Castlemaine

Agitation Hill, Castlemaine

Centred in Lyttleton Street, the monster meeting on Agitation Hill took place after a police raid on 09 May 1853 where men, women and children were evicted. Newspapers reported on a Monster Meeting at Castlemaine in consequence of the wanton and unjustifiable destruction, by the police of Castlemaine, of sundry tents and domiciles suspected at being disorderly places, a determined spirit of opposition has declared itself to their proceedings. At an early hour on Monday morning, the 9th inst., (being the day on which the prosecution was instituted against Richard McMahon, and others), several placards were posted in the most conspicuous localities of the township. The following is a copy of one of these documents:—

MEN OF CASTLEMAINE! MEET ON THE HILL BEHIND THE BAPTIST CHAPEL!

DIGGERS! – Avenge your wrongs and demand your rights, or otherwise you will live and die all slaves.

By 4pm that day around one thousand people assembled on Agitation Hill, a location in view of the government camp.

MONSTER MEETING AT CASTLEMAINE. In consequence of the wanton and unjustifiable destruction, by the police of Castlemaine, of sundry tents and domiciles suspected at being disorderly places, a determined spirit of opposition has declared itself to their proceedings. At an early hour on Monday morning, the 9th inst., (being the day on which the prosecution was instituted against Richard McMahon, and others), several placards were posted in the most conspicuous localities of the township. The following is a copy of one of these documents:— "Men of Castlemaine! "Meet this afternoon upon the hill behind the Baptist Chapel, to discuss matters relative to the Government proceedings of Saturday last. The chair to be taken at 4 p. m. The Deputy Sheriff will attend." About noon a preliminary meeting took place at Mr. Hitchcock's the auctioneer, where several gentlemen of station, wealth, and influence attended to make the necessary arrangements for the subsequent meeting. Certain resolutions were then drawn up, and submitted for approval. They will be found inserted in the proper place. At about half-past 4 o'clock, upwards of 800 people of all classes had congregated upon the selected ground: the sheriff arriving shortly after, active proceedings were commenced. The numerical force of the meeting was immensely increased before the speeches were concluded. Mr. Hitchcock addressed the populace. They were assembled together, he said, to redress a grievous wrong existing on the gold fields, and he trusted that good order, decorum and regularity would be observed. He would propose that the Reverend W.V. Jackson, Baptist minister, preside over the meeting. A long array of resolutions were unanimously adopted at the meeting, which, if eventually adopted by the authorities, will bring about a "root-and-branch" reform in the "digging administration" in "less than no time." Some time ago, a meeting was held by the diggers at Castlemaine, to take into consideration the necessity of petitioning government to erect a bridge across the creek at Castlemaine. No notice was taken of that petition until this morning, when a commissioner waited upon one of the people's representatives (Mr. Hitchcock) and requested that he and his brother representatives should see that a bridge was built, and that government would defray all expenses. Here now is the first conclusion to the diggers' demands. Government are evidently afraid. Dispatches are being sent off to Melbourne in quick succession and a crisis is considered near at hand. The Commissioners are even now assembled discussing the following estimates, and men are busily employed by the Castlemaine authorities re-building the destroyed domiciles. Five o'clock. "To F. Kingdom, Esq., Under-sheriff at Castlemaine. "We the undersigned, being elected as the Commissioners on behalf of the people of Castlemaine, do now in accordance with our duty, represent, that having received the report of the estimated damages, in the cases committed by the police, on Saturday the 1st May, Mr. McMahons, Adams, Phillips, Nevilles, from the committee appointed for the enquiry, (and whose names are here annexed) we have carefully considered them, and as far as practicable investigated the damages, losses, &c., and we now certify that, in our judgement, the compensation estimated by them, and now before us is just and reasonable, and therefore immediately due to the respective sufferers, viz., to Edward Adams, eating house keeper, £150 Richard McMahon, eating house keeper £900. —Neville, refreshment, &c tent, £190 —Phillips, chemist, &c, £160 Total, £1,000. The accompanying estimate for damages is therefore now submitted by us to the government and with the most loyal feelings we recommend that the parties be immediately compensated agreeable to this claim, that each may return to his respective business, and that no opportunity or occasion be given to the public for any expression of disloyalty; should any delay on the part of the government take place the damage will be seriously increased, and we fear that the excitement of the people in con-sequence thereof, be added to, so as to be dangerous to the safety of individuals, to the public peace, and to the present government.</ref>

