private life, there never lived a fairer man nor a more estimable citizen. He died in 1864, universally regretted, and in connection with the so-called Liberal cause, the name of Richard Heales remains a watch-word unto this day.
{{c|D. S. Campbell
Was the first to resign his seat in the Council, but in a few years he was re-elected, and was more remarkable for fits of short-lived energy than application to Civic work. He was not as steady a goer as his brother, "The Doctor," who also got elected, and until his death (1888) resided in Melbourne, plodding away in the medical profession, and amusing himself as every Christmas-tide approached, by a good-natured raid upon the pockets of the well-disposed for contributions wherewith to enable the inmates of the Immigrants' Home to indulge in a tobacco spree. D. S. Campbell's public career was not bounded by the City Council, for he represented Richmond for some time in the Legislative Assembly; but he never made much of a name in politics, for like "The Doctor" (only much more so) he was very excitable when speaking in public.
George Annand
Was, perhaps, as queer a customer as any in the old Council, and he also made his way to the Legislative Assembly. He kept a grocery and "miscellaneous" shop at the corner of Queen and Collins Streets. He both sold and took snuff; dealt in peppers, pickles, and mustards of every variety, and presented a curious combination of condiments in himself. An "out-and-outer" of a Scotchman, he was more short-tempered than the usual run of his countrymen, and the wearer of a scratch wig. When he scratched it, instead of his head, it (the scratching) was the signal that the steam was up with "Old George," and a warning to beware of adding to his irritability. Yet, he was a valuable member of the community. Punctual in business, and prompt in payments himself, he exacted punctuality and promptitude from his customers and tenants; and he had the latter, for he was well off. He always sided with the Kerr clique in the Council, and neither sought for nor obtained much of the public favour, unless in the way of trade. But as he retailed good wares, his counter was well patronised by those desirous of obtaining value for their money.
Further down Collins Street was another Councillor-Grocer,
David Young,
The antithesis of Annand in many ways, but Annand's equal in turning in the "bawbees"—though of the two, George was preferable to Davie. Mr. Young died in Fitzroy some years ago. ​Of all the Corporators and public men of whom I had any knowledge, Councillor
Thomas McCombie
Puzzled me most. He was a mixture of sense and silliness. He went by the sobriquets of "Silly Billy" and "Tammy Ass," and it would have been no mistake to call him so, but for the shrewdness and occasional snatches of ability that leavened his dulness. In the Gazette, of which he was for a time Editor, at the Corporation, public meetings, or Legislative Council, it was always the same. The good things he said and did were impaired by a deep-grounded belief that he was a booby; and yet some of his public acts, his leading articles, and two or three literary publications showed that "Tammy" had many a "lucid interval," and knew at times pretty well what he was about; but how he compassed a work of fiction that found some favour in England, and wrote his "History of Victoria," are insoluble conundrums. McCombie was very anxious to be Mayor, and more than once made hard running for it, but he never had even the ghost of a chance.
John O'Shanassy
Was only a few months connected with the Corporation, and was just beginning to give some earnest of his mental calibre, when he was put aside in favour of Mr. William Clarke, familiarly known as "Old Music," full-faced, pompous and rubicund, well liked in his music shop, and tolerably admired at the public concerts, at which he occasionally appeared. But to serve the public in any representative capacity was out of his line, as he belonged to the same category as Councillors Beaver, James, Bowler, Armitstead, Reid, and a swarm of similar small fry, who usually watched the motions of the faction fugleman and obeyed accordingly.
"Johnny" Fawkner
Pops up like a "Jack-in-the-box" so often in these pages that it is superfluous to refer further to his Corporate career, than to observe that he fell foul at some time or other of everyone of his contemporaries, butting and horning them whenever his capriciousness willed. The Council table was kept alive by him, and it would be difficult to pronounce whether his "riling" or his "roaring" was the more annoying or amusing. Those he attacked often winced, though they despised him, but the outsiders applauded, and the performances were never allowed to grow flat.
THE CORPORATION OFFICIALS.
The First Town Clerk
Was Mr. John Charles King, who, turning up in Melbourne as an advertising Commission Agent, was Government Auctioneer for a time. Coming from the North of Ireland, he brought with him more than a moderate share of the tact and shrewdness characteristic of the Scoto-Hibernians of that corner of the world. His tall, spare figure,glassed intelligent eyes, and shrillness of voice, were often joked about in the newspapers opposed to him. Mr. King, if I mistake not, had taken a University degree; he possessed much cleverness, and was so reputedly a diplomatist, that he was afterwards appointed by the Australasian Anti-transportation League to proceed to London as its Delegate. Indeed, the wonder was that he accepted the Town Clerkship with its small emoluments; and it was some years before the Council would give him even a copying clerk. He had a miserable time of it with the Council, but most of his troubles he brought on himself by mixing in the pettifogging intrigues by which the early Council used to be agitated. On his return from his English mission he entered political life, obtained a seat in Parliament, and once held office for a few weeks as Commissioner of Public Works, when circumstances compelled him to withdraw from the public arena. For years he fille da responsible position on the Argus newspaper, the ​onerous duties of which he discharged with much efficiency almost to the hour of his death. He was succeeded by Ex-Alderman
William Kerr,
Who, after an eventful, turbulent and unsuccessful career, settled down, as the stipendiary of the body in which he had for years sustained the character of one of the chief "bosses." It was about the worst possible choice that could be made, for though he had brains, Mr. Kerr had not the slightest organising ability; and as the Corporation was becoming a really important body, with increasing powers and proportionate responsibilities, he was quite the wrong man for the place. But the Council were so sick of him that they considered it a good riddance to pack him away to any place—celestial, infernal, or terrestrial—it did not matter much where; and so he was muzzled by being thrust into the Town Clerkship, where, fortunately for himself, he was, in a few years, joined by Mr. E. G. Fitzgibbon as Clerk of Committees. By a strange perverseness of the human mind, Mr. Kerr, who was an impudent, bullying braggart towards his opponents in the Council, sank into a creature of a totally different kind as Town Clerk, where he grew as quiet and docile as a well-trained hound. Even to the public he was more than affable. Kerr would not only speak civilly, but submissively; his only replication being an upward twitch of his spectacles, and a half-scared stare of surprise, his mouth wide open and his tongue thrust out.
