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| thomas_bertram_lizzie_m-p [2023/08/15 15:48] – judith | thomas_bertram_lizzie_m-p [2023/09/06 14:15] (current) – judith |
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| {{:t_b_m-p_query.jpeg?250|}} Thomas B. M-P taken by professional photographer in Brisbane.((Provenance: T.A. & M.T. M-P))\\ | {{:t_b_m-p_query.jpeg?250|}} Thomas B. M-P taken by professional photographer in Brisbane.((Provenance: T.A. & M.T. M-P))\\ |
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| Thomas Bertram (4 February 1883 - 25 August 1946) was Thomas de Montmorenci and Florence M-P's third child and only son. He was the 5th consecutive Thomas Murray-Prior. His mother unsuccessfully tried to subvert the tradition of calling the first-born son Thomas - she called him Bertie, though the rest of the family stuck with Tom. TLM-P and his aunt Rosa Praed were godparents.((Nora to Rosa, 3 December 1883)) There is confusion over his place of birth. TLM-P wrote that Thomas Bertram was born at Moonbago Station, South Kennedy, Bully Creek, a station owned by TLM-P.(('Questions to be answered by T.L.M-P’, 6pp Memoranda by the Herald Office, Somerset House, London re Burke’s Colonial Gentry; H. Mortimer Franklyn, //A glance at Australia in 1880// at [[https://play.google.com/books/reader?id=QgRLAQAAIAAJ&printsec=frontcover&output=reader&hl=en&pg=GBS.PR2]])). Matthew Fox, ((//The history of Queensland: its people and industries: an historical and commercial review descriptive and biographical facts, figures and illustrations: an epitome of progress//, Brisbane: States Publishing Company, 1923, vol.1, p.173)) states he was 'born on "Bulliwallah" Station, Northern Queensland'. Thomas Bertram's death certificate, which did not have a family member as an informant, assumed he was born at Maroon.\\ | Thomas Bertram (4 February 1883 - 25 August 1946) was Thomas de Montmorenci and Florence M-P's third child and only son. He was the 5th consecutive Thomas Murray-Prior. His mother unsuccessfully tried to subvert the tradition of calling the first-born son Thomas - she called him Bertie, though the rest of the family stuck with Tom. TLM-P and his aunt Rosa Praed were godparents.((Nora to Rosa, 3 December 1883)) There is confusion over his place of birth. TLM-P wrote that Thomas Bertram was born at Moonbago Station, South Kennedy, Bully Creek, a station owned by TLM-P.(('Questions to be answered by T.L.M-P’, 6pp Memoranda by the Herald Office, Somerset House, London re Burke’s Colonial Gentry; H. Mortimer Franklyn, //A glance at Australia in 1880// at [[https://play.google.com/books/reader?id=QgRLAQAAIAAJ&printsec=frontcover&output=reader&hl=en&pg=GBS.PR2]])). Matthew Fox ((//The history of Queensland: its people and industries: an historical and commercial review descriptive and biographical facts, figures and illustrations: an epitome of progress//, Brisbane: States Publishing Company, 1919, vol.1, p.173)) states he was 'born on "Bulliwallah" Station, Northern Queensland'. Thomas Bertram's death certificate, which did not have a family member as an informant, assumed he was born at Maroon. It is most likely that TLM-P was correct, and that he was born at Moonbago Station.\\ |
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| Matthew Fox ((//The history of Queensland: its people and industries: an historical and commercial review descriptive and biographical facts, figures and illustrations: an epitome of progress//, Brisbane: States Publishing Company, 1923, vol.1, pp.173-74)) claims that Thomas Bertram was educated at Armidale, NSW, until he was 18 years old. If so, the school he attended was almost certainly [[https://as.edu.au/tas-community/history-of-the-school/|The Armidale School (TAS)]]. Thomas Bertram then returned to Maroon Station, and a year later his father died. Thomas B. M-P was 'one of the trustees of the estate', and 'became manager until (most of) the property, which originally comprised 10,000 acres, was sold for purposes of closer settlement.' Thomas B. M-P kept the old homestead, with 600 acres of land, 'with its picturesquely wooded hills and well-grassed pasture lands.' He mainly used the remaining land to breed 'shorthorn cattle from stock originally introduced by his late