Personal Details
| Surname | Willoughby |
|---|---|
| First name | Thomas |
| Middle name | Oliver |
| Other names | Phillips |
| Place of birth | England |
| Date of death | 07/11/1942 |
| Age at death | 76 years |
Details
Real name Thomas Oliver Phillips
Son of Elizabeth Ann Willoughby
Husband of Mary Kate Dudley
Extracts from information supplied by Bill Phillips:
Elizabeth Ann Willoughby “married” three times. Once to a Thomas Phillips and they had four children including this Thomas Oliver. Thomas was killed in a mine accident, then a nephew of Thomas’s “moves in” with Elizabeth and they had a child – my grandfather – there is no record of a marriage.
Grandfather grew up not knowing he was not a full brother to the other four children until after his marriage.
Thomas Oliver marries Mary Kate Dudley, who on the BDM marriage record came from Ireland. They had one child a daughter registered as Annie, but who seems to have had two nicknames Kina and Kitty.
Annie has a child whilst unmarried in 1914, the father was a James Hayward Monro, but no father is listed on the birth certificate of the child who was registered as John Monro Phillips. Annie dies shortly after.
Thomas Oliver is so upset he tried to commit suicide, and as we were told “went away”. We were told to Western Australia but it seems to Muttaburra, where he lives and dies.
His occupation was a Bookmaker.
Phillips’s came from Cornwall. It seems that the Monro family were aware of the child of Annie, who was brought up under the name of Monro although being adopted by some family friends.
Whether Mary Kate followed Thomas Oliver to Muttaburra is not known and who put her in the grave with her daughter after 26 years is quite fascinating. Mary Kate Phillips was buried in Fawkner cemetery Melbourne with her daughter.
Thomas Oliver Phillips is my grandfather’s half- brother, but some of the above information is subject to verification.
[Information supplied by Bill Phillips]
Cemetery Record
Download the Cemetery Map| Cemetery | Muttaburra |
|---|---|
| Location | North Eastern |
| Grave number | 176 |
| Address | Bruford Street |
| Occupation | Bookmaker/Shoemaker |
| Religion | Anglican |
| Date of funeral | 07/11/1942 |
| Comment | Died from Senility The Longreach Leader Saturday 14 November 1942 |
