I am the guest blogger this week at GSQ giving the other bloggers a rest over the holiday.  I have been doing family history for about forty years and I thought I start to write some stories about my research.  My topic for the blog is my father’s aunt, uncle and cousin who lived for a couple of generations in nearby Toowoomba.

Charles and Flora Porter were children of Darling Downs pioneers. Charles was the youngest son of James Porter and a nephew of Alexander Elgin and Robert Porter who all settled in the North Branch area near Pittsworth. James, Alexander and Robert along with their siblings Mary and William arrived on the Scotia into Sydney in 1849.[1]  With their parents, James and Ann Porter nee Laird from Perth, Perthshire, Scotland the family immediately travelling to Moreton Bay.[2] Brothers James, Alexander and Robert married three daughters of William and Margaret Davidson from Renfrewshire, Scotland who had arrived on the Genghis Khan into Moreton Bay in 1854.[3] Charles’s mother was Margaret Marshall Davidson and he was born on 1 December 1885 at North Branch.[4]

Flora Mabel Trott was born on 10 March 1885 at Dalwood, Yarranlea in the Colony of Queensland with her father describing himself as a selector on her birth certificate.[5] She was the ninth of eleven children of James Trott who arrived in the Colony of Queensland on the Star of England in 1863.[6] Her mother was Flora Muir the youngest child of Thomas Muir and his second wife, Christina Muir of Inverness, Scotland. This family arrived in 1855 into Moreton Bay on the William Miles.[7]

Flo and Charles married on 3 June 1913 in a quiet wedding as Flo’s father, James Trott died in April just prior to the wedding.[8] Flo was twenty-eight years old at the time of her wedding, with Charles aged twenty-seven. The wedding took place in St. James’ Church in Toowoomba and as Flo’s parents were deceased her brother James gave her away with her youngest sister Miss Bess (Elizabeth Annie) Trott as bridesmaid.[9] The grooms’ sister Ruth, Mrs Archie Mathieson hosted the after-wedding entertainment.[10]

Further grief was to be experienced by the young couple when their son Edward was born on 29 October 1916 and died aged three days on 1 November 1916.[11] Baby Edward was buried in the Drayton-Toowoomba Cemetery.[12] The next child Colin Porter was born in 1921. Colin was the only surviving child of the couple, and was brought up by his parents in Toowoomba.

Charles and Flo lived in Toowoomba for many years.  Their house was called Dalwood after Flo’s childhood home near Pittsworth.  Her father, James Trott named his Yarranlea property after the Devon area in England near where his family lived. The links with the childhood of both father James Trott and daughter, Flo were commemorated with the name of the home in Long Street, Toowoomba. The Australian Electoral Rolls record Charles and Flo at this address until 1958, the year of Flo’s death.[13] Charles is recorded from 1912 as a grocer’s assistant living in Pittsworth.[14] He had moved to Toowoomba by the time of his marriage but remained listed as a grocer’s assistant for many years.

Flo’s garden in Long Street was a regular location for events, particularly for the St Luke’s Ladies Guild. In 1929 Flo hosted a garden party with the garden described as “looking beautiful with the roses all abloom with beds of Watsonias, Iceland poppies and other spring flowers”.[15] The garden also had an aviary with “rare birds attracting interest”.[16]

A family story is that the birds were owned by Walter Watson, a chemist who lived with Charles and Flo and who was treated like an honoured guest. Walter Watson lived in Long Street from as early as 1930 and owned a pharmacy in Ruthven Street, Toowoomba.[17] Walter Watson’s links with Charles and Flo were so strong that he is buried in the same grave as Flora and Charles with an inscription “Our friend”.

