PASTE LINKS INTO YOUR SEARCH BAR.
MICHAEL FOX, AND HIS SISTER, MRS BRIDGET BROWN, PIONEERS OF KEILOR, VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA.

SOME FOX FAMILY PROPERTIES.
KEILOR VILLAGE.
On 14-6-1878, M.Fox was granted crown allotment 7 of section 12 in the village. This could have been Michael and Bridget's mother Margaret who died in 1881.
Section 12 was bounded by Kennedy, Church, Eagling and Macedon Sts, the last being the main road. Consisting of 2 roods, half an acre, as most township blocks did, c/a 7 would have been 2 chains (40 metres) from Church St with a Kennedy St and Eagling St.frontage of 20 metres and a depth of 100 metres.

TRANSACTIONS IN PROPERTY.
Messrs. Pearson, Rowe, Smith and Co. report
having sold, on account of the mortgagee, a pro-
perly containing about 1105 acres of land near
Bridgewater 0n Loddon. Also, having let for three
years, under instructions from Mr. W. Crawford,
solicitor, Melbourne, allotments C and D of section
18, parish of Doutta Galla, containing 342 acre 2
roods, with improvements, situated 8 miles on the
Keilor-road, to Mr. Michael Fox, of Keilor.
(P.6, The Age, 9-5-1896.)
[Parish maps of Victoria]. Doutta Galla, County of Bourke [cartographic ...
digital.slv.vic.gov.au/dtl_pub…/compleximages/…/2442850.html (Map 1.)

NORTH POLE ROAD.
Milleara Rd, so labelled on the map, was the boundary between 18D Doutta Galla on the west and 18C on the east. Milleara Rd was known as North Pole Road well into the 20th century as it led to Solomon's Ford, as did Braybrook Rd (Buckley St west, Essendon.) This ford was originally south of Rhonda St (Melway 27 C9, the nearest place to Melbourne where the Saltwater River could be crossed, and later at the end of North Rd (27 C6.) All local heritage studies wrongly state that the ford was at 27B8. (Township of Braybrook and parish of Cut Cut Paw maps clearly show that this ford, which I call Clancy's ford, did not exist till the mid 1860's.) The historic North Pole Hotel was on c/a 18D and having been delicensed apparently became the residence of Michael Fox until his death in 1918.

BARBISTON.
Messrs. A. E. Gibson and Co. report having sold
the farm at Tullamarine known as Barbiston, con-
taining 163 a. 2 r. 14 p., to Mr. Michael Fox,
of Keilor. (P.12, Leader, 16-3-1901.)
Parish of Tullamarine, County of Bourke [cartographic material ...
digital.slv.vic.gov.au/dtl_publ…/simpleimages/…/1258115.html

Barbiston was at the western end of crown allotment 9B Tullamarine which consisted of exactly 200 acres. John Grant had purchased a part of the grant which was called the Seafield river frontage and described (wrongly) as 40 acres in Keilor rate records.

BENDINE.
I was amazed that Michael's son, John, succeeded his father as a Doutta Galla riding* councillor because I presumed he was living on Bendene (formerly Geraghty's Paddock), crown allotment 9 of the Arundel Closer Settlement in the parish of Tullamarine. It's unclear whether John was living at Bendene or North Pole Rd in 1935 but the Fox and Geraghty families were more than mere acquaintances.
GERAGHTY.--on the 11th July, at the residence of his friend, Mr. J. Fox, Keilor, a brother of Peter Geraghty, of Palmerston North, New ZeaIand, aged 77 years. R.I.P. (P.11, The Age, 13-7-1935.)

(*John apparently served as a Doutta Galla riding councillor from 1918 until at least 1949 when his term expired. There were no reports of whether he was re-elected in 1949. In 1952, he was obviously living on Bendene and was elected as a Tullamarine riding councillor.

Keilor Shire Election Held
The Age (Melbourne, Vic. : 1854 - 1954) Friday 18 July 1952 p 3 Article
... Keilor Shire Election Held Mr. John Fox yesterday was elected to Tullamarine riding in Keilor shire ... . The vacancy was caused by the death of Cr. E. J. Hassed.

LOTS 1 AND 2, ARUNDEL CLOSER SETTLEMENT.
These were south of Barbiston and granted to John Fox's brothers, Patrick and Thomas.
The death notices of Michael Fox and Mrs Thomas Brown who both died in 1918 do not show that they were siblings but their death records do.

