Test Thomas de Montmorenci, Florence and Mary M-P

Thomas de Montmorenci Murray-Prior was the 4th consecutive Thomas Murray-Prior. He was TLM-P and Matilda M-P's eldest son, born 27 January 1848 at his father's property Bromelton. He was baptised at Bromelton by the Rev. Benjamin Glennie.¹⁾ he went to school in Brisbane and Hobart After that, for a time at least, he worked on Maroon. A letter by his sister Rosa to her father in the late 1860s indicates that Tom encouraged, and to a degree shared, her literary inclinations. His praise was tempered by his times ('Tom liked it. He said it was like a man's work.') but he also shared and encouraged her writing the Marroon Magazine and her determination to educate her intellect: 'Tom and I had a long dissertation last night upon the cultivation of the understanding and he is going to follow my plan, and write notes and remarks upon everything he reads.'²⁾

At some unknown date, Nora chose lines from poetry to describe her step-children and children. The lines she chose for her eldest stepson were: 'Of comfort, & an open hand of help,/A splendid presence.'³⁾ His letters to her indicate why she made this judgement as they are affectionate and kind. In one undated one, he comments on his own happiness: 'Florence and I are as jolly and happy as two people can be.' - the qualification 'as two people can be', seems typical of his conscientious conservatism.⁴⁾ Her opinion of T de M. M-P was shared by his father, as TLM-P appointed his eldest son a trustee in his will (along with Nora's brother Charles Barton and, in a codicil, Anthony Darvall, the son of her uncle's second wife).⁵⁾

The following three photos are of Tom de Montmorenci M-P. The first, of him as a boy, is from his father's album.⁶⁾ The last photo of Tom with his statement moustache is typical of the era.⁷⁾

For other photos, click on Thomas de M. M-P photos.

The younger Thomas was adventurous and in 1874, for a short period he left working on Maroon to become a miner in the harsh Palmer River goldfields. His brother Morres wrote in a letter that, after Thomas returned from the Palmer in ill-health, he remained on Maroon while Morres had to leave, presumably because the property could not support them both.

In later life Thomas, like his father, bought a considerable amount of property in Queensland: Darbyshire lists nine purchases between March 1877 and January 1881, at Melcombe (Maroon), Telemon and Mogill.⁸⁾ At some stage Thomas de M. M-P owned, with his brother Hugh, Annie Vale station.⁹⁾ In 1880, he was listed as being at Moonbago, South Kennedy, Bully Creek.¹⁰⁾ At the time of his father's death, in 1892, he was in partnership with his father running a property 'Bullywallah', Bulli Creek south-west of Charters Towers, Queensland. Possibly Moonbago was part of this property.¹¹⁾ As there is no mention of Maroon in TLM-P's will, and T de M M-P was left the smallest legacy of any of his father's children, £1,000,¹²⁾ the assumption is that his inheritance was secured (like much of that of his sister Rosa) before his father's death. A New Zealand paper reported that Thomas de. M. M-P, at the time of his death, owned Aberfoyle station, previously owned by his father and brother-in-law John Jardine; after he died the property was sold by his executors.¹³⁾

Like his father, Thomas de M. M-P took advantage of the 1868 act which allowed people to 'select' land to farm. Angela Collyer ¹⁴⁾ lists his four selections around Maroon:

A total of 5,928 acres (nearly 2,399 hectares).

At Maroon, Thomas de M. M-P developed a strong reputation as a skilled breeder of shorthorn cattle: something his father had also done since his days at Bromelton station. Thomas de M. M-P appears to have visited Scotland in 1894 where he was reported as a 'prominent Queensland cattle breeder' with plans to export cattle.¹⁵⁾ These plans were implemented.¹⁶⁾

