Sly Grog Cases, 1859

"Victorian Gold Fields 1852. The Grog Shanty", by S T Gill, 1869.  No H86.7/33.  Courtesy of the State Library of Victoria.

While innocent gossip and watching of pots on the fire occur at the front of the shanty, the missus is out the back pouring nobblers.

Sly Grog Cases.

James Barnes was brought up   charged with permitting the sale of spiritous liquors in his house without a license.

Patrick Carroll deposed : that on Friday Inst in company with Bassett at about 10 o'clock he went into a bagatelle room on the right hand side as you go down the lead ; we played a game on a table in the house ; saw a woman and two men ; the woman said there was nothing to pay ; went to the bar and asked for brandy ; the woman laid a bottle on the counter and we helped  ourselves.  

Mr. Ogier said that the defendant was summoned to answer a charge of illegally selling liquor, and any evidence not proving that ought not to be received.

His Worship overruled the objection. Examination resumed. I paid 2 for the liquor - do not know the defendant; never saw him before.

Cross-examined by Mr. Ogier; we started in the afternoon ; we called at two places after we left the defendant's place.  

The witness refused to say whether he had laid information against these two parties.

The Bench allowed the objection. Cannot say how many glasses of water I had at different places on that day ; am not sure how many glasses of liquor I had on that day ; cannot remember whether I had five glasses of spirits; only went out once that evening.

Mr. Ogier. How many informations have you laid for sales to you on that day ?

The Bench decided that the question was an improper one.

Examination resumed. Will swear that I had not seven nobblers on Friday ; will not swear that I had six ; do not recollect swearing that I only had one nobbler on that day.

F. Bassett, deposed : do not know any thing about the defendant;   remembers Friday, the 21st ; went out with Carroll on thus evening ; played a game of bagatelle ; Carroll asked the woman what was the charge ; she said  "nothing". Carroll called for two nobblers; he paid two shillings for them ; do not know defendant ; never saw him before.

To the Police. Do not know who the woman was.

Case dismissed.

Charles Mullen was called on to answer a similar charge but did not appear.

A warrant was ordered to issue for his apprehension.

Thomas Hoyle was called on to answer a similar charge, but did not appear.  Mrs. Hoyle appeared and stated that her husband was from home when the summons was served ; he was on the diggings, and she had sent him word. A warrant was ordered for his apprehension.  

Joseph Emmell was called on to answer a similar charge, but did not appear. 

A warrant was issued for his  apprehension.

G. Griffiths was called to answer a similar charge, but did not appear. A certificate of sickness was put in from Dr. Beckett. A fresh summons was ordered to issue returnable at such time as Dr.  Beckett might think he would be able to attend

.

R. R. Jones was called to answer a similar charge, but did not appear. And a warrant was issued for his apprehension.  

Thomas Donovan was called on to answer a similar charge. The information in this case had been laid by Catherine Donovan. As neither party appeared the case was dismissed.     

Sly Grog Cases. (1859, February 4). Ovens and Murray Advertiser (Beechworth, Vic. : 1857 - 1918), p. 3. Retrieved October 9, 2013, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article117925702

Again there is a suggestion in this court report, following on from the last post indicating that an accident had take place opposite "Griffith's Hotel", that George Griffith had an establishment of his own, where sly grogging might be taking place.

Accident near Griffith's Hotel 1859

Arrival of Geelong mail - Main road, Ballaarat, 1854. Artist S T Gill, Courtesy of the State Library of Victoria Collection.

Accident.—Last Friday evening,  opposite Griffiths' hotel, a lot of children, were playing in the middle of the road, when a stupid fellow, driving a team, knocked one of them down. The team was sent to the right about, and then a farther accident took place, for he backed his cart in such a manner as to plant the hoofs of one of his horses right upon the legs of one of the girls. The father and mother naturally looked about them, to apprehend the fellow, but, having found that the child was likely to recover—and   recover she did since—he was permitted to take his departure; Nevertheless, these sort of driving, particularly in public thoroughfares and amongst children, are exceedingly indiscreet and improper. Today we have neither time nor room to advert to them, but on some future occasion we shall have a word or two upon the subject. We have no objection to a good whip. On the contrary, we like a dashing, rattling sort of style, but then it must be done on a public road, and not in a crowded thoroughfare like ours, where you have thousands of men, women, and children meeting you at every step.

