Last modified on 21 November 2015, at 00:50

Melbourne

location

The capital city of the State of Victoria located on the shore of Port Phillip Bay, on the shore of Hobson's Bay

Beginnings

Melbourne was founded in the 1840s but it really took off in the 1850s with the discovery of gold in Victoria.

Importance of Melbourne

Melbourne was seen by many writers from the mid 1860's on saw as a modern 'European' city. Modern technology such as the telegraph and railway arrived in Melbourne in 1854 and by 1858 telegraph lines linked Melbourne Albury and Sydney.Victoria was set up as a separate colony in 1851 and given Responsible government in 1855 with Melbourne as its capital. Melbourne was also the economic centre for the gold mining with places like Ballarat, Bendigo and Beechworth and a rich agricultural area with a powerful squatter class.

Photograph

Map

What was Melbourne like in the late 1870s

While many of the key parts of the KellyGang story took place outside Melbourne, the city was the site of the headquarters of the police and the centre of Government. But it was much more. It was the centre of a community who saw the KellyGang as a real threat to society, criminals that need to be destroyed for the survival of community.

A tour through Melbourne (T&C15/6/1872) (T&C1/1/1876)

Facilities in Melbourne in the late 1870s

Population 191,250 Hotels Menzies Hotel (T&C29/6/1872)

Robert Burns Hotel, Lonsdale St

National Hotel in Bourke-street Churches St. Peter's, Church of England cathedral

St. Patrick's,, Roman Catholic cathedral

Presbyterian Church.  Schools [[../../things/C_community/C_bankt.html|Bank]] Main Streets

the street layout (T&C15/6/1872)

town hall (T&C15/6/1872) Local Government Police Station Railway Station Telegraph Office

(T&C1/1/1876)

' Post Office'

(T&C1/1/1876)

Other things of interest See also Melbourne area for details of things that happened in the suburbs

Hippodrome, Stephen-street.

Melbourne Goal

Melbourne Club

Dotors in Melbourne included

Dr Thomas Naghten FitzGerald

Dr Andrew Sexton Gray

Dr Ryan

Dr Frederick Thomas West Ford

Waxworks

Mr Kreitmayer

Shops: M'Arthur, Sherard, and Copeland; Patterson, Ray, Palmer, and Co; Banks, Bros; Bell and Co; and Gravesend clothiers and importers, Fenwick Brothers ; also the well-known English firms of L. Stevenson and Sons; and Sargood, King, and Sargood ; and the firm of W and S Gardiner.(T&C15/6/1872)

Links to the KellyGang

Red Kelly and Ellen Quinn married in Melbourne in November 1850

John Quinn Sen charged with horse stealing. In Melbourne in 4/1856- he was discharged

James Quinn Jnr was charged with horse stealing. In Melbourne on 18/10/1856- he was discharged

On 15/02/1861 James Quinn Jnr was charged with horse stealing and sentenced in Melbourne to 4 months in Goal for illegally using a horse.

The problem with the KellyGang ment that there was a shortage of police in Melbourne and a raise in crime. (Argus1/5/79)

Kate Kelly bought things for the boys including cartridges in Melbourne. The right size could not be bought anywhere else (BWC) see also (Argus21/6/79)

Rosier’s was the gunshop in Bourke street.(JJK)

In July, 1879, Ned Kelly visited Melbourne, and that he slept one night in the National Hotel in Bourke-street. ? (Argus7/8/80)

Inspector O'Connor's base in Melbourne was at Mr JT Smith's home in Essendon

Inspector O'Connor and the caught the train from Melbourne to the Glenrowan Siege from Essendon on the night of 27/6/1880

Melbourne was very excited at the capture of Ned Kelly, At all points of the city persons were to be seen eagerly scanning the news the streets were deafened with the cries of the aamins calling the various issues of "extras." Ladies in their carriages even pulled up to purchase the latest editions, with "the full, true, and particular account of the Kelly gang." The ordinary run of business was almost entirely suspended throughout the day, the political situation was lost sight of and Berryism, with a strange synergy of terms in some people's minds gave place for the moment to Kellyism. The city literally gave itself up to the discussion of the deeds and doings of the Kellys and the police - more so than it would ever be got to do with regard to a political question of the greatest moment' (Argus29/6/80)(MDTel29/6/80) (Argus8/7/80)

Plans for Ned Kelly to arrive at Spencer Street Station (Herald29/6/1880)

Joe Byrne appeared in the Waxworks within days of his death (Argus1/7/80)

There was a large meeting at the Hippodrome in Stephen-street, the save Ned Kelly. (Argus6/11/80)

The family stayed at Robert Burns Hotel (Argus9/11/80) (Age11/11/80) (Argus11/11/80)

Ned Kelly was hung in the Melbourne Goal on 11/11/1880

Kate and James Kelly were at the Apollo Hall (Argus12/11/80)

What happened at Melbourne after the time of the Kelly Gang

One of the suits of armour was displayed at the Great Exhibition in the Exhibition Building in 1888

What is happening at Melbourne today - linked to the Kelly Country and Ned Kelly's story

Three of the suits of armour live in Melbourne. One is in the State Library of Victoria and the 2 other suits are owned by the Victoria Police.

The Old Melbourne Gaol has displayed one of the police suits of armour. You can also see where Ned Kelly was hung.