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O’Shanassy (pronounced O’Shawnassy), (Long John or Big Jack) left Tipperary for Sydney in 1839. On the voyage he was often up in the rigging alone with a book — he was always a “determined self-improver”. Arriving in Melbourne, he was persuaded to stay. For a year or so he ran a pub (The Australian ), in Collins Lane, and then began ‘raising sheep at Western Port. Lack of capital and scab in sheep beat him. Back in Melbourne, He opened a draper’s shop at 99 Elizabeth street, which, owing mainly to the energy of is wife, became a thriving business and in the Gold Rush the source of a substantial fortune. Politics He became active in local politics and was soon the acknowledged leader of the Irish catholic community. A forcible, but not eloquent speaker, formidable in debate, scathing in attack when roused, sound in his rasp of constitutional questions, and gifted in ‘parliamentary capacity’, he was Premier three times. He was a founder of the Anti-Transportation League, an advocate of Separation from New South Wales, an agitator for full responsible government, a rigid opponent of protection, State education, and the squatting interests, against whom he worked to open up …

(1) Born at Cork in Southern Ireland; educated at Trinity College, Dublin, and the Royal College of Surgeons in London. He came to Sydney in June 1836 and in January of the following year was appointed surgeon for the district of Bungonia, near Goulburn. Three years later he gave up his profession to take up farming, growing wheat in the Goulburn district. In 1844 he leased 50,000 acres near Beechworth for a sheep station. When Victoria became a separate colony in 1851, he entered the Legislative Council as member for the Murray Boroughs and was made Chairman of Committees. When responsible Government was achieved in 1856, he gave up a squatter’s life, sold his station in 1857, and settled permanently in Melbourne. Elected to the Legislative Assembly, he was chosen as Speaker, having given an undertaking, which the other candidate refused to give, that he would take no active part in any of the house debates. He held the Speaker-ship continuously for 15 years, his Knighthood going with it. As Speaker he exercised a beneficial influence during the long quarrel between the two Houses in 1864-1868, not without having to endure strong criticism from some quarters. When he failed to …

Born in 1831 at Musselburgh, near Edinburgh. In 1774, the town’s golf club made history by admitting and encouraging women players, a daring step for those days. James Mark brought this go ahead spirit to North Melbourne. Coming to Victoria in 1854, he tried his luck on the Bendigo goldfields. Disillusioned, he opened a business in Melbourne with fair success. In 1864 he took over the George Hotel in Victoria Street, which was licensed in 1854. By 1873 he owned it. For centuries there were “George” pubs in England, named after the patron saint. During the reigns of the Georges (1714-1834) the King superseded the Saint, and there was a rash of “George” pubs. Hence the name of our hotel. In 1865, Mark became a councillor in Hotham and for the two years 1868-9 was mayor. He proved a catfish in the council tank. One result was the annexation of the Flemington bank to the town of Hotham. This gave the council control of the area. The embankment at the approach to Flemington Bridge was cut away, thus diverting the drainage of Royal Park, which previously ran through Hotham into the Moonee Ponds Creek. Mark’s persistent agitating carried, by five …

“And Stawell — though profound, arrogant, proud, and teeming with faults that are plain to the view, I almost despair of being able to find a successor as clever and honest as you”. So wrote Melbourne Punch (27/12/1855) of William Foster Stawell, of County Cork, Ireland and brilliant graduate in Law of Dublin University. Seeing no future at the overcrowded Irish Bar, he migrated to Victoria, with several colleagues, in 1841. He tried his hand as a squatter near Hamilton, but deciding on a career in Law, began practice at the Victorian Bar, where he quickly came to the front. When Victoria became a separate colony, La Trobe made him Attorney-General, and Stawell soon dominated the government, La Trobe and Hotham willingly yielded to his guiding hand. When Stawell prosecuted the Eureka rebels, they made a fool of him. When, according to the Argus, he lashed out in foaming fury against the secret ballot Bill, he made a fool of himself. Neither event was typical. In 1857 he was made the first chief justice of the colony of Victoria, a position he held with distinction for 29 years. A masterful and sound judge, few of his judgments were upset by the …

Born in Jersey, in 1821. He migrated to Nova Scotia and later to Victoria in 1853. A blacksmith by trade, he brought with him a pre-fabricated store-cum-dwelling. Six weeks after landing, he opened a grocery in Spencer Street West. Early in 1865, he made his home in Hotham and lived at Laurens’ house, 407 Dryburgh Street North Melbourne. Five years later, he was on the council, which he served for 18 years, twice as Mayor. In 1877, he won a seat in the Legislative Assembly, which he held until 1892, when he was defeated by the Labor candidate. In politics, Laurens was a Liberal, veering left of center and an ardent protectionist. Tireless in all he put his hand to, he persistently attacked the management of the Victorian Railways under the Gillies regime and hammered the Government for years to reclaim the swamp which pollution had made a grave danger to the health of the people in West and North Melbourne. He strongly resisted Government alienation of lands reserved for public purposes. When the Hotham Recreation Reserve was threatened, he protested that the Government had already made £25,000 ($50,000) at the expense of the people’s amenities. Name Change Prompted by …