The Tree of Me

What excites a genealogist? Last week it was a colleague asking me if I might be interested in a book. It was called The Making of Women - a history of Mac.Robertson Girls' High School by Pauline F Parker. I feel he may have been shocked by my exuberant reply. Of course I was interested. I think he was even more surprised when I told him I knew all about the Victorian high school. I quickly flicked to the index and there was the entry I hoped would be there -  Seabrook Norman. Norman Seabrook, the architect who won the opportunity to draw up the plans for the school in a nationwide state government sponsored competition in 1933, presented the Duke with a gold key to mark the occasion. (p. 60) One sentence in the book, and of course I was interested. Norman Seabrook (1906-1978), an architect, worked in the construction industry (as an architect) like many of his family including his grandfather Daniel, several of his great uncles and great grandfather Henry William who were...

Do you have ancestors who lived in Melbourne? If so take a look at the City of Melbourne iHeritage databas e. This database allows you to search for a specific address, browse suburbs, architectural styles and builders. When you have located the specific property you can see the complete heritage details for the property. Details include (if known): Architectural style Period Construction Date Architect First Owner Integrity Condition Original Building Type History Description/Notable Features Current photograph My great great grandmother Emma Seabrook (Dawson) died at No 1 Hope Terrace, Gipps Street, East Melbourne in 1885. At the time she lived with her sister and her husband Louisa and George Edward Lowe. Hope Terrace 161-165 Gipps Street, East Melbourne. Dec 2006. As you can see by the extract below, the description of the building is quite detailed. A row of three, two-storeyed houses, of which No. 165 possesses a porte cochere (I.e. a porch, large enough to accommodate wh...