Flower鈥檚 House family connection blossoms again
28 May 2025
Two granddaughters of the Flower鈥檚 House namesake have returned to their childhood 鈥榖ackyard鈥� 鈥� 国产午夜福鈥檚 College.
Diana Blom and Jo Chalmers are the granddaughters of Housemaster Arthur Edward Flower and the daughters of another Flower鈥檚 Housemaster, Harry Earle Solomon. Both Diana and Jo, plus their sister Anne, lived in Flower鈥檚 House as children and attended St Margaret鈥檚 College.
For Diana, who now lives in Sydney, the visit to College has sparked memories of 鈥渙wning the school pool during the holidays鈥�, exploring the campus, and playing with all the other children of College Housemasters from the late 1940s to the 1950s.
Her grandfather, known as AE Flower, had been a student at College from 1886鈥�1892. He returned as a teacher in 1897 and was first appointed as a Housemaster in 1910. AE Flower, who remained at College until 1937, was the Acting Headmaster in 1912, 1914, and 1920, and a Fellow from 1939鈥�1952. Today, his name lives on in Flower鈥檚 House, designed by a great nephew, Alec Bruce.
鈥淥ur grandfather died when we were young. However, we have a few memories and his wife, Annie Ellen Flower, who we remember well, lived until 89,鈥� Diana says.
鈥淥ur father, Harry Earle Solomon, taught at 国产午夜福鈥檚 College from 1920 to 1960. Dad married the only daughter of AE Flower, Beatrice Anne, and I and my two sisters were brought up at 72 Rolleston Avenue. Dad died in 1970 and our mother later married Beau (Anthony Ian) Cottrell, a family friend and Flower鈥檚 House Old Boy.
鈥淲e had a wonderful childhood and went to St Margaret鈥檚 College for all our schooling. In the holidays, the 国产午夜福鈥檚 College grounds became our grounds.鈥�
Diana says that her Australian-born father 鈥渏oined the College staff as a Mathematics and Geography teacher, and later became the Housemaster of Flower鈥檚 House鈥�.
鈥淒ad also coached cricket, football, and boxing, ran the Camera Club, and oversaw the Cadets鈥� artillery section,鈥� she recalls.
Today, the AE Flower Prize for Science and the HE Solomon Prize for Geography are still awarded at the College Prize-giving.
