James T. Smith

Special Constables Poster
Courtesy Ballarat Heritage Services.

To the Right Worshipful the Mayor of Melbourne... [from] the undersigned Inhabitants of Melbourne considering the Unsettled State of a portion of the Diggings, and the necessity measures for the Better PROTECTION OF THE CITY, and upholding the cause of Law and Order, hereby request your Worship to convene A PUBLIC MEETING... John Ferres, Government Printer, 05 December 1854. State Library of Victoria Collection (H141396).

Background

James Thomas Smith was born on 28 May 1816 in Sydney, the son of Scottish shoemaker John Smith. James Smith became a storekeeper in Melbourne in 1837. He married Ellen Pender, daughter of an Irish publican, and in 1841 Smith became landlord of the Adelphi Hotel in Melbourne's Flinders Lane.

Elected to the Melbourne City Council in 1842, Smith was Mayor five times, including in 1854, at the time of the Eureka Stockade. In 1851 James T. Smith was elected to the Legislative Assembly and was member for Creswick until 1861, and for West Bourke until April 1870.

He died on 30 January 1879 at Felmington, and was buried in Melbourne General Cemetery.

Goldfields Involvement, 1854

Fearing insurrection John Smith enrolled special constables to protect the city. He called a public meeting to show support of Governor Charles Hotham, but it was overwhelmed with support for the diggers.

VOLUNTEERS.—Fellow-citizens ! you are invited, as lovers of peace and order, to volunteer as Special Constables, to protect and main-tain the peace of the city.

Fellow-citizens ! I rely on your respect to the laws and love of your country to enroll yourselves.

The magistrates will be in attendance daily, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., at the Police Office, Swanston-street.

J. T. SMITH, Mayor. Town Hall, December 4th, 1854.

Was Melbourne in Peril?— Those were days of leisurely news-carrying. The Stockade was taken by assault at daybreak on Sunday, December 3, 1854, and the news reached Melbourne just too late to appear in the morning papers on Monday. For a day or two before it hac been rumoured that an army of infuriated diggers was about to descend on the capital. All troops available had been sent to Bal larat, and the leading shopkeepers cla moured for the enrolment of a rifle bri gade and the swearing-in of all respectable people as special constables. lt was a great chance for The Age, then just established. This democratic infant declared that the civil war was 'not against the Crown but against the pollutions and abomi nations covered by its sanction." Ad ditional troops were brought in from Tasmania; and, with the news of the complete crumpling up of the Stockade and of the rebel movement, a quick reaction set in. Strong anti-Government speeches were made at a great meeting where the Cathedral now stands-by some of the city's most representative men. Then came on the trials for high treason.

Obituary

DEATH OF MR. J. T. SMITH.

The announcement of the death of Mr. John Thomas Smith will not take the public by surprise, as it has been known for some time that his illness must necessarily have a fatal termination. About 12 months ago the friends of the deceased gentleman observed a change in his health and spirits, but nothing serious was then anticipated. In the course of the following six months, however, his apparent indisposition developed more distinct symptoms. A swelling commenced in his right leg. It was of a hard white character, and never broke. At first it was supposed to be a tumour, but subsequently it was pronounced to be cancer. A number of medical men were called in, and many consultations were held, but notwithstanding careful treatment the disease increased in malignity. Four weeks ago Mr. Smith went to his farm near Frnnkston in the hope that a change of air would do him good, but the dangerous symptoms increased, and it became evident that his end was at hand. It was therefore determined that he should return to his residence at Moonee Ponds, and on January 25 he was conveyed thither. There he was assiduously attended by Dr. Turner, of Flemington, and Dr. M'Crea, of Melbourne, but although there were at times faint indications of improvement, he continued to sink under his complaint He remained quite conscious up to within an hour of his death, and when hedied he was surrounded by his relatives. With him is removed one of the most familiar of local landmarks.

