T h e population of Port Phillip was then 3500, including 430 w o m e n and children, which would give one tavern for about every 440 individuals. In August 1882, there were in Victoria 4312 publicans' licenses, beside 317 grocers', and 79 for the sale of colonial wine ; and assuming the population at 900,000, there would be a Licensed Victualler for every 200 persons, including w o m e n and children, of w h o m there was an infinitely larger proportion than in 1838. Little Flinders Street was considered the best business thoroughfare in the olden time, but a few years witnessed a great change. Mr. Michael Pender was thefirstto open a small sod-built public-house there, wherein he laid the foundation of a large fortune. Bonwick describes him as coming from Launceston " an industrious, saving man, w h o brought over one of the earliest bullock teams, which he employed in cutting, carting, and selling bush hay at £ a load. His wife then attended to the inn." T h e same Pender bought a half-acre of land running from Collins Street to Little Flinders Street, for £ig. On the frontage to the latter street he erected his Shamrock, and on the Collins Street part was built in after years the Royal Hotel, subsequently re-named the Criterion, and n o w the site of the Union Bank. Pender acquired a large quantity of valuable city property, and continued through life " a saving and industrious man." H e had three sons-in-law at one time established in public-houses, and he died some years ago, leaving a good circle of grandchildren to inherit his well-earned and well-minded wealth. T h e Governor Bourke was situated in Little Flinders Street, at the corner of the n o w B o n d Street, whilst Harper's British Hotel was in William Street, near the southern corner of Little Flinders Street. Halfpenny's William Tell was in thefirstinstance a wattle-and-daub cottage hovel where the Theatre Royal n o w flourishes ; but the stand was then so bad for business, in consequence of its distance in the bush, that he took the earliest opportunity of having his license transferred to another one-story holding on the eastern portion of " T h e Block," within a few yards of Queen Street. Halfpenny has outlived all his contemporaries by many years, and his colonial career has been one of exceptional activity. "Disbarring" himself about 1847, he obtained the appointment of Chief-Constable at the W i m m e r a , then a wild and boundless district. A queer quaint-looking building was put up off Collins Street, rearward of the Bank of N e w South Wales, and it was called the Royal Exchange. It was subsequently moved out in an enlarged brick form on a line with the street, and keptfirstby a Mr. Davies, and subsequently by a mercurial sort of Scotchman named Campbell. At the northeastern junction of Queen and Collins Streets, a Mr. U m p l e b y kept a tavern rather inappiopriately named the Angel, and the Royal Highlander was opened in Queen Street (western side, half-way between Little Collins and Collins Streets) by an individual of the very un-Hi°hland though not un-^//ish name of " J e m m y Connell." It was afterwards moved to the "wharf," under the management of a thorough Scotchman known as "John Shanks." A s not irrelevant to the subject under treatment, it m a y be worth while to present thefirstprinted advertisement for an hotel tenant. It is extracted from the Melbourne Advertiser, 9th April, 1838, and thus reads : T O L ET, For a period offiveyears, those handsome premises k n o w n as the Angel Inn, situate at the corner of Queen and Collins Streets, containing 3 parlours, 4 bedrooms, hall, billiard room 35ft. by 20ft., and l6ft. high, 3 upstairs rooms—all furnished in the first possible style—taproom 30ft. by I2(t., large kitchen and oven, with servant's room, out-buildings, &c. T o be let with furniture to a respectable tenant for ^"250 a year, payable quarterly, but good security would be required.
For such a promising investment, which looked much better on paper than in reality, I am unable to record whether or not an eligible offer with a secured rental was obtained. Such might be styled the original taverns of Melbourne, the majority of them being built of wood and brick or wattle-and-daub, with coarse shingle roof covering, brick or clay chimneys, and planked or slabbed, and sometimes earthen, floors. A s the number increased, improvements were gradually introduced both in the construction and furnishing, and substantial two-story premises soon put in an appearance T h e builders were not over particular in working to the street line, and the houses would be thrown up not only feet, but yards in from what was afterwards a footway ; a place supposed to be at a street corner or in a particular street would be perched on a plot of open ground some distance from both. T h e tavern-keepers
