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| more_thomas_m-ps [2020/06/12 14:26] – judith | more_thomas_m-ps [2020/06/12 14:45] (current) – [More Thomas M-Ps] judith |
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| ===== More Thomas M-Ps ===== | |
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| A glance at the sidebar of this family history reveals one of the most remarkable aspects of this line of the Murray-Priors: the tradition of naming the eldest son Thomas. It started with the Prior family, with the first known Thomas Prior living in the early 1300s, as described in [[priors_in_england|]]. Some 300 years later, another Thomas Prior moved to Ireland and, with his son Thomas, established the family there - see [[priors_in_ireland_1636-c.1803]]. The most famous in the family, another [[thomas_prior_m-p_family_founder|Thomas (Tom) Prior ]], left a will which ensured the surname became Murray Prior/Murray-Prior. After that, there was a John and an Andrew Murray-Prior, then Thomas Murray-Prior, born in 1773. Since then, there has been an unbroken line of elder sons called Thomas. Perhaps as remarkable, given the past's high infant mortality, is that all those Thomases survived to reach adulthood and become a parent. Tom and Lillian M-P's descendants continued the tradition of naming their first son Thomas. It is a tradition that has resulted in the third Thomas Lodge M-P, and nine generations of an unbroken line of Thomas Murray-Priors. \\ | |
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| ====== Thomas and Lillian's sons ====== | ====== Thomas and Lillian's sons ====== |
| Tom and Lillian had four children, of whom two survived infancy.\\ | Tom and Lillian had four children, of whom two survived infancy.\\ |
| Richard John (12 June 1945 - 8 December 2001) was remembered in his eulogy as a 'family member, friend, pilot, prawn spotter, Torres Strait Island trader, and ... Palm Island businessman.... an adventurous, kind, swashbuckling and at times crazy kind of bloke ...[who could] tell the greatest stories ... Always positive, always working hard ... People were drawn to him. He was a terrific host, loved his wine and his dinner parties and was an excellent cook'.\\ | Richard John (12 June 1945 - 8 December 2001) was remembered in his eulogy as a 'family member, friend, pilot, prawn spotter, Torres Strait Island trader, and ... Palm Island businessman.... an adventurous, kind, swashbuckling and at times crazy kind of bloke ...[who could] tell the greatest stories ... Always positive, always working hard ... People were drawn to him. He was a terrific host, loved his wine and his dinner parties and was an excellent cook'.\\ |
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| This vibrant man was born at his parents' home in Leura in the Blue Mountains.((all photos courtesy Tom or Ilma M-P)) As outlined in his parents' entry, when Richard was young the family moved first to Southport then to Bundaberg. When he was around 12 or 13 years old, the family moved to Cairns. Apart from a brief, unhappy period boarding at Brisbane Boys' College, he went to Cairns High School where he excelled at Maths and English.\\ | This vibrant man was born at his parents' home in Leura in the Blue Mountains.((all photos courtesy Tom A. M-P or Ilma M-P)) As outlined in his parents' entry, when Richard was young the family moved first to Southport then to Bundaberg. When he was around 12 or 13 years old, the family moved to Cairns. Apart from a brief, unhappy period boarding at Brisbane Boys' College, he went to Cairns High School where he excelled at Maths and English.\\ |
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| Richard as a baby{{:baby_richard.jpg?200|}} and toddler {{:toddler_rcihard.jpg?200}} When a child, he suffered from glomerulonephritis, a disease of the kidneys.\\ | Richard as a baby{{:baby_richard.jpg?200|}} and toddler {{:toddler_rcihard.jpg?200}} When a child, he suffered from glomerulonephritis, a disease of the kidneys.\\ |
| The Royal Flying Doctor Service was another important aspect of Outback Air's work. Richard did a lot of gratis piloting for the Service, sometimes using his own aircraft and at other times flying their aircraft. He saw this as his way of giving back to the outback he loved so much.Outback Air was also frequently chartered to fly contractors and State and Federal politicians to the Torres Straits. More dangerously, Richard became involved with Federal Customs and the Queensland Police in controlling illegal drug importation. This work was in keeping with Richard's strong anti-drug stance. Quite apart from this, flying had its inherent dangers. Three incidents in particular stand out.\\ | The Royal Flying Doctor Service was another important aspect of Outback Air's work. Richard did a lot of gratis piloting for the Service, sometimes using his own aircraft and at other times flying their aircraft. He saw this as his way of giving back to the outback he loved so much.Outback Air was also frequently chartered to fly contractors and State and Federal politicians to the Torres Straits. More dangerously, Richard became involved with Federal Customs and the Queensland Police in controlling illegal drug importation. This work was in keeping with Richard's strong anti-drug stance. Quite apart from this, flying had its inherent dangers. Three incidents in particular stand out.\\ |