DEATH NOTICES AND RECORDS.
FOX.--On the 3rd September, at his residence. North Pole road, Keilor, Michael,
the beloved husband of the late Rose Fox, and loving father of Patrick, John,
Thomas, Martha, Phillip and Christopher, aged 79 years. Requiescat in pace.
(P.2, Flemington Spectator, 12-9-1918.)

BROWN.—On the 31st October at Keilor, Bridget, beloved wife of the late Thomas Brown, and loving mother of John, Charlie, Maggie, Mrs. Cass, Robert, Alice, William, Katie and Joseph,aged 85 years. A colonist of 67 years. R.I.P.(P.13, Argus, 2-11-1918.)

Same parents, hence brother and sister.
EventDeath Event registration number9315 Registration year1918
Personal information
Family nameFOX Given namesMichl SexUnknown Father's nameFox Chriser Mother's nameMargt* (Burns) Place of birth Place of deathKeilor Age79

EventDeath Event registration number13308 Registration year1918
Personal information
Family nameBROWN Given namesBridget SexUnknown Father's nameFox Chriser Mother's nameMargt* (Burns) Place of birth Place of deathKeilor Age85

MICHAEL AND BRIDGET'S MARRIAGE RECORDS.
EventMarriage Event registration number2928 Registration year1873
Personal information
Family nameFOX Given namesMichael SexMale Spouse's family nameREILLY Spouse's given namesRose

EventMarriage Event registration number2965 Registration year1858
Personal information
Family nameFOX Given namesBridget SexFemale Spouse's family nameBROWN Spouse's given namesThomas
*See Margaret Fox, nee Burns, mother of Michael, Brigit and another son.

OBITUARIES FOR MICHAEL AND BRIDGET IN 1918.
MR. MICHAEL FOX.
Sincere regret has been expressed at
the death of Mr. Michael Fox. which oc-
curred at his residence, Keilor, on
Tuesday evening, September 3rd. The
deceased gentleman, who was 79 years
of age, had enjoyed excellent health
until the last few years, during which
time he suffered considerably, from
heart disease, which eventually caused
his death. Mr. Fox came to Australia
in his youth, and, after spending a
short time in Queensland, settled at
Keilor. where he resided continuously
for the past 52 years. For several
years he occupied the position of shire
councillor, and at the time of his death
was president of the shire. Mr. Fox's
wife, the late Mrs. Rose Fox, prede-
ceased her husband by sixteen years*, as
also did six children — one boy and five
girls Five son's and one daughter
Messrs. Patrick, John, Thomas, Philip,
and Christopher, and Miss Martha Fox
—are now left to mourn, the loss of
good father. The remains of the late
Mr. Fox were interred in the Keilor
Cemetery on Thursday, September 5th,
in the presence of a large number of
friends who were present to pay their
last tribute of respect to one whom
they held in high esteem. Rev. T. W.
O'Collins , officiated at the graveside. R.I.P.
(P.25, Advocate, 14-9-1918.)

(* FOX.—On the 1st inst., at Keilor, Rose, dearly beloved wife of Michael Fox. Aged 53 years. R.I.P. A native of Co. Cavan, Ireland, and a resident of Keilor for over 30 years. P.19, ADVOCATE, 12-4-1902.)

Another of the few remaining pioneers
of the Keilor district in Mrs. Bridget
Brown, widow of the late T. Brown, passed
away on Thursday last. The deceased
lady, who leaves a large family of sons and
daughters, was 85 years of age. The fun-
eral, which took place on Saturday at the
Keilor Cemetery, was very largely attended.
(The Essendon Gazette and Keilor, Bulla and Broadmeadows Reporter (Moonee Ponds, Vic. : 1914 - 1918) Thursday 7 November 1918 p 3 Article)

*MARGARET FOX, NEE BURNS, MOTHER OF MICHAEL, BRIDGET AND ANOTHER SON.
Mrs. Fox, an old resident of Keilor, died last Thursday, at the residence of her son, Mr. Michael Fox, after having reached the ripe age of 75 years.The funeral took place on Monday, when the remains were interred in the Keilor general cemetery. (P.3, Bacchus Marsh Express, 22-10-1881.)

