Historical information

Elizabeth Avis- Box 1835-1914 was born in Sussex, married William Box in 1854 and arrived in Melbourne in 1855. William’s parents George and Mary Box and his siblings sailed with them. William & Elizabeth at first leased land in the area of the ‘Dendy Special Survey Brighton 1841’ and then purchased the property with the pioneer cottage 1868 & 1869. William & Elizabeth established a market garden and raised 13 children. 1888 they built a larger 2nd house in front of the original cottage. William died in 1902 and Mary sold 9acres in 1908 to W. .Snowden Anderson – it later became Joyce Park where the reconstructed Box Cottage Museum now stands.
After Elizabeth died her daughters Ada and Violet lived on the 1acre property until 1917 when August Reitman, a potter and monumental mason, leased the house and land. He established his pottery business and purchased the property in 1935. The business moved in 1953 but continued to use the cottage as a workshop/ storeroom until it was sold to Lewis Timber P/L in 1970

Significance

Elizabeth & William Box settled in the pioneer Cottage in Jasper Road East Brighton 1868 and established a market garden whilst raising their 13 children. This Cottage was reconstructed in Joyce Park, Ormond 1984 and is the home of City of Moorabbin Historical Society. In 1960 many local residents responded to a call for the donation of historical artefacts and the Box Cottage Museum now preserves this eclectic collection for the community.

Physical description

A certified true copy of the Death Certificate of Elizabeth Avis- Box 1835 -1914 in a wooden picture frame, obtained from The Births, Deaths and Marriages Office Melbourne Victoria 18/6/1985

Inscriptions & markings

THIRD SCHEDULE / DEATHS in the District of East Brighton in the State of Victoria Registered by George William Ward /
Dated 1914 / 1st July 1914 Jasper Rd Bentleigh Shire of Moorabbin County of Bourke / Elizabeth Box / Home duties/ …… Dr A T Joyce

Certified ‘true copy of an entry in a register’……… Signed by Paul Kenny Registration Officer 18 June 1985