Prior to the park, there were at least two houses here. These were demolished in the 1970s. One of those houses had belonged to Edmund Finn(1819-98), also known as Garryowen, who was a journalist and author. He wrote many colourful descriptions of the life and people in early Melbourne.
Edmund Finn (Garryowen)
Born in Ireland, he arrived in Melbourne in 1841. He was on the staff of the Port Phillip Herald from 1845 until 1858 when he was appointed clerk of the papers of the Legislative Council. He retired from this position in 1888.
Under the pseudonym ‘Garryowen’ in 1888 he published the two volumes of ‘The Chronicles of Early Melbourne, 1835 to 1852’, which contain valuable information about early Melbourne.
From 1860 he lived in a bluestone cottage at 20 Leicester Street, Fitzroy which was demolished in the early 1970s. His house, and four adjacent houses, have been replaced by Garryowen Park.
I love reading what you write about early life in Fitzroy!!
My GGG grandparents lived in Kerr St in 1859. My GGG grandfather Henry Vye, who was an expert stonemason, had been brought over from England by the company that was contracted to build St Patrick’s Cathedral.