The 'Eureka Flag'

The Eureka Stockade was the setting of a gold miners' revolt in 1854 in Ballarat, Victoria, Australia, against the officials supervising the mining of gold in the region. The revolt was prompted by grievances over heavily priced mining items, the expense of a Miner's Licence, taxation (via the licence) without representation and the actions of the government and its agents (the police and military).^{[1] [2]} While the events which sparked the rebellion were specific to the Ballarat goldfields, the underlying grievances had been the subject of public meetings, civil disobedience and deputations across the various Victorian goldfields for almost three years.^{[citation needed]} The miners' demands included the right to vote and purchase land, and the reduction of Licence fees. Agitation for these demands commenced with the Forest Creek Monster Meeting of December 1851 and included the formation of the Anti-Gold Licence Association at nearby Bendigo in 1853. 22 people died in the revolt and 35 were injured. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... The Eureka Flag The Eureka Flag was the battle flag used at the Eureka Stockade, a gold miners revolt in 1854 in Ballarat, Victoria, Australia. ... This article is about revolution in the sense of a drastic change. ... A view of Ballarat East and Eureka from Sovereign Hill. ... Motto: Peace and Prosperity Other Australian states and territories Capital Melbourne Governor HE Mr John Landy Premier Steve Bracks (ALP) Area 237,629 km² (6th)  - Land 227,416 km²  - Water 10,213 km² (4. ... This article is about mineral extractions. ... GOLD refers to one of the following: GOLD (IEEE) is an IEEE program designed to garner more student members at the university level (Graduates of the Last Decade). ... The Miners Licence was the colonial governments response to the Australian gold rushes and the need to provide infrastructure including policing. ... One of the social effects of the gold rushes in the colony of Victoria (Australia) in the period 1851-54 was the growing demand for political representation and reasonable limits to taxation. ... The Anti-Gold Licence Association was formed in Bendigo, Victoria, Australia on 6 June 1853. ... For the electoral division in the Australian House of Representatives, see Division of Bendigo. ...

Although swiftly and violently put down, the Eureka rebellion was a watershed event in Australian politics. The preceding three years of agitation for the miners' demands, combined with mass public support in Melbourne for the captured 'rebels' when they were placed on trial, resulted in the introduction of full white-male suffrage for elections for the lower house in the Victorian parliament.^[3] The role of the Eureka Stockade in generating public support for these demands beyond the goldfields resulted in Eureka being controversially identified with the birth of democracy in Australia.^[4][5][6] Judicial High Court Lower Courts Constitution State and territory governments Executive Governors and Administrators Premiers and Chief Ministers Legislative Parliaments and Assemblies State electoral systems ACT - NSW - NT - Qld. ... Elections Part of the Politics series Politics Portal This box:      Universal suffrage (also general suffrage or common suffrage) consists of the extension of the right to vote to all adults, without distinction as to race, sex, belief, intelligence, or economic or social status. ... The Legislative Assembly, or lower house, is one of the two chambers of the parliament of Victoria in Australia. ...

[edit] Protests, Chartism and the Ballarat Reform League

Civil disobedience and protests began to grow as a result of these perceived injustices: For other uses, see Civil disobedience (disambiguation). ...

• Tuesday, 17 October 1854: At the spot where James Scobie was allegedly murdered, 5,000-10,000 diggers gathered to protest the wrongful acquittal of their prime suspect. Catherine Bentley, the owner of the Eureka Hotel, and her husband James Bentley fled for their lives as the hotel was burnt down.
• Sunday, 22 October 1854: Ballarat Catholics met to protest the treatment of Father Smyth's servant.
• Monday, 23 October 1854: A mass meeting to protest the selective arrest of McIntyre and Fletcher for burning down Mrs. Catherine Bentley and Son's Eureka Hotel attracted 4,000 miners and supporters of the Ballarat reform league. It was decided to form a Digger's Right Society, to maintain their rights.
• Tuesday, 1 November 1854: 3,000 diggers met once again at Bakery Hill. They were addressed by Kennedy, Holyoake, Black and Ross. The diggers were further incensed by the arrest of another seven of their number, for the burning down of the Eureka Hotel.
• Saturday, 11 November 1854: A crowd estimated at more than 10,000 miners gathered at Bakery Hill, directly opposite the government encampment. At this meeting, the "Ballarat Reform League" was created, under the chairmanship of Chartist John Basson Humffray. Several other Reform League leaders, including Thomas Kennedy and Henry Holyoake, had been involved with the Chartist movement in England. Many of the miners had past involvement in the Chartist movement and the social upheavals in England, Ireland, and continental Europe during the 1840s.

