In 1850, the area was made the Fitzroy Ward of the
City of Melbourne, and on 10 September 1858, the ward was severed and Fitzroy was incorporated as a municipality. It became a
borough on 1 October 1865, a town on 3 December 1870, and a city on 1 February 1878. Many public buildings were erected at this time, with the free public library, one of the first in Melbourne, being erected in 1877, and a courthouse in 1888. During the mid-1920s, there was a strong move to have the Fitzroy municipality amalgamate with the
City of Melbourne. Three referendums on the matter were held in the space of 18 months: on 24 June and 20 August 1926, and 24 November 1927. In each case, ratepayers voted in favour of amalgamation, however a determined rearguard action by councillors opposed to the merger meant that no change occurred. On 22 June 1994, the City of Fitzroy was abolished, and along with the Cities of
Collingwood and
Richmond, and parts of
Fairfield and
Alphington from the
City of Northcote, was merged into the newly created
City of Yarra. Council meetings were held at the
Fitzroy Town Hall, in Napier Street,
Fitzroy. The hall is still used for this purpose and as a municipal library for the City of Yarra. ==Mayors==