Drinking to Australian Democracy
The colony of New South Wales did not have its own parliament until 1856, but it did have a tradition of public dinners and politically charged toasts.
On Monday 7 November 1825 more than 100 gentlemen assembled at Nash’s Inn in Parramatta in the colony of New South Wales to bid farewell to their departing governor, Sir Thomas Brisbane, at a celebratory dinner. On his arrival, wearing his dress uniform as a veteran of the Peninsula Wars, Scottish-born Brisbane was greeted with a rendition of ‘See the Conquering Hero Comes!’ and led the company in procession to the tables. The chairman of the dinner, William Wentworth, the first locally born barrister in the colony, gave grace and food was served at seven o’clock. After dinner, the cloth was drawn and the real business of the evening began: a series of formal toasts, led by the chairman, in loyal celebration of Britain, the colony, and its rulers, but also, on this occasion, to advocate for democracy.
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