The Sabbath School, Doncaster

 The sabbath School ???  When ? Who ??  Which church ??

Pottery lid from a pottery item

Pres. to Mrs. W Ross as a mark of esteem from the scholars and parents Pres. Sabbath School. Templestowe 1913.   Image provided by Leanne Novley in 2024

• Possibly, Mrs W Ross was the wife of William (Bill) who lived in Newmans Road, and she may have been a daughter of David Smith of Holyrood Farm,  now known as Westerfolds Park.
• Mrs William John Ross was the owner of property on the north west side of Newmans Road, about midway between Porter Street and Websters Road.  Ken believes that her maiden name was Emma Smith, daughter of John Smith of Templestowe (butcher) and his wife Emma (probably Emma Hewish). 
• Mrs Emma Ross died on 24 December 1944 and probate of her will was granted to William John Ross of Main Road, Templestowe (orchadist), probably her son. 
• Ken believes that her husband, William John Ross, died on 11 March, 1938 and probate of his will was granted to Eileen Flack of Templestowe, spinster. 
• Ken suspects that Mrs Emma Ross had a sister named Jane Ann Fox who lived at Kanumbra, Victoria who died on 27 August, 1921 and letters of administration of her estate was granted to Timothy Creighton Fox of Kanumbra, farmer. Ken also suspects that Mrs Emma Ross had another sister who was Mrs Jennet Rebecca Grass of Trentham, Victoria. 
• Ken further suspects that these married ladies had an unmarried sister named Agnes Smith of Templestowe who died on 3 October, 1942 and probated of her will was also granted to Timothy Creighton Fox of Kanumbra, Victoria (grazier).
• Ken believes that they had a brother named George Henry Smith who lived at Templestowe and was also a butcher, who died on 9 September 1946 and probate of his will was granted to Margaret Younger Smith of Main Road, Templestowe, widow.  
• Ken has also found that John Smith, the presumed father of Emma Ross died on 3 December 1902. Probate of his will was granted on 16 February 1903 to Alexander Hall Alexander, he lived at Packington Street, Kew, gentleman and James Hewish of Croydon (store keeper). John Smith’s widow, Emma Smith (probably nee Hewish) died on 16 August 1919. 
• Most of the Smith and Ross families are buried in the Templestowe Cemetery in the Presbyterian section.
• In the book, “Fruit of the Spirit” (see full text on this website) the Ross family is specifically mentioned on pages 26 & 27. It states that “William and Emma Ross were presented with a Teachers Bible in 1895 in recognition of their long service as Sunday School teachers, so it is quite possible that they were founding teachers in the Sunday school in 1895”.  
• On page 25 it is mentioned that Emma Ross, daughter of John and Emma (nee Hewish) Smith was organist, Sunday School teacher, and a Presbyterian Womens‘ Missionary Union (PWMU) Vice President for many years. 
• Another daughter, Agnes Smith, who never married, was also active in the congregation. It was Emma Smith senior who gave the land in 1895 for the erection of the original weatherboard church. (Ed. Which church ???)

Source: Ken Smith, DTHS Researcher