The Reverend Mr V.W. Jackson had seen the police raid calling it ‘the disgraceful proceedings . . . on Saturday last.’, and acted as the meeting chair. Addressing the meeting he said:

I appear before you under circumstances perhaps very different from those under which I entered the colony; for on Saturday night I had the threat held out to me of being locked up. . . . I would put it to the meeting, if I was a minister of the gospel, and had been thus assailed and insulted because I presumed to sympathize with an unfortunate sufferer, what might the people not expect this year twelve months?

Local auctioneer William Hitchcock proposed the following motion:

... the whole of the district is so tyrannised over and disturbed, that this meeting declares its solemn belief that we are on the eve of a general revolution.

The next speaker, Mr Gill, expressed:

That a handful of men, to whom, in their official capacity, the civilians of the population are emboldened to look for protection, should pull down a house about a man’s ears on the information of a perjured scoundrel, instigated by an unscrupulous authority, unworthy the name of Christian – [Laughter and cheers] – for selling fermented liquors where no liquors were retailed, and the witness swore falsely, – was this conduct that which Englishmen ever submitted to? [‘No’.] Then why should they submit to such tyrannised treatment here? [‘Never, never,’ and ‘Down with the camp.’] It is time that these affairs should be brought to a crisis. It is time that the people should form an unanimous organisation, and proclaim their intention to demand a reformed Government, and a different system . . . than has hitherto oppressed the Australian Colonies. [Cheering.]

Castlemaine's highly respected medico, Dr W.F. Preshaw, announced:

I support the foregoing resolution with all my heart and soul and strength, and wealth and influence. [Great cheerings.] I support the foregoing resolution with inexplicable pleasure, and I do so as an out-and-out Tory and conservative; but as an out-and-out radical if necessary... . [Loud cheering.]

The followed Mr McEwan of the Bank of New South Wales:

Measures ought to be taken, and that immediately, for the suppression of such great and intolerable grievances as the people now complain of. [Hear, hear.] It becomes all to respond to this public requirement, and to be unanimous in demanding an alleviation of these great grievances. It is an unexampled and intolerable tyranny on the part of the Government to treat the people as they do. ... [Loud cheering.]

Mr Jones, Campbell's Creek auctioneer followed: I am well known by you all as being one of the oldest hands on the grounds. ... The tyranny of the Government has been such that, unless people take steps to intercept a despotic invasion of their constitutional rights, the relentless and unscrupulous authorities would take further liberties. [Loud cheering.] The local population consists of an extraordinary amalgamation from every country in Europe and throughout the colonies; it now becomes an obligation with the residents on the diggings to be unanimous and not trampled on. [Hear, hear.]

Firebrand Richard Southee was the last speaker:

If the Government dares to oppress the public much longer, a warrantable retribution will speedily follow. And what would be the character of that retribution? Why a revolution would ensue, sanguinary and exterminating. I have at every period of my existence been forward to support authority, when legitimately exercised, but I am also antagonistic to any infringement of the people’s rights. ... The people are determined to have satisfaction, and if the Government persists in their oppression, the public of Castlemaine are unanimously determined to oppose the authorities, crumble them to the dust as useless worms, and chivalrously demand their individual liberties. [Tremendous cheering.]

A vote followed and agreement was made to appoint three People’s Commissioners to present the meeting’s grievances to the Governor in person. The situation at Castlemaine was defused, in large part through the deft handling of the Chief Gold Commissioner. Inspector Christian was moved on. But antagonisms between the goldfields population and the ‘Campites’ continued to fester over the months ahead, in Castlemaine and throughout the golfields including Beechworth, and Bendigo, and at Ballarat and the Eureka diggings.

Names associated with Living in Castlemaine

Aberdeen

Henry Glenny

Harry Hambrook

William Hitchcock

Hutchings

Maynard

I.K. Montgomery

Pohl

E. Potts

W.F. Preshaw

Fr Patrick Smyth

Andrew Turnbull

John Westoby

Also See

Abodes