Scroll down for Summary of TEACHERS Information.
** Regarding The History of the Period
**And HOW to RUN the Play
Scroll down to the end to find how to-
**Download the Complete Play Documents as PDF.
**Download Slide Show of Pictures and History Information
THE PLAY REAL EVENTS------REAL PEOPLE
“1835 (plus) JOHN BATMAN and FRIENDS versus
JOHN PASCOE FAWKNER
versus
CAPTAIN LONSDALE + GOVERNOR BOURKE + BRITISH COLONIAL OFFICE
AIM: To demonstrate that :Batman and Fawkner were quick off the mark in settling the Land across the Straight from V.D.L. It forced the British Foreign Secretary to declare that all foreign land was owned by Britain, and no one could just take land without paying for it and the Government agreeing to that occupation.
A SIMPLE PLAY TO ENCOMPASS ALL the CLASS.
SHOULD OCCUPY 3 classroom periods only.L
1 Signposts and Taste READINGS.by TEACHER
2 Select the PLAYERS. 3. Enjoy the PLAY.
HOW:
JOBS to be done:
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To include ALL THE CLASS..A job can be found for ALL.
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Signs, drawings, and simple uniforms or period clothes.
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Equal speaking time for all participants.
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A Historical commentary, and Introduction for each ACT, should allow Girls, to make up for the historical imbalance of men (Boys).
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Understudies should be given a go.
TEACHER READ: With possibly Some light discussion to follow.
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SIGNPOSTS to Early Australian History and the Play Setting.
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Get a “TASTE of our early PEOPLE.”
SELECT:
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Actors and Actresses.
MAKE SIMPLE: Uniforms or Clothing. Use a LARGE name SIGN..
READ: Directly From the script. Tutors may change how they like. Have FUN!!
PERHAPS attach a Video and Sound link.-Another job?
Please Note, All Sources and Acknowledgements are at the end of each appropriate book.
SIGNPOSTS to Early Australian History and the Play Setting.
After Britain had been “pushed” out of America ( and its use as a convict settlement) she took ownership of the so called her so called “defensive colonies.” Britain provided ships, men, and supplies, therefore it deserved ownership. Hence NULLIUS was born.
The current site of Victoria was attached to N.S.W. The Governor’s of the day were in no hurry to have the land developed particularly as it would “cost”
Even the Henty settlement at Portland did not excite too much concern. BUT, when the influential people backing the Port Phillip Site, started to make their claims known, the Governor of the day Bourke, was forced to act, claiming that ALL land was owned by the British Government.
a “TASTE of our early PEOPLE.”
Quite a lot was known about the size, and areas of Australia through the efforts of explorers George Bass and Matthew Flinders circumnavigating Tasmania in 1797. James Grant sighting the entrance to Port Phillip whilst sailing to Sydney from Cape Town in 1800, John Murray sent to explore Westernport then Port Phillip in 1801, Charles Grimes and Charles Robbins mapping Port Phillip in 1803 after following the French expedition into the Bass strait Islands in 1803, the Short lived Military Encampment at Corinella in 1803, and Hamilton Hume, John Batman’s childhood friend from Parramatta, and Captain Hovell’s expedition that found Port Phillip Bay from the land in 1824, mistakenly thinking they had found Westernport; because of an error in navigation by Hovell.
There is no doubt that John Batman was instrumental in opening up the Port Phillip area for settlement, particularly as sheep and cattle prices required more and more grazing area for the animals was required. Land in Tasmania was just about all taken up.
Meetings by the members of the Port Phillip Association, were sometimes held in the Public House in Launceston the Cornwall Arms, owned by John Pascoe Fawkner, who would as a business man would have been intrigued and desirous of joining the venture. He was not invited! So he decided to go it alone, and set up a rival establishment in what is now called Melbourne.
The Henty occupation at Portland, gave a sense of urgency to the development of Port Phillip. Some of the Henty family, had had bad experiences at the Swann River settlement in Western Australia, so the “family” re located to Launceston. From there the settlement at Portland was begun and maintained.
Because what is now called Victoria, belonged to NSW, and was a long way from Sydney, the Governor of Australia in Sydney was reluctant to allow settlement. However the influential people in Launceston and Hobart, plus the Henty settlement at Portland, meant some action had to be taken. It was, in the form of Terra Nullius.
In other words ALL Land belonged to the British Government. Therefore ONLY the British Government could sell land
The actual first people to settle in Melbourne, were under the control of John Pascoe Fawkner, who provided the ship. He decided to leave his ship the Enterprize, (due to financial and Legal commitments in Launceston, when at sea and returned to George Town ) under the command of Captain Peter Hunter, and the overall expedition under the command of Captain John Lancey.
In summing up the very early settlers in Port Phillip at Melbourne, John Batman was a big energetic highly regarded bush man, very large land owner sheep farmer, in Van Diemans Land. Slowly dying of a disease he inherited at birth, or picked up during his life. He was highly regarded by the Government and helped capture Mathew Brady, and commanded part of the Infamous Black Line in Tasmania.
John Pascoe Fawkner, went with his Family, his Father was a convicted person, on the short lived Convict settlement, at Sorrento. A small man he hated authority of any kind, and had experienced whippings and jail terms during his growing up. Captain John Lancey just happened to be a small investor in Fawkner’s plans to beat Batman in setting up in Port Phillip. He and several others had actually paid Fawkner about 7 pounds each to go on Fawkner’s ship the Enterprize.
J.P.Fawkner served eventually as an M.H.R. in the State Government. When he died he was given an enormous State Funeral.
Governor Bourke appointed Captain Lonsdale, to act as Government Representative for Law and Order, and at Governor Bourke’s visit, he decided the laying out, and naming of the village Melbourne ( after the British Prime Minister) Governor Bourke also appointed Joseph La Trobe as State Lt. Governor.
Download PDF Slide Show of PICTURES and Additional History Information
| Click to view separate ACTs below | DOWNLOAD COMPLETE PLAY PDF |
| ACT 1. 8 People (4 Boys, 4 Girls) --> | READ ACT 1 |
| ACT 2. 7 People (4 Boys, 3 Girls) --> | READ ACT 2 |
| ACT 3. 5 People ( 3 Boys, 2 Girls) --> | READ ACT 3 |
