The Eureka on Trial Timeline

The left side of the following table is devoted to events that happened on the goldfields and in Victoria at large, while the right side entries present a timeline for the various court trials that surrounded the Eureka Stockade.

The Events			The Trials
8 August 1851 Gold discovered at Buninyong.
16 May 1854 Robert Rede becomes Resident Gold Fields Commissioner in Ballarat.
22 June 1854 Captain Sir Charles Hotham arrives in Melbourne.
26 August 1854 Lieutenant Governor and Lady Hotham visit the Ballarat goldfields as part of their inspection of the Victorian goldfields.
7 October 1854 James Scobie murdered near the Eureka Hotel.					7 October 1854 Depositions taken in the inquest of James Scobie.
					9 October 1854 James and Catherine Bentley, and John Farrell arrested.
10 October 1854 Johannes Gregorius, servant to Father Patrick Smyth, assaulted by Constable Lord.
					12 October 1854 A judicial inquiry held into the murder of James Scobie. The Bentleys and Farrell discharged.
17 October 1854 Riot and burning of Bentley's Eureka hotel.
					19 October 1854 James and Catherine Bentley re-arrested.
					21 October 1854 Andrew McIntyre and Thomas Fletcher arrested.
22 October 1854 Ballarat's Catholics meet to protest the treatment of Father Smyth's servant.
Meeting at Bakery Hill resolves to raise funds for the defence of McIntyre and Fletcher.
					26 October 1854 Thomas Fletcher and Andrew McIntyre charged with riot.
27 October 1854 A plan for the defence of the Government Camp at Ballarat is developed by Captain Thomas.
					28 October 1854 Henry Westerby charged with riot and the destruction of the Eureka hotel.
30 October 1854 Lieutenant Governor Hotham establishes a board of enquiry into the events following the death of James Scobie.
2 November 1854 The Scobie inquiry sits.
10 November 1854 The Scobie inquiry ends.
11 November 1854 Meeting on Bakery Hill puts forward resolutions enshrined in the Ballarat Reform League Charter
16 November 1854 Lieutenant Governor Hotham appoints a Gold Fields Commission.
					18 November 1854 James and Catherine Bentley, John Farrell and William Hance tried and convicted of the manslaughter of James Scobie.
					21 November 1854 Henry Westerby, Thomas Fletcher and Andrew McIntyre convicted for the destruction of the Eureka hotel.
27 November 1854 J.B. Humffray, George Black and Thomas Kennedy meet with Lieutenant Governor Hotham to demand the release of Westerby, Fletcher and McIntyre.
28 November 1854 A detachment of the 12th Regiment are ambushed by a group of diggers as they arrive to reinforce the Ballarat Camp.
30 November 1854 Skirmishes occur at the Gravel Pits. Southern Cross flag raised and oath sworn at a second meeting on Bakery Hill.					30 November 1854 Donald Campbell, George Goddard, Benjamin Ewins, Duncan McIntyre, John Chapman and William Bryan charged with riot at the Gravel Pits.
2 December 1854 Assistant-Commissioner Gilbert Amos briefly held prisoner by the stockaders.
3 December 1854 Soldiers and police attack the stockade at Eureka.					3 December 1854 Over one hundred men arrested at the Eureka Stockade. Over the next few days, thirteen were charged with high treason.
4 December 1854 Governor Hotham proclaims Martial Law in Ballarat.					4 December 1854 Henry Seekamp arrested on the charge of seditious libel.
6 December 1854 Public meeting held in Melbourne to protest the actions of the Lieutenant Governor and Ballarat authorities at Eureka.
9 December 1854 Henry Powell dies from injuries received during the stockade battle.
11 December 1854 The Colonial Secretary John Foster resigns.					11 December 1854 Inquest held into the death of Henry Powell.
14 December 1854 First sitting of the Gold Fields Commission.
10 January 1855 The Gold Fields Commission recommends a general amnesty for all those connected with the Stockade.
					18 January 1855 Arthur Akehurst found not guilty of manslaughter in the death of Henry Powell.
					19 January 1855 Donald Cambell, George Goddart, Benjamin Ewins, Duncan McIntyre, John Chapman and William Bryan found not guilty of riot at the Gravel Pits.
					25 January 1855 Henry Seekamp found guilty of seditious libel.
					22 February 1855 John Joseph tried for treason.
					19 March 1855 Timothy Hayes tried for treason.
					21 March 1855 Raffaello Carboni tried for treason.
					23 March 1855 Michael Tuohy tried for treason.
					26 March 1855 The Attorney-General decides not to prosecute Thomas Dignum.
27 March 1855 The final report of the Gold Fields Commission presented to the Governor.					27 March 1855 William Molloy, Jacob Sorenson, John Phelan, Henry Read and James McFie Campbell found not guilty of high treason.
14 July 1855 Raffaello Carboni elected to the local court at Ballarat to adjudicate mining disputes.
10 November 1855 Peter Lalor and J.B. Humffray elected to the Legislative Council.