On Saturday, 11 November 1854 a crowd estimated at more than 10,000 miners gathered at Bakery Hill, directly opposite the government encampment.
At this meeting, the Ballarat Reform League was created, under the chairmanship of Chartist John Basson Humffray.
Several other Reform League leaders, including Kennedy and Holyoake, had been involved with the Chartist movement in England.
Many of the miners had past involvement in the Chartist movement and the social upheavals in Britain, Ireland, and continental Europe during the 1840s.

In setting its goals, the Ballarat Reform League used the first five of the British Chartist movement's principles as set out in the People's Charter of 1838.
They did not adopt or agitate for the Chartist's sixth principle, secret ballots.
The meeting passed a resolution "that it is the inalienable right of every citizen to have a voice in making the laws he is called on to obey, that taxation without representation is tyranny."
The meeting also resolved to secede from the United Kingdom if the situation did not improve.

Throughout the following weeks, the League sought to negotiate with Commissioner Robert Rede and the Governor of Victoria, Sir Charles Hotham, both on the specific matters relating to Bentley and the Scobie's death, and the men being tried for the burning of the Eureka Hotel, and on the broader issues of abolition of the licence, suffrage and democratic representation of the gold fields, and disbanding of the Gold Commission.
On 16 November 1854 Governor Hotham appointed a Royal Commission on the goldfields' problems and grievances.
 However, Commissioner Rede, rather than hear miners' grievances, increased the police presence in the goldfields and summoned reinforcements from Melbourne.
 Many historians (most notably Manning Clark) attribute this to his belief in his right to exert authority over the "rabble."

On 28 November 1854, the reinforcements marching from Melbourne were attacked by a crowd of miners.
A number were injured.
A rumour of the death of a drummer boy began, and there was even a memorial erected to him in Ballarat Cemetery for many years, although historical research has shown that the boy, John Egan, continued military service until dying in 1860.


At a meeting of about 12,000 'diggers' on the following day, (29 November), the Reform League delegation relayed its failure to achieve any success in negotiations with the authorities.
The miners resolved on open resistance to the authorities and to burn the hated licences.
Local clergyman Theophilus Taylor recorded his impressions.

Today Ballaarat is thrown into great excitement by a monster meeting of the diggers, convened for the purpose of protesting against the Gold Digging Licences and their alleged grievances.
At the head of the meeting appeared two Catholic priests Fathers Downing and Smith[Smyth].
It was resolved to resist government by burning licences which was done to a considerable extent.

Rede responded by ordering police to conduct a licence search on 30 November.
Eight defaulters were arrested, and most of the military resources available had to be summoned to extricate the arresting officers from the angry mob that had assembled.


Clergyman Taylor's account identified the rising tension.

This morning the police, as usual, made enquiries for Licences.
They were resisted and a riot was raised.
In consequence the troopers and military were called out and matters assumed a big serious aspect.
A few were taken up and for a few hours the excitement subsided.
Afternoon the mob had assembled and by evening had organised themselves into a gang of rebels.

This raid prompted a change in the leadership of the Reform League, to people who argued in favour of 'physical force' rather than the 'moral force' championed by Humffray and the old leadership.
On Saturday, 11 November 1854 a crowd estimated at more than 10,000 miners gathered at Bakery Hill, directly opposite the government encampment. At this meeting, the Ballarat Reform League was created, under the chairmanship of Chartist John Basson Humffray. Several other Reform League leaders, including Kennedy and Holyoake, had been involved with the Chartist movement in England. Many of the miners had past involvement in the Chartist movement and the social upheavals in Britain, Ireland, and continental Europe during the 1840s.
In setting its goals, the Ballarat Reform League used the first five of the British Chartist movement's principles as set out in the People's Charter of 1838. They did not adopt or agitate for the Chartist's sixth principle, secret ballots. The meeting passed a resolution "that it is the inalienable right of every citizen to have a voice in making the laws he is called on to obey, that taxation without representation is tyranny." The meeting also resolved to secede from the United Kingdom if the situation did not improve.
Throughout the following weeks, the League sought to negotiate with Commissioner Robert Rede and the Governor of Victoria, Sir Charles Hotham, both on the specific matters relating to Bentley and the Scobie's death, and the men being tried for the burning of the Eureka Hotel, and on the broader issues of abolition of the licence, suffrage and democratic representation of the gold fields, and disbanding of the Gold Commission. On 16 November 1854 Governor Hotham appointed a Royal Commission on the goldfields' problems and grievances.  However, Commissioner Rede, rather than hear miners' grievances, increased the police presence in the goldfields and summoned reinforcements from Melbourne.  Many historians (most notably Manning Clark) attribute this to his belief in his right to exert authority over the "rabble."
On 28 November 1854, the reinforcements marching from Melbourne were attacked by a crowd of miners. A number were injured. A rumour of the death of a drummer boy began, and there was even a memorial erected to him in Ballarat Cemetery for many years, although historical research has shown that the boy, John Egan, continued military service until dying in 1860.

At a meeting of about 12,000 'diggers' on the following day, (29 November), the Reform League delegation relayed its failure to achieve any success in negotiations with the authorities. The miners resolved on open resistance to the authorities and to burn the hated licences. Local clergyman Theophilus Taylor recorded his impressions. 
Today Ballaarat is thrown into great excitement by a monster meeting of the diggers, convened for the purpose of protesting against the Gold Digging Licences and their alleged grievances. At the head of the meeting appeared two Catholic priests Fathers Downing and Smith[Smyth]. It was resolved to resist government by burning licences which was done to a considerable extent.
Rede responded by ordering police to conduct a licence search on 30 November. Eight defaulters were arrested, and most of the military resources available had to be summoned to extricate the arresting officers from the angry mob that had assembled.

Clergyman Taylor's account identified the rising tension. 
This morning the police, as usual, made enquiries for Licences. They were resisted and a riot was raised. In consequence the troopers and military were called out and matters assumed a big serious aspect. A few were taken up and for a few hours the excitement subsided. Afternoon the mob had assembled and by evening had organised themselves into a gang of rebels.
This raid prompted a change in the leadership of the Reform League, to people who argued in favour of 'physical force' rather than the 'moral force' championed by Humffray and the old leadership.
Eureka Rebellion