John Basson Humffray (17 April 1824 – 18 March 1891)[1] was a leading advocate in the movement of miner reform process in the British colony of Victoria, and later a member of parliament.
Humffray arrived in Melbourne on the "Star of the East" on 19 September 1853, and moved to Ballarat two months later to try his hand at gold digging. At a protest meeting of over 10,000 diggers at Bakery Hill on Saturday, 11 November 1854, Humffray was elected secretary of the Ballarat Reform League. In his view, the diggers' grievances were the result of an unrepresentative political system, which he felt could be changed by moral suasion.[2]
Humffray was a member of the three-person delegation which met the Governor of Victoria, Sir Charles Hotham, in Melbourne on Monday, 27 November 1854. The miners' demands for economic and political reforms were rejected. After a particularly vicious licence hunt, a meeting of the Ballarat Reform League was held on Thursday, 30 November 1854 at which the miners rejected "moral force" as advocated by Humffray. They embarked on the path of "physical force" by electing Peter Lalor as their leader, and deciding to meet force with force by building the Eureka Stockade.
Humffray was not part of the rebellion and played the role of peacemaker in the lead up to the battle at the Eureka Stockade on 3 December 1854. He represented the interests of aggrieved diggers at the Commission of Enquiry into the discontent on the goldfields,[3] and was a vocal defender of the 13 miners who were charged with high treason for their role in the rebellion. He was in 1855 an organiser of Ballarat's first eisteddfod (fore-runner of the South Street competitions),[4] editor of the short-lived Ballarat Leader, first president of the Ballarat Mechanics' Institute, and passed first-year law, University of Melbourne (1860). As a result of losing money in mining speculations, Humffray became dependent on charity in his last years. After a long illness, he died a pauper on 18 March 1891.[2][3]
Political careeredit
When the miners were granted the right to vote and representation in 1855 Humffray was elected unopposed as the member of the Victorian Legislative Council for Ballaarat (1855-1856); then Member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly for North Grant (1856-1859)[1] then Ballarat East (1859-1871).[1] He served as Minister for Mines (November 1860 to November 1861) and Chairman of the Royal Commission on Mining (1862).[1]
Legacyedit
Humffray Street, one of the major roads in Ballarat, is named after him, with that being sometime prior to 1858.[5]
Humffray was an Anglican, and was buried in the Ballaarat Old Cemetery, near those who had died in the Eureka rebellion. A headstone was erected by the people of Ballarat.[3][6]
Referencesedit
^ abcd. Re-Member: a database of all Victorian MPs since 1851. Parliament of Victoria. Archived from the original on 23 April 2023. Retrieved 27 August 2022.
^"The Society's History". The Ballarat Star. No. 20851. Victoria, Australia. 21 February 1924. p. 6. Retrieved 19 October 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
Member for Ballarat East 1868–1871 Served alongside: Charles Dyte
Succeeded by
John James
January 01, 1970
john, basson, humffray, april, 1824, march, 1891, leading, advocate, movement, miner, reform, process, british, colony, victoria, later, member, parliament, born, 1824, april, 1824newtown, montgomeryshire, walesdied18, march, 1891, 1891, aged, ballarat, victor. John Basson Humffray 17 April 1824 18 March 1891 1 was a leading advocate in the movement of miner reform process in the British colony of Victoria and later a member of parliament John Basson HumffrayBorn 1824 04 17 17 April 1824Newtown Montgomeryshire WalesDied18 March 1891 1891 03 18 aged 66 Ballarat Victoria AustraliaKnown forLeader of the Ballarat Reform League defender of those arrested at the Eureka Stockade and Politician Humffray was born in Newtown Montgomeryshire Wales He was articled to a solicitor and became active in the Chartist movement but abandoned his legal studies and migrated to Victoria Australia in 1853 Contents 1 From rural Wales to Australia 2 Political career 3 Legacy 4 References 5 External linksFrom rural Wales to Australia editHumffray arrived in Melbourne on the Star of the East on 19 September 1853 and moved to Ballarat two months later to try his hand at gold digging At a protest meeting of over 10 000 diggers at Bakery Hill on Saturday 11 November 1854 Humffray was elected secretary of the Ballarat Reform League In his view the diggers grievances were the result of an unrepresentative political system which he felt could be changed by moral suasion 2 Humffray was a member of the three person delegation which met the Governor of Victoria Sir Charles Hotham in Melbourne on Monday 27 November 1854 The miners demands for economic and political reforms were rejected After a particularly vicious licence hunt a meeting of the Ballarat Reform League was held on Thursday 30 November 1854 at which the miners rejected moral force as advocated by Humffray They embarked on the path of physical force by electing Peter Lalor as their leader and deciding to meet force with force by building the Eureka Stockade Humffray was not part of the rebellion and played the role of peacemaker in the lead up to the battle at the Eureka Stockade on 3 December 1854 He represented the interests of aggrieved diggers at the Commission of Enquiry into the discontent on the goldfields 3 and was a vocal defender of the 13 miners who were charged with high treason for their role in the rebellion He was in 1855 an organiser of Ballarat s first eisteddfod fore runner of the South Street competitions 4 editor of the short lived Ballarat Leader first president of the Ballarat Mechanics Institute and passed first year law University of Melbourne 1860 As a result of losing money in mining speculations Humffray became dependent on charity in his last years After a long illness he died a pauper on 18 March 1891 2 3 Political career editWhen the miners were granted the right to vote and representation in 1855 Humffray was elected unopposed as the member of the Victorian Legislative Council for Ballaarat 1855 1856 then Member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly for North Grant 1856 1859 1 then Ballarat East 1859 1871 1 He served as Minister for Mines November 1860 to November 1861 and Chairman of the Royal Commission on Mining 1862 1 Legacy editHumffray Street one of the major roads in Ballarat is named after him with that being sometime prior to 1858 5 Humffray was an Anglican and was buried in the Ballaarat Old Cemetery near those who had died in the Eureka rebellion A headstone was erected by the people of Ballarat 3 6 References edit a b c d John Basson Humffray Re Member a database of all Victorian MPs since 1851 Parliament of Victoria Archived from the original on 23 April 2023 Retrieved 27 August 2022 a b Langmore Diane Humffray John Basson 1824 1891 Australian Dictionary of Biography National Centre of Biography Australian National University ISSN 1833 7538 Retrieved 8 October 2015 a b c Corfield Justin Wickham Dorothy amp Gervasoni Clare Eureka Encyclopaedia Ballarat Heritage Services 2004 pg 281 The Society s History The Ballarat Star No 20851 Victoria Australia 21 February 1924 p 6 Retrieved 19 October 2022 via National Library of Australia Heritage Victoria Online Heritage Database VHD Corfield Justin Wickham Dorothy amp Gervasoni Clare Eureka Encyclopaedia Ballarat Heritage Services 2004 pg 280 282 Serle Geoffrey The Golden Age A history of the colony of Victoria 1851 1861 Melbourne MUP 1977 p 164 Reclaim the Radical Spirit of the Eureka RebellionExternal links editAustralian Dictionary of National Biography Online Victorian Legislative Council New creation Member for Ballaarat1855 1856 Served alongside Peter Lalor Original Council abolished Victorian Legislative Assembly New creation Member for North Grant1856 1859 District abolished New creation Member for Ballarat East1859 1864 Served alongside John Cathie Succeeded byCharles Jones Preceded byCharles Jones Member for Ballarat East1868 1871 Served alongside Charles Dyte Succeeded byJohn James Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title John Basson Humffray amp oldid 1216620623, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