This article was prompted by a request for information about Samuel Fleming, a resident at Springs near Keilor 1840- c.1851 who had married a Margaret Brown. In an effort to find if Margaret, nee Brown, was related to early Keilor pioneers named Brown, as it turned out, Thomas Brown, I discovered that the wife of Thomas Brown was the sister of Michael Fox. The Mrs Fox above (who died in 1881) could not be Rose, nee Reilly whose son Michael died at the age of 11; Rose died in about 1902 according to Michael's obituary.

ROSE'S DEATH RECORD.
EventDeath Event registration number6016 Registration year1902
Personal information
Family nameFOX Given namesRose SexUnknown Father's nameRielly Pat Mother's nameMary (Hearnes) Place of birth Place of deathKeilor Age54

Therefore, there is no doubt that the Mrs Fox who died in 1881 was Mrs Margaret Fox, nee Burns, mother of Michael, Bridget and another son, "the widow who came from Kings County, Ireland*", and presumably, according to Michael's obituary, spent a short time in Queensland before moving to Keilor.
(*Information from Eileen Reddan in about 1989.)

WHAT HAPPENED TO MICHAEL FOX JNR?
EventDeath Event registration number9027 Registration year1885
Personal information
Family nameFOX Given namesMichael SexUnknown Father's nameMichl. Mother's nameRose (Rielly) Place of birth Place of deathKEILOR Age11

An accident of a fatal nature occurred at Keilor last Thursday. Two lads, named Patrick and Michael Fox, were wrestling in their father's garden, when Patrick threw his brother down, quite by accident, on a spade. The lad Michael became faint, and Dr. Fishbourne was sent for. The boy, however, died at 8 o'clock the same night from internal injuries. A magisterial inquiry was held before Mr. W. Taylor, J.P., and a verdict of accidental death was returned.(P.6, Argus, 21-7-1885.)

MICHAEL FOX, ESSENDON HILL, CONTRACTOR AND OTHER DETAILS FROM ROSE REDDAN etc. IN DHOTAMA (from page F73.)
In 1989, Michael Frewen of Tullamarine told me about a Fox descendant, Rose Reddan of Sunbury and a story about Chris Fox who used to take the milk from Barbiston to Hogan's dairy in Queen St near the east end of Keilor Rd. Chris lived on Barbiston with his sister, Matty (Martha) and obviously disliked using a whip. Michael Frewen used to hitch a ride with Chris on the Saturdays when Essendon was playing at Windy Hill. Chris often started these trips wearing mud caked gum boots but by the time they reached the dairy the mud had been used, rolled into little balls that Chris used to urge on his pair of horses.

Phil Fox, who was a bachelor, looked after a farm near the Dodd farm "Brimbank" and his married brother Bill, who married Mary Hogan, helped him. Dry cows from Barbiston were spelled on this farm which was called The Oaks.

(The boundary between John Dodd's Brimbank and The Oaks is indicated by the transmission line from the river at Melway 14 G10 (top right corner) to15B10. The southern boundary of The Oaks went from the river at 14 J12 to the entrance to Brimbank Park. South of The Oaks was the Graco closer settlement farm.

The Graco family had originally lived in Broadmeadows Township but had moved away after their youngster had accidentally shot the son of Bob Cargill, that town's butcher. The late Jack Hoctor told me about this tragedy, mentioning that Essendon footballer, Alan Graco, was a descendant of this family whose surname is wrongly given in the first article as Grace but is correct in the second article.
http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/4677511
http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/4672311)

Brodmeadows Shire's ratebook for 1899-1900 showed that Michael Fox had land on Essendon Hill. This block, net annual value 2 pounds, which had to be east of Bulla Rd and north of Woodland St to be in Broadmeadows Shire, was probably a depot where he could leave his drays and horses, used for carting sand (gravel) from the Moonee Ponds Creek instead of taking them back to Keilor.

In 1889, Michael had 2.5 acres in the Doutta Galla riding of Keilor Shire, location not specified.

In 1930, Mrs M.A.Fox was assessed on lot 9 of the Arundel Closer Settlement, having just replaced Martin Geraghty* as occupant of the 120 acre block known as Geraghty's Paddock, but named Bendene by Mary Ann's husband, John Fox.

