Historical information
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.
Significance
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.
Physical description
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.
Inscriptions & markings
Plan of the first portion of land. The property of Messers Atkins and Clarke situate at Bacchus Marsh.
Subjects
References
- ANCIENT BACCHUS MARSH. (1911, September 30). The Bacchus Marsh Express (Vic. : 1866 - 1943), p. 3. col. 1 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article90577242 A copy of this 1856 plan was loaned to the Bacchus Marsh Express newspaper office in 1911. Christopher Crisp, the owner and editor of the Express then published a detailed description and commentary about the plan.