| Both sides previous revision Previous revision | |
| tlm-p_character_possessions_photos_death [2025/06/08 18:01] – judith | tlm-p_character_possessions_photos_death [2025/06/08 18:09] (current) – judith |
|---|
| TLM-P's son Robert, who was 10 when his father died, described TLM-P as 'justly renowned for his courtly bearing and usage of words. He was veritably an aristocratic statesmen of old and could smile through the harshest of Parliamentary insults' The only thing that cause him to lose his temper was any insult to Queen Victoria or towards 'Monarchy as a phenomenon', on the apparent grounds that the Queen was 'his distant cousin'.((Robert M-P, The Blood royal of the Murray-Priors, 1901-05, p.14.)) This view of TLM-P has been accepted unquestioningly by other writers, perhaps most influentially in his entry in the //Australian Dictionary of Biography//. Certainly if he adopted an overly courtly bearing, it fits in with Rachel Henning's perception of him in 1863 as 'I suppose it does not require any great talent to be a Postmaster General. I hope not, for such a goose I have seldom seen. He talked incessantly and all his conversation consisted of pointless stories of which he himself was the hero.'((H. J. Gibbney, 'Murray-Prior, Thomas Lodge (1819–1892)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/murray-prior-thomas-lodge-4282/text6927, published first in hardcopy 1974, accessed online 15 October 2017; D. Adams (ed) //The Letters of Rachel Henning//, to do complete.)) Yet TLM-P's diary for 6 October 1863 suggests a more pertinent reason: he described the Henning's house as 'a comfortable humpy' and dismissed Rachel and her sister with the slighting comment that 'Mr Henning ... has unmarried sisters living with him, somewhat passed their first youth'. It should be noted too, that TLM-P may not have been at his best: he stayed with the Hennings while on a tour of inspection that would leave most people exhausted: during 54 days inspecting postal services, he rode 1,017 miles (1,636 km) as well as travelling by sea. Additionally, if TLM-P was such an ardent monarchist it did not stop him marrying Nora Barton who blithely wrote to his elder daughter that of course she thought Australia should become a republic, though she did not expect it until the next generation!((reference))\\ | TLM-P's son Robert, who was 10 when his father died, described TLM-P as 'justly renowned for his courtly bearing and usage of words. He was veritably an aristocratic statesmen of old and could smile through the harshest of Parliamentary insults' The only thing that cause him to lose his temper was any insult to Queen Victoria or towards 'Monarchy as a phenomenon', on the apparent grounds that the Queen was 'his distant cousin'.((Robert M-P, The Blood royal of the Murray-Priors, 1901-05, p.14.)) This view of TLM-P has been accepted unquestioningly by other writers, perhaps most influentially in his entry in the //Australian Dictionary of Biography//. Certainly if he adopted an overly courtly bearing, it fits in with Rachel Henning's perception of him in 1863 as 'I suppose it does not require any great talent to be a Postmaster General. I hope not, for such a goose I have seldom seen. He talked incessantly and all his conversation consisted of pointless stories of which he himself was the hero.'((H. J. Gibbney, 'Murray-Prior, Thomas Lodge (1819–1892)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/murray-prior-thomas-lodge-4282/text6927, published first in hardcopy 1974, accessed online 15 October 2017; D. Adams (ed) //The Letters of Rachel Henning//, to do complete.)) Yet TLM-P's diary for 6 October 1863 suggests a more pertinent reason: he described the Henning's house as 'a comfortable humpy' and dismissed Rachel and her sister with the slighting comment that 'Mr Henning ... has unmarried sisters living with him, somewhat passed their first youth'. It should be noted too, that TLM-P may not have been at his best: he stayed with the Hennings while on a tour of inspection that would leave most people exhausted: during 54 days inspecting postal services, he rode 1,017 miles (1,636 km) as well as travelling by sea. Additionally, if TLM-P was such an ardent monarchist it did not stop him marrying Nora Barton who blithely wrote to his elder daughter that of course she thought Australia should become a republic, though she did not expect it until the next generation!((reference))\\ |
| \\ | \\ |
| The courtly politician was also typical of the pioneer settlers in that he prided himself on undertaking hard physical work. Isobel Hannah is likely to be correct when she stated that this 'cultured man, appreciating the finer things of life, ... was withal a worker in the truest sense. Popular with his employees, sharing with them a strenuous day on the run, after sheep and cattle, I have known men, who served him when young, retain to the end of their own long lives the utmost affection for Mr. Murray-Prior.'((Isobel Hannah, 'The Royal Descent of the First Postmaster-General of Queensland', Queensland Geographical Journal, vol. LV, 1953-54, p.14.)) Perhaps because he was used to hard physical work, he could be anxious that his status not suffer. One well-known story, with numerous variations, has someone mistaking him for a bullock-driver. TLM-P was supposed to have indignantly replied that he was not a bullocky, but 'A gentleman "squattah" driving my own team'.