ELECTED TO SOUTH AUSTRALIAN PARLIAMENT
TIME LINE
1865 Jan. 11 Receives a deputation asking him to stand for S.A, Parliament.- “Border Watch” 11/1/65
1865 Jan 14 Delivers his first political speech at Mount Gambier. “Border Watch” 14/1/65.
1865 Jan. 18 Again set out his policy at a political meeting. Long’s Assembly Room Mount Gambier.“Border Watch” 21/1/65.
1865 Jan 24 Won Hurdle Race at Guichen Bay (Robe) on Cadger. “Border Watch” 28/1/65
1865 Feb 7 Meeting at Craig’s Royal Hotel Ballarat at 8 o’clock pm to propose a May steeplechase meeting of the Ballarat Turf Club
1865 Feb 9 Delivered political speech at Penola “Border Watch” 11/2/65
1865 Feb 11 Mount Gambier, Penola, Guichen Bay (Robe) and Mosquito Plains Committee advertise their pledge
to use all lawful means to secure return of Gordon and Riddoch “Border Watch”11/2/65
1865 Feb 15 Nominations closed. “Border Watch” 11/2/65
1865 Feb 18 Mount Gambier, Penola, Guichen Bay (Robe), Mosquito Plains Committee again advertise. “Border Watch” 18th Feb 1865.
1865 Feb 18t “The First Death” by Gordon, signed “Jewihi” appeared in “Australasian”- “Australasian 18/2/1865 Page 2.
1865 March 1 Elections held. Gordon and Riddoch returned. “Border Watch” 11/3/65
1865 March 4 “Thou” appeared in “Australasian”- “Australasian” 4/3/65 Page 2.
1865 Mar. 6 Elected to SA Parliament.
1865 Mar 16 South Australian Ministry resigned. – “Australasian 18/3/65 Page 5
1865 Mar. 31 Maggie arrives in Adelaide by Steamer. Gordon rode “Cadger” overland.
1865 April 5 Contributed “Farewell to Finnaree “Border Clarion” Printed by “Border Watch” – “Border Clarion 5/4/65
1865 April 20 A win at the Maiden Steeple (vic)
1865 April 20 Came third on “Ballarat” at the Great Western Steeple Coleraine Vic on
1865 May 5 A win on “Cadger” at the Penola Steeplechase
1865 May 11 “Red Lancer” Bad fall at Ballarat. Knocked unconscious. “Ballarat Star” 12.5. 1865 Page 2
1865 May 23 Takes the oath and his seat in SA Parliament.-Hansard. Page 296
1865 May 31 Gordon’s first speech in S.A Parliament The Annual Leases.- Hansard Page 361
1865 June 6 Delivered 2nd speech in S.A.Parliament. Annual Pastoral Leases Bill. Hansard 430-433.
1865 June 10 “At Nightfall” by Gordon appears in “Australasian” signed ‘Jesson” – “Australasian” 10/6/1865 Page 3.
1865 June 17 Voted for a Bill to prevent influx of W.A. convicts into S.A.- Hansard Page 633
1865 Jun 28 Made small comment on Government policy in SA Parliament. Hansard Page 624
1865 Jun 30 A small comment about the division of land by using “The Hundreds” Page 648
1865 July 5 Spoke in S.A. Parliament. Fencing of Land (Narracoorte) Hansard Page 683
1865 July 12 Spoke in Parliament- Road between Penola and Reedy Lagoon. Hansard Page 736
1865 July 22 Contributed “In Vain” to “Australasian” signed “Jesson” “Australasian” 22/7/65 Page 3.
1865 July 25 Small comment in Parl. about the line between Lacepede Bay and Narracoorte and called for a “Division” Hansard Page 912
1865 Aug Poem “Vision’s in the Smoke” (Hippodromania)-The first notable verses of Gordon’s ever in print. (Notes on Hippodromania)
1865 Aug 17 “Ode to Pindar” appeared in “Bell’s Life”-“Bells Life 17/8/65.
1865 Aug. Sep Trained “Cadger” in Adelaide
1865 Sept Australian Monthly Magazine started. (Became The Colonial monthly in 1867 when purchased by Clarson, Massina & Company.)
1865 Sep 20 Won Adelaide Annual Steeple on James’ “Cadger” “Australasian” 30/9/65 Page 4
1865 Oct 3 Spoke in Parliament –Address in reply (Seconded) S.A. Hansard Page 28v.Gordon Presented a petition for a hospital in
Mount Gambier.
