"Belmiers" and Violet Street, Essendon

This lovely snap shows the view from the front door of "Belmiers" looking north along Violet Street.  "Belmiers" was at 91 Buckley St, Essendon.  The house is still standing, but renumbered 155 Buckley Street.    Due to the generosity of Walter J R Barber of Warrnambool, we now have a number of photos of "Belmiers" and the two young men who left from this address to serve in the great war - Harold Snape and his brother Robert Snape.    We also have an addition to photos from the Essendon State School, this time from about 1901.

More on Edith Peard's education

We are fortunate in that the Peard/Williams family were careful preservers of family documents, and here we have some further evidence of Edith's education. These images have now been added to Edith's Peard's story on the Time Travellers website.


Herbert Williamson may also have inspired Edith's interest in geography and and flora. It could explain why Edith owned an Introductory Text-book Physical Geography, by David Page, published by William Blackwood and Sons, eleventh edition, 1883. Edith signed the preface page "Edith F. Peard Greta 8-7-84".

Blackwoods Class Books in Natural Science with the price of two shillings and sixpence embossed on the cover.

Edith seems to have acquired her copy for two shillings and fourpence.

Edith signed at dated her book at Greta on 8 July 1884.

In later years Edith may have been following the teaching of her botanically inclined teacher when she wrote out instructions for transplanting Erica, giving the Latin botanical name.

From the Williams Family collection.