Historical information
Eliza Box was born in Withyham, Sussex England 1850 and came to Australia with her parents George and
Mary Cripps - Box and siblings.
George Box 1808-1867 of Sussex England, married Mary Cripps in 1831 -1856 and with 3 three of their 4 four sons and 3 three of their 4 four daughters left Liverpool in the Sailing Ship 'Atlanta' in March 1856 to begin a new life in Melbourne, Victoria , Australia. Their baby daughter Cecilia Lydia died a few days later. Caroline Box, the eldest daughter, remained in England working as a cook until she joined the family in Australia in 1863. William Box 1834-1902, the eldest son of George Box, married Elizabeth Avis 1833- 1914 and they resided in Box Cottage 1865 -1914 where they established a market garden and raised 13 children. William and Elizabeth had emigrated in 1854 so George worked on their market garden before setting up in Patterson Road. Sadly Mary drowned in a water hole only 4 months after their arrival in Brighton. It is supposed that Elizabeth helped George raise the children while he established his market garden. George died from Tetanus following an infected broken leg caused by falling from his dray in 1867.
Eliza Box married Jabez Gurr in 1876 a Wheelwright and had 1 son Tasman who died 1889 aged 5 years.
Jabez Gurr born 1831 Essex England came to Tasmania, Australia with his parents Henry b 1797 and Mary Ann Taylor-Gurr b 1819 and 6 siblings on the SS ”Charles Kerr” 1835. Jabez married Priscilla Thompson in 1854 in Tasmania.
Eliza and Jabez were devout Christians and set up a night school teaching English to the Chinese market gardeners of Bentleigh.. After Tasman died they sold their house and went to China as missionaries where Eliza’s niece, Rebecca ‘Faith’ Box Viloudaki was also a missionary. On their return from China they lived in Prahran.. They are buried in Brighton Cemetery with their son Tasman.
Significance
Box Cottage Museum, a reconstruction of an early settler hut, is named after the Box family who resided there 1865 -1913 . William Box who, with his wife Elizabeth Avis Box and 13 children, lived and farmed on the block of land in Jasper Road, East Brighton ( now McKinnon / Ormond) that was part of the Henry Dendy Special Survey 1841. George Box 1808-1867 migrated in 1856 and worked with his son William Box until he established a market garden in Patterson Rd . East Brighton
( now Bentleigh).
Eliza Box Gurr was the daughter of George and Mary Box.
Physical description
A black and white photograph of Eliza Box 1850 - 1911 who married Jabez Gurr 1831- 1903
Inscriptions & markings
FERRY 49 Elizabeth St. Melbourne
