Ovens and Murray Advertiser
Saturday, 30 March 1901
THE EARLY DAYS.
An old colonist's memories.
An elderly lady, who was born in Hobart in April, 1839. and arrived in Melbourne in the following December, recalls some of her early recollections as under : —
I can recall wnen there was neither coal nor gas in Melbourne, when they had to bring the water in carts from a distance of five miles up the Yarra ; when there were no -roads, no footpaths, no gaol, no hospital, not even a Treasury. I can remember. too, when the foundation stone of the first Prince's Bridge was laid, and a bullock was roasted whole on the site of the Elephant and Castle, opposite to the Melbourne Hospital. I can also remember when the first schooner was built and launched on the south side of the Yarra.
My father was a member of the first Temperance Band in the city, under the baton of Mr. Tickell, and my mother and he were present at the first execution that took place in Melbourne, when three men and a negro were hanged in the open, just where the Melbourne Gaol stands now.
My mother then lived in a wattle and dab hut close to Mrs. Bateman's cottage on the Hill. Messrs. Webb and Slattery were the first builders, and the Rev. Father Terry, of St. Francis's, was the first priest. The first pottery was at Burnley, and the first lawyers I can remember were Mr. Stephen and Mr. Redmond Barry. The blacks used to come in and cut wood for us for a shin of beef, and gave very little trouble.
I can remember, too, the first riot in the city, outside an hotel at the corner of Little Bourke and Swanston streets, when windows were broken and flags torndown, and Father Terry came down and dispersed. the mob.
I have also a recollection of Governor Latrobe and his house near Jolimont, and Murphy's Brewery in Little Collins-street, where as a little girl I used to buy yeast.
My father built the first hotel in St. Kilda— the Royal— afterwards Mooney's. Implanted also in my memory are the names of Mr. Heales, coachbuilder, in Exhibition-street— afterwards a member of Parliament, and Drs. Howill, Wilkie and Black.
I can remember, too, the first lock-up in Spencer street, for I got lost when a child, and I was taken there, while the bellman was I proclaiming my loss through the town.
My mother and father, the late Catherine and Samuel Morley, were married in Hobart, and at the time of their death - four years ago - they had thirteen children, thirty-nine grand-children, and forty-four great-grandchildren.
Tag: melbourne
Wharf Brewery, Melbourne. 1858
The Australasian
Saturday, 2 May 1936
PASTORAL PIONEERS
By R.V.B. and A.S.K.
JAMES MURPHY
ARRIVING at Port Phillip with his brother John in 1839, James Murphy made arrangements to go straight into the country in search of a pastoral run, but John persuaded him to remain in Melbourne, for a time, and to look carefully into the risks of squatting ventures before risking his capital.
John started business as a brewer in Flinders street west. James accepted a clerkship with the Port Phillip Auction Company, and in 1844 he also set up as a brewer, opening the Wharf Brewery.
For about a year the brothers were competitors, but in 1845 they joined forces, and carried on their brewery business in Little Flinders street west. James, however, still cherished a desire to take up pastoral country. He made several trips inland, and in 1848 he acquired Konagadarra from George Newson.
Konagadarra, on the Saltwater, turned out to be a valuable property, but Murphy parted with it to W. J. T. Clarke before he realised its true worth. Afterwards he went into partnership with W. R. Looker. Murphy and Looker then bought Caragcarag, Colbinabbin, Corop, Tongala, and Lower Moira from the widow of Edward Curr, the father of separation.
They also added Stewarts Plains, a subdivision of Boramboot, to their holding. Stewarts Plains was taken over from John Clarke.
The Murphy-Looker pastoral partnership flourished for a few years, but in November, 1854, it was decided to dissolve the partnership. Murphy took over all the runs. Subsequently he sold Caragcarag, Colbinabbin, Corop, and Stewarts Plains to John Winter, and Tongala to Patrick O'Dea. Lower Moira he retained till 1857, when he transferred this property to Frederick Bury and Peter Cheyne.
In 1853 James Murphy was elected to the Legislative Council, and he remained a member of the council till the advent of Constitutional Government in 1856.
