The Bacchus Marsh Express was a weekly newspaper first published in July 1866. It was produced in the Victorian town of Bacchus Marsh and was distributed in that township and the surrounding district. The original title was "The Bacchus Marsh Express : and General Advertiser for Ballan, Melton, Myrniong, Blackwood, Gisborne, Egerton and Gordon Districts". There were numerous variations to the name of this newspaper over the next 100 years but it usually retained the word 'Express' as part of its title. In September 2010 the word Express disappeared from the title and it became known as the Moorabool Weekly which then merged with some other newspapers over the next few years. For over 100 years the Crisp family owned or were associated with the production of the Express. By 22 February 1984 Syme Community Newspapers had taken over the Express. This entity was later renamed Fairfax Community Newspapers and continued to publish the Express until the disappearance of the name 'Express' altogether at the begining of September 2010. The last issue with the word 'Express' in the title being published on 31 August 2010.This is the first local Bacchus Marsh newspaper that continued to be published over a significant period of time. After beginning July 1866 it continued to be published weekly until the last issue on the 31 August 2010 was published. Nearly all published editions of the Express have been preserved. Issues No.1 and No.2, 7 and 14 July are not extant. The earliest known issue in existence is No.3, 21 July, 1866. Original copies from 21 July 1866 until 31 August 2010 are held by the Bacchus Marsh and District Historical Society.Bound and unbound newspaper issues, microfilm, and CD-ROM. printers, newspapers bacchus marsh, bacchus marsh express, christopher crisp 1844-1915, crisp family bacchus marsh

The Express newspaper was founded in Bacchus Marsh in 1866. From 1870 it was produced in this two-storey building in Church Street Bacchus Marsh. The first issue was published on Saturday 7th July 1866. The first issues of the Express were produced in the house of its proprietor George Lane. This house can be seen at the rear of the two-storey building in this image. Around 1889 the size of the building was doubled. The Express was initially started and operated by a syndicate of local businessmen. After only a few months the syndicate ceased and George Lane a printer and his future son-in-law Christopher Crisp took over the ownership and operation of the Express. The Crisp family were associated with the Express for over 100 years. It was both a newspaper and printing business. The Express building was in use as a newspaper and printing business until the early 1980s. Since the 1980s the building has been used for a variety of retail and commercial purposes. The original printing equipment used by the Express is still present in the building and the site has been listed as a site of state heritage significance on the Victorian Heritage Register.Small sepia unframed photograph on card with gold border framing photograph. Housed in the album, 'Photographs of Bacchus Marsh and District in 1883 by Stevenson and McNicoll'. The image depicts the Bacchus Marsh Express building in 1883. It shows a two-storey building with a pitched roof and front verandah. Five men stand in front of the building facing the camera. On the first left is George Lane one of the proprietors. Second from the left is Christopher Crisp, the co-proprietor and editor of the Express. The other three men are unidentified but are possibly employees of the Express. The house on the right belonged to George Lane. The house to the left of the building belonged to Christopher Crisp. All three buildings remain in Bacchus Marsh in 2024.On the front: Stevenson & McNicoll. Photo. 108 Elizabeth St. Melbourne. COPIES CAN BE OBTAINED AT ANY TIME. On the back: LIGHT & TRUTH inscribed on a banner surmounted by a representation of the rising sun. Copies of this Portrait can be had at any time by sending the Name and Post Office Money Order or Stamps for the amount of order to STEVENSON & McNICOLL LATE BENSON & STEVENSON, Photographers. 108 Elizabeth Street, MELBOURNE. newspapers, bacchus marsh express, christopher crisp 1844-1915, printers, george lane 1823-1899

