William Elsdon

[3] They had at least one daughter, Cecilia Reid, who married Edward George, youngest son of the late Douglas T. Kilburn in East Melbourne in 1889.

[4] In the 1850s, Elsdon commenced his professional career when he was articled to the English engineering firm of Messrs Robert Stephenson & Company.

He remained in this post for 25 years and during this time he undertook the designs for the St.Kilda branch line, including three bluestone bridges built in 1857.

[5] He also carried out private practice in Melbourne designing a number of civic works including the Fitzroy Gasworks, City Abattoirs and some large public buildings.

This ushered in a new phase of construction of the 'light lines', with less elaborate structures, steeper grades and tighter curves to reduce the earthworks required.