Historical information

George Bird was born in England in 1845 and arrived in Australia in 1856 as a child of assisted migrants. Soon afterwards he came out to Eltham to live with his uncle George Stebbings, working for him as bricklayer's assistant in building, amongst others, Shillinglaw Cottage and the Anglican and Methodist Churches in Eltham. He later purchased 72 acres at the eastern end of Pitt Street (bounded by Eucalyptus Road, Mount Pleasant Road and present-day Rockliffe Street) and established the property ‘View Hill’, which was worked as a mixed farm and orchard (including berries).

In 1878 he married Janet Kilpatrick, who had emigrated from Scotland. They had ten children, three of whom died in infancy. The wedding in 1904 of their eldest surviving daughter Sarah (‘Sis’) to Edward Pepper appears to have been quite a society event.

George was a staunch Methodist and was a Church Steward and a Sunday School Superintendent in about 1890. Janet died in 1915 and George died in 1920 (though his gravestone says 1921). George's will stated that his property was to be divided between all his children in equal shares. This necessitated subdivision of the View Hill property, which took place progressively between 1922 and 1926.

One son, George Hugh Bird, operated a drapery store in Main Road (near Bridge Street) in around 1915. Later, in the 1920s, he ran a greengrocer's shop (also selling confectionery) in Main Road opposite Eltham Station. It was the first shop in Eltham to have plate glass windows. At the same time, his brother Reg had a grocery store on the station side of Main Road.

George and Janet are buried together in a family plot in Eltham Cemetery. Several descendants are also buried in the cemetery.

In Loving Memory
Of
George Bird
Died 5 December 1921 aged 76 years
And his beloved wife
Janet Bird
Died 5 Sept 1915 aged 57 years
Also their children
William James Bird
Died 25 Feb 1888 aged 8 years
Mary Jane Bird
Died 8 Oct 1891 aged 7 years
Pte Edwin John Bird
Killed in action in the Great War
11 Aug 1918 aged 30 years
Buried in France

And on the base stone
George Hugh Bird
Died 26 Feb. 1965. Aged 79 years
Arthur Andrew Bird
Died 25 Mar. 1970 Aged 75 years

To the left
In
Loving Memory of
Dr. J. R. (Roger) Bird
1927 2001
Son of Arthur & Helen
(nee Lyon) Bird
Husband of Betty
Father of Janet & Alison
Grandpa of Evan & Helen
Scientist & Gentleman

To the right
In
Loving Memory of
Harold Edwin Bird OAM
1922 - 2015
Son of Arthur & Helen
(nee Lyon) Bird
Husband of Yvonne
Father of Estell & Russell
In our hearts
Forever more

Physical description

Born Digital