Colin attended the Toowoomba Girls and Infants School in 1927 aged six years and later he attended the Toowoomba Preparatory School.[18]  He became an apprentice chemist, perhaps due to Walter Watson’s presence in his home.[19] Colin completed his apprenticeship as a chemist at Watson and Hile in Margaret Street, Toowoomba passing his final examination in November 1944.[20]  On 27 January 1945 at St Stephen’s Presbyterian Church Brisbane, Colin married Heather Jean Houston, the only daughter of Mr and Mrs R. Houston of the State School, Blackbutt.[21]  The newly-wed couple lived at 8 Tolmie Street, Toowoomba and Heather continued to work as a chiropodist.[22] The young couple moved down the street to 30 Tolmie Street.[23] Colin eventually came to own Watson’s Pharmacy in Ruthven Street.[24] Colin and Heather had a still-born child buried in the Drayton-Toowoomba Cemetery although sadly no other children.[25]

On 17 July 1956, Flora Mabel Porter died of a heart attack at her home in Long Street aged 71 years. She was buried in the Drayton-Toowoomba Cemetery on 19 July 1956.[26] Six years later, on 19 August 1962, Colin was driving a car which crashed in a head-on collision with a heavy American sedan on the Toowoomba-Brisbane Highway near Plainlands.[27] Colin’s father, Charles aged 76 years was killed instantly in the crash and Colin’s wife, Heather died in Toowoomba hospital the next day.[28] Colin was injured but discharged from hospital the next day. Another passenger in the car was Florence Mildred Wilson although she was not badly injured.[29] Florence, known as Fon, was Heather’s bridesmaid at Colin and Heather’s wedding.[30]

Charles and Heather were buried on 22 August 1962 in the Drayton-Toowoomba Cemetery. Colin survived his injuries and continued his profession. By 1968, he had married again, this time to Florence Mildred Wilson who had also survived the car crash that ended two lives.[31] Colin and Fon continued to live at 30 Tolmie Street.[32] Colin retired and moved to Benowa Point, dying in June 2002. His funeral service was held in Toowoomba on 17 June 2002. He was buried at Tweed Heads Cemetery with Mildred. What bought Colin and Fon together after the accident is not known. Perhaps it was survivor guilt and they grieved together.

Charles and Flo who had commenced living in Toowoomba in the second decade of the twentieth century, now have no living descendants but are commemorated in the Drayton Toowoomba Cemetery.

[1] ‘Immigrant List for Scotia’ ref 4/4786, p. 410, State Records of NSW; OM68-18, James Porter Papers, John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland, Australia.

[2] ‘Immigrant List for Scotia’ ref 4/4786, p. 410, State Records of NSW; OM68-18, James Porter Papers, John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland, Australia.

[3] ‘Genghis Khan Shipping List’, Assisted-Immigrants-1848-1912, p. 62, Item ID 18474, M 1696 and Z 1957, Queensland State Archives, Brisbane, http://www.archivessearch.qld.gov.au/Image/DigitalImageDisplay.aspx?ImageId=38491#page=3&view=Fit&ispdf=true, accessed 18 December 2016.

[4] Copy of birth entry for Charles Edward Porter, born 1 December 1885, Darling Downs District, Queensland Registrar General, 1885/00222.

[5] Copy of birth entry for Flora Mabel Trott, born 10 March 1885, Darling Downs Central District, Queensland Registrar General, 1885/2062.

[6] ‘Star of England Shipping List’, Assisted-Immigrants-1848-1912, 14 September 1863, p. 200, Item ID 18474, microfilms 1957 and M1696, Queensland State Archives, Brisbane,  http://www.archivessearch.qld.gov.au/Image/DigitalImageDisplay.aspx?ImageId=39652#page=4&view=Fit&ispdf=true, accessed 18 December 2016.

[7] ‘William Miles, Shipping List’, Assisted-Immigrants-1848-1912, p. 87, Item ID 18474, microfilms M1696 and Z1957, Queensland State Archives, Brisbane,  http://www.archivessearch.qld.gov.au/Image/DigitalImageDisplay.aspx?ImageId=39604#page=7&view=Fit&ispdf=true, accessed 22 December 2016.

