Violet Bertha Malvina Bishop-child number four.

                                 Above:Top: Violet Bertha Malvina Bishop as a child

Above: A beautiful photo of Violet Bishop that was a delightful surprise when sent to me by Alison Ball. This photo was not a part of the Bishop Family Collection that I have, so I had never seen it before.




Above: Violet(back) with her sister Olive.

The fourth child and second daughter born to Bertha Hughan and Henry Bishop was given the rather cumbersome name of Violet Bertha Malvina Bishop, but known her whole life simply as "Vi". She was given her middle names to honour her mother, Bertha, and the aunt that she never met, Bertha's eldest sister Malvina.
Violet was born on January 18, 1874, at the Bishop home in Victoria Parade, Fitzroy, to 35 year old Bertha and 33 year old Henry. Her siblings were Roland, aged 7; Olive aged 5 and Guy aged 3, and she was delivered by a family member, Dr. Horatio St.John Clarke.(He had married Bertha's niece, Margaret McCallum, the daughter of Jessie Hughan)
Like her sisters, Vi was educated at various "Ladies'" schools in Melbourne suburbs, depending on where the family was living.After completing her schooling she taught for a period. One such job was announced in the "Oakleigh and Ferntree Gully Times" on Saturday, January 29, 1898...the same issue that carried the announcement of her mother's death.
" OAKLEIGH GRAMMAR SCHOOL AND KINDERGARTEN
SHIRE COUNCIL CHAMBERS
PRINCIPAL: MISS THOMSON
Trained teacher, Department of Education, Victoria; late First Assistant Oakleigh State School. Quarter begins 8th February.
Terms: English, French and German 2 pounds 2 shillings
English one pound one shilling
Music one pound one shilling
Painting one pound one shilling

Miss Thomson desires to intimate that she has engaged Miss Violet Bishop as teacher of PAINTING. Classes meet on Mondays at the Shire Hall, from 2:30 to 4:30."

Violet was 24 years old at the time of this appointment.Two years later she was getting married, and her occupation at this time was given as "Lady".
At her family home, "Fairmount", Stamford Road, Oakleigh, on July 19, 1900, Vi Bishop married 25 year old telegraph operator Harold John Ramsden. He was the son of Frederick Ramsden, an accountant, and his wife Sarah Dean. Vi's parents were given as Henry Bishop, ironmonger, and Bertha Hughan. The couple were married by Presbyterian minister Rev. James Black Ronald, and witnesses to sign the marriage certificate were Vi's brother Guy and Ida Fell.
(NOTE:Reverend Ronald was a member of the first Federation Parliament.James Black Ronald (1861-1941): Elected 1901
Born: 27 August 1861, Scotland.
Career: Educated Edinburgh University. Presbyterian clergyman.
Migrated 1888. Suburban clergyman, Melbourne.)