In setting its goals, the Ballarat Reform League used the British Chartist movement's principles. The meeting passed a resolution "that it is the inalienable right of every citizen to have a voice in making the laws he is called on to obey, that taxation without representation is tyranny". The meeting also decided to leave open the possibility of secession from the United Kingdom if the situation did not improve.^[7] is the 290th day of the year (291st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1854 (MDCCCLIV) was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... James Scobie was a Scottish gold miner murdered at Ballarat, Victoria, Australia on 7 October 1854. ... is the 295th day of the year (296th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1854 (MDCCCLIV) was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... is the 296th day of the year (297th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1854 (MDCCCLIV) was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... is the 305th day of the year (306th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1854 (MDCCCLIV) was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... is the 315th day of the year (316th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1854 (MDCCCLIV) was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... This January 2007 article does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Chartism was a movement for political and social reform in the United Kingdom during the mid-19th century between 1838 and 1848. ... John Basson Humffray (1824-91) migrated to Victoria in 1853, at Ballarat from November. ... Chartism was a movement for political and social reform in the United Kingdom during the mid-19th century between 1838 and 1848. ... For other uses, see England (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Europe (disambiguation). ... Chartism was a movement for political and social reform in the United Kingdom during the mid-19th century between 1838 and 1848. ...

The demands of the Ballarat Reform League encompassed:^{[citation needed]}

• Manhood suffrage (the right for all men to vote, excluding Aborigines).
• Abolition of the property qualifications for members of parliament.
• Payment of members of parliament.
• Voting by secret ballot.
• Short term parliaments.
• Equal electoral districts.
• Abolition of diggers and storekeepers licenses.
• Reform of administration of the gold fields.
• Revision of laws relating to Crown land.

Throughout the following weeks, the League sought to negotiate with Commissioner Rede and Governor Hotham, both on the specific unsubstantiated matters relating to Bentley and the men being tried for the burning of the Eureka Hotel, and on the broader issues of abolition of the licence, universal suffrage and democratic representation of the gold fields, and disbanding of the Gold Commission. Commissioner Rede's response has been attributed by many historians (most notably Manning Clark) to his belief in his right to exert authority over the "rabble." Rather than hear the grievances, he increased the police presence in the gold fields and summoned reinforcements from Melbourne. Vote redirects here. ... Elections Part of the Politics series Politics Portal This box:      The secret ballot is a voting method in which a voters choices are confidential. ... Charles Hotham Sir Charles Hotham KCB RN (January 14, 1806 - December 31, 1855) was Lieutenant-governor and, later, Governor of Victoria, Australia from June 1854 - 31 December 1855. ... Manning Clark in his study in about 1988 Charles Manning Hope Clark AC (3 March 1915 – 23 May 1991), Australian historian, was the author of the best-known general history of Australia, his six-volume History of Australia, published between 1962 and 1987. ... This article is about the Australian city; the name may also refer to City of Melbourne or Melbourne city centre (also known as The CBD). ...

On Monday 6 November 1854, a delegation from the Ballarat Reform League — John Humffray, George Black and Thomas Kennedy — met with Governor Hotham. They attempted to negotiate the release of the miners arrested after the attack on Eureka Hotel, and presented the demands for universal suffrage as well as abolition of the miners and storekeepers licenses. The only concession Hotham was willing to make was for one digger's representative to be elected to the Legislative Council.^{[citation needed]} The delegation rejected this, and returned to Ballarat empty-handed. is the 310th day of the year (311th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1854 (MDCCCLIV) was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... Charles Hotham Sir Charles Hotham KCB RN (January 14, 1806 - December 31, 1855) was Lieutenant-governor and, later, Governor of Victoria, Australia from June 1854 - 31 December 1855. ...

The writings of Raffaello Carboni, who was present at the Stockade, make it clear that "amongst the foreigners ... there was no democratic feeling, but merely a spirit of resistance to the licence fee"; and he also disputes the accusations "that have branded the miners of Ballarat as disloyal to their QUEEN" (emphasis as in the original).^[8] Raffaello Carboni (15 December 1817 - 24 October 1875) was an Italian writer. ...

[edit] Escalation

Swearing Allegiance to the Southern Cross on 1 December 1854 — watercolour by Charles Doudiet

On 28 November 1854, the reinforcements marching from Melbourne were attacked by a crowd of miners. A number were injured, and a drummer boy was allegedly killed. The rumour of the drummer boy's death was perpetuated, even with a memorial erected to him in Ballarat Cemetery for many years, although historical research has shown that the boy, John Egan, continued military service until dying in 1860.^[9] Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 589 pixel Image in higher resolution (2112 × 1556 pixel, file size: 480 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) This was a historical moment. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 589 pixel Image in higher resolution (2112 × 1556 pixel, file size: 480 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) This was a historical moment. ... is the 335th day of the year (336th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1854 (MDCCCLIV) was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... Charles Doudiet (1832 - June 13, 1913) was a Canadian artist and digger present at the Eureka Stockade, Ballarat, Australia, in 1854. ... is the 332nd day of the year (333rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1854 (MDCCCLIV) was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ...

