A Record of the BAGE Family History

Edward and Anna (nee Godwin) Bage, with their children Robert Terry (born at sea 1852 and died 1873 in Melbourne) and Edward (born 1851 in Sierra Leone and died Melbourne 1890), emigrated to Australia in 1853 on the S.S. Great Britain. They had two more children in Australia. They were William, born 1855 in Geelong, and Charles who was born 1859 in Colac and died 1930.

The following is part of a letter to the Duchess of Bedford from Robert Bage, Edward's brother, and dated 5th Aug. 1850;-

I venture to trespass on your Grace's kindness, and to ask you to make an application to H. M. Principal Secretary of State for Colonial affairs in behalf of my brother William Bage who is anxious to get an appointment in one of the Colonies as Engineer and Surveyor - William Bage is younger brother of Edward Bage now holding the appointment of Assistant Engineer and Surveyor at Sierra Leone, whose talents and conduct have been highly approved by the government.

(Ed;- The I.G.I. has entries for Charles Bage ch. 13 Feb 1812, Robert Bage ch. 14 Sept 1813, Edward Bage ch. 2 Oct 1817, William Bage ch. 13 Oct 1821, all in Shrewsbury.

This Edward is almost certainly the one mentioned above. He is also be related to the author Robert Bage who was from the same area.

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From Web-site;-  http://shippinglists.museum.vic.gov.au/voyage.asp?ID=8

Amongst passengers;-

Bage Edward, Age 2; Bage Robert, Age 1; Bage Edward,  Adult and Bage Anna,  Adult.

Details of the voyage on S.S. Great Britain;-

Captain B. R. MATHEWS; Port of Departure LIVERPOOL; Departure Date 11 Aug 1853; Port of Arrival MELBOURNE

Arrival Date    16 Oct 1853

Length Of Voyage    66;   No Of Passengers    366;   Statute Adults     334.5

Fiche No    B053

Shipping Agent    BRIGHT BROS & CO, MELBOURNE.; GIBBS, BRIGHT & CO., LIVERPOOL, "EAGLE LINE OF PACKETS"

Shipping Line    Liverpool & Australian Navigation Co.

Other Ports    ST. VINCENT (CAPE VERDE ISLANDS)

Comments    Before this voyage the "Great Britain" was again modified reducing her rigging to 3 masts and a single funnel. She was also fitted with a Griffith's patent propeller. Arrival Day uncertain. No Agent or Shipping Line given on Passenger List.

References    John M. Maber, "North Star to Southern Cross - The Story of the Australasian Seaways", pp.46-49.

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Edward Bage After Sierra Leone he went to Australia in 1853 and as the gold rushes were on and qualified people were scarce he quickly got a job as government surveyor in Western Victoria. He remained there until the mid 1860s and then went to Melbourne where he did contract work for the Government and surveyed some suburbs in outer Melbourne.

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Edward's appointment as an assistant surveyor in Victoria was on 1 November 1853, (Victorian Government Gazette) and he was based in Geelong until 1855 when he shifted to Colac.

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Edward Bage is mentioned in the following ;-

First published 1972. Printed by New Life Publications, Surrey Hills. ISBN 0 9598950 1 9.

"A brief history of the early days of Diamond Creek with reminiscences and anecdotes about the early pioneers."

The references to Edward Bage are as follows;-

Introduction. Page 6;-

...............Miss Bage of Toorak, has in her possession a diary written by the Surveyor, Edward Bage, which relates to the origin of the street names of Diamond Creek........

The Names "Nillumbik" and "Diamond Creek". Page 13;-

The name Nillumbik was a district name, certainly referred to in the Government Gazette of 1840, and used as the name of the township by the surveyor, Edward Bage, when he surveyed the area in 1867.....................The first township of Nillumbik was surveyed by Edward Bage. He had been a Government Surveyor in Otway - Geelong District, but left the Government services about 1859, and worked on contracts. He moved to Melbourne in 1862, and in 1866 he took a contract to survey Nillumbik at Diamond Creek for the Government. This work was done in 1866-67...................................................On the 23rd November, 1867, Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh, arrived in Victoria to lay the foundation stone of the Melbourne Town Hall, and a procession was made along Queen Street. Edward Bage , who had the plan of Nillumbik lying on his desk in his office in Queen Street, turned round to his plan and put the street names on it, such as Alfred Street, Edinburgh Street. The ship on which the Prince travelled was the "Galatea", so Galatea Street was also included. The Commander-in-Chief of Victorian Armed Forces, who was travelling with the Prince, was Major General Sir Trevor Chute, K.C.B., hence Chute Street. Lt.-Col. Hyde Page, who was the Deputy Quarter Master General, was with the Prince also, so Hyde Street. Watkins Street was named after the man who owned the land on the original plan.

Page 48;-..............at the corner of Galatea and Bage Streets......

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Edward Bage, Diamond Creek : surveyor, adventurer and gentleman' by Jock Ryan.

Publisher; Diamond Creek [Vic.] : Nillumbik Historical Society, 2001

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