INDIGO. (1859, January 6). Ovens and Murray Advertiser (Beechworth, Vic. : 1857 - 1918), p. 3. Retrieved October 9, 2013, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article117925256

This news article about an accident involving a horse-drawn vehicle and a child "opposite Griffiths'  Hotel" contains an interesting hint that George Griffith might have acquired his own business premises at the new diggings at Indigo, later known as Chiltern. 

Ashton's Circus, Beechworth, 1858

Drawing of Ashton's Circus in Clermont, 1873. Courtesy of the John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland.

 The large advertisement run in the Ovens and Murray Advertiser  called  the circus "Ashton's British and American Circus".    As it seems not to be the case that the circus came from  Britain or America, perhaps there were a few American personnel amongst the troupe. Or perhaps it was a reference to the American Negro style of entertainment which was part of the program.

The origins of the circus are a little cloudy, but in 1849 in Hobart a man named Thomas Mollor, the licensee of the Bath Hotel in Murray Street, advertised some circus acts associated with the Hotel.  Ashton was performing feats of daredevil riding in that entertainment.  Whether Mollor had a long background in circuses is not certain.  It seems possible that he was the convict of that name who arrived by the Mangles.

In early 1850 Mollor announced that he was leaving the country.  A new company was formed to take over the equestrian horses and circus equipment.  Interestingly this included not only James Ashton, but Mrs Ashton, who also performed with the circus.   In the early 1850s the circus was touring in Queensland and New South Wales, and by 1855 had arrived in Bendigo.  They had probably found the goldfields to be a lucrative source of customers, and in 1858 they had arrived at Beechworth.

LATEST EUROPEAN INTELLIGENCE. (1854, May 6). Illustrated Sydney News (NSW : 1853 - 1872), p. 5. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article63614282

Evidently there was a core group of circus performers, and local musicians were employed to fill in for the musical entertainment.  In the large advertisement taken out in the Advertiser on 6 April 1858, many familiar names were mentioned - Mr Zeplin on the harp; Billy Barlow was to give his 'opinions'; Mr Griffiths (sic) on the violin.  In addition to the locals were: Mr Faulkner on the banjo; Mr Ashton on the flautina; Mr Sams on the tamborine; Troy Knight on the bones; and Fritz Bimes as Leader of the Military Band;

And Mr Griffiths  as the "Leader of the Nigger Band".

Oh dear.  One can only hope he wasn't wearing blackface to really disgrace the family.

Advertising. (1858, April 6). Ovens and Murray Advertiser (Beechworth, Vic. : 1857 - 1918), p. 3.  http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article113237500

"Minstrel" entertainment was extraordinarily popular at this time, and continued to be so for many decades.

The "Boston Serenaders" who appeared on the bill, may have been Minstrels, and constituted the main claim to being an American Circus.

The Robert O'Hara Burke Memorial Museum has in its collection a glass slide of Ashton's Circus entering Beechworth via Camp Street.   The street is strangely empty apart from a horse and cart keeping to the opposite side of the road.  The horse looks rather alarmed, and has a rider on its back case it took it into its head to bolt.  This photo is included in a book by Peter M Shea, called Champagne from Six to Six:  a short social history of entertainments and recreations at the Beechworth and Ovens' goldfields Victoria 1852-1877. (Durham, CT: Eloquent Books, 2010.)

Grand High Mass, Beechworth 1858

St Joseph's Roman Catholic Church, Beechworth.  Rose Stereograph, circa 1920-1954.  Courtesy of the State Library of Victoria Collection, No H32492/7238

Advertising. (1858, March 17). Ovens and Murray Advertiser (Beechworth, Vic. : 1855 - 1866; 1914 -1918), p. 3. Retrieved May 10, 2014, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article113237131


An eight-piece orchestra played at a Grand High Mass at St Patrick's Church, Beechworth, on St Patrick's Day in 1858.

