Tasmanian History Timeline 1850-1859

The following are a list of important dates in Tasmanian history dating from the decade of Joseph Wheeler Feltham's arrival in Hobart Town, Van Diemen's Land.

• 1850 – First Van Diemen's Land secular high school built at the Domain in Hobart Town.
• 1850 – Hobart Town’s Constitution Dock is officially opened.
• 1851 – The Black Thursday bushfires occur in February 1851.
• 1851 – A major influenza epidemic hits Van Diemen's Land.
• 1851 – First election for 16 non-appointed members of Legislative Council.
• 1851 – Hobart Town’s Chamber of Commerce is established in 1851.
• 1851 – The first Australian inter-colonial cricket match is hosted in Launceston between Van Diemen's Land and Victoria.
• 1851 – Van Diemen's Land Darlington penitentiary abandoned on Maria Island.
• 1852 – Elections for first Hobart and Launceston municipal councils are held.
• 1852 – Gold discovered near Fingal
• 1852 – The convict ship the 'Equestrian' arrives in Hobart Town.
• 1853 – Arrival of last convict ship, the St Vincent.
  
• 1853 – Jubilee festival in Hobart celebrates the end of convict transportation.
• 1853 – The first Tasmanian adhesive postage stamp issued.
• 1854 – The Legislative Council wrote to Queen Victoria requesting that the name of the colony be changed to Tasmania.
  
• 1854 – Severe floods and fires hit Hobart.
• 1854 – The Mercury newspaper is founded as bi-weekly publication.
• 1855 – The first horse-drawn 'buses' (in reality they were large carts) began services - mainly on the Hobart city to nearby New Town route.
• 1855 – Henry Young becomes first vice-regal representative to have title of Governor of Van Dieman's Land - later Tasmania.
• 1856 – Name of Van Diemen's Land officially changed to Tasmania after grant of responsible self-government.
• 1856 – New two-house Parliament opens after elections, William Champ becomes colony's first Premier.
• 1856 – Norfolk Island transferred from Tasmanian to New South Wales control.
• 1857 – Hobart's municipal Incorporation
• 1857 – Hobart-Launceston telegraph line opens for first time.
  
• 1857 – Hobart starts using coal gas - Hobart streets get gas lighting.
• 1858 – Hobarts Marine Board has it's first meeting - becoming Australia's oldest port authority.
• 1858 – Hobart and Launceston councils form municipal police forces.
• 1858 – Council of Education established in Tasmania.
  
• 1858 – The Hobart Savings Bank founded in 1858.
• 1858 – Tasmanian Parliament passes Rural Municipalities Act
• 1859 – Hobart Town Council appoints a health officer.
• 1859 – The new Government House at Domain occupied for first time, by Governor Henry Young and Lady Young.

My Grandson William John Elwick Feltham (1887-1952) The Soldier

William John Elwick Feltham (London, 1919)
[Colonial Studio (F. Segers) December 1918 - April 1919]
[United Kingdom: England, Greater London, London]

William (1887-1952) was my first grandson, born of my oldest son John William Feltham (1856-1938). He enlisted at the age of 29 years (23rd August 1916) with the 12th Battalion from Newtown, Tasmania and embarked overseas to the First World War (1914-1918) aboard the HMS Suffolk (20th September 1916). Private William Feltham was wounded in France, on the left side and left leg, and captured on the 13th April 1917. He was held as a prisoner of war in Germany, before being repatriated to England on the 23rd of December 1918. Whilst in London he was photographed (see picture above). William returned back to Australia on the 10th of May 1919, learning that I had already died (11th of October 1918). Some of the family believed that I had died as a result of the worry about William's fate.

The Mercury (Hobart, Tas) Newspaper on 17th of July 1917 reported that William John Elwick Feltham, of Newtown, previously reported missing, has been confirmed as a PRISONER OF WAR [link].

William was the first of my many descendents to return to mother England though he never managed to visit my family or birthplace in Dorset.