Michael Carroll

Goldfields Involvement, 1854

EUREKA MEMORIES – RECALLED BY VETERANS DEATH

There passed away at the Ballarat Benevolent Home yesterday morning, Mr Michael Carroll, whose name is directly connected with the early Eureka Day at Ballarat. Mr Carroll, who celebrated his 82nd birthday on 17th April last, was one in whom visitors enjoyed many pleasant hours listening to the happenings of the Eureka days. He was possessed of a splendid memory, and as late as yesterday week conversed freely with friends concerning his early youthful experiences. It was only during the early part of last week that Mr Carroll’s health cause any concern, and he passed away at 9 o’clock yesterday. The deceased was one who was highly respected by the Benevolent Home officials and also by the many constant visitors, all of whom expressed their sorrow at the old pioneers passing. Deceased was one of Ballarat’s Pioneers, and his names is well associated with Eureka days, as he accompanied his father, who drove the dray that took Peter Lalor to Geelong after the Eureka Stockade fight. He remembered well the great meeting on Bakery Hill a fortnight before the riot to demand the release of the four miners who had been imprisoned for having burnt Bentley’s Hotel. Peter Lalor was at this meeting appointed commander in chief, and all diggers took the oath, “We swear to stand true to each other in demanding the release of the four miners imprisoned for the burning of Bentley’s Hotel.” The excitement was very great. One miner, Humffray by name, did not want to take part in the riot and was met with the rejoinder fro the person named McIntyre “Moral persuasion is all humbug: nothing can convince like a lick on the lug”. The Southern Cross flag was hoisted on the Hill, and a great cheering followed. At this period Mr Carroll was then a boy aged 13. After the meeting Mr Carroll went back with his father in a dray to Brown Hill, and stayed with a man named Michael Hayes, whose son is still alive in Ballarat. Mr Hayes kept a store with Carr, and Mr Carroll’s father did his carting from Geelong. It was here after Eureka that Lalor was taken, and this information was secretly given to Carroll and his father. On their next trip to Geelong they were entrusted with a letter to Miss Dunn concerning the future movements of Lalor, for whose arrest their was a good reward. The letter was safely delivered. Lalor was injured in the arm during the fight, and it was arranged that deceased and his father should take him to Geelong. They did so. Their first stop was at Muddy Water Holes, now named Lethbridge. There was no day travelling owing to the alertness of the Police Department and proclamation were to be seen nailed on the trees throughout the whole trip offering a reward for Lalor’s capture. The traffic, says Mr Carroll, on the Leigh road was very great, and during the day they were camped alongside the road. At Murphy’s Hotel, Muddy Water Holes, whilst the party was camped, two swagmen came along, and one looked into the dray where Lalor was concealed. Having been at the Eureka he recognised him and left, it was supposed to acquaint the police and claim the reward, but was found drunk afterwards. It was necessary to make a forward move, and the journey was continued as far as the Separation hotel, some 12 miles from Geelong, which was reached at 12.a.m. The next stage of the journey was successfully completed to Geelong, where Mr Carroll’s sister and brother, conveyed Lalor to Miss Dunn’s, and then to the Young Queen Hotel in Moorabool St, which was kept by Johnny Moore. It was here that a second operation was performed on Lalor’s arm, and he stayed at the hotel until all the Treason charges had been heard in the courts, after which he was a free man.

Further Reading

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

External links

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Caption, Reference.