The affairs of the Town Clerk's office soon got into disorder, and worse followed bad, until things were in such a chaotic state that the Council was reluctantly forced to make a change, and on the 9th May, 1856, Mr. Kerr retired. He was now very little good for anything, and having a family to maintain, even his worst enemies pitied the man who had held many trump cards in his hand, but lacked the skill to play them properly. In the old Political, National and Civic contests, no man was more frequently or ruthlessly libelled than Mr. O'Shanassy was by Mr. Kerr; yet, to the eternal credit of the former, when, in 1858, the former was Chief Secretary, he was instrumental in appointing his old foe to be Railway Stationmaster at Sunbury, then the terminus of the North-Western line. Here Mr. Kerr remained for some time, and died on the 25th May, 1859.
E. G. Fitzgibbon,
Who, though virtually "walked the course" for the "Town Clerk" Stakes, had to contend against an unworthy underhand "fluke" attempted by Mr. J. T. Smith (then Mayor), who designed the place for a special protégé of his, Mr. John Rae, Town Clerk of Sydney. Mr. Fitzgibbon, however, by his energy and independence, foiled the shameful attempt, and, to the credit of the Council, merit for once met with its just reward, and an officer who had worthily won his spurs, received them, and wears them to this day (1888). As above all things in the world personal eulogy is distasteful to the present Town Clerk, I will only add that it would be difficult for the Corporation of Melbourne to find another "First Lieutenant" to serve it with more loyalty and ability.
The First Civic Treasurer
Was a Mr. Beith, an intimate friend of Mr. Kerr, who was elected by means of the old Scotch influence. He did not long survive his good luck, and was followed by Mr. J. Richardson, a precise and painstaking servant, whose death made way for Mr. Charles Farewell, more of a scholar than accountant. The fourth Treasurer was Mr. Cosgrave, to whose merits I have before borne testimony.
The First Town Surveyor,
W. W. Howe, was a quiet-going official, who, under exceptionally difficult circumstances, did as well as could be reasonally expected. He tired of the un-made streets, and, resigning, died a couple of years after, when Mr. Charles Laing succeeded him. Laing's taste was of the Architectural order, and some of the old churches and public and private buildings were planned by him. In course of time he abandoned the Council to devote himself to a large and lucrative practice, and Mr. James Blackburn was installed in the ​vacated post. He continued in office for several years until his death, and since then there have been half-a-dozen City Surveyors, but amongst them all, from the beginning to the present, without individual disparagement be it said, that in civil engineering Blackburn was unquestionably not the least able of them all.
The First City Solicitor.
Melbourne has never had but one City Solicitor, Mr. Francis John Sidney (abbreviated into "Frank") Stephen, the son of a once well-known colonist, who obtained a New Zealand Judgeship. Frank was the nephew of "Alderman John," a jolly, good-hearted, careless sort of fellow. The billet was originally not worth having, but in the course of events Mr. Frank contrived to make it a very payable concern. He once made a spasmodic effort to get into the City Council, more in the way of a joke than otherwise, and during the M'Culloch political crisis in 1864, repeated the trick to get returned to the Legislative Assembly. It was in canvassing on the latter occasion that he invented the phrase "Old Hat," as applied to members of Parliament who were supposed to be nothing more than voting automata; and no future political phrasebook will be complete unless it find a place for this unpremeditated flash of originality. "Frank" still (1888) looks as well as ever he did, and that is saying much.
The Rate Collectors
Were a motley lot, and the most remarkable of them were a pair of old codgers, James Ballingall and William O'Farrell, who acted as public "dunners" for a number of years. Ballingall could boast of being townsman of the famous Adam Smith, for they were both born in Kirkcaldy, a royal ship-building burgh of Scotland, and, possibly owing to this fact, old Jamie was always holding forth on the supreme advantage of constructing ships with solid bottoms. In perambulating the streets he ventilated the topic; when collecting the rates he expatiated upon it; and he not only delivered public lectures, but organized a society to endeavour to give reality to the fad. O'Farrell was an auctioneer, and, after resigning the collecting book, entered into business as a House and Land Agent, realizing a handsome competence. It may be worth stating that perhaps there is no public body in this colony that lost less by the defalcations of its paid employés than the Melbourne Corporation. I can recall but two instances of defaulting Rate Collectors, and in one of these, one of the sureties repaid every farthing of the deficit.
The Town Auctioneer.
This office in the old times was held in succession by three departed worthies, known as William Barrett, Henry Frencham, and Edward Edgar. The Council once decided upon ordering the Rate Collectors to officiate in turn as public salesmen, against which old Ballingall kicked viciously for a while, but was obliged to submit on pain of losing his situation. When it came to O'Farrell's turn he went into the distasteful job cheerily, and so much the better for himself. Ballingall and O'Farrell were both good, worthy men, much and widely respected in their day.