![[Princes Bridge, Melbourne]](http://www.pppg.org.au/images/Lennox%20Bridge.jpg)
Lennox Bridge, on the Site of the Present Princes Bridge, Melbourne
Artist: James Graham Boyd [1] – SLV Picture Collection
When we think of tolls we normally think of modern day living, however Melbourne’s predecessor to Princes Bridge was just that. When the first European settlers settled the central Melbourne area in 1835 there was no permanent crossing point of the Yarra River. The government in Sydney was unreliable in providing funds for the construction of a bridge, thus most of Melbourne’s early infrastructure was provided by private enterprise.
On 22 April 1840 the Melbourne Bridge Company was formed to build a temporary wooden bridge structure across the Yarra for the sum of four hundred pounds. The location of the bridge was much debated with Superintendent Charles Joseph La Trobe who favoured Elizabeth Street site whilst the company preferred Swanston Street and ultimately won when a contract was eventually signed on the 9 June 1845. Like so many things it outlived its usefulness and was to be replaced by a free government bridge.[2]
To build bridges one needs roads for approaches and my great, great, great grandfather Daniel Clancy received a mention as follows, in an extract from the E-book, “Overflow of Clancy,” in chapter two it tells us: “By 1842 the boom period of employment for migrants was over and many were finding difficulty in obtaining employment. A depot was formed, the first of the Immigrant Homes, and work was found for a hundred or two during several months in making a good carriage road from the falls of the Yarra to Sandridge. One of those employed was Daniel Clancy, who came from Cork on the “Mary Nixon” just a month after Thomas Clancy. A reduction of wages from twenty shillings to eighteen shillings per week, led to a strike.”[3] Daniel was from Charleville in County Cork, whilst Thomas lived 34 kilometres south east at Castletownroache.
By 1844 Governor Sir George Gipps appointed David Lennox to the Port Phillip District with the portfolio of Superintendent of Bridges. For nine years he had charge of all roads, bridges, wharves and ferries and acted as advisory engineer to various government departments. In this time, he built some fifty-three bridges, the most notable being Princes Bridge. The foundation stone for this new bridge was laid in 1846 and the bridge was opened in 1851, with a single stone arch of one hundred and fifty feet span. It was the largest bridge built by Lennox. As it was built by government funds it was opened on 15 November without tolls.[4]
With the above experience behind him, Daniel was employed on the building of Princes Bridge, to replace the toll bridge.
Clancy and sixty other gentlemen, both mechanics and labourers, signed a petition – No.48/1777:
| 18th August 1848To His Honour C. J. La Trobe Esq. Superintendent of Port PhillipThe humble Petition of the Mechanics and Labourers, employed on the works of Princes Bridge, Melbourne, Shewth“That your Petitioners are Employed in there several vocations as Mechanics and Labourers under the Government.That their daily hours of work are during the greater portion of the year from six o’clock in the morning until six in the evening, on every working day.That your Petitioners have not the advantage of any national holiday whatever as is the case in Sydney and the Sister Colonies.That while your Petitioners are resigned to adhere to their work, alike under the oppressive heat of the summer months in this their adopted land as during the milder temperature of the winter season the majority of the working classes in England enjoy a privilege for the last eighteen months conceded to them of terminating their weeks labour at four o’clock on Saturdays in summer and two o’clock in winter.That while your Petitioners, only about fifty in number, are thus resigned to toil throughout the weeks, the most eminent builders of London, several of whom have upwards of eight hundred men dependent upon them for their daily bread, have without hesitation cheerfully allowed the hours of labour on Saturdays to be curtailed by two hours in summer and four hours in winter.That your Petitioners have heard the results of the early cessation from Labour on Saturdays, have proved it to be a great blessing to the working classes.That your Petitioners are respectfully soliciting the same privilege as now enjoyed and as they learn, rapidly extending throughout Great Britain may be granted to them, are only applying in a more limited degree for a favour which has long been given to others, following less labourous pursuits.That your Petitioners are convinced no loss would ultimately accrue to the Government from the granting of this privilege but on the contrary, that from the inestimable value two hours liberty on Saturdays would prove to every Mechanic and Labourer enjoying it their duties through the week would be performed the more cheerfully and satisfactorily.Your Petitioners therefore humbly pray that instructions may be given to the Superintendent of Bridges for all labour on Government works in the City of Melbourne to cease in future at four o’clock on Saturdays, and fully persuaded that if your Honour be pleased thus favourably to this, our Petition, listen to this our Petition, they will be enabled to effect a great improvement in the condition of their families, they pledge themselves to renewed exertions.“ |
