Abram Postlethwaite
Contents
Background
Goldfields Involvement, 1853-1854
Signed the 1853 Bendigo Goldfields Petition. Agitation of the Victorian goldfields started with the Forest Creek Monster Meeting in 1851, but what became known as the Red Ribbon Movement was centred around the Bendigo goldfields in 1853. The Anti-Gold License Association was formed at Bendigo in June 1853, led by George Thomson, Dr D.G. Jones and 'Captain' Edward Browne. The association focused its attention on the 30 shillings monthly licence fee miners were required to pay to the government. They drew up a petition outlining digger grievances and called for a reduced licence fee, improved law and order, the right to vote and the right to buy land. The petition was signed by diggers at Bendigo, Ballarat, Castlemaine, McIvor (Heathcote), Mount Alexander (Harcourt) and other diggings. The 13 metre long petition was presented to Lieutenant-Governor Charles La Trobe in Melbourne on the 01 August 1853, but their call for a reduction in monthly licence fees and land reform for diggers was rejected. The diggers dissatisfaction erupted into the Red Ribbon Rebellion where agitators wore red ribbons on their hats symbolising their defiance of the law and prohibitive licence fees.
Post 1854 Experiences
- TO THE EDITOR OF THE AGE.
- Sir, — My great grandmother, Louisa Jane Harpin, came to Tasmania in 1830, and married William Humphries. They came to Victoria in 1837, bringing with them my grandmother, who was then aged 13 months, and settled in "Canvas Town," now Melbourne. My great grand father helped to build the first brick house in Melbourne. In 1850 my grand mother, Ann Victoria Humphries, mar ried Abram Postlethwaite, who arrived In Victoria in 1846, aged 14. They settled at St. Kllda, where in 1860 my mother was born. In the same year my father, Charles Ludlow, landed In Victoria, aged 9. At the time of her death in 1911, aged 98, my great grandmother had 129 descendants, including four great great grandchildren. The youngest son of Mrs. Humphries, who was born In Victoria, and who is now 77, is still living in the Lancefield district. — Yours, &c.,
- HAZEL M. KIDDER. 26 Redfern-road, Hawthorn. E.3.15th September.[1]
- OLD COLONIST"S DIE Remembered Eureka Fight MELBOURNE, Today. Two old people who died during the past three or four days carried to the grave vivid memories of the stirring days of the early Victorian goldfields. Mrs. Mary Ann Humphries, 99 years I age, of Ballarat, was an eyewitness of the Eureka Stockade fight there on December 3, 1854. Her sunbonnet was perforated by a bullet while she was looking over the top of a large water barrel behind which she had sheltered. Mrs. Mary Ann Phillips, 83 years of age, who was buried at the Eastern Cemetery, Geelong, yesterday, was also present at the goldfields during the Eureka riots. She came to Victoria 78 years ago, and has left 59 living descendants.[2]
See also
Ballarat Reform League Inc. Monuments Project
Further Reading
References
External links
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