William Grover
William Grover was born in Ealing Middlesex England in 1824 and married Elizabeth Dale in 1845. William arrived in Victoria in 1852, he and Elizabeth had eight children, five had been born in England and three more were born in Schnapper Point.
Bullock Team in front of W. Grover's, Ironmonger Store c.1880's
William became a very successful business man involved in the construction of many fine buildings including St James the Less Church Mt. Eliza (below), St Peters Church of England, St Andrews Presbyterian Church, Beleura, and many more.
St James the Less Church, Mount Eliza
He became the first Shire President of the Mornington Shire Council and was also Treasurer of same, chairman of the District Roads Board for many years, magistrate of the local court and a Justice of the Peace.
William Grover was also instrumental, with others, in obtaining a school for Mornington.
He died in Mornington in 1883 aged 59 years.
William and Elizabeth’s youngest son William Edwin Grover, aged 25, was drowned in the Football Disaster in 1892, as was their grandson William Grover,br aged 17 years - son of Joseph Dale Grover. When Elizabeth Grover died in 1901, aged 79 years, she was living in the family home "Ealing" in Albert Street Mornington.