(*Martin may have gone to live with John and Mary Ann at North Pole Road-
GERAGHTY.--on the 11th July, at the residence of his friend, Mr. J. Fox, Keilor, a brother of Peter Geraghty, of Palmerston North, New ZeaIand, aged 77 years. R.I.P. P.11, The Age, 13-7-1935.)

Michael Frewen told me that Jack (John) used Bendene to grow wheat and spell dry cows.

Bendine was purchased c. 1960 from John Fox, probably shortly before his death. (No. 15 on the airport acquisitions map.)

Ray Taylor, who had lived in Keilor Park since 1955, told me that T.M.Bourke had bought land from John in 1928 for a railway station.* He also said that Ansair had bought land from John.
(*This was almost certainly the Milleara Station (on the Albion-Jacana line which was being built in 1928. By the greatest of good luck, my brother-in-law rescued a plan of the Milleara Station Estate which was being thrown out and which I presented to the Essendon Historical Society.

EXTRACT FROM MY JOURNAL.
It might just be that a family tree circles member has found that a relative bought land in this estate in the late 1920's and is wondering if there is any connection with Milleara Rd in East Keilor. There is!
I must firstly thank Peter Warren of Express Bin Hire in Colchester Rd, Rosebud West. Knowing of my interest in local history, he has seen the 84 year old framed green, black and white plan of the Milleara Railway Station Estate in one of his bins and instead of dumping it at the tip, he asked me to have a look at it.
This plan will be given tomorrow to Bob Chalmers of the Essendon Historical Society and will be available for inspection at the society's Old Court House Museum between Queens Park and Moonee Ponds Junction.
The Milleara Railway Station Estate can be found at Melway 15 D9. It was bounded by Keilor Rd and the Albion railway line (under construction), containing Slater and Webber Pde blocks to their junction. This was the north west (almost) half of 18C, Doutta Galla. Street names remain the same but Tunnecliffe Ave has been closed, replaced by freeway interchanges; this avenue was obviously extended west when the freeway was being built and the extension remains as Tunnecliffe Crt. The north end of Webber Pde is now the end of Ely Crt. In my historic Melway, Prendergast Ave is written as Pendergass; I hope they've fixed it by now.

If a railway station had been built, it is likely that this estate would be proudly residential rather than industrial. Luckily the Albion-Jacana line, with its two massive bridges over the Maribyrnong and the Moonee Ponds Creek, was finished before the Wall Street crash hastened the depression which was the first of many excuses for not catering for passengers.

Newspaper articles below are about John Quinn after whom Quinn Grove on John Beale's "Shelton" is named. He probably came up with the name "Milleara", part of the name of his company which was formed at about the time this plan was drawn. Despite the depression, 1933 was a busy time for the Scotts; the Quinns were having trouble paying their rates. This plan had most likely hung in the Quinn Group boardroom or foyer for many decades until a facelift was considered necessary and this treasure was placed in storage. )

ROSE REDDAN (as we now know, the daughter of John and Mary Anne Fox) told me the following.
Michael Fox came from King's County, Ireland with a widowed mother (who, as illustrated above, died in 1881) and a brother (yet unknown) and sister (Bridget who married Thomas Brown.) On 20-7-1873, he married Rose Reilly, also from Ireland. FOR QUITE A WHILE HE WAS A CONTRACTOR WORKING ON ROADS. Michael and Rose had eleven children but five of these died and only one (obviously John) married. Those who died young are indicated by asterisks.
They were Michael*, Patrick, Margaret*, Mary*, Rose Anne*, Catherine*, John and Thomas who were twins, Martha (Matty), Phillip (1883-1948) and Christopher.

John Fox, known to many as Jack, married Mary Anne Comersord (I couldn't read my scribbled notes properly!)in 1912. She was a country girl who had moved to Hawthorn from a town near Myrtleford when her aunt died to help her uncle raise his family.

John and Mary Anne also had 11 children: Rose,( my informant), William (who married Mary Hogan of Kensington), Mary Bridget, John, Margaret, Patrick and Ursula (who were twins but Ursula died young), Sheila, Philomena and Alice.

Two of John's daughters married sons of Michael Reddan who moved from the Bulla area and farmed Brightview (west of Dalkeith to the west end of Sharps Rd), James Sharp's Hillside while the Albion-Jacana line was being built and John Grant's Seafield, whose river frontage adjoined Barbiston and the Fox grants, lots 1 and 2 of the Arundel Closer Settlement.(Eileen Reddan, sister of Tom and Michael Reddan Jnr.)