Mr G Griffiths (sic) as the First Violin was the orchestra leader, accompanied by Mr Weichman on Second Violin; J P Hurley on Flute; W Radford on Viola; Mr Barlow on Cornet; Mr Jenkins on Sax Tuba; Mr Wright on Violincello; and Herr Esther on Double Bass.

This performance reveals that George has the capacity to play complex sacred music,



Mr Weichmann was most likely Heinrick Weichmann who had arrived in the Colony of South Australia in 1855.  The Austral Harmony website lists several peccadilloes of Weichman in later years, but in 1857 he announced his presence in Beechworth with two advertisements for a Grand Ball at the Freemason's Arms Hotel, High St Beechworth - one in English, and the second in German, an indication of the large numbers of German-speakers on the goldfields.

J P Hurley was a violinist and flautist, active in Beechworth since 1855, according to Austral Harmony.  Later on the same day, J P Hurley was the conductor of a larger orchestra which played for a Grand Ball held in the Mackay, Miller and Mackay's Store in Ford St, Beechworth. 


Mr Radford is most likely William Radford, whom Austral Harmony says was a musician, violinist and composer, active in Melbourne from 1853, and later traced in Beechworth (1855) and Bendigo (1855 and 1858)

Mr Barlow of course we have met before.

The identity of Mr Jenkins, sax tuba player, for the time being is shrouded in mystery, as is Mr Wright who played the violincello.

The last member of the orchestra was Herr Esther, who can be identified on Austral Harmony as Carl Esther, a double-bass player who arrived in Melbourne in 1855 with a German band and was active in Beechworth in 1857.  According to a news article from 1914, he went into partnership with Charles Keirath and opened a green grocery business in Beechworth, also taking engagements as musicians.

Threatening Language, 1858

The Beechworth Courthouse, in Ford Street, was the scene of many famous trials, including those of Ned Kelly and George Griffith. The photographer was John T Collins, courtesy of the State Library of Victoria Collection, H90.100/1468.

POLICE COURT,

Friday, January, 22nd, 1858    (Before Matthew Price, Esq., P M)   

George Griffith was charged with having used threatening language to John Brady, and the charge having been substantiated was fined 20s. and bound over in the sum of £50, to keep the peace towards all her Majesty's liege subjects, and John Brady in particular, for twelve calender months.

POLICE COURT. (1858, January 23). Ovens and Murray Advertiser (Beechworth, Vic. : 1857 - 1918), p. 2. Retrieved October 8, 2013, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article113236365

John Brady was a butcher at One Mile, per Ovens Directory 1857.

George Griffith made a number of appearances at the Beechworth Courthouse. Several appeared in the Ovens and Murray Advertiser, but perhaps there were other times that didn't get reported.  Let's see if he was able to keep the peace for 12 months and save himself the £50 bond.

Wages withheld, 1858

 Detail of Township of Beechworth [cartographic material] / N. F. Martin, Assist. Surveyor, Beechworth, August 20th, 1856 ; lithographed at the Surveyors General's Office, Melbourne, by E. Gilks.  Courtesy of the State Library of Victoria Collection.  http://handle.slv.vic.gov.au/10381/121412

WAGES.

John Barlow claimed £4 for services as a musician from John Brock landlord of the Hibernian (sic) hotel. The agreement was that complainant might absent himself on any night except Saturday or Monday, on condition that he found a substitute ; he had absented himself one night without complying with the term of the agreement, defendant therefore refused to pay him.

Zeplin v Brock.

Griffith v Brock.

These two cases were exactly similar to the above, and were all dismissed.