[8] ‘Weddings. Porter-Trott.’, Darling Downs Gazette, 4 June 1913, p. 6, c. 5, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article187355035, accessed 18 December 2016; ‘Deaths.’, Queenslander, 3 May 1913, p. 12, c. 4 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article22211615, accessed 18 December 2016.

[9]  ‘Weddings. Porter-Trott.’, Darling Downs Gazette, 4 June 1913, p., c.5.

[10] ‘Weddings. Porter-Trott.’, Darling Downs Gazette, 4 June 1913, p., c.5.

[11] ‘Queensland Birth Index, Queensland Government Department of Justice and Attorney-General, Brisbane, birth Edward Porter, birth 29 October 1916, 1916/014761 microfiche; ‘Edward Porter’, Drayton-Toowoomba Cemetery, deceased search, Toowoomba Region, http://www.tr.qld.gov.au/facilities-recreation/cemeteries/deceased-search, accessed 18 December 2016.

[12] ‘Edward Porter’, Drayton-Toowoomba Cemetery, deceased search, Toowoomba Region, http://www.tr.qld.gov.au/facilities-recreation/cemeteries/deceased-search, accessed 18 December 2016.

[13] ‘Australian Electoral Rolls, 1903-1980’, various years, Commonwealth of Australia, http://Ancestry.com.au, accessed 17 December 2016.

[14] ‘Australian Electoral Rolls, 1903-1980’, 1912, p. 31, Commonwealth of Australia, http://Ancestry.com.au, accessed 17 December 2016.

[15] ‘Toowoomba’, Brisbane Courier, 17 October 1929, p. 24, c.4, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article21462781, accessed 20 December 2016.

[16] ‘Toowoomba’, Brisbane Courier, 17 October 1929, p. 24, c.4.

[17] Australian Electoral Rolls, 1903-1980’, 1930, p. 124, Commonwealth of Australia, http://Ancestry.com.au, accessed 22 December 2016.

[18] ‘Toowoomba Girls and Infants School Register Film 24, pos. 4; Jan Sangerville, Boss of Toowoomba Prep, page unknown.

[19] Examination Register No. 2’, Pharmacy Board of Queensland, Item 282895, series 8819, Queensland State Archives, Brisbane.

[20] ‘Examination Register No. 2’, Pharmacy Board of Queensland, Item 282895, series 8819, Queensland State Archives, Brisbane.

[21] ‘Marriage notices’, Telegraph, Brisbane, 30 January 1945, p. 6, c. 8, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article186334985, accessed 18 December 2016.

[22] ‘Australian Electoral Rolls, 1903-1980’, 1949, p. 149, Commonwealth of Australia

[23] ‘Funeral Notices’, Toowoomba Chronicle, 19 July 1956, page unknown.

[24] Family knowledge.

[25] Unknown Porter’, Drayton-Toowoomba Cemetery, deceased search, Toowoomba Region, http://www.tr.qld.gov.au/facilities-recreation/cemeteries/deceased-search, accessed 20 December 2016.Family knowledge.

[26] Copy of death entry for Flora Mabel Porter, died 17 July 1956, District Toowoomba, Queensland Registrar General, 1956/24293.

[27] ‘Two killed in this car’, Toowoomba Chronicle, 22 August 1962, p. 3, c. 5-8, Toowoomba Darling Downs Family History Society, Toowoomba.

[28] ‘Two killed in head-on collision’, Toowoomba Chronicle, 21 August 1962, p. 1, c. 7, Toowoomba Darling Downs Family History Society, Toowoomba.

[29]  ‘Two killed in head-on collision’, Toowoomba Chronicle, 21 August 1962, p. 1, c. 7, Toowoomba Darling Downs Family History Society, Toowoomba.

[30] ‘Wedding Porter-Houston, Toowoomba Chronicle Darling Downs Gazette, 29 January 1945, p. 45.

[31] Australian Electoral Rolls, 1903-1980’, 1968, p. 141, Commonwealth of Australia.

[32] Australian Electoral Rolls, 1903-1980’, 1968, p. 141, Commonwealth of Australia.