Martin Gullan

Goldfields Involvement, 1854

A GEELONG REMINISCENCE.

With the celebration in Ballarat of the Eureka Stockade jubilee (says the "Gee long Advertiser." memories are revived amongst the old colonists of the stirring events of the digging days, and amongst the interesting scraps of information that come from all sources is an episode in which Cr Martin Gullan, of Winchelsea. figured. The riot at Bentley's hotel, on 17th October, culminating in its destruc tion by fire was one of tbe most exciting scenes next to the defence of the stockade itself, and the signal for the rush of miners on the building was the breaking of the Hotel lamp by a boy. The youngster was Martin Gullan then 14 years of age, and very innocently he was led into a deed that fairly sent the miners mad. A burly digger hailed him in front of the hotel with, “Well, my boy, do you think you could break that lamp " Gullan replied, “Yes. if I had a stone." “Here's one, then," said the miner, handing him a lump of quartz, which, after shattering the lamp to frag ments, crashed through the window of the bar. In an instant a scene of wild confusion was created, and Mr Gullan has a very clear recollection of the burn ing of the hotel. He still remembers the harsh treatment meted out to the miners by the officials, and relates inci dents where exorbitant fines were imposed for trifling offences.

Further Reading

Corfield, J., Wickham, D., & Gervasoni, C. The Eureka Encyclopaedia, Ballarat Heritage Services, 2004.

External links

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Caption, Reference.