POLICE COURT. (1858, January 6). Ovens and Murray Advertiser (Beechworth, Vic. : 1857 - 1918), p. 3. Retrieved October 9, 2013, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article113236055

New Life at Silver Creek, 1857

Image taken from page 33 of '[Original Poems, for Infant Minds ... A new and revised edition. [By Ann and Jane Taylor and others.]]'  London, 1868.   "British Library HMNTS 11649.f.5.

The Griffiths' second child, a girl called Mary Jane, was born on 10 August 1857 at Silver Creek.  Silver Creek was  not far from the centre of Beechworth.  No witnesses were recorded, nor doctor.  Did no-one assist with the birth?  Perhaps it was George.  He was the informant.  At this time he was performing at the El Dorado Hotel.

Ball at the Hibernia Hotel, 1857 UPDATED

Sketches of Australian life and scenery, by S T Gill.  Courtesy of the State Library of Victoria Collection. H15524.

WOOLSHED.
(From a Correspondent.)

THE opening ball of the Hibernia Hotel came off last evening (Monday) in regular Hibernian style. At an early hour the friends of the worthy host gathered from the surrounding neighbourhood to the scene of action, where a very select number of the fair sex were in waiting  illuminate the pleasures of the ball. The orchestral arrangements  were conducted by Mr. Griffith, cornet by Mr. Barlow, and the harp  by Mr Lyons. Never did the fantastic toe so lightly fly through the  graceful motions of the dance-nor ever was more justice done to the true character of " granuale." From 9 to 5 o'clock in the morning the sport continued in the midst of tranquility and union. The arrangements of the supper table were certainly second to none ever made in the district. The appearance of the diggers seemed entirely enthusiastic, but whether it arose from the merits of the free supper, or the recollections of times past, present, or a future hope remains a mystery to be solved.

About twenty minutes to one o'clock on Tuesday morning an alarm of fire at the Britannia Hotel was given throughout the street, when a number of diggers left the ball to render assistance in saving the property of Mr De Berg, the proprietor. To the police authorities, the conduct of constables Delany and Fitzpatrick is recommended which renders them worthy of promotion for the courageous manner in which they acted in stopping the progress of the fire. It appears that one  of the servants left a candle in a careless manner in her bed room, and the inner lining having ignited in her absence, caused the adjoining  apartments to blaze considerably for about five minutes. The night being wet saved the roof from adding to the fire.

WOOLSHED. (1857, October 21). Ovens and Murray Advertiser (Beechworth, Vic. : 1857 - 1918), p. 2. Retrieved October 9, 2013, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article113017405 

• "Mr Barlow" is identified in Austral Harmony as John Barlow, a musician active in Melbourne in 1855 and Beechworth in 1857.
• "Mr Lyons" is identified in Austral Harmony as John Christian Lyons, harp player, chemist and journalist, active in Beechworth in 1857
• Jacb V de Burg was a tentmaker at Woolshed in the Ovens Directory 1857

A "granule" is an Irish barn dance, and presumably a regular offering at the Hiberian (Irish) Hotel.

UPDATE Richard Patterson in Nobblers and Lushingtons (p 306) places the hotel at Woolshed Creek at Sebastopol Flat, and that it was largely destroyed by fire in 1861.  The licensee in 1857 was John Brock, replaced by Henry Johnston in 1858.

Miner's Right, Woolshed, 1856

From the collection of the Gold Museum, Ballarat.

The question as to whether George was a gold-digger, or merely attracted by the festival-like atmosphere of the diggings, is something I often wondered about.  I thought it was resolved when I discovered that his qualification for being included on the 1856/57 Electoral Roll for the Legislative Assembly in the Reid's Creek and Woolshed Division, Ovens District was a Miner's Right.   His occupation on that document was given as 'miner'.  I further discovered that when the new constitution took effect in November 1856 that a miner's right made provision for the holder to occupy crown land and reside.  So a miner's right made it possible for people, such as George and Susan Griffith, to have a secure place to live. Even if George did not spend a lot of time digging for gold, it would seem likely that he must have spent some time engaged in it.