father' and stock imported from New Zealand, 'the progeny from which have been frequent prizewinners at Brisbane shows.' In the early 1920s, when Fox was writing the entry, Thomas Bertram had a stud consisting of 'about 50 cows of the finest shorthorn type'. In addition, he was planning to introduce mixed farming to Maroon. \\ | Matthew Fox ((//The history of Queensland: its people and industries: an historical and commercial review descriptive and biographical facts, figures and illustrations: an epitome of progress//, Brisbane: States Publishing Company, 1919, vol.1, pp.173-74)) claims that Thomas Bertram was educated at Armidale, NSW, until he was 18 years old. If so, the school he attended was almost certainly [[https://as.edu.au/tas-community/history-of-the-school/|The Armidale School (TAS)]]. Thomas Bertram then returned to Maroon Station, and a year later his father died. Thomas B. M-P was 'one of the trustees of the estate', and 'became manager until (most of) the property, which originally comprised 10,000 acres, was sold for purposes of closer settlement.' Thomas B. M-P kept the old homestead, with 600 acres of land, 'with its picturesquely wooded hills and well-grassed pasture lands.' He mainly used the remaining land to breed 'shorthorn cattle from stock originally introduced by his late father' and stock imported from New Zealand, 'the progeny from which have been frequent prizewinners at Brisbane shows.' In the early 1920s, when Fox was writing the entry, Thomas Bertram had a stud consisting of 'about 50 cows of the finest shorthorn type'. In addition, he was planning to introduce mixed farming to Maroon. The success of Thomas Bertram's stud is indicated by the sale of two bulls in 1914 for, respectively, 32 and 110 guineas (in 2022 values, the latter is around $22,185).((Matthew Fox, The history of Queensland : its people and industries : an historical and commercial review descriptive and biographical facts, figures and illustrations : an epitome of progress, Brisbane: States Publishing Company, 1923, vol.1, p.379.))\\ |
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| Fox also states that Thomas Bertram was a Justice of the Peace and during 1914-17 was an elected member of the Goolman Shire Council((//Queensland Times//, 10 January 1917, p.1; Collin Pfeffer, //The Fassifern Story: a history of Boonah Shire and surroundings to 1989//, Boonah Shire Council, c.1991, p.148; [H. Krause], //The Story of Maroon. A Souvenir Review of its History and Development 1827-1961//, Maroon Centenary Celebrations Committee, 1961, p.40.)) and on the committee of the Boonah Agricultural Society.((Matthew Fox, //The history of Queensland: its people and industries: an historical and commercial review descriptive and biographical facts, figures and illustrations: an epitome of progress//, Brisbane: States Publishing Company, 1923, vol.1, p.174)) While his father 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, it was Thomas B. M-P who chaired the first committee to establish the school.(([H. Krause], //The Story of Maroon. A Souvenir Review of its History and Development 1827-1961//, Maroon Centenary Celebrations Committee, 1961, p.31.))\\ | Fox also states that Thomas Bertram was a Justice of the Peace and during 1914-17 was an elected member of the Goolman Shire Council((//Queensland Times//, 10 January 1917, p.1; Collin Pfeffer, //The Fassifern Story: a history of Boonah Shire and surroundings to 1989//, Boonah Shire Council, c.1991, p.148; [H. Krause], //The Story of Maroon. A Souvenir Review of its History and Development 1827-1961//, Maroon Centenary Celebrations Committee, 1961, p.40.)) and on the committee of the Boonah Agricultural Society.((Matthew Fox, //The history of Queensland: its people and industries: an historical and commercial review descriptive and biographical facts, figures and illustrations: an epitome of progress//, Brisbane: States Publishing Company, 1919, vol.1, p.174)) While his father 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, it was Thomas B. M-P who chaired the first committee to establish the school.(([H. Krause], //The Story of Maroon. A Souvenir Review of its History and Development 1827-1961//, Maroon Centenary Celebrations Committee, 1961, p.31.))\\ |