At a meeting of about 12,000 'diggers' on the following day, (29 November), the Reform League delegation relayed its failure to achieve any success in negotiations with the authorities. The miners resolved on open resistance to the authorities and to burn the hated licences. is the 333rd day of the year (334th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

Most notably, the Eureka Flag, a blue flag designed by a Canadian miner, "Captain" Henry Ross, and bearing nothing but the Southern Cross, was flown for the first (recorded) time. As a gesture of defiance^{[citation needed]}, it deliberately excluded the British Union Flag, which is included in the official flag of Australia. The Argus newspaper, of 4 December 1854, reported that the Union Jack flag flew underneath the Southern Cross flag of the diggers at the Eureka Stockade. The original Eureka flag is now housed at the Ballarat Fine Art Gallery. The Eureka Flag The Eureka Flag was the battle flag used at the Eureka Stockade, a gold miners revolt in 1854 in Ballarat, Victoria, Australia. ... Captain Henry Ross, in a photo displayed by the Ballarat Fine Art Gallery Captain Henry Ross (1829 - 5 December 1854) was a Canadian gold miner at Ballarat, Victoria, Australia, and was known on the goldfields as the bridegroom of the miners flag, the Southern Cross, the Eureka Flag. ... CRUX is a lightweight, i686-optimized Linux distribution targeted at experienced Linux users. ... Flag Ratio: 1:2 Flag Ratio: 3:5 The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland uses as its national flag the Royal Banner commonly known as the Union Flag or, popularly, Union Jack (although officially this title should only be given to the flag when it is flown... National flag and state ensign. ...

At the meeting on Bakery Hill an oath of allegiance was sworn: "We swear by the Southern Cross to stand truly by each other and fight to defend our rights and liberties."^[10]

Rede responded by ordering police to conduct a licence search on 30 November. Eight defaulters were arrested, and most of the military resources available had to be summoned to extricate the arresting officers from the angry mob that had assembled.^[11] This raid prompted a change in the leadership of the Reform League, to people who argued in favour of 'physical force' rather than the 'moral force' championed by Humffray and the old leadership.^[12] In the rising tide of anger and resentment amongst the miners, a more militant leader, Peter Lalor, was elected. In swift fashion, a military structure was assembled. Brigades were formed, and captains were appointed. Licences were burned, the rebel "Eureka" flag was unfurled, and an oath of allegiance was sworn. The miners who enacmped themselves around the flag vowed to defend themselves from licence hunts and harassment by the authorities. is the 334th day of the year (335th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... An ochlocracy from The Simpsons Ochlocracy (Greek: οχλοκρατία or ohlokratía; Latin: ochlocratia) is government by mob or a mass of people, or the intimidation of constitutional authorities. ... The Hon. ...

The celebrated stockade itself was a ramshackle affair hastily constructed over the following days from timber and overturned carts. The structure was never meant to be a military stockade or fortress. In the words of Lalor: "it was nothing more than an enclosure to keep our own men together, and was never erected with an eye to military defence". Lalor had already outlined a plan whereby, "if the government forces came to attack us, we should meet them on the Gravel Pits, and if compelled, we should retreat by the heights to the old Canadian Gully, and there make our final stand".^{[citation needed]}

Irish born people were strongly represented at the Eureka Stockade. ^[13] Eureka historians have discovered that as well as most of the miners inside the stockade, in the area where the defensive position was established, the miners were overwhelmingly Irish. Even the password used at the Eureka Stockade — "Vinegar Hill" — was the scene of an 1804 Irish convict uprising in New South Wales (Battle of Vinegar Hill). A cartoon of the Irish rebellion some years later The Castle Hill Rebellion of 4 March 1804, also called the Irish Rebellion and the Battle of Vinegar Hill, was Australias only successful large-scale convict rebellion. ...

During Saturday 2 December, some 1500 men trained in and around the stockade.^{[citation needed]} A further two hundred Americans, the Independent Californian Rangers, under the leadership of James McGill, arrived about 4 pm. The Americans were armed with revolvers and Mexican knives, and possessed horses. In a fateful decision, McGill decided to take most of the Californian Rangers away from the stockade to intercept rumoured British reinforcements coming from Melbourne. Rede's spies observed these actions. That night many of the miners went back to their own tents after the traditional Saturday night carousing, with the assumption that the Queen's military forces would not be sent to attack on the Sabbath, Sunday. A small contingent of about 150 miners remained at the stockade overnight, which the spies reported to Rede. is the 336th day of the year (337th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

[edit] Peter Lalor

Main article: Peter Lalor

Eureka leader Peter Lalor in later life as Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Victoria

Lalor was the leader of the miners who fought at the Eureka Stockade, and the author of the oath of allegiance used by the miners at the Eureka Stockade which he swore to their affirmation. He was originally from Tinakill in County Laois, Ireland. He was the son of a member of the British House of Commons. According to Bert and Bon Strange "... it seems he became commander-in-chief almost by accident...He was 25 years of age, six feet tall and impulsive by nature.Their licence was 2 pound a month" The Hon. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Lalor. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Lalor. ...