Like his father, Thomas de M. M-P had a passion for horses. He bred 'grade Arab horses', with some from Arab stallions imported 'direct from Arabia.'¹⁷⁾ During a visit to India, he 'canvassed the prospects for Queensland horses in the remount [army horses] trade'. He followed this up by bringing together a number of fellow horse breeders during the 1892 Brisbane Exhibition week, advocating that they become regular traders for remounts. Like his father, he deplored (in the Pastoralists' Review) that the emphasis on sprint events for horses, designed to maximise gambling, meant a reduction in Queensland horses' stamina.¹⁸⁾(When at the races in England, TLM-P wrote in his diary: 'What can be the good of a horse even if it could fly a few hundred yards? now a horse that can go and has staying power is worth having; racing people do not agree with me.', 24 May 1882). Thomas de M. M-P also advocated a tax on stallions in order to weed out weaker horses and improve the breed overall.¹⁹⁾ He was a founding member of the Belyando Picnic Race Club's Committee of Management which organised the first race meeting at Lanark in 1884. He was also Chairman of the South Kennedy Picnic Race Club's Committee of Management from c.1887: his horses won prizes at the Club meetings. In 19-20 July 1892, the Belyando Picnic Race Club held its races on an unfenced course at their President's (T de M M-P) home Bulliwallah: they continued to race at Bulliwallah until at least 1896 before a permanent course was built.²⁰⁾ Fox's History of Queensland²¹⁾ summarised T. de M. M-P as having “enjoyed a wide reputation as a breeder of prize stock, his shorthorn cattle and Arab horses carrying off many of the most coveted honours of the day. He owned the Arab stallion “Pathfinder,” at the time one of the best-known horses in Queensland, and also imported from India “Trojan,” another noted Arab sire, both of which accounted for prize stock of the highest quality.”

One of Thomas de Montmorenci M-P's claims to fame is that he and a tutor at nearby Unumgar Station, Peter Pears, were the first Europeans to climb Mt Lindesay, in 1872.²²⁾ His wife Mary believed that the pair were actually the second, with the first ascent in the 1840s: that claim is uncertain. We do known that Thomas de M. M-P passed on his fascination with climbing Mt Lindesay to his son: Thomas Bertram M-P, with his cousin Standish Lightoller, climbed it in September 1902.²³⁾

Thomas de M. M-P contributed to numerous local organisations. He was active in local government - the Boonah Shire Council - being elected a member of the Goolman Divisional Board from 1889-98 or until 1902, and Chairman in 1896 and part of 1897.²⁴⁾ He was also Vice-President of the Queensland Chamber of Agriculture.²⁵⁾ He was the founding President of the Fassifern and Dugandan Agricultural and Pastoral Association; on the first Committee of the General Hospital at Boonah as well as the Boonah Literary and Debating Society. He donated the land for the first Maroon School which opened in 1891, mainly for the children of settlers taking advantage of the closer settlement acts.²⁶⁾ In addition, he was known to have a good relationship with the local German settlers.²⁷⁾ He failed to gain election to the Queensland Legislative Assembly for the seat of Fassifern in 1896. In 1901, despite being supported by the Commonwealth Electoral League ²⁸⁾ he also failed in his bid to be elected to the Queensland Senate, though he gained a respectable 13,236 votes.²⁹⁾ On 11 March 1902, he was successful in his bid for higher public office, elected to the Legislative Assembly as the member for Fassifern.³⁰⁾ He died at Maroon exactly 9 months later, on 11 December 1902.³¹⁾

Thomas de Montmorenci M-P and Florence Claudia Moor married on 18 March 1878 at the Holy Trinity Church of England in the far north Queensland town of Bowen.³²⁾ Florence was born in London but it is not known when or why she came to Australia. Her father Henry Moor was also born in London, and lived in the London suburb of Highgate; he died on 11 February 1861 and was buried in the famous Highgate cemetery. Her mother, with the wonderful name of Georgiana Boadicea Maria Leathant, was the daughter of Charles Leathant; she married Henry Moor at St Panceas Church on 22 July 1857.³³⁾ Henry Moor died less than 4 years later and his widow married again, to Henry J. Jones, at the time of Florence's marriage working for a bank in Bowen, Queensland.³⁴⁾ For that reason, Florence is sometimes referred to as Florence Jones.³⁵⁾