1865 Oct. Poem Ye Wearie Wayfarer published in Bell’s Life.
1865 Oct 11 Presented a petition on behalf of Mount Gambier residents referring to local land sales, a circuit court and other matters
1865 Nov 3 Spoke in Parliament.-The Commissioners of Insolvency.- S.A. Hansard Page 229-230 Only speech worthy of note.
1865 Dec 1 Won Ballarat Steeple on “Ballarat” “Australasian” 2/12/65 Page 5. “Turf Register” Page 53
1865 Dec 15 Second on “Palinarus” South Australian Jockey’s Club Thebarton meeting. (Somersault on horseback in first heat-the horse falling
without losing it’s rider) (South Australian Register Saturday 16th December 1865 Page 4)
1865 Dec 20 Spoke in Parliament. Road from Mount Gambier to Penola.. SA Hansard Page 605
1865 Dec Gordon’s Last Will and Testament drawn up.
1865 Dec. “Ballarat” at Dowling Forrest Handicap Steeplechase. Ballarat.
1865 Dec 29 John Riddoch in SA Parl. about the Mt Gambier Penola Road. Hansard Page 604
1865/66 Great Western Steeple. Coleraine
1866 Jan. 1 Nowhere on “Cadger” Grand National Steeplechase Melbourne. “Age” 2/1/66; Turf Register Page 66.
1866 Feb 1 Spoke in Parliament- Improvement of the Torrens banks- SA Hansard Page 910.
1866 Feb 9 Spoke in Parliament – Local Land Sales- Gordon moved: “That in the opinion of this House it is expedient
that local land sales be held at Mount Gambier in the South- East District.”
Carried 16 to 10. SA Hansard Pages 1008-1010.
1866 A record of Charles Frederick Wells (missing explorer) when appointed Cadet in the Survey Department , travelling to Adelaide
with Gordon and being introduced to the Surveyor General by Gordon upon arrival in Adelaide.( South Australian Register
Adelaide, SA Saturday 14 November 1896 Page 7)
1866 Apr. 2 Nowhere on “Cadger” Ballarat Grand National Steeple, Ballarat.- Ballarat “Star” 3/4/66
1866 Apr. 3 Second on “Cadger” Ballarat Amateur Steeple- Ballarat “Star” 4/4/66
1866 Apr. 19 Nowhere on “Cadger” Great Western Steeple- Coleraine (Vic) “Australasian” 28/4/66 Page 106; Turf Register Page 129.
1866 April 19 “The Fields of Coleraine” appeared in “Australasian” – Turf Register 19/4/66
1866 May 9 Dinner tended to Gordon and Riddoch at Mount Gambier- “Border Watch,” 12/5/66
1866 Friend. E.G. Blackmore, The Parliamentary Librarian. Prepared Blackmore’s “Launcelot” for 1st Adelaide Hunt Club Cup.
(TheRegister (Adelaide, SA Thursday 14 August 1919 Page 5)
Mr George Cox of Norwood SA says that he taught ALG Boxing (The Register Adelaide, SA ) Wednesday 24 April 1912 Pge 6)
1866 Aug. 4 First of “Visions in Smoke” appeared – Bell’s Life 2/8/66
1866 Sep 4 Gordon and Riddoch Elected to Parliamentary Communications Committee for improvements in the S.E. of South Australia.
Hansard Page 299
1866 Sept 15 Second on “Hector” Adelaide Annual Steeple- “Australasian” 2/9/66 Page 811
1866 Sept 26 Spoke in Parliament- Mechanics Institute at Mount Gambier- SA Hansard 458 462
1866 Sept 28 Spoke in Parliament – SA Hansard Page 488
1866 Sept 29 Lay of the Melbourne Cup- not by Macaulay- appeared- “Australasian” 29/9/66 Page 810.
1866 Oct 6 Lay of the Melbourne Cup- not by Macaulay- concluded- “Australasian” 6/10/66 Page 842.
1866 Oct. Poem Ye Wearie Wayfarer published. Wrote Whiffs from the Pipe. The Old Leaven published in the Australasian”.
1866 Oct. 26. Failed to appear at a Parliament Roll Call.- SA Hansard Page 771. Mr Gordon was the only one not to appear.