The former Christopher Crisp residence was constructed in 1868 by William Watson, one of the members of the Bacchus Marsh Express printing company which took over the management of The Express after the first edition, 7 July 1866, was published by its founder, George Lane, a book binder. This syndicate failed after three months and the ownership was then taken over by Christopher Crisp, a compositor working for the company. Crisp remained the editor from 1866 to his death in 1915, when he was succeeded by his son, also called Christopher Crisp, and later by his grandson. Under the Crisp family leadership, The Express widened its readership and was subscribed to by influential men and public servants in Melbourne. (Heritage Victoria Council. Places. Entry no. 45.)Small sepia unframed photograph on card with gold border framing photograph. Housed in the album, 'Photographs of Bacchus Marsh and District in 1883 by Stevenson and McNicoll'. The photograph is of a single-storey cottage of rendered brick and sandstone with a shingled roof of slate tiles and ornate concave verandah. A chimney stands at either end of the house. A carved barge board decorates the northern end of the hip roof. A skillion with windows and a chimney adjoins the rear of the cottage. The front facade is symmetrical with two sash windows placed either side of the central door. A wire fence runs along the front of the cottage. Standing at the gate is a formally dressed gentleman wearing a top hat. A young child is standing on the road. This child is possibly Christopher Crisp, Jnr., who later took over the role of editor of the Bacchus Marsh Express in 1915 on the death of his father. At the time of this photo, he would have been 4 years old. On the front: Stevenson & McNicoll. Photo. 108 Elizabeth St. Melbourne. COPIES CAN BE OBTAINED AT ANY TIME. On the back: LIGHT & TRUTH inscribed on a banner surmounted by a representation of the rising sun. Copies of this Portrait can be had at any time by sending the Name and Post Office Money Order or Stamps for the amount of order to STEVENSON & McNICOLL LATE BENSON & STEVENSON, Photographers. 108 Elizabeth Street, MELBOURNE. stevenson and mcnicoll 1883 photographs of bacchus marsh and district, houses bacchus marsh, christopher crisp 1844-1915

This plan of land allotments for sale indicates the property once owned by the Bacchus family in and around the township area of Bacchus Marsh. The Bacchus family sold their property in Bacchus Marsh to John Atkins and Robert Nalder Clarke in March 1851. Atkins and Clarke kept the property for a number of years until April 1856 when these allotments were put up for sale.This plan is almost identical to another copy held by the Bacchus Marsh and District Historical Society, VC Record 707, BMDHS collection). This plan, VC Record 452 Copy 2, contains a less detail than than VC Record 707 Copy 1. For example the selling agents and the surveyor who created the plan are not indicated on this copy of the plan. This copy of the plan does indicate the name Crook Street on the map. As the Crook family were the buyers of the Manor House property and surrounding land from Atkins and Clarke in 1856 it suggests that this copy is a later one of the earlier version. It is unlikely that the Crook family would have had the adjacent street named after them prior to purchasing the house and property. This is a very early land sales plan for the township of Bacchus Marsh and it therefore provides some clues as to how the early urban development of the township took place. Upon seeing the map in 1911 Bacchus Marsh Express newspaper editor Christopher Crisp wrote "The sale appears to have created the present township, which had a nucleus in earlier times further east", Express, 30 September, 1911, page 3. A single page paper map showing a portions of land available for sale in Bacchus Marsh in 1856. The subdivided land shown was owned by John Atkins and Robert Nalder Clarke, but previously owned by the Bacchus Family and was in and around their Manor House (Mansion) property in Bacchus Marsh.There are 5 portions of land further divided into numerous small portions. The land for sale is bounded by the present day streets of Main Street, Young Street, McFarland Street, Morton Streets, Crook Street, and part of the eastern section extends to the Lerderderg River. Scale: 4 chains to 1 inch. The map is pasted into a bound volume containing 76 maps or plans in total. High resolution digital image stored on BMDHS computer network. Plan of the first portion of land. The property of Messers Atkins and Clarke situate at Bacchus Marsh.land sales, land sales bacchus marsh, manor house bacchus marsh, crook family bacchus marsh

