The three Craven sisters, Elizabeth, Alice and Martha (Mattie) came to live in Beaconsfield after the deaths of their parents.
In 1908 Elizabeth Whittingham Craven became the local music teacher, students would learn to play coming from all parts of the district.
In 1912 Mattie was appointed Post Mistress of the Beaconsfield Post Office when the Post Office was removed from the railway station to the township.
In 1917 the sisters purchased a property, Lot 16 &17 Woods Street, Beaconsfield, they are now in charge of the post and telegraph office.
The population of Beaconsfield had grown to 450 residents so the Post Office became the local agency for the Commonwealth Bank of Australia.
Alice treasured her cable upright grand piano, as well as teaching, the residents in the township enjoyed her piano playing at various gatherings.
Sadly, Alice died 3 April 1935 at Beaconsfield, she was remembered as a beloved music teacher.
In 1936 Elizabeth and Mattie resign after 24 years of being in charge of the post office.
In 1938 Mattie Craven requested permission to erect a gate at the entrance to the Beaconsfield Park, the brick and iron gates were erected and formally unveiled in January 1939. The memorial gates are in memory of the soldiers who took part in World War One, a gift from the Craven sisters.
The Craven sisters generously gave to many Beaconsfield community projects. Elizabeth died 21 September 1942 at her residence in Box Hill.
Mattie was the last of the three sisters and she died in 1949.
In the Will of Mattie, just as she had lived her life, she generously bequeathed her Estate to the Melbourne Hospital, Children’s Hospital, Melbourne and St Peters Church of England, Box Hill.
All three sisters were well known and regarded with much affection during their years residing in Beaconsfield. They are buried together with their parents at the Maddingley General Cemetery, Victoria.
By Penny Harris Jennings