Rose married Tom Reddan and they had a farm in Riddell Rd, Sunbury. Mary married Michael Reddan Jnr.

It was Matty, armed with a box brownie who took one of the most shared photographs in Keilor's early days. Showing the congregation of St. Augustine's outside the historic bluestone church, it appears in the collections of the Borrell, Crotty, Brown and other families.

Rose believed that John was still a councillor when he died in 1960.
Bernie McSweeney recalled that one of the Fox girls used to ride her horse to mass at St Theresa's in Lincoln Rd, Essendon.

FOX IN ST. ALBANS? (RE NAMING OF FOX ST., MELWAY 13 K9.)
In my transcriptions of Keilor rate records I was mainly concerned with the Tullamarine riding and thus was not aware of most ratepayers in the parish of Maribyrnong, except for crown grantees and those mentioned in the three Keilor historical souvenirs (1950, 1961 and 1963.) My paper map could only be read laboriously with a magnifying glass regarding smaller grants, such as at Sydenham and Green Gully but luckily the Maribynong map can be viewed online and zoomed.

http://www.historyofstalbans.com/pioneers.html
The third sale in 1879* was the old Keilor Town Common land from Green Gully between the Sunshine Avenue and the Saltwater River[3] down to Boundary Road east, which attracted buyers such as Charles Stenson, Michael Fox and Patrick McShane. This was a smaller sale than the previous one in 1868 but it finalised the neighbourhood boundaries.

Not only did I find Michael Fox's grant but also the neighbouring one of his brother-in-law, Thomas Brown.
THE MAP. http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-232024795/view
See the area of the map which corresponds with the area bisected by Driscolls Rd on map 14 in Melway. Thomas Brown was granted c/a 11 and Michael Fox c/a 8. Practically every grantee in section A was a fair dinkum pioneer worthy of inclusion in any history of Keilor.

(*These fair dinkum pioneers owed their ability to obtain a block to Donald Cameron M.L.A. The opening of the rest of the common was opposed by the Keilor correspondent of the Bacchus Marsh Express who was probably one of those whose flocks would mysteriously appear on the common and denude it of all feed. Read the letters from Cameron and the correspondent.
http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/89702616 )

BROWN IN MY JOURNALS OR EARLY LANDOWNERS:PARISH OF TULLAMARINE or WHERE BIG BIRDS SOAR or TULLAMAMARINE: BEFORE THE JETPORT or DHOTAMA.
I've written a bit about the Brown family of Browns Rd, resulting from an interview, SOMEWHERE- but it's going to be easier to find information that was not available to me at that time.

The children of Thomas Brown and Bridget, nee Fox, listed in Bridget's obituary are listed below with place of birth (Keilor unless otherwise stated), year and registration number.
John (1860, 17758), Charlie (1862, 2875), Maggie (1863, 21007), Mrs Cass (see below), Robert* (No birth record with the right parents found between 1858 and 1880), Alice (1873, 10074), William (No 1876, 3461), Katie (Kate, 1879, 3589), Joseph (Martin Joseph, 1881, 3675.)

MRS CASS. No Cass marriage mentioned a Brown girl as the Spouse so this might have been a second marriage. Her name was Mary.
EventDeath Event registration number5599 Registration year1948
Personal information
Family nameCASS Given namesMary SexFemale Father's nameBROWN Thomas Mother's nameBridget (Fox) Place of birthKEILOR Place of deathKENSINGTON Age81

CASS. — On June 10, at her daughter's
residence, 4 Ormond-st., Kensington,
Mary Cass, of 42 Ire!and-st., West Mel
bourne. beloved wife of the late John
and loved mother of Mollie (Mrs.
Hunt) and the late Thomas. R.l.P.(P.2, The Age, 11-6-1948.)
The funeral left 4 Ormond St for a service at Holy Rosary, Kensington and burial at Footscray. (Page 4 of the same paper.)

(*Robert may have been the un-named male born to Thomas and Bridget in 1871, reg. No.3214. The baby did not die in 1871 so the lack of a name was probably because of indecision, not a stillbirth.

