Difference between revisions of "Edward Bissill"
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==Background== | ==Background== | ||
+ | Bissill was born in April, 1808, at Stutterton Grange, near Boston, Lincolnshire. | ||
+ | |||
==Goldfields Involvement, 1853-1854== | ==Goldfields Involvement, 1853-1854== | ||
Bissill signed the 1853 Bendigo Goldfields Petition and his name has been transcribed as E. Bissill or Bissile. 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. | Bissill signed the 1853 Bendigo Goldfields Petition and his name has been transcribed as E. Bissill or Bissile. 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. |
Revision as of 10:12, 25 July 2020
Contents
Background
Bissill was born in April, 1808, at Stutterton Grange, near Boston, Lincolnshire.
Goldfields Involvement, 1853-1854
Bissill signed the 1853 Bendigo Goldfields Petition and his name has been transcribed as E. Bissill or Bissile. 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
Obituary
Obituary: DEATH OF MR. EDWARD BISSILL A VETERAN OF NINETY-FIVE YEARS. A resident of the Bendigo district, whose life furnishes a striking example of longevity, in the person of Mr. Edward Bissill, of Belvoir Park, Big Hill, passed away on Tuesday evening last. Edward Bissill (continued) He was born in April, 1808, at Stutterton Grange, near Boston, Lincolnshire, and had consequently passed his 95th year. His father was a landed proprietor in the county, and came of a family of large farmers in the county mentioned. The deceased during his early life assisted in the management of his father’s estate. He married at 33 years of age, and continued his association with agricultural pursuits until the repeal of the Corn Laws in 1846. All those familiar with this great free trade movement know that it had a depressing effect on the English farmers, and the estates were let at a rental of £700 per year, the subject of this notice having decided to journey to Australia.
In 1850 he sailed in the ship Bengal for South Australia. After 12 months in the sister State, he visited New Zealand, and worked at Auckland for six months. When the gold fever broke out, however, he went to Sydney, and soon afterwards proceeded to Melbourne. From there he tramped to Forest Creek. After working in various parts of the district as a gold digger, he opened a small store at Spring Gully, Fryers’ Creek. He did not long continue there, however, as we next find him the owner of a store at White Hills, Bendigo.
He soon made money, and at the first land sales held in Bendigo, in 1854, he purchased property at the corner of Hargreaves and Mundy streets. He afterwards purchased considerable property at Epsom, and when gold was discovered there, he found that the lead went right through it. Already he had made money, and this stroke of fortune added considerably to his profits.
For three years he conducted the store, and then retired on an independency. In 1862 he purchased 100 acres of land and a house at Big Hill from the late Judge Skinner, and out of this formed the nucleus of Belvoir Park, which now consists of 700 acres of good park land. In 1856 he visited his old home, and remained in England, until 1860. At this period his income from his Bendigo properties amounted to about £4000 per year, and apparently he enjoyed his trip, as he again returned to England by the same vessel. Having toured Europe, he returned to Victoria, and took up his residence near Melbourne.
In 1866 he once more returned to Bendigo, and ever since he lived at Belvoir Park. The house is very well known, as it is situated in one of the prettiest spots in the Bendigo district. He continued to amass property, and at the time of his death owned some 24 allotments of land in Bendigo, the rental being very considerable. In 1855 he took part vigorously in an agitation to create a municipality in Bendigo, and was a candidate at the first municipal elections. He lost the election through advocating a shilling rate. It started at sixpence, but his judgment was soon justified, as it was found impracticable to carry on without a shilling rate. After his unsuccessful attempt to enter public life, he lived quietly, merely attending to his own affairs. For many years he regularly drove into Bendigo each Tuesday, and his buggy was a familiar sight in the street on that day. In fact, so regularly did he transact his business on the day mentioned, that he earned the sobriquet of “Tuesday”. About 12 months ago he married for the third time. He enjoyed a good constitution, and only during the last few months did he begin to suffer from ill-health. He was ill a very short time, and was under the care of Dr. Atkinson. Up to the last he managed his own property, and was frequently heard to remark that a man was never done working in this world. He was of a gentlemanly disposition, but rather retiring in his nature, though the friendships he made were always sincere. His only son, Mr. Walter Kirk Bissill, died some years ago, and no other children were born of his marriages. The funeral will take place this afternoon at 3 o’clock from Belvoir Park to the Kangaroo Flat Cemetery. It is understood that his estate will be administered by the Sandhurst and Northern District Trustees, Executors and Agency Co. The firm of Messrs. Quick, Hyett, and Rymer have been his solicitors throughout three generations.[1]
See also
Bendigo Goldfields Petition Ballarat Reform League Inc. Monuments Project
Further Reading
References
- ↑ The Bendigo Independent, Saturday 31 December 1910, p 2.
External links
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