Hervey Morres and Margaret M-P

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By the time he was a student at St Paul's College at the University of Sydney, Hervey was a troubled soul. His letters to Nora, his stepmother but only 10 years older than he, appear manipulative. They strongly suggest that his problems with money and alcohol had already started. He told Nora that he had blown his chances of doing well in his exams, but only because he had been sick. He was thinking of breaking off his engagement to Maggie, but only because he thought he'd acted dishonourably to her all through their relationship. He thanked Nora for sending him money as he'd gone through all his allowance, having given his last sixpence to a blind old beggar.²⁾

There is an entry in Find My Past under Hervey's name noting 'a Dissolution of Partnership (Murray-Prior and Sons)' in 1881, the year Hervey married.³⁾.

Hervey didn't break off his engagement, marring Margaret (Maggie) Murray McDonald at St Mary's Church of England, Kangaroo Point, Brisbane on 17 August 1881.⁴⁾
The next photo is of her as a bride. Her dress is in the latest fashion with its close fitting bodice and bustle.^{5) 6)}
Maggie c. 1894.⁷⁾:

Her father was Alexander McDonald (or Macdonald) of Brisbane, previously of the Argyleshire Highlanders and a customs officer, who died 26 October 1872.⁸⁾ He had been born in Clare, Ireland. Her mother was Mary nee McGilchrist of Courtbridge, Scotland; Mary's father had iron works in that industrial town.⁹⁾ Margaret was born in Edinburgh, Scotland on 12 September 1857 and baptised there by the Rev. Dr Tait.¹⁰⁾ Apparently TLM-P objected to Hervey' marriage, but more likely because of concerns about Hervey's alcoholism rather than doubts about her.¹¹⁾ It was not a happy marriage, and not long before his death, she left him then returned. Hervey wrote to Nora that he would not file for divorce as her desertion was not long enough for him to have legal grounds to do so.¹²⁾ It is not surprising she returned: a mother with a baby to support had little options in this age of minimal state assistance and intense social disapproval.

In the year before Hervey's death, his family despaired that alcohol had been 'his ruin'. After an accident, he had run up debts worth £1,000 (around $124,892 in 2017 values); and he had had a mental breakdown. He had then 'taken the pledge' to abstain from alcohol.¹³⁾ TLM-P lent him money but deplored his irresponsibility.¹⁴⁾ On 9 December 1886, he wrote to his father begging for forgiveness, agreeing that drink had been his ruin, but asserting that he would do well in future. Some three weeks later he was dead.¹⁵⁾ The manner of his death suggested that his pledge of abstinence had been short-lived.

The report of the inquest into Hervey's death is available online from the Queensland Archives. Hervey's death lead to family rumours. He was found collapsed on the bank of the creek at Harpur's Crossing, Coochin Coochin, dying shortly afterwards. His stepbrother Robert later wrote, 'of supposed heart failure, although his actual cause of death has remained a mystery and a worry'.¹⁶⁾ Perhaps he relied on early reports which described Hervey's death as 'mysterious', in that he appeared to be thrown from his horse but had no bruises.¹⁷⁾ The truth, however, appears straight-forward. Hervey's death was reported in The Queenslander 8 January 1887 p.55. It described how, some months before his death, Hervey had been 'thrown from his horse … He was severely injured in the head, and was unable to resume his duties at the Titles Office for about six or seven weeks.' Unfortunately, riding to Maroon for a holiday, 'he “lunched” at the Peak Mountain Hotel'. He then, against advice, continued to ride the remaining 30 miles to Maroon despite heat and a thunderstorm. He lost his way during the night and had 'a fit' - presumably a stroke as, when he was found, he could only utter 'a few incoherent words' before dying. His body was examined by Dr Lightoller¹⁸⁾ who declared that 'heart disease was the immediate cause of death'. The article then went on to describe him in a way that would make heart disease no surprise: 'The deceased gentleman, whose portly frame was well known in legal and club circles in Brisbane ….'

Hervey initially appointed his wife Margaret as his sole executor, but in a codicil revoked that to appoint Ernest Arthur Augustus Rasch his sole executor. In the codicil, Hervey described Rasch as a friend, but he was only minimally qualified. When Rasch died from epilepsy in 1888, he was described as 'formerly law student, Brisbane'.¹⁹⁾ Harvey left everything he possessed to Maggie, including two life insurance policies worth a total of £1,305. That appeared his sole good investment. The only shares he owned, Shawn OFarrell Gympie, were valued as worthless - these were for a gold mining company. He owned an allotment at Enoggera, a north-western suburb of Brisbane, valued at £100 but it had a £150 mortgage on it. More alarmingly, his debts totalled £868.11.10. Probate was sworn at £1,900. His executor Ernest Rasch thought that his second name was 'Morris' - perhaps a misreading or Hervey had deliberately adopted the more conventional name. \
Like others in his family, Hervey was buried in Toowong Cemetery.²⁰⁾ However, his grave is apart from the large family plot for reasons which are now unknown.²¹⁾

Maggie M-P remarried on 2 September 1891, to another barrister, Charles Crawford Smyth.²²⁾ Ever the conscientious patriarch, TLM-P assured her that the allowance he had given her would continue in her son's favour.²³⁾ His care extended beyond his death: in his will and his second codicil, he left young Hervey £3,000 to be invested with the interest paid to support his 'maintenance education and advancement in life'.