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| One account suggests that Thomas B. M-P was sympathetic towards the indigenous owners of the land. What became known as the last great corroboree of the local tribes was held at Maroon in 1905. As Thomas B. M-P owned Maroon then, the Aboriginal participants would have had his permission to congregate. The recollection is second hand (a man recounting his then 11-year old mother's memory 68 years later), but states that the local settlers were part of the audience and contributed food. The corroboree featured a huge bonfire and traditional dances 'The Hunt' and the 'Dying Kangaroo".((Collin Pfeffer, //The Fassifern Story: a history of Boonah Shire and surroundings to 1989//, Boonah Shire Council, c.1991, p.13.))\\ | One account suggests that Thomas B. M-P was sympathetic towards the indigenous owners of the land. What became known as the last great corroboree of the local tribes was held at Maroon in 1905. As Thomas B. M-P owned Maroon then, the Aboriginal participants would have had his permission to congregate. The recollection is second hand (a man recounting his then 11-year old mother's memory 68 years later), but states that the local settlers were part of the audience and contributed food. The corroboree featured a huge bonfire and traditional dances 'The Hunt' and the 'Dying Kangaroo".((Collin Pfeffer, //The Fassifern Story: a history of Boonah Shire and surroundings to 1989//, Boonah Shire Council, c.1991, p.13.))\\ |
| The Lightollers, Dr Henry and Minnie Lightoller, were family friends as well as relatives, though Nora M-P strongly disapproved of Dr Lightoller's attitude to pain relief in childbirth. He refused his wife Minnie chloroform until he needed to use instruments to birth the baby. Nora, as she wrote to Rosa Praed, considered '//Dr Lightoller is a staunch opponent of Chloroform tho' his chief argument against it seems to be the cowardice of taking it which I think is a question for the sufferer to decide, and could not help telling him what I felt keenly, that were it a misfortune to which both sexes were liable chloroform would have been given long ago. He looked astounded at my venturing to discuss the subject, looking on it as becoming in a man and a doctor to lay down the law – for women ‘theirs is not to reason why – theirs but to suffer and die - a view of the case against which I, as one of the suffering class. protest vehemently. He is a good little dogmatic man, skilful in his degree and he has the best wife that ever trod shoe leather - but I wish she would not be so submissive as regards chloroform//.’ Nora went on to say that Minnie told her '//that she had been 12 hours in the most fearful agony, at the end of which they had given her chloroform which had brought it on so they could use instruments//'. Nora's view was that she //'would want to know a very good reason why before I would suffer like that in deference to my husband's general principle and it stands to reason that she would recover better if she were not so long ill and in pain//'. She was indignant that Dr Lightoller had made Minnie promise not to expect chloroform unless it was necessary for him to use instruments.((Nora M-P to Rosa Praed, 3 April 1881, M-P papers, JOQ, OM81-71.)) The reasons for Dr Lightoller's reluctance to use chloroform may have been due to common religious view that women were ordained since Eve to give birth in pain, and/or due to concern for its safety. It was also in keeping with the general reluctance of Brisbane Hospital doctors to use anaesthetics even for amputations and other major surgery even years after its use was routine elsewhere.((John Tyrer, //History of the Brisbane Hospital and its affiliates. A pilgrim's progress//, Brisbane: Boolarong Publications, 1993, pp.61.))