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Archiver > GENANZ > 2000-07 > 0964168727


From: Lenore Frost <>
Subject: Re: Melbourne archives
Date: Fri, 21 Jul 2000 18:38:47 +1000


Hi Roy,

Emerald Hill was the former name for South Melbourne. Wasn't it a pretty name -
but some sad sack decided that geographical exactitude was preferable. The
South Melbourne Council no longer exists - in a round of Council amalgamations,
it was swallowed up by what is now called the Port Phillip City Council. If you
try a websearch using that name you might find something a bit more useful.

To write to them, try 208 Bank St, South Melbourne Vic 3205.


I should think the Emerald Hill Library would have copies of the "Emerald Hill
Gazette" (Emerald Hill Library, Bank St, South Melbourne, Vic 3205). Failing
them, the State Library of Victoria would have them, and if you do a search of
their online catalogue, you might be able to discover whether it has been
indexed.

I should think there would be a local historical society, but between South
Melbourne, Emerald Hill and Port Phillip, I haven't the least idea what it would
be called. If you can email the Port Phillip Council or the Emerald Hill
Library, they will probably be able to tell you.

My 1991/2 Street directory shows that there is a pub still on the corner of
Clarendon and York Sts, though whether it is the same corner or the same pub, I
don't know. The one that is there now is called "The Intrepid Fox Tavern" -
though ten years on I daresay it is something else. I'm afraid I don't go to
South Melbourne very often, so I'm not familiar with the buildings. If you
don't get a better answer, try another post with South Melbourne as the subject
line, and you might locate someone familiar with the area.

There's probably a history of South Melbourne which would mention the hotel if
it was used for early council meetings, so I'm sure you'll find out something.

I've had a look at the "Pubs Index 1840-1854" covering Melbourne pubs, and there
are only two references to the "Hit or Miss", Emerald Hill. 1st is 9 Apr, 1853,
Peter McLean Ross, and the second is for 28 Aor 1853, same person. These
references would relate to dates on which licensing hearings were held in a
Melbourne licensing court, which would have been extracted from a Melbourne
paper - I was too lazy to check the name of the publication, but it would not
have been the Emerald Hill Gazette. Probably the Melbourne "Argus".

I did the reverse check on the Publicans Index, but Peter McLean Ross was only
mentioned those two times, though there was a James Ross at the Royal Exchange
Hotel, Collins St, Melbourne between 1843 and 1846. You haven't said what
surname you are looking at, so perhaps these are not the right people.

Best wishes

Lenore Frost
Essendon, Vic
(The other side of the Yarra from South Melbourne)


Roy Day wrote:

> I wonder if some kind soul could provide the following information regarding
> the location of various archives in the above City. I have not found the
> Melbourne City web page to be very helpful.
>
> 1. I have information that certain information I am seeking is located in
> the South Melbourne Council Offices. Could any body provide the address.
> 2. I am also seeking possible information contained in The Emerald Hill
> Gazette. The period required would be 1850 - 1875.
> 3. Do York and Clarendon Streets still exist in what was Emerald Hill? If
> so could anybody tell me what buildings stand on the corner, these building
> would have been erected about 1941 and would have probable replaced a hotel.
> The hotel, when it was built in about 1850, was called the Hit or Miss. It
> is this building and its occupiers that I am researching. My understanding
> is that this was the first hotel to be built in Emerald Hill and was the
> venue for meetings that eventually brought about the establishment of the
> first elected council.
>
> Roy Day,
> Clevedon, England

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