Thomas Montmorenci and Florence M-P

This Thomas was TLM-P and Matilda M-P's eldest son, born 27 January 1848 at his father's property Broomelton. He died on 11 December 1902. He and Florence Claudia Moor married on 18 March 1878 at the Holy Trinity Church of England in Bowen, Queensland. Her father was Henry Moor of Highgate, county Middlesex, England died on 11 February 1861 and was buried in Highgate cemetery. [her mother?] Florence Moor was born in London.¹⁾

Photos of 'Tom' M-P from, respectively, his step-mother's and father's albums.

Photo of Florence M-P from TLM-P's album.

Photos of Florence and Thomas M-P's graves where … courtesy Tom and Therese M-P

Thomas and Florence had five children²⁾:

1. Florence (Florette) Elizabeth, born at Bowen, Queensland on 1 January 1879; died - 1956. The first photo is from Nora M-P's album; the second from TLM-P's, author's possession.

Florette married Sydney (Sid) Charles Edgar Herring, an estate agent who distinguished himself during World War I, rising to the rank of Brigadier General.³⁾ 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 the first photo did not leave her! That she was also a campaigner (in the UK) for women's suffrage probably did not help the young men of her family to view her any more favourably. She and Sid appear to have had a very happy marriage. Sid Herring's sister Estella married Florette's step-uncle, Robert Sterling M-P. Sid and Florette's only child, a talented singer, was christened Florette but always known by her third given name, Diana. She married, secondly, Brian Fleming: they had two daughters and a son Robert (19-).

2. Mabel Penelope, M.A., Ch.M.(Sydney University) 10 November⁴⁾ 1881 - 9 January 1932. Mabel was a doctor at a time when this was still controversial for women. Like many others, while she started her degree at Sydney University she reputedly finished it at Glasgow University in Scotland. She had a reputation for eccentricity and, as far as is known, rarely practised medicine. An exception was reputedly on the troop ships during World War I. Her support for the British Empire is evident by her 1924 Certificate of Fellowship of the British Empire Exhibition.⁵⁾ [to do: kate storey etc ]

3. Thomas Bertram, b. 4 February 1883.

4. Ethel Nora, 1 December 1884 - 1959. She married William Royston Butler in 1909⁶⁾; during 1910-23, they had five children: Bertram, William (Bill); Florence; Douglas and Pauline.

5. Phyllis Claudia 23 July 1886 - 1957. She and Edgar Cannon McConnel married in 1909 ⁷⁾; during 1911-19, they had three children: Duncan, Margo and Helen.