The late Mr. Smith was a native of Australia, having been born at Sydney, N.S.W., in 1816, so that at the time of his death he had passed his 62nd year. The education provided in the young colony in those days was not of the most liberal description, but his parents afforded him the benefit of the best obtainable, and he was educated at Cape's school, Sydney. Referring to his youthful days, Mr. Smith has been heard to say, that though he had gained honours from his fellow Victorians of which he was proud, he felt certain that had his early instruction been more comprehensive and complete he would have occupied still higher positions. An impartial estimate, however, of the deceased's natural abilities hardly justifies the belief that he could ever, under any circumstances, have taken a leading place in controlling the affairs of any large community of men, forthough possessing great natural shrewdness, it cannot be said that he was endowed with a statesman's breadth of'intellect. Mr. Smith's first start in life after leaving school was as a clerk in the Bank of Australasia, where, however, he did not remain very long, resigning the position for a situation in the colonial store department. His next position explains the somewhat clerical dress which Mr. Smith has always worn in Victoria, and which often led those who saw him for the first time to believe that he was a minister of religion. In 1837 he was offeied the position of assistant teacher in the Church of England Aboriginal Mission Station, Melbourne, the site ofwhich is now occupied by the Botanicalgardens. Having from his early youth taken a great interest in the aborigines—who, he used to say, should be most kindly dealt with as the real possessors of the soil, from which they were being gradually driven by the steady advance of the tide of civilisation —Mr. Smith at once accepted the appointment, and came to Melbourne in the James Watt steamer, near the end of 1837; thus having been at the time of his death acitisen of Melbourne for over 40 years. Melbourne in those days was, it need hardly be said, but a very small place indeed—an oasis in the almost desert wilderness of forest-clad hills and plains; and to use Mr. Smith's words in the Assembly only a few years ago, he had been one of those early pioneers who have had the happiness of living to see." a wilderness where the noble savage held almost undisputed sway transformed into a city almost second to none, and surpassing all whose existence dates from (thenfonly 36 years ago." He quitted the mission-station after having done good work to become manager for the late Hon. J. Hodgson, and subsequently entered into business on his own account It ia unnecessary in a nottoe of this kind todwell upon the early business pursuits which the deceased in those rough times entered on, hut it may be said that he was successful in his object of gaining a considerable competency. He catered for the entertainment of a not very aesthetic public; but among one of his enterprises which deserves to be remembered was his building of the Queen's Theatre, of which Mr. George Coppin was among the early lessees, fn 1842 Melbourne was incorporated a city, and Mr. Smith was one of the first councillors— a position he has continued to fill without intermission until his death. He has held the honourable office of mayor of Melbourne no less than seven times, but the majority of hiB elections to that post took place, in the earlier years of the City Council, when there was not the Bame rivalry for the distinction which has for some years existed among the city fathers. At present it is well known there is little chance of any mayor being re-elected to the office, and a second reelection might be looked upon as an impossible occurrence. During the Ballarat riots the mayoralty of Melbourne was no sinecure, owing to the excitement which prevailed, and the rumours flying about of intended assaults on the Treasury and banks. Mr. Smith did good service in restoring the confidence of the population by organising a system of special constables, and for his energy on the occasion he received the thanks of the Governor, Sir Charles Hotham. When mayor in 1858 the deceased was delegated by the City Council to go to England for the purpose of presenting an address of congratulation to the Queen on the occasion of tne marriage of the Princess Royal to the Crown Prince of Prussia. It was expected by many that Mr. Smith would return from his trip Sir John Smith, but the expected honours were not bestowed. If any disappointment was experienced by the mayor himself in the matter, it is but fair to Bay that he Bhowed no traces of it.

It will be mainly by his connexion with Melbourne, and services which he rendered to the city iji its youthful growth that the deceased will be remembered; but it is needless to say, besides being a city councillor, Mr. Smith has, since the establishment of constitutional government in this colony, been a member of the Legislative Assembly. At the'time of his death he was entitled to the name of Father of the Assembly, as since his first election for North Bourke, in 1851, to the old nominee-elective Assembly, he has never been out of Parliament. He has had a seat in one Government, viz., as Minister of Mines in the Macpherson Administration, in 1869. Notwithstanding his long Parliamentary experience, however, the deceased could not be said ever to have taken a leading position in the House. His best work was done in other and less prominent places. His shrewdness and good humour and knowledge of colonial life made him a useful magistrate, and for many years he was a constant attendant at the City Bench, where his great delight was to talk to the persons to the suit in a private room, and induce them to sink their differences, and settle their disputes out of court. He was an official visitor at the lunatic asylums, and paid assiduous attention to his duties as a member of the Central Board of Health. In the establishment of our principal charities, such as the Melbourne Hospital, the Benevolent and Orphan Asylums, and others, he took an active part, and on several occasions when help was needed in other countries and Victorians were appealed to, the deceased energetically applied himself to the task of collecting, always supplementing the collections with a liberal donation of his own. The deceased also took great interest in the initiation and progress of the friendly societies, and was a leading member of several of them, besides being a prominent Freemason. For many years he has been Provincial Grand Master under the Irish Constitution. Mr. Smith leaves a widow and a family, the eldest of whom is Mr. J. T. T. Smith, Crown prosecutor.

A full-length portrait of Mr. John Thomas Smith in his robes of office is hung up in the Town-hall, and no doubt he will occupy a space in local history as "seven times mayor."

St. John's Church, Lonsdale-street. The sons left by the deceased were the chief mourners; but in accordance with a request he made before his death, there were no pall-bearers. Pursuant also to his instructions there was but little of the paraphernalia usual on such occasions. The hearse was a plain vehicle, without plumes or glass sides; and no hatbands or gloves were distributed amongst the mourners. The coffin was of polished oak with brass mountings. At St. John's Church service was performed, the Rev. C. T. Perks being the officiating clergyman. He was assisted by the Revs. H. A. Betts, E. Puckle, and W. W. Mantell. The church was draped in black, and crowded. When the cortege again started for the cemetery, about half-past 4 o'clock, it was swelled to an enormous size, the length of the procession being about three-quarters of a mile. It comprised representatives of all classes. With the exception of about 50 Freemasons and the same number of Oddfellows who walked, the mourners rode, nearly every description of vehicle being used. The mayor and members of the city corporation followed in carriages near the hearse. A multitude of spectators attended the procession on foot, and an immense crowd j had assembled in the cemetery in the vicinity of the grave. Had not several police been on the spot, considerable confusion would doubtless have occurred, owing to the anxiety which animated many persons to get as near to the grave as possible. The funeral service at the cemetery was performed by the clergymen named. The remains were buried near those of two sons of the deceased who died before him. Mr. John Daley was the undertaker.

See also

Melbourne

Further Reading

Corfield, J., Wickham, D., & Gervasoni, C. The Eureka Encyclopaedia, Ballarat Heritage Services, 2004.

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