Date is approximate. Two original post cards of this image - "Surrey Hills - looking East" - were donated by Stephen Wyatt on 10 March 2012. One is blank; the other has been sent to Mrs A Wyatt, C/O Mrs E Young, 'Grand View', Warburton from daughter Nellie from 'The Quantocks', Surrey Hills - postmarked 10 Dec 1906. There is also a reproduction of this image in a framed collage of Surrey Hills photos.This is the earliest known image of the Surrey Gardens. The layout was originally designed by William Guilfoyle, who also designed Melbourne’s Royal Botanic Gardens.Black and white photo taken from an early postcard. Taken from the roof of a house in Essex Road, it shows the development of housing between Essex and Union Roads and includes the section of land fenced off for the Surrey Gardens with paths roughly laid out, one existing tree but no tree planting. The houses depicted are largely Edwardian timber buildings with corrugated rooves. There are still some vacant blocks. Kirkland on Union Road can be seen in the distance, as can some of the shops along Canterbury Road.Lower LHS within original image: " Surrey Hills - Looking East"; on the rear "No 17" in black pen in top LH corner.edwardian style, residential development, kirkland, essex road, suffolk road, norfolk road, surrey gardens, post card

The property was named 'Cliburn' after Cliburn in Westmorland (later Cumbria) where Mary Sneddon's mother, Mary Bird (nee Coulston) came from. According to the donor all their houses were given this name. William Sneddon (b.1875, Sandhurst - d. 1957, Deepdene) was a postman in Surrey Hills for many years. His father James (1833 - 1901) ran an estate agency in Surrey Hills started in the 1880s by his father, also James. William's wife was Mary Sneddon, nee Bird, (b. 1878 Bethunga; d. 1948, Surrey Hills); they married in Surrey Hills in James Sneddon's house on 12 November 1903. They had 5 sons and 1 daughter: John William 'Jack' Sneddon (b.1908 - d. 1957); married Mabel Creek. Norman Alexander Sneddon (b. 1910 - d 1989); married Eva Pearl Sampson. Alan Coulston Sneddon (b. 1914 - d. 1985); married Netta May Clow in 1941. Jean Isobel Sneddon (b. 1916 - d. 1976); married Clifford James Jenkin. Douglas Haig Sneddon (b.1918, Surrey Hills - d. 1973, Blackburn); married Myra Marjorie Clewett in 1945. Relationship with Alice Keane: According to the donor, Alice Ruby Dore married Herbert Keane. She was born 21/9/1901 and died 14/4/1926. Her entries in the Victorian BDM index give that her father was Henry Dore and her mother Sarah Ann Bird and that she was born in Neerim. She married Herbert Henry Keane in 1922; her death at the age of 24 years was registered in Heidelberg. According to the donor her young children Wallace and Phyllis were embraced by William and Mary Sneddon. William and Mary Sneddon are buried in Box Hill Cemetery. The donor Robin da Costa-Adams is related by her first marriage to the Sneddon family. Relationship with Bird family: Netta Sneddon was correct in that Alice Keane was likely a relative. The exact relationship is yet to be fully established. Alice's mother's name is given as Sarah Ann Bird (1873-1952) with birth at Tarrawingee; father John Bird and mother Sarah Ann Coburn (REF: Victorian BDM index). Her notice of marriage in The Age in 1894 states she is "the eldest dau of John Bird of Drouin, late of Box Hill and Talgarno." Has her mother's surname been misspelt? Is it Coulston? Sepia photo of Douglas Sneddon and his sister Jean Sneddon taken in the garden of 'Cliburn', the home of their parents William and Mary Sneddon. With them is with Alice Keane. Part of the house is seen on the RHS of the photo. It is an Edwardian timber home. The profile of the house next door can also be seen in the background."Alice Keane / at / Doug & Jean Sneddon / taken at Sneddons / Surrey Hills" in grey lead pencil in Robin da Costa-Adams' writing. "Children of Mary & / William" "An Alice Keane may be an Aunt (crossing out) - Netta / was not sure" in ink in Jocelyn Hall's hand.suffolk road, 'cliburn', jean isobel sneddon, mrs jean isobel jenkin, douglas haig sneddon, william sneddon, miss mary bird, mrs mary sneddon, box hill cemetery, children, clothing and dress, mrs alice keane, mrs alice ruby keane, miss alice ruby dore

Since this photo was taken, the house has had a second storey added.A colour photo of a Victorian style house constructed from weatherboard painted in a light cream / pink colour with block detail to the front. It has a grey corrugated iron roof with 2 chimneys, a bull-nosed veranda painted in white and Indian red stripes and the veranda has wrought iron 'lace' panels and fretwork in white. There is a white Ford Falcon in the driveway.suffolk road, houses, victorian style

A colour photo of a Victorian style weatherboard house with block detail to the front, 2 chimneys with brick and render finish, galvanised roofing and 2 simple posts to the veranda. The property has a picket fence with a central path and a rose arch. There are 2 children walking up the street.houses, suffolk road, victorian style