Sir James PattersonPrint Page 
The fountain commemorates local Member of Parliament and former Victorian Premier, Sir James Patterson. He was a Member of Parliament from 1870 to 1895, and Premier from 1893 to 1894.
A moderate conservative, Patterson served in the second third governments of the liberal leader Graham Berr, as commissioner for public works in August 1875 and as commissioner for public works and Vice-President of the Board of Land and Works in 1877–1880. From July 1878 to March 1880 he was also Postmaster-General. After 1881 he went into opposition, under the leadership of Duncan Gillies, and was commissioner for trade and customs in the Gillies government from 1889 to 1890.
With the onset of the depression which followed the end of the Land Boom in 1891, Patterson emerged as the leader of the conservative critics of the governments of James Munro and William Shiels, who tried to deal with the crash by cutting government expenditure and raising taxes. Patterson spoke for the business and middle classes who did not want increased taxation at a time of depressed trade. In January 1893 Patterson moved a successful no-confidence motion in the Shiels government and became Premier.
Patterson Fountain Unveiling 1897Location
| Address: | Barker & Mostyn Streets, Castlemaine, 3450 |
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| State: | VIC |
| Area: | AUS |
| GPS Coordinates: | Lat: -37.065797 Long: 144.216978 Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate. |
Details
| Monument Type: | Fountain |
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| Monument Theme: | People |
| Sub-Theme: | Government - Colonial |
| Approx. Event Start Date: | 1870 |
| Approx. Event End Date: | 1894 |
| Link: | http://adb.anu.edu.au/ |
Dedication
| Actual Monument Dedication Date: | Thursday 29th April, 1897 |
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Erected to the memory of the Hon. Sir. J. B. Patterson, K.C.M.G., M.L.A. who represented this District for 25 years.
Died October 30th 1895