((Patricia Clarke, The Murray-Priors at Bromelton 1844-1853 in Patricia Savage (compiled), //They came to Bromelton: a brief outline of the life and times of the early pioneers who came to Bromleton - from the pages of history, personal diaries, old letters and family recollections//, Patricia Savage, 2004, p.20; ESM-P, pers.)) \\ | The courtly politician was also typical of the pioneer settlers in that he prided himself on undertaking hard physical work. Isobel Hannah is likely to be correct when she stated that this 'cultured man, appreciating the finer things of life, ... was withal a worker in the truest sense. Popular with his employees, sharing with them a strenuous day on the run, after sheep and cattle, I have known men, who served him when young, retain to the end of their own long lives the utmost affection for Mr. Murray-Prior.'((Isobel Hannah, 'The Royal Descent of the First Postmaster-General of Queensland', Queensland Geographical Journal, vol. LV, 1953-54, p.14.)) Perhaps because he was used to hard physical work, he could be anxious that his status not suffer. One well-known story, with numerous variations, has someone hailing him as a fellow driver of a bullock team. TLM-P was supposed to have indignantly replied that he was not a bullocky, but 'A gentleman "squattah" driving my own team'. It was said to have become a widespread joke for bullockies in the area to be called 'gentlemen squatters driving their own teams' - one of a number of times TLM-P had to be reminded that he lived in a more egalitarian environment than the one he was brought up in - especially as the son of an army officer.((unidentified newspaper clipping, 31 December 1992 in Rosa Praed Papers, John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland, MSOM64-01, Box 23/5/1; ESM-P, pers.comm.)) \\ |
| |
| In contrast to the above story of his snobbishness, TLM-P's diary of his 1882 visit to England shows him as avidly curious and willing to engage in friendly talk with anyone he thought interesting. On the 26th May, he records a - for him - typical incident: '//passing a butchers shop I was having a look at their beef when ... [butcher] asked me if I would like to see the shop so we got into conversation and he shewed me all over asking "my missus" [actually his step-sister Jemima] to come too ... I told the man I was in the trade and had an invitation to his farm which I shall avail myself of some day ... I was glad to be able to compare [his beef] .. with ours as my eye was fresh for a comparison.//' Similarly when visiting Jemima at Portsmouth, he called into the local butcher's shop to get the men's opinion on Australian meat. The day before he had accidentally bought a 3rd class rather than 1st class ticket on the train from Rosa's to London, but soon '//got into chat with some decent men of the trade or manufacturing class and reaped as much information from them as I could. Found the Australian wheat liked// ...'.((TLM-P, Diary, 2-3 June 1882)). His 1882 diary shows considerable appreciation for the hard lot of English servants. He thought that the Misses Sterlings' servants were good because the mistresses were so nice, making it a happy home for all.((TLM-P, Diary, 17 June 1882)). One act of consideration was particularly appreciated: he gave his step-sister's servant 5 shillings as a present on her 18th birthday, commenting that it 'delighted the poor girl who told Jemima no one had done it before.'((TLM-P, Diary, 23 June 1882)) \\ | In contrast to the above story of his snobbishness, TLM-P's diary of his 1882 visit to England shows him as avidly curious and willing to engage in friendly talk with anyone he thought interesting. On the 26th May, he records a - for him - typical incident: '//passing a butchers shop I was having a look at their beef when ... [butcher] asked me if I would like to see the shop so we got into conversation and he shewed me all over asking "my missus" [actually his step-sister Jemima] to come too ... I told the man I was in the trade and had an invitation to his farm which I shall avail myself of some day ... I was glad to be able to compare [his beef] .. with ours as my eye was fresh for a comparison.//' Similarly when visiting Jemima at Portsmouth, he called into the local butcher's shop to get the men's opinion on Australian meat. The day before he had accidentally bought a 3rd class rather than 1st class ticket on the train from Rosa's to London, but soon '//got into chat with some decent men of the trade or manufacturing class and reaped as much information from them as I could. Found the Australian wheat liked// ...'.((TLM-P, Diary, 2-3 June 1882)). His 1882 diary shows considerable appreciation for the hard lot of English servants. He thought that the Misses Sterlings' servants were good because the mistresses were so nice, making it a happy home for all.((TLM-P, Diary, 17 June 1882)). One act of consideration was particularly appreciated: he gave his step-sister's servant 5 shillings as a present on her 18th birthday, commenting that it 'delighted the poor girl who told Jemima no one had done it before.'((TLM-P, Diary, 23 June 1882)) \\ |