Fountain, Hotham, Presented by the Mayor…

Scarce c.19th hand coloured engraving of the North Melbourne Drinking Fountain

In 1877, Thomas Henderson presented this drinking fountain to the people of Hotham (now North Melbourne) to mark the end of his term as mayor. Designed by Walter MacFarlane and cast by his prominent Glaswegian Saracen Foundry, it has an imposing circular canopy richly decorated with cast-iron lacework. The fountain was originally sited in the roadway at the intersection of Errol and Queensberry Streets, but was moved in 1889 to allow for the construction of the new cable-tram tracks. In 1917, it was moved to the footpath, but without its bluestone steps and iron railings.

From the original edition of the Australasian Sketcher.

Collections:
National Library Australia: Bib ID 914558
State Library New South Wales: REF1/MAV/FM4/9236-9239
State Library Victoria: PCINF AS 06-09-73 P.104