The year 1843 saw the first election of non-appointed members of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly. Port Phillip was to have six members of whom one was to represent the Town of Melbourne. There were two candidates, namely Edward CURR, a former member of the Legislative Council of Van Dieman’s Land, and Henry CONDELL, the Mayor of Melbourne. The former was a Catholic and the latter was a Protestant.
Notwithstanding all the precautions that were taken by the authorities to prevent disturbances during the election, regrettably their measures were to no avail. Indeed, the feeling of political excitement which characterized the inhabitants of Great Britain and Ireland during an election contest was displayed in all its varied circumstances and emotions for the first time in Australia Felix. Throughout that day it might naturally be supposed that great difference of opinion existed among the electors, as to the merits or otherwise of the rival candidates, from the fact of the contest becoming almost one of a religious nature. The consequence was that partisan feeling was displayed to an alarming extent, so much so, that a degree of bitterness, which was supposed could not exist in so small a community, was exhibited on both sides.
The day of the election, Saturday 17 June, was to be long remembered by those who witnessed the events that took place. By the time of the closing of the poll, it was apparent that His Worship was the likely victor. Crowds gathered outside the Mechanic’s Institution in Collins Street, and on being informed by Alderman RUSSELL that he would announce the result of the election on Monday morning, became very clamorous, and refused to disperse, having been repeatedly requested by the Police Magistrate, and became so violent that Major ST. JOHN deemed it expedient to read the Riot Act. The mob was again ordered to disperse without effect, when the troopers who were present, found it necessary to charge in and drive the mob from the area.
Subsequently, they formed themselves into parties of from one to two hundred persons, and about dusk paraded the streets, breaking the windows of all persons who had not their partisanship, rendered themselves obnoxious to them. They attacked grocer David YOUNG’s house, in Collins Street, with stones and brick-bats, smashing the sashes to pieces, Henry BAKER’S Imperial Inn, Messrs. ROBERTS, WITTON AND FURNESS (ironmongers), C.WILLIAMSON & Company (clothiers), and Matthew CANTION’s Elephant and Castle tavern, were all served in the like manner, but not to the extent of the damage done to Mr YOUNG’s premises.
The mob was now frightfully violent, and gathered in front of the premises of Thomas GREEN, the auctioneer, in Elizabeth Street opposite the Post Office, and commenced smashing all the windows in the house, tearing down the shutters, and threatened to pull the house down, until at the height of the tumult and yells of mob, Mr GREEN fired the contents of a gun through the door, and shot a man named Patrick MURRAY in the neck, and a person named CURLE, storekeeper in the employ of Alderman Andrew RUSSELL, was hit in the foot. Both the injured were carried away by their friends. By this time a detachment of the 80th Regiment, under the command of Captain LEWIS, had arrived, and the mob was dispersed. The mounted police patrolled the town during the remainder of the night and no further disturbances occurred.
On Monday morning, June 19, Henry CONDELL’s victory was confirmed with 295 votes, against 261 for Mr CURR.
Full details of this disgraceful occurrence can be found in the Port Phillip Gazette, Wednesday June 21, 1843.
Contributed by Ken Smith, PPPG Member No. 895