Past Events

LaTrobe talk

Our LaTrobe talk was the third time the FHS had tried to organize the get together in the past 18 months.  A tribute to ours and others persistence over the Covid period.  We were fortunate to be able to hold the event in St. Peter’s church in East Melbourne which held particular significance for Governor Charles LaTrobe as he was a regular attender.

We had 52 people attend the talk.  A welcome was given by the Bishop of the church, David Farrer.  He gave some history of the construction of the church which was started in 1846 and added to several times over the ensuing 20 years.  The workmanship varied due to the exodus of skilled tradespeople to the goldfields.  A foundation stone laid by Governor LaTrobe is reported to be located on the church premises, but has never been found.  Governor LaTrobe did leave a casket to the church, and there is a memorial plaque to his wife Sophia.

The talk was separated into 3 parts.  Tim Gatehouse from the La Trobe society talked about LaTrobe the person.  Peter Yewers talks about LaTrobe’s relationship with the City council and Mike Moore talked about the relationship of LaTrobe to Fitzroy.  Some significant dates and events are shown in the dot points below.

• Port Phillip District of NSW 1836-1851
• 1839 LaTrobe superintendant
• Town Council Henry Condell Mayor
• 1851 Colony of Victoria pop 77,000 including Melbourne 23,000
• 1851 LaTrobe Governor
• Dr Palmer Speaker of Legislative Council
• William Kerr 1812-1859
• 1851 Fitzroy ward of City Of Melbourne
• 1853 LaTrobe leaves Victoria
• 1855 Self Governance
• 1858 Municipality of Fitzroy
• 1861 Victorian population 540,000
• Henry Moor member of House of Commons for Brighton 1864 -1865
• 1865 bill for Colonial Governors’ pensions
• Bill amended to define the District of Port Phillip as a colony
• Death of LaTrobe 4 December 1875

Many of the people involved at the time are remembered in street names across Fitzroy. 

Fitzroy History Society Event at 2pm on Sunday, 22nd May 2022. This talk will discuss the life of Governor LaTrobe and early Fitzroy

See summary of this talk at  —>   https://fitzroyhistorysociety.org.au/latrobe-talk-may-22-2022-2/

Fitzroy History Society Event at 2pm on Sunday,  22nd May 2022

This talk will discuss the life of Governor LaTrobe and early Fitzroy

Charles Joseph LaTrobe arrived in Melbourne as Superintendent of the Port Phillip District in 1839 and left as Governor of Victoria in 1854.

In this time Melbourne flourished and Fitzroy grew into Melbourne’s first suburb.

Tim Gatehouse, Peter Yewers and Mike Moore will speak on LaTrobe the person and his relations with the Melbourne City Council of which Fitzroy became a ward in 1850.

LaTrobe laid the foundation stone for our venue St Peters Eastern Hill in 1846.

He and his wife were regular worshippers at the Church and the present vicar, Bishop David Farrer, will offer a tour of the church focusing on the links with the couple.

Date: Sunday, 22nd May 2022 at 2pm. ( Duration approx.1.5hrs)

Venue: St Peters Eastern Hill Church

Corner Albert street and Gisborne street East Melbourne

Enter from Albert Street down driveway

This is the 3^rd time we have tried to run this event due to Covid. If you have previously registered for this event there is no need to re-register.

There are no Covid restrictions associated with this event.

To register for the event please click on the following link:

https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/copy-of-charles-joseph-latrobe-and-early-fitzroy-tickets-313140530757

Our President’s Report: Presidents Report 2018

Fitzroy History Society Annual Dinner
will be held on Friday 2 December at 6.30pm for 7pm
at the Fitzroy Arms Hotel
296 Rae Street, North Fitzroy

We urge you to join us in an enjoyable evening and meet members with a mutual interest in local history.

Dinner and drinks at own choice.

Please RSVP to Lina Favrin at

FITZROY: FROM THE BOWLING CLUB HOTEL TO THE FITZROY STADIUM

This walk, on 1 May was the FHS contribution to the National Trust Heritage Festival for 2016.

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ALWAYS A WELL-LIQUORED SUBURB: A Sunday Survey of Fitzroy’s pubs, grog shops and dives.

On 3 April 2016, Allan Willingham led a walk around Fitzroy looking at licenced premises, past and present, in Fitzroy.

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A WALK AROUND MacROBERTSON’S GREAT WHITE CITY

On 20 September 2015 FHS member Seb Costello led a walk that revealed many of the buildings that had been part of the MacRoberson confectionery and chocolate company. The empire of MacPherson Robertson included at least 17 buildings in Fitzroy. Painted white, they were known as MacRoberson’s Great White City. 

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HONOURING FITZROY VOLUNTEERS IN THE GREAT WAR

FHS has a data base of about 3,000 volunteers in WWI who have a connection with Fitzroy: WW1 in Fitzroy

On Sunday 24 May there was a walk from the Edinburgh Gardens to the Fitzroy Town Hall, during which the stories of some of these volunteers were  told as we passed their former homes. The walk commenced at the memorial rotunda (bandstand) in the Edinburgh Gardens and ended at the Town Hall where the WW1 Honour Boards and the display in the library were viewed.

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CELEBRATING 25 YEARS OF FITZROY: MELBOURNE’S FIRST SUBURB

It is 25 years since this book was published. A celebration and meet the authors was held at:
Bad Frankie’s Bar
141 Greeves Street (near Smith Street corner)
Fitzroy.
on Sunday 8 March, 2015, 2.30-4.30 pm.

FITZROY RAILWAY WALK

Sunday 22 February 2015, 10am-12noon.
The publication of a self-guided walk of the Inner Circle railway line was launched with a walk of the route,  commencing where the line crosses Nicholson Street (immediately north of Park Street), North Fitzroy (Melway map 30, A11).