Birth and death on the goldfields, 1855-56

"The Harp of the Valley", by William Stewart Ross in  Illustrated Handbook of Victoria, Australia. British Library HMNTS 10492.f.22

While George was busy with concerts in Beechworth, Susan was delivered of a boy, on 14 April 1855 at Wangaratta. They named the babe Edward George.   Susan registered the child at Beechworth on 23 May 1855.  She signed with her mark.   As usual when Susan was the informant, the surname was rendered as "Griffiths", but George always used the spelling "Griffith".

Ten months later, on, 24 Feb 1856, the infant died of cholera infantum,  also referred to as 'summer diarrhea', a contamination exacerbated by swarms of flies, and the insanitary conditions on goldfields.  The death was certified by Thomas Crawford.  The Ovens Directory 1857 described Crawford as MD, JP, and residing in Camp St, Beechworth.

The baby boy was buried at the Beechworth Cemetery, which had been surveyed in February 1854 and divided into rectangular denominational compartments. In I856 a Cemetery Trust was formed and the cemetery was in operation in January the same year.

The Minister Thomas Dowell of the Church of England presided, and the witnesses were William Haydon and Octavius Folkard.  These two gentlemen were involved in a courtcase against each other in the Beechworth Police Court on 30 March 1857, but the case was dismissed as neither party appeared.  Octavius Folkard later obtained a Refreshment License for Indigo in 1859.

Salle de Valentino, 1855 - UPDATED

SALLE DE VALENTINO,
Late Beechworth Assembly Rooms.
Grand Promenade Concert
and Ball,
ADMISSION FREE,
ON MONDAY, 16TH APRIL,and every other evening during the week, except Saturdays,
on which occasion a
Free and Easy
will be held.

 Programme :

Polka- 'Grand Sultan.' 
Quadrille- from 'Lucrezia Borgia.'
Song- 'Far, far upon the sea.'   
Schottische-
Opera.
Song - 'When swallows homeward fly,'
Waltz- 'Georgette.'
Duett- 'Am I not fondly thine own.'
Descriptive- Russian War Galop.

INTERMISSION.

Quadrille- 'Exhibition.'
Song- 'The Fortunate Man.'

          Polka - 'Beechworth', (first time), composed by Mr G Griffith

Song- 'The Marseillaise.'
Galop- 'Mount Etna.'
Finale- 'God Save the Queen.'

Advertising. (1855, April 14). Ovens and Murray Advertiser (Beechworth, Vic. : 1855 - 1866; 1914 -1918), p. 5. Retrieved April 23, 2014, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article113013300

 In this advertisement for a Grand Promenade Concert and Ball, George features in the program with his own composition, performed for the first time, a polka called Beechworth.  No other trace of this piece of music exists - missing like so many other pieces of colonial music. 

The "Salle de Valentino" or Valentino Room, was the Assembly Hall attached to the Beechworth Hotel a few months earlier.  It may have taken it's name from a similar venue in Melbourne, operating from 1854, which Robyn Annear described as "a vast canvas dancehall with resident polka band" in her book on Whelan the Wrecker.  This Salle had borrowed its name, from an entertainment venue in London.

This is the only reference so far located suggesting that George Griffith composed music, but we will live in hope.

UPDATED  This concert in Beechworth, to be held on Monday 16 April, was scheduled only two days after the birth of Edward George Griffith in Wangaratta. Various advertisements indicate that George was working in Beechworth in 1855, which suggests that Susan was staying in Wangaratta awaiting the birth of her child.  When the baby was registered by Susan in Beechworth a month later, she did not record any attendants at the birth neither doctor nor midwife.  However, on that score I am familiar with another Registrar who declined to record the names of midwives, and it may be that the information was provided but not recorded. 