\\ | The Lightollers, Dr Henry and Minnie Lightoller, were family friends as well as relatives, though Nora M-P strongly disapproved of Dr Lightoller's attitude to pain relief in childbirth. He refused his wife Minnie chloroform until he needed to use instruments to birth the baby. Nora, as she wrote to Rosa Praed, considered '//Dr Lightoller is a staunch opponent of Chloroform tho' his chief argument against it seems to be the cowardice of taking it which I think is a question for the sufferer to decide, and could not help telling him what I felt keenly, that were it a misfortune to which both sexes were liable chloroform would have been given long ago. He looked astounded at my venturing to discuss the subject, looking on it as becoming in a man and a doctor to lay down the law – for women ‘theirs is not to reason why – theirs but to suffer and die - a view of the case against which I, as one of the suffering class. protest vehemently. He is a good little dogmatic man, skilful in his degree and he has the best wife that ever trod shoe leather - but I wish she would not be so submissive as regards chloroform//.’ Nora went on to say that Minnie told her '//that she had been 12 hours in the most fearful agony, at the end of which they had given her chloroform which had brought it on so they could use instruments//'. Nora's view was that she //'would want to know a very good reason why before I would suffer like that in deference to my husband's general principle and it stands to reason that she would recover better if she were not so long ill and in pain//'. She was indignant that Dr Lightoller had made Minnie promise not to expect chloroform unless it was necessary for him to use instruments.((Nora M-P to Rosa Praed, 3 April 1881, M-P papers, JOQ, OM81-71.)) The reasons for Dr Lightoller's reluctance to use chloroform may have been due to common religious view that women were ordained since Eve to give birth in pain, and/or due to concern for its safety. It was also in keeping with the general reluctance of Brisbane Hospital doctors to use anaesthetics even for amputations and other major surgery even years after its use was routine elsewhere.((John Tyrer, //History of the Brisbane Hospital and its affiliates. A pilgrim's progress//, Brisbane: Boolarong Publications, 1993, pp.61.))\\ |
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| It was probably Lizzie M-P who was one of the three trustees for the Maroon School of Arts after it was built in 1903-04: the Maroon booklet says "Mrs T.A. Murray-Prior', presumably a misprint for Mrs T.B M-P as Thomas B. M-P was one of the Presidents of the School of Arts. In the early twentieth century, the local settlers also played tennis on the court at Maroon homestead.(([H. Krause], //The Story of Maroon. A Souvenir Review of its History and Development 1827-1961//, Maroon Centenary Celebrations Committee, 1961, pp.38,39.)) In later decades, the area would look back with nostalgia at the happy social days at Maroon: 'During the regime of the Murray-Priors, dances, picnics and riding parties were the order of the day. many of the young people of Brisbane making the long journey by train and biggy to join in these festivities',((//Fassifern Guardian//,19 November 1947. p.1)) \\ | It was probably Lizzie M-P who was one of the three trustees for the Maroon School of Arts after it was built in 1903-04: the Maroon booklet says "Mrs T.A. Murray-Prior', presumably a misprint for Mrs T.B M-P as Thomas B. M-P was one of the Presidents of the School of Arts. The |
| | In the early twentieth century, the local settlers also played tennis on the court at Maroon homestead.(([H. Krause], //The Story of Maroon. A Souvenir Review of its History and Development 1827-1961//, Maroon Centenary Celebrations Committee, 1961, pp.38,39.)) In later decades, the area would look back with nostalgia at the happy social days at Maroon: 'During the regime of the Murray-Priors, dances, picnics and riding parties were the order of the day. many of the young people of Brisbane making the long journey by train and biggy to join in these festivities',((//Fassifern Guardian//,19 November 1947. p.1)) \\ |
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| {{:t_b_mp_with_son_tlmp_and_minnie_palmer_maroon_1914_15.jpeg?300|}} This photo is dated c.1914-15, and is of Thomas B. (still clutching his copy of the //Pastoral Review//) at Maroon with his eldest son and the latter's cousin, Minnie Palmer.((Provenance: T.A. & M.T. M-P))\\ | {{:t_b_mp_with_son_tlmp_and_minnie_palmer_maroon_1914_15.jpeg?300|}} This photo is dated c.1914-15, and is of Thomas B. (still clutching his copy of the //Pastoral Review//) at Maroon with his eldest son and the latter's cousin, Minnie Palmer.((Provenance: T.A. & M.T. M-P))\\ |