Keilor News
------0------
The sympathy of the residents of Keilor has been expressed to Misses and Messrs W. and J. Brown of Keilor, in the sudden death of Mr. Bob Brown, a very old resident of Keilor. (P.6, Sunshine Advocate, 26-9-1941.)

EventDeath Event registration number21625 Registration year1941
Personal information
Family nameBROWN Given namesRobert SexMale Father's nameBROWN Thomas Mother's nameBridget (Fox) Place of birthKEILOR Place of deathKEILOR Age70)

PHOTO- HELPING DADDY WITH THE FRUIT, MR. J.BROWN'S ORCHARD, KEILOR. (P. 32, Weekly Times, 25-4-1931.)

BROWN—WALSH
The marriage was celebrated, with
Nuptial Mass, at St. Anne's, Broadmeadows,
on May 5, of Eileen Mary,
eldest daughter of Mr. W. Walsh,
"Station View," Broadmeadows, and
the late Mrs. Walsh to Thomas, elder
son of Mr. and Mrs. M. J. Brown,*
Brown's-road, Keilor.
(Description of attire.)
The groom had his brother, Joseph
Brown, as best man. (P.20, Advocate, 7-6-1951.)

Station View was on the west side of Pascoe Vale Rd near the Broadmeadows Station, probably part of the old Glen Allan farm, and was one of several dairy farms whose milk could be conveyed quickly to metropolitan dairies by train. The Walsh family at one stage had a farm north of Kenny St, Broadmeadows Township, accessed via Elizabeth St. St. Anne's was in Ardlie St.

(*M.J.Brown would be Martin Joseph, son of Thomas and Bridget, born in 1881.)

Michael Joseph Brown would have been no stranger to the Broadmeadows area where The Oaklands Hunt often hunted. He was seriously hurt in the area in 1903 while riding with fellow members of the club.

http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/138690492
This ended the day's hunting, for as hares
were not plentiful no more were sighted, so we
adjourned to Craigieburn station, to which place
our special had journeyed. It likewise carried our
hamper, and having boxed horses we boiled the
"billy," and partook of the cup that—It is said—
never fails to cheer. On this occasion it did not
fulfil its cheerful mission, for we, too, soon
learned that one of our followers, Mr. M. J. Fox,
had been seriously injured by a fall from his horse
Delware. Falls and misadventures were numerous
throughout the hunt, for at the first fence one lady
and two gentlemen came to grief. Mr. Fox was one
of the victims here, but he was quickly remounted,
and followed on for about another three miles,
when his horse again blundered at a fence, and
came down heavily on him. It was at once seen
that his injuries were bad, as he was unable to move, However, a couple of the field stopped with him, and having obtained aid and assistance from Mr Shankland, the sufferer was carried up to the latter gentleman's house, where all was done that could be pending the arrival of Dr. Thompson? -who had been telephoned for-from Essendon.
Examination soon showed the serious-
ness of the case, and the doctor ordered the speedy
removal of the patient to Melbourne. He was
taken by Mr. Shankland in a vehicle to Somerton
station, where the special train had been kept
waiting for him. Arriving in town Mr. Fox was
at once taken on to Dr. Moore's private hospital,
and though he sustained some injury to his pelvis
it is gratifying to learn now that he is progressing
as satisfactorily as can be wished for. When
thanks are being bestowed in this case, it is cer-
tain that Mr. W. Shankland* will come in for his
full share of them.
*William Shankland's farm "Brook Hill" was between Somerton Rd and the Shankland Wetlands near Broadmeadows Valley Park. His father Robert Shankland's farm Waltham was the east half of Greenvale Reservoir.

The Fitzroy (football) team will include several players from the country districts, amongst the best being C. Brown, from Keilor, a good all-round man, and J. Brown from the same place— a splendid follower— besides Dodd and Johnson, of the Keilor club, and Beggs, of Sunbury. (P.4, Sportsman, 7-5-1884.)
C.Brown would be Charlie, born in 1862 and J.Brown* would be John, born in 1860. Countless articles show that Charlie was a good runner. One venue where Charlie competed in 1886 was at the Melfort Track at Melway 28J1 built by the new owner of the National Hotel which he had renamed as the Melfort.

