File contains postcards to and from members of the Carroll family of 139 Simpson Street, East Melbourne; invitations to institutional events; a photo labelled on reverse “Maggie and Annie”; several items removed from a scrap book and in very poor condition including theatre programs with reviews pasted to them. Most items date to around 1906-1908.
The Carroll family had connection with East Melbourne over a long period. Catherine Carroll, widow, bought 139 Simpson Street c.1877 and lived there with her son, William, who later worked as an excise officer in the Customs Department. William married Margaret (nee Kelly) and had two children, Margaret, or Madge, (1889) and William (1892). They all continued to live in the same house. Margaret snr died in 1892. William jnr fought in WW1 (see link below) and came home to No 139 before settling at Red Cliffs, near Mildura in Victoria. William snr died in 1929 but Madge continued to live in the house until at least 1967 before moving to Kew where she died in 1970.
Other people from time to time lived with the family at No 139. Mrs (May Angela) Aarons, whose name occurs in the file, is listed in the electoral rolls as living there in 1903 and 1909. Margaret snr’s sisters, Helen/Ellen and Johanna also lived there over a long period.
By 1885 Catherine Carroll had bought the adjoining house at 137 Simpson Street, and this was sometimes given as the address where one or other family member lived.
The Kelly family came from Darlingford which was long ago submerged under the waters of Lake Eildon