Possibly George Bird (1845-1920) prior to his marriage to Janet Kilpatrick in 1878. However the contextual placement of this photo in the album opposite who is believed to be a young Phillip Shillinglaw in 1865 does not seem to fit though the person does not look like a Shillinglaw male and may well be a family member by marriage. Stewart & Co operated from 217 Bourke St., East from 1871 to 1876 and from 217-219 from 1877 to 1889. Other locations included 42, 284 and 286. Overall, they operated in Melbourne from 1871 through at least 1910 though Carte-de-Visite photos were superseded by 1890. CARTE-DE-VISITE (cdv) 1857-1890 Cartes-de-visite (cdv's) are the most common form of photograph from the nineteenth century, generally measuring two and a half inches by four and an eighth inches (6.3 x 10.5 cm) when mounted, sepia toned, mounted on a card which was generally printed with the photographer's name and address on the back or beneath the portrait. - Frost, Lenore; Dating Family Photos 1850-1920; Valiant Press Pty. Ltd., Berwick, Victoria 1991marg ball collection, shillinglaw family photo album 1, stewart & co photographers melbourne, 1871-1890, george bird (1845-1921), unknown, 1875

Bird family, c.1905 Back row, L-R: Janet Bird (nee Kilpatrick), George Bird, Ellen May (Nell) Bird Front row L-R: George Hugh Bird, Ernest Reginald Bird, Arthur Andrew Bird, Edwin John Bird Nicholes Photographer, Alphington According to the Sands McDougall Melbourne Directory, George. Nicholes, Photographer was first listed on the north side of Heidelberg Road, Alphington in 1904 and again in 1905. By 1906 he was still listed but with no profession. From 1907 on he was listed as a bicycle agent. On July 23, 1878, George Bird married Janet Kilpatrick (born Ayrshire) at Northcote by Presbyterian minister, Duncan Fraser. The witnesses were daughters of the minister. George gave his profession as farmer. Around 1880 or possibly earlier he acquired the property known as View Hill at the top of Pitt Street, Eltham between Pitt Street and Mount Pleasant Road and what is now Eucalyptus Road. George and Janet developed an orchard and farm around the View Hill home and had 10 children, three of whom died young. George Bird is listed in the 1977 history of the Eltham Methodist Church as Steward and trustee in the early years. In the 1950 history he is mentioned as Sunday School Superintendent. In the early 1900s, Janet regularly went to the church by horse and jinker. Janet died September 2, 1915, age 60 of endocarditis and bronchial pneumonia. At about this time, three children had married (Sarah, George and Ada) and four were living at home. However, Edwin joined the AIF in August 1915 and Ellen married in 1916 leaving two sons, Arthur and Reg, to look after their father and the property although some of the married children may have lived at View Hill for some time. From Edwin's letters, Hilda Pepper, a cousin on their mother's side) stayed with the family for some time to help. In later years, George developed glaucoma and became blind. He died December 6, 1920, aged 75 years, of diabetes mellites. Both Janet and George are buried at Eltham Cemetery, but the gravestone incorrectly gives 1921 for the death of George. The estate was divided into equal portions and distributed to the surviving members with Arthur and Ted Pepper being Executors. Ada Janet Lowe received a portion above what is now Rockliffe Street and Sis Pepper (Sarah Ann nee Bird) the portion below Rockliffe Street. Ernest Pepper built in the 1930s on the Pepper block at the Pitt Street end. George's share was along Wattle Grove and Arthur received the portion at the eastern end. Presumably the other two received portions including the top of the hill and slopes down to Pitt Street, Mount Pleasant Road and Wattle Grove. Read's (at the corner of Pitt Street and View Hill Crescent) was the first additional house brought in on wheels by a Mr Walkenden. The View Hill house was occupied by the Johanssons in the 1930s and was later damaged by fire. Source: Info provided to Marg Ball by Neil and Lyn Pepper (both deceased) abt. 2018. PANEL 1875-1920 Panels began to be produced around 1875, and were particularly suited, because of their larger size, for capturing family, or even larger, groups. They measured 8.5 by 6.5 inches (22 cm x 16.5 cm). - Frost, Lenore; Dating Family Photos 1850-1920; Valiant Press Pty. Ltd., Berwick, Victoria 1991marg ball collection, 1905, arthur andrew bird, bird family, edwin john bird, ellen may (nell) bird, ernest reginald bird, george bird (1845-1921), george hugh bird, janet bird (nee kilpatrick), nicholes photographer alphington, straw boater