Grindrod family

By the early 1860s John Grindrod had bought a number of blocks of land in Melbourne including one in McLachlan Street Northcote, and subsequently built a house there (see article McLachlan Street Northcote). John earned his living as a carpenter and with his real estate investments was clearly a successful one. But life took a terrible turn for him in 1871 and on March 3. 1871 Ann had John committed to the Yarra Bend Mental Asylum. She removed him a few weeks later but he died later that year.

With the settlement of his estate there was a total of £1,720 remaining, a sizable amount in 1871. At the time of John's death Ann was living in Smith Street Fitzroy, possibly with her married daughter Alice Brown. In 1906 one of Ann's grand daughters, Amy married local businessman Harold Bastings, later Mayor of Northcote and another granddaughter married John Cain Snr. later Premier of Victoria. Ann died in 1910. 

Four generations at Northcote. Weekly Times (Melbourne, Vic. 1869-1956), 13 March 1909, p. 25

Find My Past

Sands and McDougall’s Melbourne and Suburban Directory 1864- 1974.[Microfiche]. (1974). Melbourne,Australia:Sands & McDougall