LIST OF PETITIONERS
| Charles BOON | John CROAT | Robert BARROW |
| David HUGHES | Richard CORDEY | Charles WILLIAMS |
| John McKAY | George MILNE | Samuel POLLETT |
| Edward SPENCER | Denis COGHLAN | John QUIN |
| Robert ATKINSON | James JACKSON | Joseph HEALD |
| Edward MORGAN | Timothy HORGAN | John HORGAN |
| John DONALD | Joseph JAMES | James LINACRE |
| Evan HUGHES | Robert DONNELLY | Thomas LOWEY |
| Patrick STALY | Patrick? McGREGOR | William KENNON |
| William TROTMAN | William HOULETT | James HOLOHAM |
| Patrick MURPHY | Thomas PHILLIPS | Timothy KELLY |
| John NEWMAN | Mathew CHAPPEL | Malachai MURRAY |
| Patrick KING | Pat COURTNAY | William SHAUHAN |
| John COLLINS | Roderick McCLOUD | Joseph SMITH |
| James TAILOR | Edward QUIN | Henry BLOCK |
| William MARTIN | John DENNING | John SHEARER |
| Edmond KELLY | Michael QUINN | Thomas BROWN |
| Daniel CLANCY | John COURTENAY | Joseph FRIAR |
| Thomas McCULLOCH | Stephen JONES | Joseph SMITH |
| Michael MARTIN | John MURRAY | John CUHAIN |
| John BROOKSBANK |
Their request was:
“Acceded to 26th August 1848. To be set at liberty on Saturdays.”[5]
After many delays the bridge was officially opened on 15th November 1850 and known as the Lennox Bridge.[6]
However, within a year, gold was discovered in country Victoria and Melbourne saw a massive increase in population. In addition to the increase in traffic crossing the bridge, there was also a need to handle increased shipping traffic on the Yarra River and the river was widened to cope with this. Construction of the new bridge began in 1886 and was completed in 1888. As with many historic Melbourne buildings and bridges, the bridge is built on solid bluestone bulwarks and plenty of cast iron.
The present bridge was named after Edward, Prince of Wales and was built between 1886 and 1888 by David Munro. It was designed by John Grainger (1855-1917), the father of the Australian composer Percy Grainger and was opened on 4th October 1888.[7]
This is Melbourne’s grandest and oldest bridge. A bridge has crossed the river at this point since 1845. The present structure is dominated by squat half columns resting on giant piers. These contrast beautifully with the delicate iron girder arches. The decorated spandrels feature the Coats of Arms of Municipal Councils who contributed towards the cost of construction, the mouldings and balustrade along the top of the Bridge and the lamp standards crowning the giant half columns are notable features.[8]
Here is a piece of nostalgia tied with the bridge, or at least its Melbourne Coat of Arms on the side of the “new” third bridge. Daniel Clancy’s great grandson, Jim Doyle (my maternal grandfather) and his wife, Catherine (nee Markham), presented to her brother, Vincent Markham, and Leila (nee Long) for their 25th wedding anniversary on 22nd August 1942, a pair of silver salt and pepper cruets, with the Coat of Arms of Melbourne on them in the original format. The whale and the bull were in reversed positions later. The fleece, the bull, and the ship represented wool, tallow, and oil, the chief exports of 1843 and their means of transport from Port Phillip.![[Silver Salt and Pepper Cruets]](http://www.pppg.org.au/images/Salt%20and%20Pepper.jpg)
As my grandparents were the gift givers, so they thought possibly in war time, their gifts should be, practical and patriotic, yet silver at the same time. The late recipients’ daughter (my first cousin once removed) gave them back to me, prior to her going into an aged care facility some years ago, knowing how much I would appreciate their heritage. If only they all knew about Daniel and his labours and endeavours.
SOURCES:
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Princes_Bridge
[2] ibid
[3] 17 Finn p.114; Weidenhofer p.50; “Port Phillip Herald” 17 June 1842; Payment Voucher (La Trobe Library); Shipping Lists.
[4] Australian Dictionary of Biography – David Lennox (1788-1873)
[5] PROV – Unit 109 – Year: 1848 – File: 1777 Clancy, Daniel, – ‘Petitions for Reduced Working Hours on Princes Bridge’
[6] City of Melbourne Streets and Roads
[7] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Princes_Bridge
[8] “Princes Bridge” (listing RNE5202) – Australia Heritage
Contributed by Michael Grogan. PPPG Member No. 1332 )