Page:ChroniclesofEarlyMelbournevol.2.pdf/284

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THE CHRONICLES OF EARLY MELBOURNE.

T h e first publicly proclaimed dancing master appeared in September, 1840, in the person of C. Clarke, w h o was "prepared to give tuition in dancing in the house in Bourke Street, recently occupied by Dr. Cotter." In 1843, Monsieur E. C. Greene (a gentleman of colour, though not so stated in advertisement), m e m b e r of L'Ecole Polytechnique, Paris, opened a "Fencing and Dancing Academy," at the corner of Lonsdale and Queen Streets. T h e first restaurant was opened in Melbourne in March, 1840. It is advertised as a tea, coffee, and dining-room, at the corner of P'linders Lane and Elizabeth Street, by Richard Graham, who emphatically declares that no trouble will be spared in promoting the comfort of his customers. " Up-country settlers leading their teams to Melbourne will find good accommodation on the premises," where there were single and double beds, and the newspapers were taken in. The first regular tobacconist was Jno. Macheeknie, w h o c o m m e n c e d 28th September, 1839, in "a fancy snuff and cigar shop," in the Market Square, next to the "Sporting Emporium." The " blowing u p " of this individual has been narrated in a previous chapter. About the same time D. Dole advertised himself as an operative chemist and druggist in Collins Street. H e performed operations of bleeding, capping, and tooth-drawing, and for the convenience of his customers was supplied with a varied assortment of groceries of the best description; but intermingled with the black and green teas were such trifles as quills, ink, and sealing wax, fancy snuffs, turpentine, and French polish. In October appeared in town a personage w h o afterwards m a d e a noise in more capacities than one, and whose name appears in the " Corporation" and other chapters. H e was a Mr. Michael M'Namara, a Sydney tailor, w h o opened " the E m p o r i u m of Fashion in Little Collins Street, and was ready to m a k e naval and military uniforms to order, equal to any imported from London or Paris." In November, 1839, George Arden, a co-proprietor of the Gazette, offered for sale "an English-built bush or travelling carriage and dog-cart, brought overland from Sydney, capable of holding four persons, and worthy the attention of squatters w h o have the happiness in this land of toil of possessing wives whose kindly and womanly offices can m a k e the rude hut of the lonely squatter enviable to the inmates of a palace." T h e first coachbuilder was Ebenezer Brown, w h o at same time started the business of "making in all its branches," in Little Bourke Street; and Lewis Robertson, a duly qualified veterinary surgeon, was not only willing to doctor, but also to train horses, and, furthermore, "to give security in any amount." T h e first published place of accommodation for horses was kept by James Graburn, who "called attention to the superior character of his livery and bait stables, where none but steady grooms were employed." Quite a flutter was occasioned among the small beau monde in January, 1840, when "Mrs. Brown, dressmaker to the Countess of Llandaff and the ladies of the Court of Dublin, begged respectfully to inform the ladies of Melbourne and its vicinity, that she had commenced business at N o . 4 Little Flinders Street East, and wanted two out-door apprentices." But she was soon cut out by Mrs. Margaret C. Dick setting up in Collins Street. H e r credentials set forth "that she had served under Mrs. Williams, dressmaker and milliner to Queen Victoria." R o w e and Co. (1840) initiated a somewhat pretentious medical establishment in Collins Street, next the Club House (now Union Club Hotel), not only as manufacturing chemists, but as having received a select assortment of the newest and most fashionable remedies, on the purity of which the profession and public m a y depend." For domestic use they supplied "pearl sago, sal volatile, salts, Robinson's patent groats and barley, pickles, capers, Lucca oil, and superior snuffs and lemon syrup. A new pastry-cook had also commenced under the n a m e of J. Davies, w h o informed " the gentry and public that he had a constant supply of soups, jellies, and brawn, and that dishes of all kinds are made to order." H e was soon outdone by Philip Burgin, from London, as a "pastry-cook and confectioner in all its branches. Jellies and blanc manges, mock-turtle, ox-tail and mulligatawney,