Ballarat historian Weston Bate says Lalor "...a positive, independent thinker, but no democrat, mounted the stump and proclaimed 'Liberty', and called for volunteers to form (military) companies. His initiative declared him leader."

After the battle, Lalor wrote in a statement to the colonists of Victoria, "There are two things connected with the late outbreak (Eureka) which I deeply regret. The first is, that we should have been forced to take up arms at all; and the second is, that when we were compelled to take the field in our own defence, we were unable (through want of arms, ammunition and a little organisation) to inflict on the real authors of the outbreak the punishment they so richly deserved."^[14]

Lalor was elected unopposed in the 1856 Victorian elections. As he was the Eureka hero his policies were not scrutinised at all before the election and his later voting record as a parliamentarian shows he once opposed a bill to introduce full white-male suffrage in the colony of Victoria. Cited in Weston Bate Lucky City page 133. During a speech in the Legislative Council in 1856 he said, "I would ask these gentlemen what they mean by the term 'democracy'. Do they mean Chartism or Communism or Republicanism? If so, I never was, I am not now, nor do I ever intend to be a democrat. But if a democrat means opposition to a tyrannical press, a tyrannical people, or a tyrannical government, then I have been, I am still, and will ever remain a democrat."^{[citation needed]} Weston Bate wrote that the role of landowner and company director seemed to suit him more than that of rebel.

Weston Bate in Lucky City at page 134 stated that Peter Lalor "disgraced himself in democratic eyes by trying to use Chinese as strike-breakers at the Clunes mine of which he was a director. He was absolutely ruthless in using low paid Chinese workers to get rid of Australians seeking better and safer working conditions. In parliament he supported a repressive land Bill in 1857 which favoured the rich. There were 17,745 Ballarat signatures to a petition against Lalor's land Bill. Lalor never represented Ballarat again and in the 1859 election, he stood for South Granville.

Weston Bate ibid. p. 184 stated that Withers and others were puzzled and hurt that the folk hero should prove to be a better fighter for money and political position than for the people's rights.

[edit] Battle/conflict

Rede's inaction thus far did not reflect his true intent, and at 3 am on Sunday, 3 December 1854, a party of 276 police and military personnel under the command of Captain J.W. Thomas approached the Eureka Stockade and a battle ensued. There is no agreement as to which side fired first, but the battle was fierce, brief, and terribly one-sided. The ramshackle army of miners was hopelessly outclassed by a military regiment and was routed in about 15 minutes. During the height of the battle, Lalor was shot in his right arm, took refuge under some timber and was smuggled out of the stockade and hidden. His arm was later amputated. is the 337th day of the year (338th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1854 (MDCCCLIV) was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ...

Map of the stockade

Killing was indiscriminate, bodies were mutilated, tents set on fire, and nearby stores were burnt and pillaged (store owners and others later received compensation for this destruction).^{[citation needed]} Stories tell how women ran forward and threw themselves over the injured to prevent further indiscriminate killing. The Commission of Inquiry would later say that it was "a needless as well as a ruthless sacrifice of human life indiscriminate of innocent or guilty, and after all resistance had disappeared".^{[citation needed]} Image File history File links Map_of_eureka_stockade_1854. ... Image File history File links Map_of_eureka_stockade_1854. ...

According to Lalor's report, fourteen miners (mostly Irish) died inside the stockade and an additional eight died later from injuries they sustained. A further dozen were wounded but recovered. Three months after the Eureka Stockade, Peter Lalor wrote: "As the inhuman brutalities practised by the troops are so well known, it is unnecessary for me to repeat them. There were 34 digger casualties of which 22 died. The unusual proportion of the killed to the wounded, is owing to the butchery of the military and troopers after the surrender."^{[citation needed]}

By 7am, Captain Pasley, the second in command of the British forces, sickened by the carnage, saved a group of prisoners from being bayoneted and threatened to shoot any police or soldiers who continued with the slaughter. One hundred and fourteen diggers, some wounded, were marched off to the Government camp about two kilometres away, where they were kept in an overcrowded lockup, before being moved to a more spacious barn on Monday morning.

Among the soldiers and military police, six were killed, including one Captain Wise. Martial law was imposed, and all armed resistance collapsed. News of the massacre spread quickly to Melbourne and other gold field regions, turning a perceived Government military victory in repressing a minor insurrection into a public relations disaster, with widespread condemnation of the Government's action and support for the diggers' requested reforms.^{[citation needed]} Battlespace Weapons Tactics Strategy Organization Logistics Lists War Portal         For other uses, see Martial law (disambiguation). ...

