Historical information

The view is looking southeast from near Eltham Road (present-day Sherbourne Road) across Bolton and Bridge streets towards the village of Little Eltham running down the main road (Maria Street) .

On the immediate right is Mrs Mary Jane Smart's family home located on the north side of Bridge Street at the intersection with Bolton Street, facing Bolton Street (now part of present day Brisbane Street and occupied by the Kitchen Design Centre). An original early settler's cottage, it was built by Mary Jane Smart's parents, Edwin Bailey and Jane (nee Matthews). Mary Jane Smart was born in the cottage. She married an Englishman, Alexander Wilson Smart who disappeared to Western Australia in the early 1900s in search of gold. He ultimately married again in W.A., committing bigamy and then committed murder and was hung in 1911.

Visible att the top left are Watson's (two-storey) Eltham Hotel at the corner of Pitt Street and Maria Street and the Evelyn Hotel directly opposite.

The photo was possibly taken by John Henry Clark of Clark Bros Photographers who operated from 25 Thompson Street, Windsor near Prahan 1894-1914.