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| ==== Thomas Prior in Australia ==== | ==== Thomas Prior in Australia ==== |
| According to his son TLM-P, Thomas Prior visited Queensland for two years.((‘Questions to be answered by T.L.M-P’, 6pp Memoranda by the College of Heralds, Somerset House, London re Burke’s Colonial Gentry)) His land purchases suggest that he came out, not just to see his son, but to buy land in the up-an-coming settlement. Kerry Heckenberg(('A taste for art in colonial Queensland: The Queensland Art Gallery Foundational Bequest of Thomas Lodge Murray-Prior', //Queensland Review//, 25:1, June 2018, pp.119-136)) detailed that Thomas and his wife arrived in Sydney on 16 November 1852 on board the //Vimeira//, departing four days later for Moreton Bay on the steamer //Eagle//. The passenger list shows 'Major and Mrs Prior' arriving as indicated by Heckenberg.((note that Ancestry.com incorrectly transcribes their names as 'Price'.)) They apparently lived in Brisbane during 1852–54. Heckenberg references a list of those eligible to vote in August 1854 which includes Thomas Prior of Eagle Street, Brisbane.(('Electoral List',//Moreton Bay Courier//, 26 August 1854, p.4)) Thomas Prior purchased land in July 1853 and February 1854 at Cleveland, spending over £215. Residency for a period of time visit was presumably necessary to qualify him to do so using a remission order allowed him as an army officer.((Andrew Darbyshire, //A Fair Slice of St Lucia. Thomas Lodge Murray-Prior//, St Lucia History Group research paper no. 8, p.119. It appears from Darbyshire's table that Thomas Prior bought over 57 acres of land.)) These orders were designed to encourage the numerous British army officers who had no active role since the defeat of Napoleon, to settle in the Australian colonies.\\ | According to his son TLM-P, Thomas Prior visited Queensland for two years. TLM-P added '- at Elliott Place' and on the next line starts with Gosforth. It is unclear where Elliott Place was: it doesn't seem to be in Gosforth (UK) and there is only an Elliott Street (not Place) in Brisbane.((‘Questions to be answered by T.L.M-P’, 6pp Memoranda by the College of Heralds, Somerset House, London re Burke’s Colonial Gentry)) Heckenberg references a list of those eligible to vote in August 1854 which includes Thomas Prior of Eagle Street, Brisbane.(('Electoral List',//Moreton Bay Courier//, 26 August 1854, p.4)) Isobel Hannah states that, when in Brisbane, Colonel Prior 'lived in a pleasant spot on the river, where is now [1953] situated [St Joseph's] Junior Nudgee College.'((Isobel Hannah, 'The Royal Descent of the First Postmaster-General of Queensland', Queensland Geographical Journal, vol. LV, 1953-54, p.16. For more on this location, see Martin Kerby, //Nudgee: A History of St Joseph's Nudgee College: a Life//, ed. Coral Campbell, Brisbane: Martin Kerby, 2014))\\ |
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| | His land purchases suggest that he came out, not just to see his son, but to buy land in the up-an-coming settlement. Kerry Heckenberg(('A taste for art in colonial Queensland: The Queensland Art Gallery Foundational Bequest of Thomas Lodge Murray-Prior', //Queensland Review//, 25:1, June 2018, pp.119-136)) detailed that Thomas and his wife arrived in Sydney on 16 November 1852 on board the //Vimeira//, departing four days later for Moreton Bay on the steamer //Eagle//. The passenger list confirms 'Major and Mrs Prior' arrival.((note that Ancestry.com incorrectly transcribes their names as 'Price'.))\\ |
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| | Thomas Prior purchased land in July 1853 and February 1854 at Cleveland, spending over £215. Residency for a period of time visit was presumably necessary to qualify him to do so using a remission order allowed him as an army officer.((Andrew Darbyshire, //A Fair Slice of St Lucia. Thomas Lodge Murray-Prior//, St Lucia History Group research paper no. 8, p.119. It appears from Darbyshire's table that Thomas Prior bought over 57 acres of land.)) These orders were designed to encourage the numerous British army officers who had no active role since the defeat of Napoleon, to settle in the Australian colonies.\\ |