[edit] Aftermath

A memorial stone

As historian Geoffrey Blainey has commented, "Every government in the world would probably have counterattacked in the face of the building of the stockade." For a few weeks it appeared that the status quo had been restored, and Rede ruled the camps with an iron fist. A memorial stone for those who died in the Eureka Stockade. ... A memorial stone for those who died in the Eureka Stockade. ... Professor Geoffrey Blainey AC (born 11 March 1930), is one of Australias most significant historians. ... This article is about the English rock band. ...

[edit] Trials for Sedition and High Treason

The first trial relating to the rebellion was a charge of sedition against Henry Seekamp of the Ballarat Times. Seekamp was arrested in his newspaper office on 4 December 1854, for a series of articles that appeared in the Ballarat Times. Many of these articles were written by George Lang, the son of the prominent republican and Presbyterian Minister of Sydney, the Reverend John Dunmore Lang. He was tried and convicted of seditious libel by a Melbourne jury on 23 January 1855 and, after a series of appeals, sentenced to six months imprisonment on 23 March. He was released from prison on 28 June 1855, precisely three months early. Australian sedition law is the area of the criminal law of Australia relating to the crime of sedition. ... Henry Erle Seekamp (1829 - July 19, 1864) was the journalist, editor and owner of the Ballarat Times at the time of the Eureka Stockade in 1854. ... is the 338th day of the year (339th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1854 (MDCCCLIV) was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... John Dunmore Lang (25 August 1799 - 8 August 1878), Australian clergyman, writer, politician and activist, was the first prominent advocate of an independent Australian nation and of Australian republicanism. ... is the 23rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1855 (MDCCCLV) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian Calendar (or a common year starting on Saturday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... is the 82nd day of the year (83rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 179th day of the year (180th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1855 (MDCCCLV) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian Calendar (or a common year starting on Saturday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ...

A reward of 400 pounds was issued for Peter Lalor and George Black

Of the 120 odd 'diggers' detained after the rebellion, thirteen were brought to trial. They were^[15]: Image File history File links Download high resolution version (669x884, 101 KB) Summary Reward notice, scanned in from pictorial history of australia. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (669x884, 101 KB) Summary Reward notice, scanned in from pictorial history of australia. ... The Hon. ...

• Timothy Hayes, Chairman of the Ballarat Reform League,
• James McFie Campbell a black man from Kingston Jamaica
• Raffaello Carboni, an Italian and trusted lieutenant who was in charge of the European diggers as he spoke a few European languages. Carboni self published his account of the Eureka Stockade a year after the Stockade, the only comprehensive eyewitness account.
• Jacob Sorenson, a Jew
• John Manning, a Ballarat Times journalist, from Ireland
• John Phelan, a friend and business partner of Peter Lalor, from Ireland
• Thomas Dignum, born in Sydney
• John Joseph, a black American from New York
• James Beattie, from Ireland
• William Molloy, from Ireland
• Jan Vennick, from Holland,
• Michael Tuohy
• Henry Reid

The first trial started on 22 February 1855, with John Joseph being brought before the court on charges of high treason. Joseph was one of three Americans arrested at the stockade, with the US Consul intervening for the release of the other two Americans. The prosecution was handled by Attorney General William Stawell representing the Crown before Chief Justice William à Beckett. After hearing the evidence, the jury quickly returned a Not Guilty verdict with the court erupting in wild cheering. John Joseph was carried around the streets of Melbourne in a chair in triumph by over 10,000 people. Raffaello Carboni (15 December 1817 - 24 October 1875) was an Italian writer. ... is the 53rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1855 (MDCCCLV) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian Calendar (or a common year starting on Saturday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... Sir William Foster Stawell (June 27, 1815 - 1889), British colonial statesman, was the son of Jonas Stawell, of Old Court, in the county of Cork, and of Anna, daughter of the Right Rev. ... The Hon Sir William à Beckett (1806 – 1869) Australian judge, was the first Chief Justice of Victoria. ...

Under the auspices of Victorian Chief Justice Redmond Barry, all the other 13 accused men were rapidly acquitted to great public acclaim. Rede himself was quietly removed from the camps and reassigned to an insignificant position in rural Victoria. Sir Redmond Barry (1813 - November 23, 1880) was a British colonial judge in Victoria, Australia. ...

