John+Fawkner

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During 1792 John Pascoe Fawkner was born. He was born in Cripplegate, London. When he was eleven he accompanied his father who was sentenced to fourteen years jail. He was sentenced for receiving of stolen goods. He was part of a two ship fleet to start a new colony in Bass Strait in 1803. They landed at where modern day Sorrento is now. There were many escape attempts as well as the one of William Buckley. The convicts were transported to Hobart due to lack of water and food.

In December of 1819 convict Eliza Cobb and John Pascoe Fawkner loaded a cart and moved to Launceston. By way of permit from Governor George Arthur they were married. The wedding was on the 5th of December 1822. They established many buildings and businesses including a bakery, a timber business and a newspaper – //The Launceston Advertiser// in 1829. During April 1835, Fawkner purchased the sea vessel //Enterprise////.// He bought this ship to search for a suitable settlement site in Port Phillip. While in that same year during August, John      Batman led an expedition party to the Port Phillip district. He was exploring a large area in which is to known as Melbourne’s northern suburbs. He saw it as ideal to farm sheep.

When the //Enterprise// was ready to leave in August 1835, creditors prevented Fawkner from joining the voyage. At least ten people were on board the voyager when it left George Town; including his wife Mary and Fawkner’s servants. The //Enterprise// moored at the foot of modern day William St, after being hauled up–stream. On the 30th of August 1835 the crew cleared the land to grow crops and built a store house. The //Enterprise// did a second trip later that year this time taking Fawkner to the new found settlement. They landed on Friday the 16th of October.

Fawkner wanted to imprint himself into history. He opened Melbourne’s first hotel on the corner of Flinders Lane and William St. He also created Melbourne’s first newspaper //The// //Melbourne// //Advertiser.// The newspaper was first printed on January the 1st 1838. //The// //Melbourne// //Advertiser’s// first nine or ten weekly copies were hand written in ink. Finally an old wooden press was obtained from Launceston; the first edition with the press was on the 5th of March 1838. The newspaper was closed down seventeen editions afterwards. Fawkner obtained a licence at commenced the //Port Phillip Patriot and// //Melbourne// //Advertiser.// The press still exists in Science Works Museum in Melbourne. 

Fawkner gained a property in a section of Coburg by governor surveyor Robert Hoddle. Fawkner titled the property Pascoeville; it was bordered by Moonee Ponds Creek. Between 1840 and 1855 Fawkner lived at his farmhouse and his town house in Collingwood. He was elected the first Legislative Council on the Port Phillip district in 1851 and during 1856 was elected to the first parliament of the Victoria Colony. He died at the age of 77. His funeral took place on the 8th of September 1869.

The Melbourne suburbs of Pascoe Vale and Fawkner all bear John Fawkner’s name, along with many other smaller locations.

