Allwood, Hurstbridge, 1899. Gray family in the garden in front of the Victorian style Allwood house with lace iron work on the verandah. Left to Right: - , - , William George Gray (3rd from left),. Frances Ellen Gray (nee Hurst) and William Hurst Gray (on lap). Carrie Sharp, Rob Sharp, Holmstrong. Frederick and Catherine Hurst relocated this Victorian style weatherboard home from an inner Melbourne suburb to its present site on their Allwood property. Mr Charles Verso, builder and farmer, reassembled and refurbished the home for the Hurst’s. In 1897 Frederick and Catherine’s daughter, Frances Ellen, married William (Bill) George Gray of Cottlesbridge and the newlyweds moved into the new house. Frederick and Catherine Hurst moved into a little cottage, ‘Mia Mia’, on the other side of the Diamond Creek. William and Frances Gray established Allwood Nursery and by 1900 most of the Allwood property was under orchard, largely apples, pears, cherry plums and peaches. They also developed an extensive nursery, growing seedling stock for supply to other local orchardists and the overseas market. Cross Ref: Sepp_1022 This photo forms part of a collection of photographs gathered by the Shire of Eltham for their centenary project book, "Pioneers and Painters: 100 years of the Shire of Eltham" by Alan Marshall (1971). The collection of over 500 images is held in partnership between Eltham District Historical Society and Yarra Plenty Regional Library (Eltham Library) and is now formally known as 'The Shire of Eltham Pioneers Photograph Collection.' It is significant in being the first community sourced collection representing the places and people of the Shire's first one hundred years.Digital image 4 x 5 inch B&W Negshire of eltham pioneers photograph collection, hurstbridge, allwood, carrie sharp, frances ellen gray (nee hurst), holmstrong, hurst family, rob sharp, william (bill) george gray, william hurst gray

The subject item was made by G. Pearson and Co Ltd. of the Hope Works, Sheffield England. This company was established in 1854. By 1914 the company was manufacturing many differing types of edge tools, joiners' tools, forks and garden tools. Their specialities were hay, manure and coke forks, punches, armourers' tools etc. In 1938 the Company was styled F. G. Pearson and Co (Sheffield) Ltd and they were still making plane and other sharp edged blades as late as 1957, but by the 1970s they had gone out of business.A significant company based in Sheffield England and making tools of all types and exporting same to various countries around the world. This particular item is a vintage joiners screwdriver possibly used by a local Warrnambool carpenter (J Rob).Screw driver wooden handle shaped blade & brass metal ferrule1902 Sheffield marked on blade, F Rob owner Marked on handlewarrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, joiners tools, screwdriver, carpenters tools, f g pearson sheffield