[edit] Commission of Enquiry

Centenary anniversary commemoration in 1954

Governor Hotham, on the 16 November 1854, appointed a Royal Commission on goldfields problems and grievances. According to Blainey, "It was perhaps the most generous concession offered by a governor to a major opponent in the history of Australia up to that time. The members of the commission were appointed before Eureka...they were men who were likely to be sympathetic to the diggers." Image File history File links Eureka1954handbill. ... Image File history File links Eureka1954handbill. ... Charles Hotham Sir Charles Hotham KCB RN (January 14, 1806 - December 31, 1855) was Lieutenant-governor and, later, Governor of Victoria, Australia from June 1854 - 31 December 1855. ... is the 320th day of the year (321st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

When its report was handed down, it was scathing in its assessment of all aspects of the administration of the gold fields, and particularly the Eureka Stockade affair. It made several major recommendations, one of which was to restrict Chinese immigration. The gold licences were abolished, and replaced by an annual miner's right and an export fee based on the value of the gold. Mining wardens replaced the gold commissioners, and police numbers were cut drastically. The Legislative Council was expanded to allow representation to the major goldfields and Peter Lalor and John Basson Humffray were elected for Ballarat. After 12 months, all but one of the demands of the Ballarat Reform League had been granted. Lalor and Humffray both enjoyed distinguished careers as politicians, with Lalor later elected as Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Victoria. The Miners Licence was the colonial governments response to the Australian gold rushes and the need to provide infrastructure including policing. ... The Miners Right was introduced in 1855 in the colony of Victoria, replacing the Miners Licence. ... The Hon. ... John Basson Humffray (1824-91) migrated to Victoria in 1853, at Ballarat from November. ... The Legislative Assembly, or lower house, is one of the two chambers of the parliament of Victoria in Australia. ...

[edit] Commemoration

150th anniversary official commemoration, December 3, 2004

Dawn Lantern Walk, 2004

Over the next thirty years, press interest in the events that had taken place at the Eureka Stockade dwindled, but Eureka was kept alive at the campfires and in the pubs, and in memorial events in Ballarat. In addition, key figures such as Lalor and Humfray were still in the public eye. Eureka had not been forgotten: it was readily remembered, and a flag similar to the Eureka flag was flown above the Barcaldine strike camp in the 1891 Australian shearers' strike. The rebellion was also recalled in the poetry of Henry Lawson, such as Flag of the Southern Cross (1887), Eureka (A Fragment) (1889), The Fight at Eureka Stockade (1890), and Freedom on the Wallaby (1891), Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1600x1067, 184 KB) Summary Eureka Stockade 150th anniversary official commemoration at Dawn, December 3, 2005. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1600x1067, 184 KB) Summary Eureka Stockade 150th anniversary official commemoration at Dawn, December 3, 2005. ... is the 337th day of the year (338th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1600x1067, 131 KB) Summary Eureka Dawn Lantern Walk, 2004 The Walk traces the route of the soldiers to the Eureka Stockade on Sunday December 3, 1854. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1600x1067, 131 KB) Summary Eureka Dawn Lantern Walk, 2004 The Walk traces the route of the soldiers to the Eureka Stockade on Sunday December 3, 1854. ... Barcaldine is a small town located in Western Queensland, Australia, approximately 520 kilometres by road west of the city of Rockhampton. ... The 1891 Shearers Strike is one of Australias oldest and most important industrial disputes. ... Henry Lawson, circa 1902 Henry Lawson[1] (17 June 1867 - 2 September 1922) was an Australian writer and poet. ... Henry Lawsons well known poem, Freedom on the Wallaby, was written as a comment on the 1891 Australian shearers strike and published by William Lane in the Worker in Brisbane, May 16, 1891. ...

In 1889, Melbourne businessmen employed renowned American cyclorama artist Thaddeus Welch, who teamed up with local artist Izett Watson to paint 1000 square feet (90 m²) of canvas of the Eureka Stockade, wrapped around a wooden structure. When it opened in Melbourne, the exhibition was an instant hit. The Age reported in 1891 that "it afforded a very good opportunity for people to see what it might have been like at Eureka". The Australasian claimed "that many persons familiar with the incidents depicted, were able to testify to the fidelity of the painted scene". The people of Melbourne flocked to the cyclorama, paid up and had their picture taken before it. It was eventually dismantled and disappeared from sight. A cyclorama is a cylindrical painting designed to provide a viewer, standing in the middle of the cylinder, with a 360° view of the painting. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

The writer Samuel Clemens, better known as Mark Twain, visited the Victorian Goldfields in 1895. Following his visit, he said of the Eureka Stockade: Samuel Langhorne Clemens (November 30, 1835 – April 21, 1910),[1] better known by the pen name Mark Twain, was an American humanist,[2] humorist, satirist, lecturer and writer. ...

By and by there was a result, and I think it may be called the finest thing in Australasian history. It was a revolution — small in size; but great politically; it was a strike for liberty, a struggle for principle, a stand against injustice and oppression....It is another instance of a victory won by a lost battle. It adds an honorable page to history; the people know it and are proud of it. They keep green the memory of the men who fell at the Eureka stockade, and Peter Lalor has his monument.

—Mark Twain^[16]

The materials used to build the stockade were rapidly removed to be used for the mines, and the entire area around the site was so extensively worked that the original landscape became unrecognisable, so identifying the the exact location of the stockade is now virtually impossible. Samuel Langhorne Clemens (November 30, 1835 – April 21, 1910),[1] better known by the pen name Mark Twain, was an American humanist,[2] humorist, satirist, lecturer and writer. ...

