subdivision of which, dated 15th February, 1840, was sold by Charles (known as Captain) Hutton, and here the tide sets in strongly for m e n of note, such as Peel, Stanley, Derby, and Wellington. Next on the eastward c o m e 4734 acres, Crown to D. S. Campbell and to Hughes and Hosking, which passed to Hodgson and M'Kenzie, w h o sold about 1843. Here we have Rupert and Cromwell Streets in close fraternity to Islington Terrace, H y d e Terrace, Rokeby and Burlington Streets. Still on eastwards came Dr. (afterwards Sir Charles) Nicholson 57, 58, and part of 59 suburbans, granted to himself and to Charles Bradly, which were subdivided by Penrose Nevins, surveyor, in 1851. Charles, William, Lithgow, Albert, and Mollison appear; names commonplace enough, but connecting with the owner, M r . Mollison, w h o managed his affairs at Port Phillip. It is not, however, until w e step over to Richmond and consider suburban 19 and 28 that w e get another haul of notabilities. These 50 acres passed into Thurlow's hands, and two subdivisions were m a d e — t h e one (probably thefirst)by Williamson, the surveyor; the other by H . B. Foote, the surveyor. This last was acted upon, and forthwith appear the names of Brougham, Abinger, Lyndhurst, etc. Suburban 18 and 29 (which adjoin the last) take quite another character. These werefirstgranted to Brodie and to another, and passed on to Watson and Hunter, w h o subdivided and sold them. T h e R i c h m o n d flat was at that time subject to water privileges, and Neptune and Corsair Streets show a feeling in that direction, Hunter and Euphrasia Streets being their associates. Again, the suburban in which was Highett's Paddock, with its Erin and Sackville Streets, probably obtained this distinction through Charles Williams, the auctioneer, w h o at one time possessed a large portion of it. A n d Type Street, near the Richmond Bridge, in suburban 30, receives its facetious title, I apprehend, from Strode, the printer, w h o held property there." It would be unpardonable for m e to pass without a word what was, until it recently vanished, the oldest two-storied house in Fitzroy, at the corner of Victoria Parade and Fitzroy Street. It was an old friend of mine, though it has put on half-a-dozen new faces since w efirstmet. It was built as a private residence for Arthur K e m m i s , one of ourfirstmerchants, w h o did not long survive his installation there. T h e next comer was a keen, quiet, canny little Scotchman—Alastair M ' K e n z i e — w h o , standing well with Downing Street, arrived in the colony with the appointment of Sheriff in his pocket, was subsequently nominated Treasurer by the Colonial Office, and died after enjoying his higher billet and its emoluments for two or three years. I next knew it as the "mia-mia" of jolly, good-natured J e m m y Stewart, of the firm of Brown and Stewart, wine merchants of Elizabeth Street, w h o was very m u c h liked by the old colonists, and was the best judge of a glass of whisky in Port Phillip ; but " Jamie" would just as soon give as take a nip. H e found his way into the Legislative Council, and represented the Eastern Province for a few years; but never m a d e m u c h of a stir in public life, if I except the stunning trade he used to do with the Melbourne pubs, for the house of Brown and Stewatt was a taking one. H e died at a comparatively early age, both respected and regretted. It was at one time rumoured that this house had a special ghost attached to it, and that the usual mysterious indications of an unearthly visitant were not wanting. If there were any truth in this his ghostship was effectually "laid" when the tenement passed to the possession of the well-known lawyer and politician, M r . (now Sir A.) Michie. Probably it was hearing of this that induced M r . Michie, several years ago, to deliver one of his eminently clever lectures on Ghosts, at the Mechanics' Institution, and possibly it was the preparation of the lecture that caused the ghost to skedaddle. T h e building was afterwards devoted to the purpose of a boarding school and young women's "home." It would be difficult to imagine a more irregular network o' lanes and bye-ways (they were not thoroughfares) than obtained in these times. All about and along M o o r Street, from Nicholson to Smith Streets, it was one bewildering way-maze which baffled all power of alignment until a clue was found in a ,£50,000 endowment of a Fitzroy W a r d Improvement Fund, and this was the sesame by which the streets were finally opened. M r . (afterwards Sir) John O'Shanassy, then a m e m b e r of the Legislative Assembly, was a powerful means of effecting this, and such a good turn should never be forgotten. But it was forgotten very soon, for the definition of the Plebs' gratitude ii a recollection of favours to come. U p to 1850 Smith Street was quite a one-sided affair, and a very queer raggedregiment kind of affair too. All d o w n theflatwas a morass where one would hardly think h u m a n habitats could ever spring up. There was an excuse for a house of some kind or other thrown up here and there, and, "though few and far between," they were anything but "angels' visits." A change began, but slowly,
Page:ChroniclesofEarlyMelbournevol.1.pdf/49
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
This page needs to be proofread.
THE CHRONICLES OF EARLY MELBOURNE.
27
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f6/ChroniclesofEarlyMelbournevol.1.pdf/page49-1024px-ChroniclesofEarlyMelbournevol.1.pdf.jpg)