Robert was the second born son of Susan McConnell and   Henry Morris.  His older brother was Frederick John (1864-1942) and his seven younger siblings were   Elizabeth Jane (1869-1952),  Mary Ann (1871-1961), Amy (1874-1956),  James Herbert (1876-1961), Susan Sarah (1878-1963),  Ethel Jane (1880-1958) and Margaret Allison (1882-1957).
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Robert Henry Senior

Susan McConnell

Tenterfield Star, May 31st, 1920

Robert's mother,    Susan McConnell (1841-1920) came to Australia aged fifteen years old in 1856, travelling  on the ship Winnifred with her father James, mother Margaret and two older siblings Margaret and Robert and three younger siblings;  John, Eliza and Elizabeth.   Sadly Elizabeth 5 died  on route to Sydney.  The family had originally travelled  from Connaught, Ireland.  

Robert's father, Robert Henry Morris (1842-1910) was the son of Francis Morris, an English Convict transported from the UK in 1820.  He was  granted a Certificate  of Freedom in 1827 and married Mary McGrady  (also a convict) in 1832.  Francis was convicted of many other felonies, transported to Norfolk Island and then Cockatoo Island.  He was   released in 1842.  The couple had   six children; Catherine , James, Francis,  Louisa, Robert Henry and Richard.    In  May 1891 Henry was charged  in Rivertree, NSW with 'robbery under  arms', however he was found not guilty.   Both Henry and   Susan are buried in Stanthorpe, Queensland.

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 Robert was 31 when he married Mary Corney (24) in Brisbane, Queensland on January 3rd, 1888.    He is recorded as a salesman  and his address is Bridge St, Brisbane.     Interestingly in  the police Gazette in 1887 there is a Robert Henry Morris arrested in Brisbane and charged with 'child desertion.'     He is ordered to pay extensive costs; 5s a week for 12 months, 11s, 8d court costs, 4£ professional fees and 20£ surety.  This could well be our Robert as the timing and place of the marriage is interesting and given his behaviour later on, its in keeping with his style.   Did marriage release him from his financial obligation to the child he had abandoned?  It is unlikely to be  Mary's child  and it is  all a bit of a mystery.

Robert and Mary had ten children together, seven of them in Tenterfield.   Edna Clarissa Sabina  18/9/1899.  Leslie Errington  on16/7/1901. The residence at that time is listed as Rouse St, Tenterfield and Robert's occupation as a store assistant.   Interestingly there is a Morris cottage on Rouse St, Tenterfield.    The other children born there were   ​Robert Henry  Cleveland on 23/7/1902,   Lyell Clayton  in 1903, Oliver Reginald  20/9/1905,  Clarence Cecil  28/2/1908, Violet Miriam    5/6/1909 (Rivertree) and    Aubrey Wallis (1911).  

Morris Cottage, 387 Rouse St, Tenterfield

Sydney Morning Herald, Wednesday, October 13th, 1937

 
In January 1906  Mary Elizabeth Morris bought a parcel of land;  portion 1 of section 10. (Tenterfield Intercolonial Courier and Fairfield and Wallangarra Advocate)

This seems an unusual transaction and I wonder if , for some reason , Robert was unable to purchase the land.  

In  1907 there was some conflict over a parcel of land;  3399 acres in the parish of Strathcarn between Robert and John Stonebridge.

Then in 1908 Robert was charged with perjury against a man called 'Rex.'  There was a full trial and he was acquitted by a jury.      His occupation is listed as grazier.

Sometime around 1911 the family moved to 17 Lennox St, Woollahra,   (the number is shown in a lawyer's letter to the Defence Dept).      Their house was called 'Dulce Domum' (latin for Sweet Home).  Mary Evelyn was born 14/9/1912 and then Lillian Eunice Joan was born on 14/1/1916.  The 1913 Sands Directory lists Robert and Mary as both living there.  Robert's occupation is listed as a grazier but a newspaper article shows that his land was sold in 1911 to a Mr Frank Menton.

Robert was employed by the Defence department, in the Australian Army Pay Corps (AAPC) ,  in January 1915 and worked in various pay offices in Liverpool, Warrick Farm and Victoria Barracks.    In May 1916 he enrolled for active service and went off to  Seymour, Victoria for training.  It was determined that as a married man of 46 with 9 children, he was not suitable for  active service.  In October 1916 he returned to the Defence Forces pay office.   Controversy followed Robert and there were complaints made by soldiers, the public and his military colleagues.

Eventually there was a  Court of Inquiry and  it was recommended that Robert  be 'discharged solely on account of  his hopeless inefficiency and in the interests of this department.'
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Robert engaged the services of a lawyer, James Abigail,  and contested his dismissal stating that 'He was an active, energetic, painstaking servant of the Department.'     When Mr  Abigail was shown the evidence by Captain Betts (including the correspondence and the   proceedings of the Court of Inquiry),  Mr Abigail concluded that he would not pursue the matter any further and would advise Mr Morris.

Robert was  discharged from the Australian Army Pay Corps on the2nd March 1918 , 'his services being no longer required as a result of the adverse reports on his work.'

In the 1920 Electoral roll he is still showing at living at Lennox St Woollahra.     On January 18, 1929 his son Lyell Clayton died at his parent's residence in Gardenia Ave, Lane Cove.   In 1930 he  is listed in the electoral roll  as living at Claytona, Gardenia Ave, Lane Cove. (Sydney Morning Herald, Wednesday 16 January 1929, page 16).  His wife Mary Elizabeth   is also listed along with his son Leslie Errington and Leslie's wife Marjorie.    In the 1933 census,  Violet Miriam and also her future husband Stanley Fish are recorded as living there along with Robert and   Mary.

On June 2nd, 1935  his daughter  Violet Miriam passed away in childbirth.     Robert's wife Mary then moved to 110 Victoria Rd, Parramatta to live with her daughter Mary Evelyn who was caring for the baby.  Mary is living at another address on Victoria Rd with her daughter Mary   in 1937 when  Claytona is foreclosed  by the bank.   In October 1937, the house is   listed for sale by the Mortgagees.  Anecdotally  I was told by his grandson, Lyle Whitehead, that Robert  was a drinker and a gambler and lost the house due to his debts.

It is hard to track Robert's movements after 1937 as he seems to have disappeared from electoral rolls and census.  However,   it seems at this time that he and Mary separated as they didn't  live in the same place and died in separate towns.      Perhaps he lived with his daughter EDNA MORRIS for a while as I was told  a story by her son Lyle Whitehead.  He remembered Robert staying with his family at Birdwood Street, Lane Cove for a while.  Lyle was terrified of him and said he was a violent man. He recounted one night where Robert dragged him from his bed by his ear and forced his head into the toilet.    He also told me that Robert then moved in with his daughter Lillian in a railway siding tent.  Chrissy Armstrong is LILLIAN MORRIS granddaughter.   She recalled her mother, Colleen, telling her that she woke one morning and Robert was dead on his stretcher.   She was about 14 years old at the time.  Certainly his death certificate shows that he died late 1946 at  Pacific Highway, Asquith.   In the 1949 census, Lillian and her husband Jack (John) are listed as living at Pacific Highway, Asquith.    Jack's occupation  was  recorded as  a railway employee.     Lillian was granted  administration of Robert's estate, although it was unlikely there was anything left of value and quite likely debts, (purely conjecture).     Robert's fob watch was passed down to Lillian's granddaughter Chrissy who  provided the photo above.






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Sydney Morning Herald, Wednesday 30 April 1947, p 13