Memorials to soldiers and miners are location in the Ballarat Old Cemetery^[17] and the Eureka Stockade Memorial is located within the Eureka Stockade Gardens and is listed on Australia's National Heritage List.^[18]

[edit] Eureka today

Pre dawn at the Eureka Monument, December 3, 2005

The Eureka Stockade (and the driving force of public opinion that followed) has been characterised as the "Birth of Democracy" within Australia. Its actual significance is uncertain; it has been variously mythologised by particular interest groups as a revolt of free men against imperial tyranny, of independent free enterprise against burdensome taxation, of labour against a privileged ruling class, or as an expression of republicanism. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1600x1067, 208 KB) Summary Photo of the Eureka Monument before the Pre-dawn commemoration on December 3, 2005. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1600x1067, 208 KB) Summary Photo of the Eureka Monument before the Pre-dawn commemoration on December 3, 2005. ... is the 337th day of the year (338th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Republicanism in Australia is the movement to change Australias status as a constitutional monarchy to a republican form of government. ...

The Eureka Stockade was certainly the most prominent rebellion in Australia's history and, depending on how one defines rebellion, can be regarded as the only such event. (But see also Rum Rebellion, Vinegar Hill and more recently the New Guard.) Its significance, however, remains debatable. Some historians believe that the prominence of the event in the public record has come about because Australian history does not include a major armed rebellion phase equivalent to the French Revolution, the English Civil War, or the American War of Independence or any of the numerous rebellions in Ireland before the ultimate successful Irish War of Independence of 1919-1921 which led to Ireland (excluding 6 north east counties) achieving dominion status: in consequence (according to this view) the Eureka story tends to be inflated well beyond its real significance. Others, however, maintain that Eureka was a seminal event and that it marked a major change in the course of Australian history. This article is about the Australian rebellion. ... A cartoon of the Irish rebellion some years later The Castle Hill Rebellion of 4 March 1804, also called the Irish Rebellion and the Battle of Vinegar Hill, was Australias only successful large-scale convict rebellion. ... The New Guard was a paramilitary organisation that existed in Australia in the 1930s[1]. Though it had some members from other parts of Australia, its membership and support base was predominantly confined to the State of New South Wales and its capital city, Sydney. ... The French Revolution (1789–1815) was a period of political and social upheaval in the political history of France and Europe as a whole, during which the French governmental structure, previously an absolute monarchy with feudal privileges for the aristocracy and Catholic clergy, underwent radical change to forms based on... For other uses, see English Civil War (disambiguation). ... The American Revolutionary War (1775–1783), also known as the American War of Independence, was a war fought primarily between Great Britain and revolutionaries within thirteen of her North American colonies. ... Combatants Irish Republic United Kingdom Commanders Michael Collins Richard Mulcahy Cathal Brugha Important local IRA leaders Henry Hugh Tudor Strength Irish Republican Army c. ...

In 1980, historian Geoffrey Blainey drew attention to the fact that many miners were temporary migrants from Britain and the United States, who did not intend to settle permanently in Australia. He wrote: Professor Geoffrey Blainey AC (born 11 March 1930), is one of Australias most significant historians. ...

"Nowadays it is common to see the noble Eureka flag and the rebellion of 1854 as the symbol of Australian independence, of freedom from foreign domination; but many saw the rebellion in 1854 as an uprising by outsiders who were exploiting the country's resources and refusing to pay their fair share of taxes. So we make history do its handsprings."^[19]

The debate remains active and may remain so as long as Eureka is remembered. The Eureka Flag The Eureka Flag was the battle flag used at the Eureka Stockade, a gold miners revolt in 1854 in Ballarat, Victoria, Australia. ...

On December 13, 2005, Premier Steve Bracks renamed Spencer Street Station as Southern Cross Station in order to commemorate the Eureka Stockade and promote Victoria's cultural heritage. A premier is an executive official of government. ... Stephen Philip Bracks (better known as Steve Bracks) (born 15 October 1954), Australian politician, was the 44th Premier of Victoria, holding the position for eight years, from 1999 to 2007. ... Interior of Southern Cross Station at the trailing end of rush hour. ...

