Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Guy Arnold Bishop



Guy Arnold Bishop (above) was the third child and second son born to Bertha Hughan and Henry Bishop. He was born in 1870, the same year that his family moved from the Ballarat district to Hotham (present day North Melbourne).Guy was born on December 15, 1870, at Chatman (or Chapman) Street, Hotham,just four days before the second birthday of his elder sister Olive.
Guy grew up in the Melbourne suburbs of Hotham, Fitzroy, Jolimont and St.Kilda. He attended several schools, including the prestigious Melbourne Grammar School.A good natural athlete, Guy excelled at penny farthing bicycle racing like his elder brother Roland. It has been suggested that Guy was actually a more naturally gifted cyclist than Roland, and that Roland won more races only because he trained far more.Despite his lack of training, Guy still won many races and prizes.
After completing his education, Guy was indentured as an architect.The completion of his course coincided with the collapse of the land boom, so with no positions available he found himself without a career.
Guy accepted a job as travelling salesman for a wholesale bicycle merchant named Smith, which took him far and wide. His death certificate stated that he spent two years in Tasmania, but it is not certain when this was.

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