Bertha in the 1870s.

The above business cards and letter give an indication of Henry Bishop's occupations during the 1870s.It appears that he worked as a travelling salesman for Ironmonger and Hardware Companies, travelling as far as New Zealand in 1875, as the letter above indicates (he sailed from Melbourne to New Zealand per the 'Alhambra' in April of 1875). Like his uncle, Joseph Bishop, Henry also loved dabbling with investments, particularly those involved with mining. Appearing in Victorian Gazettes from the 1860s and 1870s are several mentions of Henry Bishop and various investments. For example,in September of 1865, Henry was the 3rd largest shareholder (with 100 shares worth four pounds each)in the newly registered Erin-Go-Bragh Quartz Mining Company at Hiscock's Reef, near Buninyong.Irishman Morgan lee, who participated in the Eureka Stockade, was the manager of Erin-Go-Bragh.
In November of the same year he purchased five shares with the Atlas and Linton Park Freehold Gold Mining Company. Joseph Bishop and Edward Keep were also shareholders in this mining company. Other interests Henry held were with the White Hill Gold Mining Co in 1864; the 'Flying Scud Quartz Mining Company' in 1868 and the 'City of Dublin Mining Company' in 1869.
There is also a reference for an insolvency for Henry Bishop of Ballarat in the Victorian Government gazette which is dated February 4, 1870. This ties in with the Bishop family moving to Melbourne, as in December of 1870 third child Guy was born in Hotham.
Three daughters were born to Bertha and Henry during the 1870s, and all were named in accordance with the botanical theme instigated with the naming of first daughter Olive...Violet, Myrtle and Daphne ( I have often wondered why on earth their parents didn't select some of the far prettier botanical names like Rose or Daisey or even Primrose!) All three children were born at different addresses, revealing that the Bishops moved frequently throughout the 1870s.
First came Violet Bertha Malvina Bishop, who was born in a house in Victoria Parade, Fitzroy.With middle names honouring her mother and Aunt Malvina,Violet was born on January 18, 1874. The doctor who delivered her was Dr. Horatio St.John Clarke, husband of Bertha's niece, Margaret McCallum. Bertha registered her daughter's birth, and gave the information that her husband, Henry Bishop, was a 33 year old traveller from Lincolnshire, and that she was a 33 year old from London. Other children were Roland aged 7; Olive Jessie aged 5 and Guy Arnold aged 3.
By the time Myrtle Gwendoline Elaine Bishop arrived on May 5, 1877, the Bishops were living in a home with quite a history. The house, known as 'The Hermitage', was located in the suburb of Jolimont, and had the distinction of being a part of Governor LaTrobe's residence. It was transferred from Queenscliff in 1848 and set on the north eastern side of the main house. I located a description of the house from the 1880s, as delightfully written by Jessie Elaine MacDonald, who lived there as a child.The following was taken from an article published in 'La Trobeana; The Journal of the La Trobe Society of Australia; Vol 5, No.1, August 2006.'
"In Elaine’s words: 'It was at this stage that Donald first displayed a talent – almost genius – for discovering picturesque, old-fashioned houses of unparalleled inconvenience and discomfort. He loved their unconventionality and his wife and
servant had to put up with the discomfort. Fate led him to Jolimont to the small cottage that had been part of La Trobe’s Chalet. It was near the city, historical and picturesque. Also incredibly poky and inconvenient. Donald pounced on it with rapture.'

At the first subdivision of the La Trobe estate, Elaine writes that: 'The Chalet – or Hermitage – had been bought by Mr Robert Moore, an old Canadian who lived there with his sister. Solidly built of teak, it stood four square, with French doors opening on to a deep verandah. The rooms were absurdly small, the bedroom and the kitchen both opening from the living room, and a corner of the kitchen curtained off to make a sort of kennel for the servant.'
For the child, playing ‘happily’ in the remnants of the La Trobe garden cast the strongest spell. Over the summerhouse climbed a honeysuckle and grapevines whose gnarled trunks showed them to be as old as the cottage … Like a sundial, my memory marked only sunny days at The Hermitage – warm waves of perfume from the honeysuckle; the cool shade of the verandah and the elms; the sweetness of a bunch of black muscatels from under the leaves where Old Robert would not miss it, and of the luscious stolen pears."
There is a lovely sketch of the 'Detached Cottage, Jolimont' as drawn by LaTrobe's cousin, Edward LaTrobe Bateman, which I will endeavour to reproduce as part of a later blog entry.
From the description of The Hermitage, one wonders how Bertha coped with her ever-expanding family in such a small dwelling. Perhaps it was no surprise to see that by the time of the birth of Daphne in 1878, the Bishops had moved on from Jolimont and were living in St. Kilda.
First though, the information given on Myrtle's birth certificate was as follows: Myrtle Gwendoline Elaine Bishop, born May 5, 1877, at 'the Hermitage', Jolimont. father Henry Bishop, iron monger, 36, born Lincolnshire; Married March 8, 1864, St.Kilda, to Bertha Hughan, 36, born Colchester England. Other issue: Roland 10; Olive 8; Guy 6; Violet 3. Informant: Henry Bishop, father, 'The Hermitage', Jolimont, East Melbourne.
Henry made two mistakes in giving this information. Firstly, their year of marriage was 1865 not 1864, and secondly , his wife was born in London, not Colchester.Despite having a fantastic head for numbers and figures, Henry's downfall must have been wedding dates, because he also got it wrong on Guy's birth certificate (1866).
The baby of the family, Daphne Lorna Josephine Bishop, was born on August 8, 1878, at Inkerman Street, St. Kilda. Her father's occupation was given as 'accountant' and his age as 38. Bertha's age was stated as 38 also, but she was just a few months off turning 40.Other children were listed as Roland Oakley 11; Olive Jessie 9;Guy Arnold 7; Violet Bertha Malvina 3 and Myrtle Gwendoline Elaine 1. The informant was Bertha Hughan's niece, Ivy McCallum -"cousin, Inkerman Street, St.Kilda."