unknown 55 Lyttleton Street Launceston Tasmania Australia Mary Stewart Taylor Gladys, Edmund Charles, Alan Stewart, Jean Sommerville & John Taylor

Edmund Philip Forrest was born in 1861, the second son of Captain Haughton Forrest (1826-1925), artist, and his wife Susan Henrietta Bunce, formerly Sommerville, who were married in Plymouth, England, in 1858. After a brief time in Brazil in 1875, Captain Forrest and his family migrated to Australia. Edmund was 15 years old when the family disembarked from the ship James Macduff in Melbourne on 31 Jul 1876 . They transferred to the steamship Derwent and arrived in Launceston on 2 Aug 1876. Captain Forrest was granted 100 acres on the Ringarooma River. He was later appointed as Superintendent of Police at Sorell until Mar 1881 when he moved to Wellington Hamlets, near Hobart. A painting by Haughton Forrest, 'The Russell Falls', was exhibited by Captain Samuel Tulloch at the Tasmanian Exhibition in 1891-92.

Edmund was employed by the Tasmanian Government Railways, but later joined the Tasmanian Woolgrowers' Agency Co. Ltd for a period of 28 years. He was their accountant for 25 years. Edmund married Mary Stewart Taylor on 7 Nov 1888 at 'Balveine', Invermay. Their five children were born between 1889 and 1905. Edmund was a well-known and highly respected resident of Launceston, although he was of a retiring disposition. He died at his residence, 'Allaleigh', 31 Erina Street, East Launceston on 7 Dec 1917. He was buried at the Carr Villa Cemetery in the Presbyterian section F 131 with his wife who died in 1935, and his infant son John. His pall bearers included two men who are also pictured in the Launceston Family album: George Cragg and Onslow G Douglas. Edmund named his home 'Allaleigh' after one of his childhood homes in Totnes, Devon. His wife and another relations are also pictured in the Family Album.

Marion Sargent Nov 2007