1853-1856: Henry Cooke (c. 1817-1889) Henry Cooke, along with his brother, John, is best known for founding The Age newspaper in 1854. Unable to make a financial success of it he sold it to the Syme brothers after only a few months. Cooke described himself as a merchant but was an entrepreneur acting on opportunities as they arose. In the 1850s he received gold on consignment from the Gold Escort for safe keeping. He imported anything from iron deed boxes to prefabricated houses. He speculated in land, having an inside view of the market through his brother-in-law, real estate agent, CJ Ham. His main business however was as an importer of paper products of all sorts, everything from books to paper hangings to religious tracts which he distributed to those considered in need of salvation with his good friend, John Singleton (see below). In later years he lived at 102 Hotham Street, East Melbourne.

1857-1863: James Butchart. A wealthy pastoralist with land on the Mornington Peninsular. Beleura, built for him in 1863, is now a museum and open to the public.

1864-1869: Henry Brooks. Founder of Brooks, Robinson & Co., wholesale oil, colour and glass merchants and importers of painters' and decorators' supplies. The firm was well known in Melbourne and supplied large quantities of glass to churches and domestic residences all over Australia. It was eventually absorbed by E. L. Yencken & Co.

1870-1872: various

1872-1874: John Singleton. John Singleton was a doctor, evangelist and philanthropist. He was a powerful social reformer who founded many organizations and institutions for the benefit of the underpriveleged, the most notable of which was The Free Medical Mission and Dispensary in Wellington Street, Collingwood. Locally he served as a vestryman for many years at Holy Trinity Church.

1875-1918: Thomas Welton Stanford. Stanford was the younger brother of Leland Standford who founded Stanford University. He arrived in Australia in 1860 with a shipment of kerosene lamps. These were new to Australia and sold exceptionally well, making him a small fortune. He was apparently so seasick on the way out that he vowed never to return to the USA. He married in 1869 but sadly his wife died in childbirth the following year, and stricken by grief he turned to spiritualism to make contact with her. He was one of the founders of the Victorian Association of Progressive Spiritualists and established the Harbinger of Light, a spiritualist magazine. His many other interests included his garden which was stocked with rare plants; his aviaries of exotic birds; and his collection Australian paintings which represented many schools, although he actively disliked the "impressional" style. His business remained in importing, and for nearly twenty years he owned the exclusive Australian marketing rights to the Singer sewing machines. Condensed milk was another of his profitable imports. He died in East Melbourne a wealthy man and left most of his estate to Stanford University for psychical research.