Phillip Blashki

Phillip Blashki (21 February 1837 – 21 October 1916) was a Polish immigrant to Australia who rose to be a successful businessman, magistrate, JP, holder of many positions of public responsibility and associated with numerous community and charitable events in Melbourne.

Phillip was born Favel Wagczewski in Błaszki, a Polish village near Kalisz, on 21 February 1837.

After working as a tassell-maker in Manchester he married a young Polish widow, Hannah Potash, and arrived in Melbourne on the masted ship called the 'Alice Walton' on 1 April 1858. At that time Melbourne was experiencing huge population growth due to the gold rush.

Phillip Blashki's life was summarised on the center front page of The Herald, which read in part, "For 39 years, he was a justice of the peace, and for a lengthy period he was chairman of the City Court Bench... 58 years ago he came to Victoria, and took a leading part in many public affairs. He founded the Melbourne Jewish Aid Society, was a trustee of the Brighton Cemetery, and a prominent Freemason. He was also one of the founders of the Charity Organisation Society."

Phillip and Hannah had 14 children and now over 500 descendants, mostly in Australia, have been documented.

Phillip was primarily a silversmith and had a stall at Melbourne's Great Exhibition of 1888. He was also an optician, watch repairer, jeweller and maker of masonic regalia. He produced several notable items of public importance, including Australian cricket's Sheffield Shield the cost of which was donated by Lord Sheffield in 1893, following his tour (led by W G Grace) of Australia of 1891–92. Blashki's tender was the one accepted. He also produced the NSW Cricketers Association's 'Hordern Shield'.

Phillip Blashki started in Geelong as a hawker and retailer of goods during the gold rush. In 1868, following a bankrupting theft, he moved to Melbourne with his then 11 children. Around 1875 he opened his city store in Bourke Street Melbourne and grew it into a thriving business making jewellery, Masonic regalia and significant ceremonial medals and chains. His sons took over the business, 'P. Blashki & Sons', in 1893 which still continues today. Other sons went into the tobacco industry and Phillip and his sons applied for many label trademarks. The family made the first cigarettes as a way to make smoking affordable for the masses.

Phillip Blashki was a Justice of the peace for nearly 40 years and was actively involved in the Victorian judicial system. He was appointed a Magistrate in March 1911 in addition to being a JP for the entire state of Victoria. On 20 January 1914, he was one of Lord Mayor Hennesey's invited dignitaries at the opening of the Melbourne City Court at Russell St. and was appointed the first Chairman of the City Court Bench (which became the Melbourne Magistrates Court). As recognition for his work as a J.P., philanthropist and community leader, Blashki was one of the invited guests at the opening of the first federal parliament at the Exhibition Buildings.