For other photos of the beautiful Florence (and one of her watch), click painting, photos Florence

Florence and Thomas M-P's memorial at Toowong Cemetery, Brisbane Thomas de M. M-P was 'buried in the private garden adjoining' Maroon³⁶⁾ near the grave of his wife Florence. In 1920 their bodies were moved and reburied in the family plot at Toowong Cemetery.³⁷⁾ Only remnants of the original headstones remained to be used in the restoration.³⁸⁾

Thomas and Florence had five children:³⁹⁾

1. Florence (Florette) Elizabeth, born at Bowen, Queensland on 1 January 1879⁴⁰⁾ and baptised there by the Rev. M. Ross⁴¹⁾; she died in Sydney on 12 July 1956.⁴²⁾ On 28 October 1896, the poet/novelist James Brunton Stephens wrote to her encouraging her to persevere with her poetry, but advising she defer publication.⁴³⁾ Prominent feminist Rose Scott also wrote to Florette encouraging her artistic talents.⁴⁴⁾ In the end, Florence decided on music, with the press announcing in 1907 that she planned to go to Paris for further study.

The photo is of the young Florette.⁴⁵⁾

Like her sisters, she was educated at the elite school in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney,Ascham.⁴⁶⁾

In 1910, Florette married Sydney (Sid) Charles Edgar Herring, an estate agent who distinguished himself during World War I, rising to the rank of Brigadier General.⁴⁷⁾ Sid Herring's sister Estella married Florette's step-uncle, Robert Sterling M-P. Florette tended to be viewed with alarm, if not hostility, by the younger male members of the family. The reason appears to be because she was an energetic organiser of social events - the steely resolve evident in this childhood photo did not leave her! That she was also a campaigner (in the UK) for women's suffrage probably did not help her young male relatives to view her any more favourably. She and Sid appear to have had a very happy marriage.

Sid and Florette's only child, a talented singer, was christened Florette Ruth Diana but always known as Diana (23 October 1911- 5 November 1993). In 1947, Diana married, secondly, Brian Fleming. They had two girls and a son Robert Brian Edgar Fleming (2 February 1951 - 5 June 2012). The latter documented his wife's family history; photos and documents from his collection have been used in this history.
For other photos, click on Florette

2. Mabel Penelope, M.A., Ch.M.(Sydney University) 10 September⁴⁸⁾ - 9 January 1932. She was born at Ipswich, perhaps on the property that, in 1880 at least, was owned by her grandfather TLM-P: Pullen, Moreton, Ipswich⁴⁹⁾. She was baptised at Ipswich by the Rev. Mr Heath.⁵⁰⁾ Her Sydney University records states that she went to school, presumably as a boarder, at Ascham.

A young, somewhat idealised Mabel (to get better copy)⁵¹⁾

An obituary published by the Women's College at the University of Sydney outlines her chequered academic career.⁵²⁾ She was the 41st student to enter the Women's College in 1899 while she studied for an Arts degree. She left after a year with second class honours in French. She returned to the University in 1903 to study medicine; it was a time when higher education was still controversial for women, and medicine particularly so. Medicine had a high failure rate and Mabel left, having only completed the third year of the course, in early 1907. She returned in 1911 in an attempt to finish, but left after a term. It is not known what she did then, though she was probably the 'Miss Murray-Prior' who unsuccessfully applied for the position of Superintendent at the Sydney Medical Mission in December 1911. She was not appointed because she was not medically qualified.⁵³⁾

