James Thurgood was a builder and property developer, responsible for constructing a number of notable churches, presbyteries, masonic halls and houses in Hotham (now North Melbourne) and inner Melbourne from the 1860s through to the 1880s. He also constructed the sheds A -E of Melbourne’s iconic Queen Victoria Market in 1877-78. James was the son of William Thurgood, a carpenter, and his wife, Ann Tolworthy, both natives of Islington in Middlesex, England (now part of Greater London). He was born in 1841 in Islington and was the fifth of the couple’s seven children. James’ older sister, Eleanor, had emigrated from England to Melbourne in 1859 as an assisted passenger[1]. In all likelihood she had written letters home about the opportunities for work to be found in the rapidly growing township. Possibly inspired by such correspondence, James and his older brother, John Joseph decided to emigrate and left England in late 1864. They arrived at the Port of Melbourne on the ship, Norfolk, on 8 February, 1865. James was aged 23 years and gave no occupation on the passenger list; his brother, aged 25 years gave his occupation as a mariner. The following year, their younger brother, Alfred also arrived in …

Alexander Edward Short was born around 1831 at Blackwall, London, the son of Elizabeth Sarah Hastings and Thomas Short. His parents left England sometime between the birth of Martha Short in 1833 England and the birth of Matilda Short in 1837 at Hobart. The Short family arrived in Tasmania in 1835, at the age of 21 years, Alexander Short married Jane Allan, who was 16 years of age, in 1852 in Hobart town. Jane Allen was born around 1836 in Hobart town to parents John Henry Allan and Elizabeth Rayner. The Short family eventually left Tasmania for a new life the colony of Port Phillip. Alexander and Jane had 11 children between the years 1856 until 1879, all their children were born in Victoria. Alexander Edward Short was the first crown land purchaser of a piece of land being lot number 10 in section 56 on the corner of Hawke and Spencer Streets in West Melbourne from the Compiled Crown Record Plan. Mr. Thomas Short (father of Alexander Short) was also a first crown land purchaser of lot 1 section O on the corner of Abbotsford, Adderley & Ireland Streets in West Melbourne from the Compiled Crown Record Plan. On …

James & Jane Taylor lived at 25 Miller Street West Melbourne. (previously known as house number 13) James Taylor was born about 1828 in Crewe Cheshire England to parents Henry & Catherine Taylor nee Smith. In 1847 at the age of 19, James married Jane Rogers at Cheshire. Jane Rogers was born about 1824 in Stafford-shire England, her father’s name was William Rogers. It is thought the Taylor family emigrated to the Port Phillip district around 1853. James and Jane Taylor had ten children, some born in England and others born in Australia. In birth order they were Elizabeth, Robert, Sarah, Catherine, Mary Jane, Ann Emma, Alfred Thomas, Catherine 2, Catherine 3 and Jane Francis Taylor. James Taylor was as a contractor ‘James Taylor 13 Miller Street West Melbourne’ in the Burchett index and was responsible for buildings in East, North and West Melbourne between the 1860’s until his accidental death on the 21st February 1872 at the age of 44years. In 1872 an inquest into the accidental death stated James left a wife and four children. Significant building works carried out by James Taylor are listed below. The table below can be scrolled left to right if viewed on …

James Oliver was born about 1814 to parents Sylvester & Elizabeth Oliver nee Smith in a village called Fowlis Easter in Perthshire, 7 miles west of Dundee in Scotland. His first wife Sophie, whom he married in 1836, gave birth to three children, but passed away in Dundee Scotland in 1846. James then married Ann Fulton in Scotland in 1849. Ann was born about 1818 in a village called Balgay Scotland, 2 miles west of the town of Dundee. Ann gave birth to five children, four in Scotland and one in Australia, being in birth order Alexander, William, Thomas, Isabella and James Oliver. James and Ann Oliver chose to emigrate from Scotland for Port Phillip, they arrived sometime between 1853, after the birth of Isabella in Dundee and before 1854 and the birth of James junior in Melbourne. James Oliver’s name first appears in a Sands & Kenny Directory for Melbourne in 1860 at the address, 467 Kings Street Melbourne. (between Roden & Hawke Streets) that address after renumbering is known today as 599 King Street West Melbourne. (1890 council rate book for Bourke Ward). The Oliver family were long time North & West Melbourne residents and lived at 599 …