Eliza Prior
Her parents were Charles and Mary Skynner of Moor Hall, Cookham, Berkshire, England. Her mother was née Orlebar, of Henwick House, Bedfordshire.1) When recalling his emigration to Australia, TLM-P acknowledged his mother's self-sacrificial support, writing that:
'Mother … [gave me all the money] she could possibly spare from their modest allowance and made me take the few sovereigns which would diminish home comforts for the quarter [til next payday].'
Eliza's belongings
A book, Select Fables of Esop [sic] and other fabulists London, J. Dodsley, 1773, 2) had at least two owners connected to Eliza's family. One name appears to be Miss Sarah[?] E Skynner, Cookham' while a childish hand has written on the facing page, 'Mary Orlebar 1774 Given her by the Countess of Sussex her God Mother'.
3)
This is a mourning ring, worn to indicate (along with the strict wearing of black) the recent death of a loved one. The writing around the centre funeral urn states that it is in memory of ‘Mary Skynner OB [who died aged] 63 [on] 14 November 1797’. Given her age, this Mary could not be Eliza’s mother, but perhaps her grandmother?
Religious faith
The family has five books that belonged to Eliza (apart from the above noted Aesop's Fables which she presumably inherited) – all on religious themes with a strong evangelical flavour. A sixth was a gift to her husband on his 66th birthday.
1. Collected works of Bishop Joseph Hall, published in 1617. The works include Hall’s uncompromising anti-Catholic tract with a title that leaves no room for misinterpretation!: 'No Peace with Rome. Wherein is proved, that (as termes now stand) there can be no reconciliation of the Reformed Religion, with the Romish (and that the Romanists are in all the fault)'. It also includes his still-popular 'Meditations and Vowes, Divine & Morall [Moral]: Serving For Direction in Christian and ciuill [civil] practise'. Eliza was 26 years old when she was given this book, with the following dedication:
John Green & Maria Ethelreda Bishop to their beloved Sister Eliza Prior greeting – May the Lord bless the Perusal of their volume which is full of comfort, experience, and instruction. April 25, 1821.
This inscription reads like a Bishop’s greeting to a ‘sister’ in Christ, while the names suggest a couple with the surname Bishop: another mystery that needs further research.4)
2. The Saints’ Everlasting Rest; or, a Treatise of The Blessed State of the Saints in their Enjoyment of God in Heaven, published 1814 and given to her by a clergyman.
3. [to do title] Eliza wrote in it that it was ‘Bought at the sale of Mr Nelson’s Books late secretary to Mr[?] Rob: Walpole & Fell: of Kings coll: Camb: [ie. Fellow of Kings College, Cambridge University]'.
4. [to do title] with the inscription ‘E. Prior 1831’.
5. Theron and Aspasio, another evangelical book that remains popular today. It had a major impact on Eliza, as seen by her writing inside it:
Eliza Prior. This book she has found a treasure indeed, as it easily convinced her, that Christ was all. May her dear children read it with attention, and may they be led by the influence of the Holy Spirit to take Christ as their portion, and to say that they “count all things but less for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus their Lord.
6. A handsomely bound Bible produced by the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge. Eliza wrote in it - with her son TLM-P making an additional note, dated 4 December 1892, that it was given on his father's birthday:
Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Murray Prior From his affectionate Wife. August 1st 1856. “Being heirs together of the grace of life”, may we be joint Partakers of that Kingdom which Christ is preparing for His faithful Followers. “Being justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ - Rom.v.1. Mark the perfect Man, and behold the upright for the end of that man is Peace. P.s[psalm] xxxvii.v.37.
Eliza Prior remained a committed Christian, as shown by her gift to her son TLM-P in 1850. It was The Churchman’s Monthly Penny Magazine and Guide to Christian Truth, vol IV, June 1849-December, 1850. She wrote in it: ‘T.L.M. Prior from his affectionate Parents. August 1851. The Lord lift up his countenance upon you and bless you and may His Love reign in your heart for evermore.'