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| Heckenberg argues that, based on Rosa Praed's recollections, that they probably bought their art collection with them to give to TLM-P. He in turn gave a number of them to be the founding collection of the new [[brisbane_art_gallery|Queensland Art Gallery]] while keeping the family portraits. It makes sense that his parents did this, especially given that TLM-P's only brother had died and neither of his sisters married, and that transport was relatively cheap as sailing ships needed [[wp>Ballast|ballast]] for stability. If Rosa's memory is correct, then at least some of the paintings were transported without frames.\\ | Heckenberg argues that, based on Rosa Praed's recollections, that they probably bought their art collection with them to give to TLM-P. He in turn gave a number of them to be the founding collection of the new [[brisbane_art_gallery|Queensland Art Gallery]] while keeping the family portraits. It makes sense that his parents did this, especially given that TLM-P's only brother had died and neither of his sisters married, and that transport was relatively cheap as sailing ships needed [[wp>Ballast|ballast]] for stability. If Rosa's memory is correct, then at least some of the paintings were transported without frames.\\ |
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| Nehemiah Bartley in his //Australian Pioneers and Reminiscences 1849-1894: together with portraits of some of the founders of Australia//((J.J. Knight (ed.)) stated that TLM-P's 'father, Colonel Prior, was a genial Irishman, and the inevitable returning officer and chairman of hospital((there is no mention of him in Ross Patrick, //A History of Health & Medicine in Queensland, 1824-1960//, St Lucia: University of Queensland Press, 1987, nor in John Tyrer, //History of the Brisbane Hospital and its affiliates. A pilgrim's progress//, Brisbane: Boolarong Publications, 1993.)) and similar election meetings in the infant days of Brisbane' due to his 'tact and good temper'.((pp.216-17)) Bartley's reminiscences was published in 1896 and he knew TLM-P, so his information has some authority. The description of TLM-P's father as a 'genial Irishman', fits in with TLM-P's description of his somewhat spendthrift and irresponsible father. The army rank indicates that he used his highest Brevet rank, that of Major, rather than his subsequent rank of Captain on half-pay. The 'Colonel' is explained by his having been promoted to Brevet Lieutenant-Colonel in June 1854.((see back to Thomas Prior's army career))\\ | Nehemiah Bartley in his //Australian Pioneers and Reminiscences 1849-1894: together with portraits of some of the founders of Australia//((J.J. Knight (ed.)) stated that TLM-P's 'father, Colonel Prior, was a genial Irishman, and the inevitable returning officer and chairman of hospital((there is no mention of him in Ross Patrick, //A History of Health & Medicine in Queensland, 1824-1960//, St Lucia: University of Queensland Press, 1987, nor in John Tyrer, //History of the Brisbane Hospital and its affiliates. A pilgrim's progress//, Brisbane: Boolarong Publications, 1993.)) and similar election meetings in the infant days of Brisbane' due to his 'tact and good temper'.((pp.216-17)) Bartley's reminiscences was published in 1896 and he knew TLM-P, so his information has some authority. The description of TLM-P's father as a 'genial Irishman', fits in with TLM-P's description of his somewhat spendthrift and irresponsible father. The army rank indicates that he used his highest Brevet rank, that of Major, rather than his subsequent rank of Captain on half-pay. The 'Colonel' is explained by his having been promoted to Brevet Lieutenant-Colonel in June 1854.((see back to Thomas Prior's army career))\\ |
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| Isobel Hannah states that, when in Brisbane, Colonel Prior 'lived in a pleasant spot on the river, where is now [1953] situated [St Joseph's] Junior Nudgee College.'((Isobel Hannah, 'The Royal Descent of the First Postmaster-General of Queensland', Queensland Geographical Journal, vol. LV, 1953-54, p.16. For more on this location, see Martin Kerby, //Nudgee: A History of St Joseph's Nudgee College: a Life//, ed. Coral Campbell, Brisbane: Martin Kerby, 2014))\\ | |
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| Thomas Prior's visit was a private one, and not as part of the army. In the 1850s, he was in the 5th Regiment of Foot: it was never posted to Australia. Two companies of the Regiment went to India, but not until 1857, so it was not the case of Thomas Prior taking leave from India to visit his son in Queensland in 1854.((Basil Peacock, //The Royal Northumberland Fusiliers (the 5th Regiment of Foot)//, B. Peacock, 1970; Walter Wood, //The Northumberland Fusiliers//)) \\ | Thomas Prior's visit was a private one, and not as part of the army. In the 1850s, he was in the 5th Regiment of Foot: it was never posted to Australia. Two companies of the Regiment went to India, but not until 1857, so it was not the case of Thomas Prior taking leave from India to visit his son in Queensland in 1854.((Basil Peacock, //The Royal Northumberland Fusiliers (the 5th Regiment of Foot)//, B. Peacock, 1970; Walter Wood, //The Northumberland Fusiliers//)) \\ |