william [Murray-Prior History Wiki]

This page is read only. You can view the source, but not change it. Ask your administrator if you think this is wrong.
==== William Augustus Murray Prior ====
{{:mp3.jpg?400|}}{{:dscn3705.jpg?400|}} Two portraits of William M-P.\\
 The first was identified as William by Minnie Violet (Vi) M-P.((Provenance: Tom A. & M.T. M-P.)) The second was believed to be a self-portrait by William, so the first may be too.((Provenance: G.S. M-P to Tom A. M-P.))\\

William was Thomas and Eliza Prior's younger son, a soldier and artist. He was born on 18 November 1821 at [[wp>Bruges|Bruges]], then in the Netherlands, now in Belguim.((((‘Questions to be answered by T.L.M-P’, 6pp Memoranda by the Herald Office, Somerset House, London re Burke’s Colonial Gentry; Thomas Bertram M-P, //Some Australasian Families Descended from Royalty//, ms, n.d., p.24.)) He was baptised at [[wp>Bray,_Berkshire|Bray]] in Berkshire on 19 January 1825.((notes written in Thomas Prior’s prayer book, ((Provenance: J. Godden.)) His baptism as a three-year old is further confirmation that his parents were [[wp>Evangelical_Anglicanism|evangelical Anglicans]]. His second name was probably a tribute to his uncle Augustus Skynner.((TLM-P, Diary, 19 August 1882, ML.)) \\

William became an ensign((lowest rank of commissioned officer in infantry regiments)) in the [[wp>59th_(2nd_Nottinghamshire)_Regiment_of_Foot|59th (2nd Nottinghamshire) Regiment of Foot]]. As evidence from this time, we have: some loose blank pages, originally part of a book, with the inscription ‘W.A. Murray Prior. 59th Regt.”; //The Kings Regulations and Orders for the Army//, 1 June 1837, with the name in it of 'W A Murray Prior 59th Regt'((Provenance: J. Godden.)); and a 1842 account book with the name W.A. Murray-Prior, Ensign 59th Regiment, Jersey.((in NLA< Ms 7801, Box 6)) ((Note that Tomas Bertram M-P has William as an Ensign in the 8th Foot Regiment, //Thomas Bertram M-P, Some Australasian Families Descended from Royalty//, ms, n.d., p.24.)) \\
\\
William was also an artist who studied under [[wp>Thomas_Sidney_Cooper|Thomas Cooper]].((TLM-P, Diary, 9 August 1882, ML. Four of Cooper's paintings are in the Art Gallery of NSW, see [[https://www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au/collection/works/?artist_id=cooper-thomas-sidney]])) The following damaged unframed painting of herefords is in Cooper's style (see [[https://www.google.com.au/search?q=Sidney+Cooper+painting&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjCl9Ly8-neAhVUSX0KHWK2BVEQ_AUIDigB&biw=1920&bih=938#imgrc=A7g6hqw_cNPk0M:|Cooper painting]]) so may be one of William's in imitation when he was learning. Alternatively, Jemima gave TLM-P at least one painting by Cooper, one with trees in it, which TLM-P described as having been bought by their father, so this painting maybe by Cooper himself.{{:cattle_enhanced.jpg?300|}} ((Provenance: From G.S. M-P to T.A. M-P)) \\
William died at Portsmouth from a gunshot wound on 5 February 1844 – presumably an accident when training. He was buried in the Portsmouth Garrison Cemetery. When listing his family, his brother consistently TLM-P wrote that William died aged 22 years, 2 months and 18 days old – a precision which suggests profound grief.((‘Questions to be answered by T.L.M-P’, 6pp Memoranda by the Herald Office, Somerset House, London re Burke’s Colonial Gentry; TLM-P, genealogical notes in John & John B. Burke, //A Genealogical and Heraldic Dictionary of the Landed Gentry of Great Britain & Ireland: M to Z//, London: Henry Colburn Publisher, 1846.)) Five years later, TLM-P and his wife named their second son William Augustus: sadly this [[matilda_m-p_and_her_children|William]] soon died.((J. Godden) recollects her mother complaining that she wanted to call her son William but was told by her mother-in-law not to as it was unlucky - all William M-Ps died; she then thought of the name '[[john_murray_prior_bertram_murray|John]]' but for reasons this link makes clear, that was not approved by the family either!))\\
\\

===== William's Art =====
William was also an artist. The seriousness with which he took his art is seen by a very large, thick, heavy album in which he collected his sketches and examples of art.((Provenance: Geoffrey M-P)) There is also a smaller volume engraved ‘Bruges 1841’ containing lithographs of sketches of life in Bruges.((Provenance: J. Godden))\\

As noted, it is probable that William painted portraits of his sister and mother, as well as self-portrait/s. The following sketches are definitely or probably William's.((Provenance of all following sketches/paintings: J. Godden)).This sketch has the faint signature W.M.P.(a dash at line level was then a full stop). {{:william_sketch_cropped.jpg?direct&300|}}\\
This second sketch is on the other side of the paper, so is presumably also by William, and of his army comrades. {{:william_sketch_reverse_cropped.jpg?direct&300|}}\\
The third sketch has the faint date 1818 and is probably by William of an army comrade.
{{:william_query_sketch_cropped_rotated.jpg?direct&400|}}\\
 This badly deteriorated painting on wood was believed to be by William. {{:william_poss_painting_rotated_enhanced.jpg?direct&400|}}\\
{{:scan_20180302.jpg?300|}} The writing below this sketch is unclear but has the name William Prior. The next sketches are on the reverse:
{{:william_reverse_of_tomb_sketch.jpg?300|}}\\
\\
{{:unfinished_sketch.jpg?direct&200|}}This unfinished sketch was from a collection most likely drawn by William M-P. Given the age of the woman and that it was kept by the family, it is perhaps one of his step-sisters, Jemima or Louisa.\\
\\
In addition, in his will, TLM-P left his daughter Rosa Praed, a 'portrait of my Mother by W.A. M. Prior'((TLM-P, last will and testament, 1892, original in QJO, donated by Tom A. M-P.))

((To DO: 1837 diary of W.A. Prior part of diaries donated to ML?))