eliza rowden kirk (1847-1916) was the daughter of george kirk, who had pastoral interests with goldsbrough mort founder, richard goldsbrough. in 1875, eliza married walter russell hall (1831-1911), a successful businessman and philanthropist. hall made his business fortune through interests in cobb & co in victoria and queensland, and later in queensland with the mount morgan gold mining co. ltd. as a philanthropist, walter gave generously, often anonymously, to various public institutions and charities. after his death in 1911, eliza set up a trust to commemorate her husband's memory, which was to become known as the walter and eliza hall trust. this trust continued to be used for the relief of poverty and the advancement of education and research, including the establishment of the walter and eliza hall institute of research in pathology and medicine in melbourne in 1916.