(*John, who had apparently been living with his sister Alice, died in 1933.
BROWN. —On the 25th October, at a private
hospital, John Brown, beloved son of the late
Thomas and Bridget Brown, of Keilor, and loving
brother of Charles (deceased), Margaret, Mary
(Mrs. Cass), Robert, Alice, William, Katherine,
and Joseph —Rest In peace.
BROWN -The Friends of the late JOHN BROWN
are respectfully Invited to follow his remains
to the place of interment in the Keilor Cemetery
The funeral is appointed to move from the resi
dence of his sister (Miss Alice Brown), Flora street
Keilor THIS DAY (Thursday, 26th October), at 3 p.m.
BOTH P.1, ARGUS, 26-10-1933.)

Catherine Brown died at Heidelberg in 1950. Her death and funeral notices are on page 2 and 8 of The Age of 7-12-1950. She was buried at Keilor after a service at St. Augustine's.
EventDeath Event registration number13897 Registration year1950
Personal information
Family nameBROWN Given namesCatherine SexFemale Father's nameBROWN Thomas Mother's nameBridget (Fox) Place of birthKEILOR Place of deathHEIDELBERG Age72

Margaret Brown died on 14-3-1946 at Keilor. Her funeral arrangements were as for Catherine.
BROWN.— On March 14, Margaret Brown,
of Keilor, beloved daughter of the late
Thomas and Bridget, and loved sister of
Mary (Mrs. Cass), Catherine, John,
Charles, Joseph, William and Robert. Re-
quiescat in pace.(P.11, The Age, 16-3-1946.)

William Brown was a road contractor who metalled 10 chains of McNabs Rd in 1914.

This is the marriage record of Mrs Brown of Keilor mentioned in Skinner and Anderson death notices (named as Evelyn in the second one,)
EventMarriage Event registration number9920 Registration year1911
Personal information
Family nameSKINNER Given namesEvelyn SexUnknown Spouse's family nameBROWN Spouse's given namesChas

Evelyn died at Keilor in 1956.Her sister Alma Ada Anderson who died in 1934 had worked for the J.C. Williamson Opera Company. Their mother who died in 1915 was described as being late of Keilor and South Melbourne.
EventDeath Event registration number7106 Registration year1956
Personal information
Family nameBROWN Given namesEvelyn SexFemale Father's nameSKINNER William Mother's nameAda (Hutchinson) Place of birthMELBOURNE SOUTH Place of deathKEILOR Age79

Evelyn's husband, Charles, was the son of Thomas and Bridget Brown who was born in 1862. Charles would have been about 49 when he married Evelyn and died about 16 years later but they still managed to have three children. Charles died in 1927.

BROWN.- On the 22nd November, suddenly, at
Melbourne Hospital, Charles, beloved husband of
Evelyn Brown, loving father of Evelyn, Eily and
Charles Ernest, loving brother of John, Margaret
(Mrs Cass, Robert, Alice, William, Catherine
and Joseph, aged 65 years, Rest in peace.
(P.1, The Age, 24-11-1927.)

EventDeath Event registration number15364 Registration year1927
Personal information
Family nameBROWN Given namesCharles SexUnknown Father's nameBrown Thomas Mother's nameBridget (Fox) Place of birth Place of deathMelb E Age65

Thomas Brown gave a native bear to the zoological and acclimatisation society in 1892.
http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/8450205

As mentioned previously, it's easier to find information on Victorian BDM and trove than what I've already written about the Browns of Browns Rd. As trove wasn't working, I was doing a google search for Arundel and found the following in a journal I'd written about some farms near Tullamarine.

ARUNDEL ESTATE. CLOSER SETTLEMENT HOLDING. Estate of EUPHEMIA BARR. Deceased.
Tenders are hereby invited by John Milburn and James Wallace, as Trustees for the purchase of Allotment 16, Section One, Parish of Tullamarine, County of Bourke, containing 7 acres and 28 perches or thereabouts, on which is erected a double-fronted four roomed weatherboard house, with front and back verandahs and outbuildings,consisting of dairy, man's room, buggy shed, stable (one-stalled) and fowl house. Amongst the improvements are an underground tank and a galvanised iron tank (300 gallons) connected with kitchen.
The property formed part of the Arundel Estate, and is situated one mile from the Keilor township, and fronts the Saltwater River. Closer Settlement requirements etc.
(P.3, Essendon Gazette and Keilor,Bulla and Broadmesadows Reporter, 12 August, 1915.)

