Armstrong Street

Armstrong Street is a street in Ballarat, Victoria.

Location

The street is about 4.0km in length, running north south from Norman Street to Skipton Street. Addresses north of Sturt Street are known as Armsttong Street North, and south of Sturt Street as Armstrong Street South.

History

It is named after David Armstrong, Assistant Crown Land Bailiff 1851, Assistant Gold Commissioner 1852, Inspector of Police 1853.

Armstrong was the first official to issue a gold license on Ballarat. There is some controversy over the memory of the him, but he was not popular with many of the miners:

Many police, some accustomed to a system of convict discipline, were contemptuous of the diggers and performed their duty in a rude, bullying manner. Others, like Superintendent David Armstrong, were sadistic thugs. Armstrong’s habit was to burn the tents of suspects and beat those who questioned his modus operandi with the brass knob of his riding crop. He was eventually dismissed, but left boasting that in two years at Ballarat he’d made £15,000 in fines and bribes.

Hotels

Click here for a list of hotels in Armstrong Street.

External links

• Armstrong Street]
• David Armstrong in the Eurekapedia