John Basson Humffray
Encyclopedia
John Basson Humffray was born in Newtown, Montgomeryshire
, Wales
and became active in the Chartist
movement before migrating to Victoria, Australia
in 1853, arriving in Ballarat
in November that year.
. He was a member of the three person delegation which met with Governor 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 in which the miners rejected those such as Humffray who advocated "moral force" and embarked on the "physical force" route by electing Peter Lalor
and deciding to meet force with force and build the Eureka Stockade
.
Humffray was not part of the rebellion but played the role of peacemaker in the lead up to the battle on 3 December 1854. He represented the interests of aggrieved diggers at the Commission of Enquiry into the discontent on the goldfields. Humffray was a vocal defender of the 13 miners who were charged with High Treason
for their role in the rebellion. He was the editor of the short-lived Ballarat Leader, first president of the Ballarat Mechanics' Institute; and passed first-year law, University of Melbourne
(1860). Humffray was an Anglican and died a pauper on 18 March 1891. He was buried in the Old Ballarat Cemetery near those who had died in the Eureka rebellion, a headstone was erected by the people of Ballarat.
for Ballarat (1855-1856); then Member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly
for North Grant(1856-1864) then Ballarat East (1868-1871). He served as Minister for Mines (1860-1861) and Chairman of the Royal Commission on Mining (1862).
Montgomeryshire (UK Parliament constituency)
Montgomeryshire is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Created in 1542, it elects one Member of Parliament , traditionally known as the knight of the shire, by the first-past-the-post system of election.The Montgomeryshire Welsh Assembly...
, Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
and became active in the Chartist
Chartism
Chartism was a movement for political and social reform in the United Kingdom during the mid-19th century, between 1838 and 1859. It takes its name from the People's Charter of 1838. Chartism was possibly the first mass working class labour movement in the world...
movement before migrating to Victoria, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
in 1853, arriving in Ballarat
Ballarat, Victoria
Ballarat is a city in the state of Victoria, Australia, approximately west-north-west of the state capital Melbourne situated on the lower plains of the Great Dividing Range and the Yarrowee River catchment. It is the largest inland centre and third most populous city in the state and the fifth...
in November that year.
From rural Wales to Australia
At the meeting of over 10,000 diggers at Bakery Hill on Saturday, 11 November, 1854, Humffray was elected inaugural President of the Ballarat Reform LeagueBallarat Reform League
The Ballarat Reform League was formed in November 11 1854 at Ballarat as a protest against the regulation of the gold diggings, specifically the League was formed with the view of abolishing the Miner's Licence and having the miners connected with the death of "John Martin", arrested...
. He was a member of the three person delegation which met with Governor Hotham
Hotham
-Places:*Division of Hotham, Australian electoral division*Mount Hotham, Australia*Hotham, East Riding of Yorkshire, England*The original name of North Melbourne, Victoria, Australia*Hotham, Ontario-People:...
in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
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 in which the miners rejected those such as Humffray who advocated "moral force" and embarked on the "physical force" route by electing Peter Lalor
Peter Lalor
Peter Fintan Lalor was an activist turned politician who rose to fame for his leading role in the Eureka Rebellion, an event controversially identified with the "birth of democracy" in Australia.- Early life and migration to Australia :...
and deciding to meet force with force and build the Eureka Stockade
Eureka Stockade
The Eureka Rebellion of 1854 was an organised rebellion by gold miners which occurred at Eureka Lead in Ballarat, Victoria, Australia. The Battle of Eureka Stockade was fought on 3 December 1854 and named for the stockade structure erected by miners during the conflict...
.
Humffray was not part of the rebellion but played the role of peacemaker in the lead up to the battle on 3 December 1854. He represented the interests of aggrieved diggers at the Commission of Enquiry into the discontent on the goldfields. Humffray was a vocal defender of the 13 miners who were charged with High Treason
High treason
High treason is criminal disloyalty to one's government. Participating in a war against one's native country, attempting to overthrow its government, spying on its military, its diplomats, or its secret services for a hostile and foreign power, or attempting to kill its head of state are perhaps...
for their role in the rebellion. He was the editor of the short-lived Ballarat Leader, first president of the Ballarat Mechanics' Institute; and passed first-year law, University of Melbourne
University of Melbourne
The University of Melbourne is a public university located in Melbourne, Victoria. Founded in 1853, it is the second oldest university in Australia and the oldest in Victoria...
(1860). Humffray was an Anglican and died a pauper on 18 March 1891. He was buried in the Old Ballarat Cemetery near those who had died in the Eureka rebellion, a headstone was erected by the people of Ballarat.
Political career
When the miners were granted the right to vote and representation in 1855 Humffray was elected unopposed as the member of the Victorian Legislative CouncilVictorian Legislative Council
The Victorian Legislative Council, is the upper of the two houses of the Parliament of Victoria, Australia; the lower house being the Legislative Assembly. Both houses sit in Parliament House in Spring Street, Melbourne. The Legislative Council serves as a house of review, in a similar fashion to...
for Ballarat (1855-1856); then Member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly
Victorian Legislative Assembly
The Victorian Legislative Assembly is the lower house of the Parliament of Victoria in Australia. Together with the Victorian Legislative Council, the upper house, it sits in Parliament House in the state capital, Melbourne.-History:...
for North Grant(1856-1864) then Ballarat East (1868-1871). He served as Minister for Mines (1860-1861) and Chairman of the Royal Commission on Mining (1862).