Memoirs from Lady Montgomery, wife of Bishop Montgomery, 4th Bishop of Tasmania (courtesy of John & Susan Pilbrow):
Memoir booklet #1, I remember I remember by M Montgomery
“Our journey to Tasmania in 1889 took six weeks by sailing boat – the “Tainui”. I used to give the children lessons in the saloon…How well I remember our arrival in the beautiful harbour of Hobart. Several clergy came on board to meet us and I can now see my husband greeting them. Bishopscourt was being enlarged so we lived for some weeks in a house nearby. There are eldest child, Sybil Francis, always called “Queenie,” fell ill and died. And my husband said – “we entered into our new possession like a grave… We spent twelve of the happiest years of our lives in Tasmania and made many friends…”
Memoir booklet #2, The Dream of an Old Lady by Lady-Montgomery
“Pilgrimage of Prayer: These words would not convey anything to this generation, but in the First World War they were widely known. Curiously enough the incentive to the Pilgrimage came from Ireland. I was sitting on the executive of the Mothers’ Union in London when a letter came from Dublin, saying, “Cannot you do anything to comfort mothers and wives of the boys who are fighting in the trenches?” All at once the idea flashed through my mind: Let us go through the country on a Pilgrimage of Prayer…I went on the first pilgrimage myself.The work spread so rapidly. ..”
Feel free to send an email to bishop@anglicantas.org.au if you are interested in receiving these documents as an attachment.
See also, Bishop Montgomery: 4th Bishop of Tasmania.