When World War I began in July 1914, Mabel was in Hong Kong. It is possible that she was on her way back from Europe to home, as a letter from Rosa Praed to Nora M-P in January 1914 states that Mabel was returning to Australia with Mary Bundock (Thomas de M. M-P's second wife).⁵⁴⁾ If so, war prompted her to return as she qualified in England in 1915 as a V.A.D. (Voluntary_Aid_Detachment) - as did her cousins Ruth M-P and probably Dorothy M-P. In December 1914, Ruth wrote that Mabel was accompanying her sister Florette to Europe: perhaps when Florette was trying to see her husband Sydney Herring who was on active duty.⁵⁵⁾. Mabel subsequently worked as a VAD in an unnamed English hospital. Dublin University was one of the few universities that admitted women, and she went there to complete her medical degree. After qualifying as a doctor, she was a medical resident for 6 months at the Royal Herbert Military Hospital in Woolwich, London then moved to Edinburgh Hospital, Scotland where she worked until mid-1919. In 1917, she was awarded a Doctor of Medicine at University of Edinburgh⁵⁶⁾

There is a letter dated 19 January 1915 [or is this a mistake for 1914?] from Ruth M-P to Rosa, saying that Mabel was engaged: if so, it was unofficial as another family member thought she was 'only fooling', and had booked to go to Japan, 'sans the man'.⁵⁷⁾ All her family appeared to have viewed Mabel as a charming eccentric: her aunt Rosa Praed, for example, wrote to Ruth M-P after Mabel qualified as a physician: 'I suppose from Mabel's point of view it is a good thing, but I can't help feeling sorry for her patients. No doubt, however, the soldiers will adore her and she may put her best self into their ills.'⁵⁸⁾ Nevertheless, the extended family remained close and when Mabel wrote to Nora M-P, her father's step-mother, it was to 'My dear Grandmother Nora'.⁵⁹⁾

Mabel's cousin Dorothy (Dorothea M-P) wrote that Mabel visited Australia around 1921 for a visit: 'After that she travelled for some years before settling down to country life in England and in Ireland. She was a keen sportswoman and took great pleasure in hunting and in breeding dogs. In 1931 she was taking a course in gynaecology in Dublin. We saw her in Ireland before we left for Australia. She was then in poor health after a bad fall. Subsequently pneumonia set in and although news was cabled that she was recovering, there was a sudden relapse. She died in hospital. She was a brave, vivacious and warm-hearted woman, and we have found very many friends who mourn her passing.'⁶⁰⁾ The Daily Telegraph, when reporting her death, described her as 'a lady of brilliant intellect and vivid personality and had a good [medical] practice and a large circle of friends'.⁶¹⁾ To her family, she had a reputation for eccentricity.⁶²⁾ Mabel's support for the British Empire is evident by her 1924 Certificate of Fellowship of the British Empire Exhibition.⁶³⁾

3. Thomas Bertram, b. 4 February 1883. See sidebar for separate entry.

4. Ethel Nora, 1 December 1884 - 1959. She was born at Moonbago Station, South Kennedy, Bully Creek, a station owned, at least in 1880, by her grandfather TLM-P.⁶⁴⁾. She was baptised at All Saints Church of England, Brisbane.⁶⁵⁾ She married William Royston (Roy) Butler in 1909⁶⁶⁾ and lived at 'Staghurst', Toogoolawah. They had five children: Bertram 1918-43, William (Bill) 1912-71, married Elizabeth (Betty) Munroe, and had 3 children; Florence, 1914-63, married C.H.(Harry) Percy and had 2 children; Douglas (1916-76); and Pauline (25 June 1923 -??, married Ken Cunningham and had 3 children).⁶⁷⁾
On the back of this photo is written that it shows a surprise party to wish Ethel a happy Xmas and glad new year, Xmas 1901. The old woman in the centre is understood to be Mary Bundock.⁶⁸⁾

The two sisters.⁶⁹⁾

5. Phyllis Claudia 23 July 1886 - 1957. She was born at Maroon Station and baptised at All Saints Church of England, Brisbane by the Rev. M Robinson.⁷⁰⁾. She and Edgar Cannon McConnel married in 1909⁷¹⁾ and lived for most of their marriage on the McConnel family property Cressbrook, near Toogoolawah in south-west Queensland. Edgar McConnel was an outstanding horseman and helped train the Australian Light Horsemen during World War I.⁷²⁾ Noted anthropologist, Ursula McConnel, was Edgar McConnel's sister, and thus became Mary M-P's (Thomas de M. M-P's 2nd wife, as outlined below) step-niece: different generations of anthropologists of Aboriginal life connected to the one family.
Phyllis and Edgar had 4 children: Duncan, Elizabeth, Margaret and Helen (later Cook) McConnel. Duncan had three children and Helen Cook two.