[edit] Eureka Stockade (film)

Main article: Eureka Stockade (film)

A film made in Australia in 1949 presented this episode. It was directed by Harry Watt, and produced by Leslie Norman. Its cast included Chips Rafferty, Jane Barrett, Jack Lambert, Gordon Jackson, Peter Finch and Sydney Loder. Eureka Stockade is a 1949 British film of the story surrounding Peter Lalor and the gold miners rebellion of 1854 at Ballarat, Victoria. ... Harry Watt, (18 October, 1906, Edinburgh, Scotland - 2 April, 1987, Amersham, Buckinghamshire), was a British documentary and feature film director, who began his career working for John Grierson and Robert Flaherty. ... Leslie Norman may refer to: Les Norman (1911–1993), a British director Leslie George Norman (1913–1997), an Australian politician See also Norman Leslie This is a disambiguation page: a list of articles associated with the same title. ... Chips Rafferty, born John William Goffage in Broken Hill, NSW, on 26th March, 1909, was an Australian Actor. ... This article is about the Scottish actor. ... Peter Finch (September 28, 1912 – January 14, 1977) was an English-born actor with strong Australian connections. ...

[edit] See also

• Flag of Australia
• Eureka Flag
• History of Victoria
• Butler Cole Aspinall, one of the defence counsel.
• Darwin Rebellion

National flag and state ensign. ... The Eureka Flag The Eureka Flag was the battle flag used at the Eureka Stockade, a gold miners revolt in 1854 in Ballarat, Victoria, Australia. ... This article describes the history of Victoria. ... Butler Cole Aspinall (1830 – 4 April 1875) was an Australian defence advocate. ...

[edit] Notes

The Miners Licence was the colonial governments response to the Australian gold rushes and the need to provide infrastructure including policing. ... The Miners Right was introduced in 1855 in the colony of Victoria, replacing the Miners Licence. ... The Miners Licence was the colonial governments response to the Australian gold rushes and the need to provide infrastructure including policing. ... The Miners Right was introduced in 1855 in the colony of Victoria, replacing the Miners Licence. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 356th day of the year (357th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Professor Geoffrey Blainey AC (born 11 March 1930), is one of Australias most significant historians. ... Elections Part of the Politics series Politics Portal This box:      The secret ballot is a voting method in which a voters choices are confidential. ... Professor Geoffrey Blainey AC (born 11 March 1930), is one of Australias most significant historians. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 17th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 51st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 51st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... The Hon. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 52nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... [[Media:Italic text]]{| style=float:right; |- | |- | |} is the 50th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Samuel Langhorne Clemens (November 30, 1835 – April 21, 1910),[1] better known by the pen name Mark Twain, was an American humanist,[2] humorist, satirist, lecturer and writer. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 362nd day of the year (363rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The Department of the Environment and Water Resources (DEW), formely the Department of Environment and Heritage (DEH) is a department of the Australian federal government. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 337th day of the year (338th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Professor Geoffrey Blainey AC (born 11 March 1930), is one of Australias most significant historians. ...

[edit] References

• The Eureka Encyclopaedia, Justin Corfield, Dorothy Wickham, Clare Gervasoni, Ballarat Heritage Services, (2004), ISBN 1-876478-61-6 Winner of Victorian Local History Award. Nominated for Prime Ministers Prize for History
• Massacre at Eureka -­ The Untold Story, Bob O'Brien, ISBN 0-909874-19-0
• Eureka, John Molony, ISBN 0-522-84962-8
• The Eureka Stockade by Raffaello Carboni, (1855). Title from Project Gutenberg

• Samuel Lazarus Diary of the Eureka uprising
• Eureka on Trial
• Eureka Stockade, Ballarat, Victoria, Australia
• Life on the Goldfields: Eureka Stockade
• 150th Anniversary of the Eureka Stockade
• The Australian Gold Rush
• Eureka Stockade
• "Time to reclaim this legend as our driving force" by Macgregor Duncan, Andrew Leigh, David Madden, Peter Tynan, Sydney Morning Herald, 29 November 2004, retrieved 7 May 2006
• Bert and Bon Strange, Eureka, Gold Graft and Grievances, B&B Strange, Ballarat, 1973.
• Weston Bate, Lucky City: The First Generation at Ballarat 1851 - 1901, Melbourne University Press, Melbourne, 1978, page 67.
• Peter Lalor, A Statement to the Colonists of Victoria, reprinted in Bob O’Brien, Massacre at Eureka: The Untold Story, Sovereign Hill Museums Association, 1998.
• Professor Geoffrey Blainey, Eureka - its many meanings, University of Ballarat, 26 November 2004.
• Peter Lalor's letter, The Argus 10 April 1885
• Peter Lalor's letter, The Argus 10 April 1886
• Eureka Stockade Saga 1854-2007
• Catholics at the Stockade
• The 150th anniversary of Eureka Stockade
• Characters at the Eureka Stockade
• Tuohy NOT GUILTY of Treason

Clare Gervasoni, author,publisher and curator was born in Melbourne, Australia in 1962. ... Raffaello Carboni (15 December 1817 - 24 October 1875) was an Italian writer. ... Dr Andrew Leigh (1972- ) is an economist in the Research School of Social Sciences at the Australian National University. ... is the 333rd day of the year (334th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 127th day of the year (128th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 330th day of the year (331st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

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Eureka Stockade

• The Eureka Centre
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