[This series of articles was begun in "The Argus" on August 14, 1934, and was transferred to "The Australasian" on October 6, 1934.]
Mount Alexander Mail
Thursday, 27 April 1865
THE WHARF BREWERY, situated on Flinders street, west, lately in the occupation of Messrs Jno. Bellman and Co., having a frontage to Flinders street and Flinders-lane, and consisting of nearly one acre of ground, on which is built a substantial brewery, fitted up with engines, coolers, mash tubs, vats, and every requisite for the trade, together with malt-houses, stores, stables, &c. This is one of the most complete breweries in the colony, and adapted for carrying on an extensive business on an
economic scale.
Apply to F. J. M'Dougal, 100 Bourke-street, west Melbourne
Australian Town and Country Journal
Saturday 22 November 1879
A Leading Industry
I don't think any business has made such strides in Australia as the brewing of beer; and it is matter of fact that in all the colonies, brewers have almost without exeption made fortunes.
I'm old colonist enough to remember when Murphy's brewery was the only one in Victoria; and many a year after that, Tooth's stood almost, if not quite, alone here; but now every town has its brewery, and all the proprietors do well.
The tase for colonial ale and porter was developed in Victoria more extensively and very much earlier than here; for the people of New South Wales continued in their allegiance to "British Beer " long after "Colonial" was the principal malt liquor of our southern neighbours; and the ale of Castlemaine became an extensive article of commerce among us, almost before Sydney had more than a second brewery of her own.
Then, there was the Hobart Town ale, for which several agencies were established here; and long before that - two or three and twenty years ago - the names of Elliott Brothers, and Glasgow and Thunder, two prosperous brewery firms, were household words at Bendigo.
There had been a brewery years ago on Elizabeth-street; but, before my acquaintance with Sydney, it was in ruins; and Tooth and Co. reigned supreme. Now there are five or six breweries, and all driving a roaring trade; so that, clearly, colonial ale must have taken a hold on the Sydney palate.
Going down Castlereagh-street the other day I turned into Henfrey and Co's brewery, to see Mr. Herald, a partner in the firm, on some business; and I was glad of a look round, as I had not been there since long before the late Mr. Henfrey's death, when it was a large soda water factory, but small as a porter brewery.
And what a change to be sure, a few years have made, for now there is an immense business doing, not only in aerated waters and cordials, but in bottled porter, which is brewed twice a week, to the extent of about 600 dozon each time, all of which is consumed in the hotels.
I tasted some that had been in bottle for three months, and thought it very good - sharp and nice, without being as heavy as English.
No doubt the excellence of the porter arises in a great measure from the brewer being one of the partners.
The soda water machinery is extensive, and fitted with all the latest improvements. One Hayward-Tyler double action beam machine, when worked at both ends, turns out 600 dozen in the day time; and it can be worked by four bottling racks, when it bottles double the number of half bottles, that are now coming so generally into use.
I was told there is only one other similar machine in New South Wales. Another Hayward-Tyler machine, a single action one, is there, to which is fitted a bottling rack made by J. Stevens, of Sydney. This machine, which supplies two bottling racks, will bottle off 700 dozen small, or 500 large in tho day.
Having had the working of these machines explained to me, we next visited the cellars, where are stored the cordials and wines, made in the establishment, together with the strong syrups that form the foundation of all these; and here are to be found all conceivable descriptions of cordials, and balms, and syrups, and liqueurs, that ever were made in a colonial manufactory.
The great secret appears to be in the art of boiling the sugar, so as to make a clear and bright syrup; and in this preliminary operation, fifty pounds worth of sugar is required to fill the simple syrup tank once every week.
There are all sorts of conveniences for loading the carts; and six good harness horses are employed in the business.
Before leaving I was shown a handsome trophy which the firm were going to exhibit in the Garden Palace; but as this was not in show order I must leave it to speak for itself in its representative capacity.
What struck me especially was the scrupulous cleanliness of everything in the place, which is certainly remarkable, when it is considered that all sorts of sticky goods aro continually in use; and that as many as forty hands are employed.
The business seems to go on with the regularity of clockwork.
So yeah... 