This plan of land allotments for sale indicates part of the property once owned by the Bacchus family in and around the township area of Bacchus Marsh. The Bacchus family sold their property in Bacchus Marsh to John Aitkins and Robert Nalder Clarke in March 1851. Aitkins and Clarke kept the property for a number of years until April 1856 when these allotments were put up for sale.This is a very early land sales plan for agricultural land close to the township of Bacchus Marsh. It therefore provides some clues as to how the early urban development of the township and agricultural development of the nearby area took place. Upon seeing the map in 1911 Bacchus Marsh Express newspaper editor Christopher Crisp wrote "The sale appears to have created the present township, which had a nucleus in earlier times further east", Express, 30 September, 1911, page 3.A single page paper plan showing allotments of land for sale. The subdivided land shown was owned by John Aitkins and Robert Nalder Clarke, but previously owned by the Bacchus Family and was in and around their Manor House (Mansion) property in Bacchus Marsh. This plan shows allotments in the second portion of land to be sold which was located east of the Manor House on the eastern side of the Lerderderg River. The land for sale was made up of 15 allotments. The plan is pasted into a bound volume containing 76 maps or plans in total. BMDHS Loc: AR/B12/S4 Bacchus Marsh Township and Nearby Districts Maps Volume In-house Digital copies: BMDHS, Computer Network: Maps\Bacchus Marsh Township and Nearby Districts Maps Volumebacchus marsh victoria maps, bacchus family, land sales, manor house bacchus marsh

This plan of land allotments for sale indicates the property once owned by the Bacchus family in and around the township area of Bacchus Marsh. The Bacchus family sold their property in Bacchus Marsh to John Atkins and Robert Nalder Clarke in March 1851. Atkins and Clarke kept the property for a number of years until April 1856 when these allotments were put up for sale.This plan is almost identical to another copy held by the Bacchus Marsh and District Historical Society, VC Record 452, BMDHS collection). This plan, VC Record 707 Copy 1, contains a little more detail overall than VC Record 452 Copy 2, such as who did the survey work for the plan (R.C. Bagot) and who the selling agents were, (W.M. Tennent), and on the right side of the plan near the Lerderderg River is indicated the general area for a second parcel of land from this sale which is to be sold. There is also a compass illustration indicating north and south compass points.This is a very early land sales plan for the township of Bacchus Marsh and it therefore provides some clues as to how the early urban development of the township took place. Upon seeing the map in 1911 Bacchus Marsh Express newspaper editor Christopher Crisp wrote "The sale appears to have created the present township, which had a nucleus in earlier times further east", Express, 30 September, 1911, page 3.A single page paper plan showing allotments of land for sale. The subdivided land shown was owned by John Atkins and Robert Nalder Clarke, but previously owned by the Bacchus Family and was in and around their Manor House (Mansion) property in Bacchus Marsh.There are 5 portions of land further divided into numerous small portions. The land for sale is bounded by the present day streets of Main Street, Young Street, McFarland Street, Morton Streets, Crook Street, and part of the eastern section extends to the Lerderderg River. Scale: 8 chains to 1 inch The plan is pasted into a bound volume containing 76 maps or plans in total. BMDHS Loc: AR/B12/S4 Bacchus Marsh Township and Nearby Districts Maps Volume In-house Digital copies: BMDHS, Computer Network: Maps\Bacchus Marsh Township and Nearby Districts Maps VolumeHeading: Plan of the first portion of land. The property of Messers Atkins and Clarke situate at Bacchus Marsh. To be sold by W.M. Tennent & Co. at the Mansion on the Ground on Saturday the 19th April 1856. Below heading: Jas Ferguson, Lithographer On upper right side: Subdivided by R.C. Bagot London and Liverpool Chambers, Melbourne. 'Thos Taubman'. Post Office Stamp: BACCHUS MARSH VICTORIA MY 6, 63bacchus marsh victoria maps, bacchus family, land sales, manor house bacchus marsh

269 pages; 21 cm. With names and events index.non-fictionHistorical and biographical articles relating to the town and district of Bacchus Marsh. First published in regular installments in the Bacchus Marsh Express newspaper during the years 1913 - 1917. Written by William Williams, headmaster of Bacchus Marsh State School. The articles were later published in book form in 1936 by Crisp and Sons, owners and publishers of the Bacchus Marsh Express. The publication also includes separate articles, 'Recollections' by Charles Hegarty; 'Bacchus Family History'; and 'Some Early History of Mount Blackwood' by Robert Lidgett. This edition was reproduced as a facsimile edition by Bacchus Marsh and District Historical Society in 2015. Printed by FRP Printing Pty Ltd.bacchus marsh vic. history, pioneers biographies, bmhds reprints