|
Thomas Gaunt
Thomas Ambrose Gaunt (1829 – 5 June 1890) was a jeweller, clockmaker, and manufacturer of scientific instruments, whose head office and showroom were at 337–339 Bourke Street, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. History Gaunt was born in London and emigrated to the colony of Victoria in 1852 and first worked for Henry Newman. This article features an 1869 photograph of the premises and around 20 staff. By 1858 he had opened a shop in 14 Little Bourke Street. Around 1869 he moved to new premises at 337–339 Bourke Street, at the Royal Arcade, Melbourne, Royal Arcade corner. He gained a reputation for reliability: each morning he set the main chronometer at the Bourke Street premises by telegraph signal from the Melbourne Observatory. He built the chronograph used for timing races at Flemington Racecourse, and was appointed their official timekeeper. In November 1876 he was made a life member of the Victorian Racing Club, though he had little interest in the sport. In 1885 he built ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bourke Street, Melbourne
Bourke Street is one of the main streets in the Melbourne central business district and a core feature of the Hoddle Grid. It was traditionally the entertainment hub of inner-city Melbourne, and is now also a popular tourist destination and tram thoroughfare. During the '' Marvellous Melbourne'' era, Bourke Street was the location of many of the city's theatres and cinemas. Today it continues as a major retail shopping precinct with the Bourke Street Mall running between Elizabeth and Swanston Streets, numerous offices to the west end and restaurants to the east. Its liveliness and activity has often been contrasted with the sobering formality of nearby Collins Street. For this reason, "Busier than Bourke Street" is a popular colloquialism denoting a crowded or busy environment. Bourke Street is named for Irish-born British Army officer Sir Richard Bourke, who served as the Governor of New South Wales from 1831 and 1837 during the drafting of the Hoddle Grid. Geography ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
