John Hodgson (1799-1860), merchant, was the first owner of St Heliers before selling the property (due to insolvency) to Edward Curr in 1842 at a great bargain price at a sheriff’s sale. It was then a 4-roomed cottage before Curr built a new house in 1843.
Mrs Childers in her diary describes the Curr’s life at St Helier’s in 1855 and 1856, describing “the flowers and fruit most luxuriant and delicious.’ In May and December of 1857 Mrs Curr advertised the house for sale. The agent produced a fulsome description of the family mansion,’ with two spacious drawing rooms, 5 bedrooms, servants’ quarters etc. The verandah, with a picturesque view of the Yarra led on to lawns while the shrubberies and garden were in excellent order. A six-stall stable and dairy were located within the 14 acre grounds.’
The produce however, was not the fruit of the Curr’s labours. During the 1850’s Robert COLE, a nurseryman, seedsman and market gardener, rented a large stretch of Mrs Curr’s land. Robert Cole was on the committee of the Victorian Horticultural Society, and was known for extraordinary variety and standard of his fruit and nuts which were regularly exhibited. He also raised fruit trees, vines, and strawberry plants for sale.
(Source: collingwoodhs.org.au)
Robert Cole was my 3xggrandfather.
Contributed by Dianne Wheeler, PPPG Member No 1505