[Editor: This Gold License was issued to J. Taylor, in Victoria, on 12 December 1853.]
Gold License.
No. 87 12 Decr 1853.
The Bearer J Taylor
having paid the Sum of 40/ One Pound Ten Shillings, on account of the General Revenue of the Colony, I hereby License him to mine or dig for Gold, or exercise and carry on any other trade or calling on such Crown Lands within the Colony of Victoria, as shall be assigned to him for these purposes by any one duly authorised in that behalf.
This License to be in force until and during the month of February and no longer.
[signature]
Commissioner.
REGULATIONS TO BE OBSERVED BY THE PERSONS DIGGING FOR GOLD OR OTHERWISE EMPLOYED AT THE GOLD FIELDS.
1. This License is to be carried on the person, to be produced whenever demanded by any Commissioner, Peace Office, or other duly authorised person, and is not transferable.
2. No Mining will be permitted where it would be destructive of any line of road which it is necessary to maintain, and which shall be determined by any Commissioner, nor within such distance around any store as it may be necessary to reserve for access to it.
3. It is enjoined that all persons on the Gold Fields maintain a due and proper observance of Sundays.
4. The extent of claim allowed to each Licensed Miner is twelve feet square, or 144 square feet.
5. To a party consisting of two Miners, twelve feet by twenty-four, or 288 square feet.
6. To a party consisting of three Miners, eighteen feet by twenty-four, or 432 square feet.
7. To a party consisting of four Miners, twenty-four feet by twenty-four, or 576 square feet: beyond which no greater area will be allowed in one claim.
Printed by John Ferres, at the Government Printing Office.
Source:
Gold license: 1853, State Library of Victoria
Editor’s notes:
Handwritten text has been rendered in italics.
The printer’s details were printed on the left side of the Gold License.
There is a minor notation in the top-left quarter of this Gold License, with the numbers “44091”. Whether this was a contemporaneous notation, or was added at a later date, is not known.
The text “One Pound Ten Shillings” on this document has been changed, so that it now reads as “40/” (40 shillings, which was equivalent to 2 pounds).
This document was altered, in order to change it from a Gold License which was valid for one month to a Gold License which was valid for three months; this was in line with the introduction of a quarterly fee of two pounds (forty shillings); therefore this Gold License covered the period of December 1853 to February 1854.
Decr = an abbreviation of “December”, with the “r” set in superscript, i.e. Decr
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