Robert Brown,member of a very old Keilor family, took over the crown lease of lot 16, at the end of Brown's Rd*, and gained his grant in 1928. John Milburn, was not a Closer Settlement resident. He lived directly over the river near Milburn Rd. The Wallaces are longtime residents of the closer settlement and Don of Elm Grove was heavily involved with the market gardeners' state body.
(*Top left corner of Melway 14 G2.)

THOMAS BROWN, WITNESS RE THE KEILOR MURDER IN 1868.
http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/5810232
Thomas Brown stated that he saw Duncan
Macdonald and the prisoner together on the
morning of the 25th December.

Ironically Thomas Brown's grant was across directly across Sunshine Avenue from Joseph Ball's farm where John Fairweather had been murdered, as can be seen on the map whose link is given under FOX IN ST.ALBANS?

A BIT OF ST. ALBANS HISTORY.
One of the histories that I read during my Keilor research was one published by the St Albans Historical Society and, I believe, written by Joan Carstairs. It provided much detail about the private subdivision that resulted in the establishment of St Albans as a locality. In 1930, the residents asked for the streets in this subdivision to be declared as public roads but the request was opposed by Cr. John Fox.
http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/76424669

WAS THIS THE WIFE OF JOHN FOX?
(POSTSCRIPT. The surname COMERFORD tinkled a bell, but very quietly. Not surprising, given that it is 28 years since I had written it.)
John was the executor of one of his brother, Phillip, in 1948, and of Mrs Mary Anne Fox in 1952.

EventDeath Event registration number19042 Registration year1952
Personal information
Family nameFOX Given namesMary Ann SexFemale Father's nameCOMERFORD William Mother's nameMary (Tracey) Place of birthMEADOW CREEK Place of deathKEILOR Age69

EventMarriage Event registration number1268 Registration year1912
Personal information
Family nameFOX Given namesJno Peter SexUnknown Spouse's family nameCOMERFORD Spouse's given namesMary Anne
EventBirth Event registration number16703 Registration year1880
Personal information
Family nameFOX Given namesJno SexUnknown Father's nameMichl Mother's nameRose (Reilly) Place of birthKEILOR

If so, John would have been aged about 32 when he married and 38 when he became a councillor.
It seems almost certain that John and Mary Anne would have met and married at St. Augustine's Keilor where the Crotty, Fitzpatrick and Fox families worshipped.
The Fitzpatrick Closer Settlement farm in today's Avondale Heights can be seen on the Doutta Galla parish map (link above.)
FITZPATRICK.— on November 3 (suddenly), James William Fitzpatrick, of Military-road, Keilor. beloved youngest son of the late James and Mary Ann Fitzpatrick, and loved brother of Margaret (Mrs.COMERFORD, deceased), Mary
(Mrs. O'Connor). Honora, Edward (deceased), John (deceased). Ellen (Mrs,Crotty (deceased), Catherine (deceased), William (deceased) and Joanna (Mother Mary Agnes, Convent of Good Shepherd, Abbotsford), aged 77 years. Requiescat In pace. (P.2, The Age, 6-11-1950.)

JOHN AND MARY ANNE'S CHILDREN.
(POSTSCRIPT. The following were born between 1912 and 1920. They had 11 children altogether, including a son named Phil, who are listed on page F76 of my dictionary history of Tullamarine and miles around. See these under the heading MICHAEL FOX, ESSENDON HILL, CONTRACTOR AND OTHER DETAILS FROM ROSE REDDAN etc. IN DHOTAMA.)
AHA! I was wondering about Bill Fox, whom Rose Reddan mentioned in about 1990. Phil* and Rose might have been his siblings.
EventBirth Event registration number4879 Registration year1914
Personal information
Family nameFOX Given namesWm SexUnknown Father's nameJno Mother's nameMary Ann (Comerford) Place of birthKEILOR

EventBirth Event registration number22624 Registration year1915
Personal information
Family nameFOX Given namesMary SexUnknown Father's nameJno Mother's nameMary Ann (Conoford) Place of birthKEILOR
EventBirth Event registration number31221 Registration year1912
Personal information
Family nameFOX Given namesRose SexFemale Father's nameJno Mother's nameMary Ann (Comford) Place of birthKEILOR