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| One time, just after Richard obtained his private licence, he flew to a cattle station to deliver emergency rations after a cyclone. As he landed, he encountered a roll of fencing wire, obviously blown there by the cyclone, and it wrapped itself around the front of the plane. Nobody had thought to check the aerodrome. The next incident was years later when he was returning to Cairns from a charter. It was dark night with a thunderstorm between his position and the Cairns airport. His aircraft lost all its electrics including radios and undercarriage motor. When Richard eventually landed, it was with his wheels up in the midst of a blaze of sparks. Given he still had a lot of fuel stored in the auxiliary wing tip tanks, Richard quickly left the plane in case it blew up. The third incident was when Richard and Ilma were spotting for prawns over Fog Bay in the Northern Territory and had an encounter with a Lesser Frigate bird with a wing span of one and a half meters. The bird smashed the windscreen, hit Ilma on the way through and ended up in the back of the cabin. Following a ‘Pan’ call Richard flew the plane back to Darwin. A few stitches later, a new windscreen and aerials and, more importantly, a sustained industrial clean to remove fish and bird parts, they were able to return to spotting.\\ | One time, just after Richard obtained his private licence, he flew to a cattle station to deliver emergency rations after a cyclone. As he landed, he encountered a roll of fencing wire, blown there by the cyclone, and it wrapped itself around the front of the plane. Nobody had thought to check the landing strip. The next incident was years later when he was returning to Cairns from a charter. It was dark night with a thunderstorm between his position and the Cairns airport. His aircraft lost all its electrics including radios and undercarriage motor. When Richard eventually landed, it was with his wheels up in a blaze of sparks. Given he still had a lot of fuel stored in the auxiliary wing tip tanks, Richard quickly left the plane in case it blew up. The third incident was when Richard and Ilma were spotting for prawns over Fog Bay in the Northern Territory and had an encounter with a Lesser Frigate bird with a wing span of one and a half meters. The bird smashed the windscreen, hit Ilma on the way through and ended up in the back of the cabin. Following a ‘Pan’ call Richard flew the plane back to Darwin. A few stitches later, a new windscreen and aerials, and a sustained industrial clean to remove fish and bird parts, they were able to resume spotting.\\ |
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| Richard and Ilma sold Outback Air in 1985. The next two years were spent primarily in the Torres Straits helping the Islanders to establish their own crayfish businesses. They helped the Islanders to process, pack, store and market their catches. Richard purchased a boat named Moi-Kuzi (meaning successful hunting) and sailed it up from Cairns with friends. Following this trip Richard declared “Adventure is sheer terror recollected in tranquillity”. Life in the Islands was an amazing and unique time in the family’s lives; Richard and Ilma's daughter particularly loved the island lifestyle.\\ | Richard and Ilma sold Outback Air in 1985. The next two years were spent primarily in the Torres Straits helping the Islanders to establish their own crayfish businesses. They helped the Islanders to process, pack, store and market their catches. Richard purchased a boat named Moi-Kuzi (meaning successful hunting) and sailed it up from Cairns with friends. Following this trip Richard declared “Adventure is sheer terror recollected in tranquillity”. Life in the Islands was an amazing and unique time in the family’s lives; Richard and Ilma's daughter particularly loved the island lifestyle.\\ |
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| On returning to Cairns, Richard accepted a government contract to assist Aboriginal people living in their communities to establish businesses and make them profitable. During this time Ilma worked for the Royal Flying Doctor Service to establish and run its Visitors Centre catering to domestic and international visitors. They then relocated to Townsville, while maintaining their house and ties in Cairns. The move to Townsville was because their children were both living there. Richard became manager of the Palm Island Bakery, trying to find a local person to mentor to take over the business. This proved impossible, so he ran the business for the next few years. The couple also looked after a baby grandson during this time.\\ | On returning to Cairns, Richard accepted a government contract to assist Aboriginal people living in their communities to establish businesses and make them profitable. During this time Ilma worked for the Royal Flying Doctor Service to establish and run its Visitors Centre catering to domestic and international visitors. They then relocated to Townsville, while maintaining their house and ties in Cairns. The move to Townsville was because their children were both living there. Richard became manager of the Palm Island Bakery, trying to find a local person to mentor to take over the business. This proved impossible, so he ran the business for the next few years. The couple also took over the care of a baby grandson during this time.\\ |
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| {{:richard_and_friends.jpg?300|}} Richard at the Palm Island bakery.\\ | {{:richard_and_friends.jpg?300|}} Richard at the Palm Island bakery.\\ |
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| Richard became ill in 2001 and following a diagnosis of pancreatic cancer died only six weeks later. A great joy was that he got to hold his daughter's baby. Ilma has since returned to teaching, working with low socioeconomic families to improve their education, living and work prospects. Richard never lost his love of English and was an avid reader and was always writing stories of humorous situations that had occurred during his working days. Sadly, most of these he never retained. Richard loved life and fulfilled his personal mantra to create many and varied memories. | Richard became ill in 2001. Following a diagnosis of pancreatic cancer, he died only six weeks later. A great joy was that he got to hold his daughter's baby. Ilma has since returned to teaching, working with low socioeconomic families to improve their education, living and work prospects. Richard never lost his love of English and was an avid reader and was always writing stories of humorous situations that had occurred during his working days. Sadly, most of these he never retained. Richard loved life and fulfilled his personal mantra to create many and varied memories. |
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