Peter Lalor- Ava Pellinger-Riley
Peter Lalor had a big impact on Eureka, he was a Eureka Stockade leader. Apart from being one of the Stockade leaders, he was also a politician. He first came to Victoria in Melbourne 1852. He found a job working on the railway, the Geelong-Melbourne railway. In 1853, roughly a year later, he left his job to find gold. In early 1854, he moved to Ballarat because of the large amounts of gold that had been found there. Not only was Lalor a digger, but he was in a partnership which included £800 worth of tobacco.
Once in Ballarat, Lalor became angry with all of the licence fees, so he became a part of the Ballarat Reform League. The Ballarat Reform League was formed on the 11th of November. Lalor did not start the league but played a big part in it. Although Lalor, did not agree with everything they said and was unsure of some things. On the 30th of November 1854, the troops/policemen decided to have a digger hunt at Bakery Hill. Once word spread of this, everyone in the Ballarat Reform League gathered at Bakery Hill for a meeting. None of the regular spokesman were there so Lalor stood up and proclaimed 'Liberty'. Therefore Lalor was elected to lead the Eureka Stockade.
The night Lalor was elected for leader he wrote to his wife: 'the diggers … in self-defence, have taken up arms and are resolved to use them … I am one amongst them. You must not be unhappy on this account. I would be unworthy of being called a man, I would be unworthy of myself, and, above all, I would be unworthy of you and of your love, were I base enough to desert my companions in danger'.
The next morning over 1500 diggers marched behind the Eureka Flag. For the next two days, it was the troops against the diggers. They fought for their rights but lost. A lot of diggers were killed or arrested. During this time Lalor had been shot in the arm and had to have it amputated at the shoulder. There was a reward for Lalor after the battle at Bakery Hill. Hotham offered a reward for over £200 for information on Lalor. Lalor hid in Ballarat for the next few weeks, but fled to Geelong where he was taken care of by Alicia Dunne. They were married on the 10th of July 1588, at St Mary's Church. In November 1855, Peter Lalor became a part of Parliament.
Once in Ballarat, Lalor became angry with all of the licence fees, so he became a part of the Ballarat Reform League. The Ballarat Reform League was formed on the 11th of November. Lalor did not start the league but played a big part in it. Although Lalor, did not agree with everything they said and was unsure of some things. On the 30th of November 1854, the troops/policemen decided to have a digger hunt at Bakery Hill. Once word spread of this, everyone in the Ballarat Reform League gathered at Bakery Hill for a meeting. None of the regular spokesman were there so Lalor stood up and proclaimed 'Liberty'. Therefore Lalor was elected to lead the Eureka Stockade.
The night Lalor was elected for leader he wrote to his wife: 'the diggers … in self-defence, have taken up arms and are resolved to use them … I am one amongst them. You must not be unhappy on this account. I would be unworthy of being called a man, I would be unworthy of myself, and, above all, I would be unworthy of you and of your love, were I base enough to desert my companions in danger'.
The next morning over 1500 diggers marched behind the Eureka Flag. For the next two days, it was the troops against the diggers. They fought for their rights but lost. A lot of diggers were killed or arrested. During this time Lalor had been shot in the arm and had to have it amputated at the shoulder. There was a reward for Lalor after the battle at Bakery Hill. Hotham offered a reward for over £200 for information on Lalor. Lalor hid in Ballarat for the next few weeks, but fled to Geelong where he was taken care of by Alicia Dunne. They were married on the 10th of July 1588, at St Mary's Church. In November 1855, Peter Lalor became a part of Parliament.
Bibliography
TURNER, I.
Biography - Peter Lalor - Australian Dictionary of Biography
In-text: (Turner, 1974)
Bibliography: Turner, I. (1974). Biography - Peter Lalor - Australian
Dictionary of Biography. [online] Adb.anu.edu.au. Available at:
http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/lalor-peter-3980 [Accessed 3 May
2015].
TURNER, I.
Biography - Peter Lalor - Australian Dictionary of Biography
In-text: (Turner, 1974)
Bibliography: Turner, I. (1974). Biography - Peter Lalor - Australian
Dictionary of Biography. [online] Adb.anu.edu.au. Available at:
http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/lalor-peter-3980 [Accessed 3 May
2015].