A picturesque Gothic house built before 1856, known as Lansmere by 1869, and used from then as a series of schools, the last being The Priory. Demolished 1970s.
From the one photo, the house was a very pictureque Gothic cottage, with a symmetrical elevation of three steep gables with elaborate barge-boards, and the walls appears to be made with exposed framing.
Lansmere was built some time before 1856.
In 1869 a school was advertised there under the instruction of Mr & Mrs Karl Fischer
The next year the Collegiate School (a school with the same name had operated elsewhere in St Kilda previously) was advertised in the Israelite Herald at Lansmere run by Alfred Morris, noting it was 'nonsectarian', but aimed at Jewish boys.
In August 1875, Lansmere and Sherwood Cottage were put up for sale, noting that Lansmere was leased for use as a school Edward Littlejohn Backhouse.
Gordon Robinson took over as principal the following year. A year later it was trading under the title Alma Road Grammar School.
In 1880 the school was taken over by H B de la Poer Wall until the end of 1885.
Then in November of 1886 Lansmere, again with Sherwood Cottage as well, was put up for sale and purchased by Miss Hatchell Brown who established The Priory Girls School in February 1887.
Melbourne Mansions Database entry 3933. This notes that J Morris was the owner/occupier in 1873, as well of the adjacent block, either a relation or another name for Alfred Morris who ran the St Kilda Collegiate Academy here in the 1870s.
"ST. KILDA COLLEGIATE ACADEMY." The Telegraph, St Kilda, Prahran and South Yarra Guardian 18 December 1869 - the end of the first school year. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/105819207