Dancing, Dancing, Dancing! 1855 UPDATED

The Royal Photographic Society Collection at the National Media Museum  Inventory no: 2003-5001/2/24008. Beechworth, circa 1857, by Walter Woodbury. The hotel appears to be the Commercial Hotel in Ford St, Beechworth

ASSEMBLY ROOMS.
Dancing! Dancing! Dancing!
M LANGFORD, proprietor of the 
Beechworth Hotel, begs to inform 
the inhabitants of Beechworth and 
its vicinity, that he has rented the 
above rooms, with an intention of 
making it into a Dancing and Musical 
Saloon, which will be opened on
MONDAY, 9TH APRIL, 1855.
It is being fitted up in the best possible 
style, Messrs. Griffiths and Co.
(Harp and Violin players) are engaged 
as musicians, and the lovers of really
good music, singing, and dancing, 
will have an opportunity afforded 
them unequalled in the district.
Doors open every evening, from 
half past 6 to 12 p.m.
N.B.-There will be an entrance from 
the Assembly Rooms to the Billiard 
Room, which will enable persons    
who are fond of this game likewise
to amuse themselves.
Beechworth, March 30, 1855.

Advertising. (1855, March 31). Ovens and Murray Advertiser (Beechworth, Vic. : 1855 - 1866; 1914 -1918), p. 3. Retrieved April 23, 2014, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article113013270

"Messrs Griffiths and Co, Harp and Violin Players" probably included George Zeplin.  A five and a half hour evening gig would certainly leave George (both Georges) with plenty of daylight hours to work a claim.

UPDATE- Richard Patterson in Nobblers and Lushingtons places the Assembly Rooms next to the first Beechworth Hotel in Ford St.  Michael Langford had been the licensee of the El Dorado (later Exhange Hotel), where George's association with Langford began.

Wilkie's Music Saloon, Melbourne

 

The advertisement in which George Griffith announced his presence in Beechworth in 1855 alluded to previous employment in "Wilkie's Music Saloon".  Investigation in Trove for 1855 reveals this business to be located at 15 Collins St East, Melbourne.  This was on the north side of Collins Street, just around the corner from Elizabeth Street, and appears to have later become the site of Block Arcade.  In 1862 Wilkie formed a partnership with John Campbell Webster.  In 1863 the business was joined by George Leavis Allan.   The business became Wilkie, Webster & Allan in 1869 until 1876, at which time Allen became the sole proprietor, and then Allan & Co in when his son came into the business.  ( http://tinyurl.com/mqkvpzk  A Guide to Dating Music Published in Sydney and Melbourne 1800 to 1899, by Prue Neidorf, 1999.)

 Wilkie's Music Saloon offered retail sales of musical instruments, sheet music, instrument repairs, sales of concert tickets.  Portable instruments were popular in the goldrush, for obvious reasons, and in 1853 advertised:

GOOD Wages and constant work for a person un-
derstanding tuning and repairing accordeons, at
Joseph Wilkie's, Music and Pianoforte Saloon, 15,
Collins street.

Advertising. (1853, July 28). The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 -
1957), p. 1. Retrieved April 23, 2014, from
http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article4795079

 It is not clear where George learned the skills of instrument repair and piano tuning to which he later turned his hand, but perhaps he learnt some of it with Joseph Wilkie in Melbourne.  No trace can be found of George in Melbourne in this period, so it is impossible to be certain how long he had been employed there.  Joseph Wilkie himself had come to Melbourne in 1850 via Adelaide.  As we don't know when George arrived in Victoria, it is possible he was with Wilkie even at this stage.

Wilkie's business became very well known and influential in Melbourne - Joseph himself was later elected to the Legislative Council.  When the firm moved to a new three storey building erected nearby in 1877 by Allen & Co, Wilkie's name was still incorporated on the fascia of the building, above the first floor.

"MESSRS. ALLAN AND CO.'S NEW MUSIC WAREHOUSE, COLLINS STREET"

Melbourne : Ebenezer and David Syme  December 27, 1876.  Published in The illustrated

 Australian news State Library of Victoria Collection.

Around 1988, some 130-odd years later, the family renewed the contact with this old pre-gold-rush music business when George's gt gt granddaughter was employed by Brash's, which had taken over Allan & Co.

Read more about Joseph Wilkie on Austral Harmony.