Gday...

1756  -     British prisoners are captured and imprisoned in the infamous "Black Hole of Calcutta".

The "Black Hole of Calcutta" was a 4.3 by 5.5 metre detention cell found at Fort William in Calcutta. Fort William had been established to protect British East India Company trade in the city of Calcutta. Expecting skirmishes with French forces, the British military increased their defences at the Fort, a move which was perceived as a threat to the rule of the Nawab (provincial governor) of Bengal, Siraj Ud Daulah. When Siraj organised an army and laid siege to the fort, the British commander organised an escape, and left a token force in the fort under the command of John Zephaniah Holwell, an ex-military surgeon who was a top East India Company civil servant.

On 20 June 1756, Indian soldiers took the surviving 64 to 69 men of the British contingent prisoner, binding them for security. They also captured Anglo-Indian soldiers and other persons of mixed ancestry, imprisoning them all in the small guard room that came to be known as the "Black Hole of Calcutta". Original reports indicated that 146 prisoners were detained there, with all but 26 dying from heat stroke, suffocation, or trampling in the stifling summer heat. They were not released until the following morning.

Later accounts and analysis proved the number to be exaggarated. Investigations indicate the figure would have been closer to 70 prisoners, with modern historians believing that, at most, 43 men were dead or missing: an atrocity on a smaller scale, but a tragic atrocity nonetheless.

1802  -     French commander Nicolas Baudin arrives in Port Jackson with the intention to claim Van Diemen's Land, but with his crew ill and ships needing repair.

During the late 1700s and early 1800s, both France and England were seeking to expand their respective empires. Both countries claimed and colonised new lands around the world, and both countries explored lands in which the Dutch had shown little interest, such as Australia. Although James Cook formally claimed the east coast of Australia in 1770, this did not dissuade the French from charting the coastline, and even making a claim to the west in 1772.

Late in 1800, French explorer and naturalist Nicolas Baudin was commissioned to lead an expedition to complete a French survey of the Australian coastline, and make scientific observations, commanding two ships, 'Le Géographe' and 'Le Naturaliste'. Scientific investigations were carried out between May and July 1801, and again between January and May 1802. However, during this time, the ships were battered by bad weather, while the crew suffered debilitating sickness. Baudin opted to head for Sydney for provisions, ship repairs and medical attention for his crew. By the time he sailed into Port Jackson on 20 June 1802, only four of the crew of the Le Géographe were fit to serve.

After spending several months in Port Jackson, and with his crew fully recovered, Baudin continued south to finish surveying Van Diemen's Land, but not before revealing his intention to colonise Van Diemen's Land, in a moment of indiscretion. Governor King sent Charles Robbins to Van Diemen's land to successfully dissuade the impending French claim. Robbins met Baudin and successfully persuaded him to abandon his plans.

1836  -     Australian explorer Major Thomas Mitchell names Swan Hill.

Major Thomas Mitchell was born in Craigend, Scotland, in 1792. He came to Australia after serving in the Army during the Napoleonic Wars, and took up the position of Surveyor-General of New South Wales. In this capacity, he undertook numerous expeditions of exploration into the NSW interior.

A point of contention for Mitchell was the fact that Charles Sturt had followed the Murray River to the sea, and discovered that the Darling River flowed into the Murray. Mitchell was determined to disprove Sturt's theory that the Darling flowed into the Murray. The instructions for his third expedition were to follow the Lachlan and Murrumbudgee Rivers to the Murray, then on to the junction with the Darling River. He was then to follow the Darling upstream as far as Menindee to confirm that it was the same river he had initially followed south from northern New South Wales in his second journey.

Discouraged by the desolate country around the southern end of the Darling, Mitchell decided to return to the Murray to explore its more fertile surrounds. This led to the discovery of the rich farming country of western Victoria, which he named "Australia Felix", or "Happy Australia". Prior to reaching this district, Mitchell found significant grazing land south of the Murray, including the area around which the town of Swan Hill now stands. Mitchell named Swan Hill on 20 June 1836 after "the number of these birds whose beautiful notes were incessantly heard during the night".

1837  -     Queen Victoria ascends the British throne following the death of King William IV.

England's Queen Victoria was born on 24 May 1819 at Kensington Palace in London, the daughter of Edward, duke of Kent (fourth son of George III), and Princess Mary Louise Victoria of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld. Although christened Alexandrina Victoria, from birth she was formally styled Her Royal Highness Princess Victoria of Kent. Victoria's father died when she was less than a year old. Her grandfather, George III, died less than a week later. Princess Victoria's uncle, the Prince of Wales, inherited the Crown, becoming King George IV. When George IV died in 1830, he left the throne to his brother, the Duke of Clarence and St Andrews, who became King William IV.

Victoria was recognised as heiress-presumptive to the British throne, and on 20 June 1837 at the age of 18 she succeeded her uncle, William IV, to the throne to become the last monarch of the House of Hanover. Queen Victoria's formal titles included Queen of Great Britain and Ireland (18371901) and empress of India (18761901).

1988  -     The Australian $2 banknote is replaced by a $2 coin.

Decimal currency was first introduced in Australia on 14 February 1966. The new Australian dollar replaced the Australian pound, which was different to the Pound Sterling, and introduced a decimal system. Australian Prime Minister at the time and devout monarchist, Robert Menzies, wished to name the currency "the Royal", and other names such as "the Austral" were also proposed. Menzies's influence meant that the name "Royal" prevailed, and trial designs were prepared and printed by the printing works of the Reserve Bank of Australia. The name "Royal" proved unpopular, and it was later shelved in favour of "Dollar".

On 20 June 1988, the Australian $2 coin went into circulation, replacing the original Australian $2 banknote. The gold coin features an Aboriginal tribal elder set against a background of the Southern Cross and native grass trees.

Cheers - John