On 30 August 1902, the year after Florence died, Thomas married 57-year-old Mary Bundock (1845-1924).⁷³⁾ Thomas' young step-brother Robert was reportedly his best man at the wedding.⁷⁴⁾ Four months later, on 11 December 1902, Thomas de M. M-P died.⁷⁵⁾ Mary stayed at Maroon running the property for some time. The Bundocks and M-Ps were on visiting terms at least from 1880,⁷⁶⁾ and Thomas de M. M-P had a connection to the area where Mary Bundock's family had a property, Wyangarie, on the Richmond River in northern NSW. Isabel McBryde states that Mary's father owned a property called Kooralbyn near Beaudesert (and thus Maroon) and also owned Bulliwallah, south of Charters Towers, which appears also as a M-P property.⁷⁷⁾ According to Isobel McBryde, Mary was known as 'a fearless horsewoman, and would ride for miles to set a broken limb or succour a settler in distress in that then sparsely settled district'. Oral history recollections are frequently not-quite-right, and the former description particularly fitted her sister Alice,⁷⁸⁾ but perhaps both sisters were that way inclined. Another recollection of Mary described her as 'the Florence Nightingale of the Upper Richmond, of whom all the early settlers still speak with affectionate regard. She was a wonderful woman, admired and remembered by all with gratitude.'⁷⁹⁾

The man is reputedly Thomas B. M-P: is the woman Mary Bundock?⁸⁰⁾

Mary Bundock's claim to fame is her significant contribution to European knowledge of Aboriginal arts and crafts through her work as an artist and anthropologist-collector. Before her marriage, during 1885-92, she collated two ethnographic collections, one which she gave to Rijkmuseurn voor Volkenkunde, Leiden in the Netherlands where it was valued; the other to the Australian Museum in Sydney. The latter collection was first displayed in 1895 as a fund-raising exhibition for the Women's College at the University of Sydney. Renowned archaeologist Isabel McBryde judged the collection in Leiden, the only one which survived, to be 'large, comprehensive and meticulously documented' in a highly professional manner. What remains unexplained was how Mary Bundock had the skills to do this despite 'few opportunities for scientific contacts and indeed little formal schooling'.⁸¹⁾

Mary Bundock also wrote two works of great value: 'Notes on the Richmond River Blacks', and an untitled history of early European settlement in the Richmond Rive valley, both now held at the ML: neither was published during her lifetime.⁸²⁾ The significance of Mary Bundock's work was enhanced by her close bonds with, and her knowledge of the Bandjalang dialect spoken by, Aboriginal people in the Richmond River district.⁸³⁾ It meant that her ethnographic collections were 'made in close collaboration with members of the local Wyangarie Aboriginal community'.⁸⁴⁾

Mary M-P died on 9 April 1923. She left ₤2,000 each to St Paul’s College and to the Women’s College at the University of Sydney, to establish respectively the W.C. Bundock Scholarship and the Ellen Bundock Scholarship, in memory of her parents.⁸⁵⁾ She left an annuity to the widowed Lizzie Jardine, one of her husband's sisters: the reason is now forgotten.⁸⁶⁾

These are Indian tabar axes.⁸⁷⁾ Damien Fegan has identified them (from a photo) as more likely to be used as dervish axes than as combat weapons and thinks they probably date from no earlier than the mid-19th century. The dating suggests they were bought by Thomas de M. M-P when he travelled to India. The handle of the 'weapon' doubles as a sword. One of the axes has an elephant on it; the blades originally had engraving on them, which also appears to suggest they were ceremonial arms rather than weapons designed for use in war.⁸⁸⁾