1866 Oct 27 Fyttes 1 and 2 of “Ye Wearie Wayfarer” appeared in Bell’s Life 27/10/66
1866 Nov 3 Fyttes 3 and 4 of “Ye Wearie Wayfarer” appeared in Bell’s Life 3//11/66.
1866 Nov 10t Fyttes 5 and 6 of “Ye Wearie Wayfarer” appeared in Bell’s Life 10/11/66
1866 Nov 10 “The Old Leaven” and “Vae Vietis” appeared- “Australasian” 10/11/66 Page 997
1866 Nov 17 “Fytte 7 of “Ye Wearie Wayfarer” appeared- Bell’s Life 17/11/66
1866 Nov. 20 The Speaker of SA Parliament reported receiving a letter from Mr. A.L. Gordon , resigning his seat as a representative of
the District of Victoria. Hansard Page 997.
HISTORY OLD PARLIAMENT HOUSE ADELAIDE
Reproducing a biography by Eileen Kaye first published in The Australasian Newspaper in serial form in 1933.
This series of articles was recovered from The Australasian newspaper by Travis M. Sellers.
Edited by John W. Adams, with permission kindly given by The State Library of Victoria.
At the end of 1864 an election for the South Australian House of Assembly became due. It was apparent that one of the chief planks of both parties would be the matter of Goyder’s valuations. This question aroused intense interest in the South-East, and must be briefly discussed here as the back-ground of Gordon’s electoral campaign.
The Mount Gambier district was an electoral division called Victoria. It consisted mostly of rich grazing and farming land. In the early days the squatters had been very generously treated, leases being granted at the low rate of from 10 shillings up to 20 shillings a square mile ( today’s terms $1 and $2. Ed.). for the best land; to be renewed annually. As closer settlement and farming increased, the runs became much more valuable. Later, five-year grazing leases were given, subject to revaluation at the end of the term. In 1864 Mr. Goyder, a surveyor, was sent by the Government to make these revaluations. When his figures came in it was obvious that when the leases had to be renewed-which would be the next year-the rents would be much increased. The Government would receive nearly a quarter of a million extra revenue annually from the squatters. Naturally there was fierce resentment from the small but influential wealth class. Although it was agreed that Goyder was honest enough, it was felt that such a big job should not have been entrusted to one man only.
“LINDSAY GORDON, GENTLEMAN”
The” South-East,” as the Victoria electorate was commonly called, was fairly equally divided between the squatting and pastoral interests. It was obviously the Government’s policy to break up the big holdings; this was, of course, strenuously opposed by the victims. The Blyth Ministry, whose Attorney-General was one of the members for the South-East, upheld the valuations. So the squatters’ party looked round for a new and more sympathetic candidate who would support the cause on which their prosperity depended. Their choice fell on J. H. Mack, of Penola; John Riddoch, J. P. of Yallum Park, called in the neighbourhood “The Squire of Penola”; and Lindsay Gordon, gentleman, of Mount Gambier, known as a “warm” man these days, and of an independent spirit, who, while being acceptable to all parties, was not likely to become the tool of any.
STOW’S EFFIGY
(Border Watch 11 Mar 1865 p2)
March 1, polling day, came around. As the figures appeared it was apparent that at Mount Gambier Stow had a large majority, while at the other places Gordon and Riddoch led. When the final results were announced it was seen with some surprise that Gordon headed the poll, and Riddoch had three more votes than Stow.
On March 5, when the result was known, there was great jubilation among the squatters. The Gordon and Riddoch party gloried in the very unexpectedness of their victory. At Robe that evening, where Gordon had topped the poll, the jetty bell tolled, as if for a funeral, and a procession with torches made its way through the streets; in its centre was Stow’s effigy, which they intended to burn with some ceremony. The procession looked very grand. Robe was thrilled; never before had such a spectacle been witnessed! After a hundred yards, the other party joined forces, and a skirmish ensured in which torch-bearers were upset and blows exchanged. The effigy was rescued and brought to Stow’s committee rooms, where it was received with deafening cheers. Next day it was triumphantly paraded through the township, with fifes playing and a placard that proclaimed, “He’s not dead yet!’
Nevertheless Mr. Stow was much disgruntled at his defeat, and refused to take part in any public affairs. He went back to the promising barrister’s practice that his public duties had made him neglect. With the retirement of its Attorney General the Blyth Ministry fell to pieces, and resigned a week later.
CLICK FOR A FULL ACCOUNT BY EVELYN KAYE
CLICK FOR COPIES OF HANSARD COVERING GORDON’S SPEECHES – Images provided by Travis M. Sellers