Thomas Armstrong

  Research Notes:

John Livy notes:
The key references are the site "they came on the David Clark in 1839"- www.oocities.org <http://www.oocities.gov.net> - this provides a passenger list of Thomas senior / Mary and 8 children including Thomas 20 years, Brother David (according to the passenger list ) is described elsewhere as the same David ( background ) listed on your site and in the Kearsey article, listed below.

Janet traveled later (1850`s? ) making 9 children to Thomas and Mary - the other 8 are specifically listed as progeny of Thomas / Mary who traveled on the David Clark .
Janet is not listed on the David Clark list.

Another site - La Trobe cottage article by Irene Kearsey www.latrobesociety.org <http://www.latrobesociety.org> , which is an interesting piece, lists the relationship between Thomas (1818), James and the Bell family who also traveled on the David Clark - Thomas (1818) married Bell`s daughter Dinah ( first wife who later died ), he is referred as Bell`s son in law and entered a partnership in Gulf Station and other enterprises with Bell` s son William, who was also on the David Clark.
a number of newspaper articles from the time , the various names of the Armstrong`s listed as siblings on the passenger reference are mentioned together, particularly Andrew and Simon, they all settled in what is now known as Yarra Glen, they were active in the community including the local council, they had partnerships with Thomas ( 1818 ).

They are most likely related to the Bells and Armstrong`s ( arrived on Palmyra November 1839 ), who went to the Geelong / Western District as they visited the Grand Hotel, Yarra Glen . At different times owned and operated by the Bell and Armstrong families. They originated from Dumfries region according to the passenger details from the time, this is consistent with the Bell ancestors of Thomas senior. Also a biography of William ( 1829) and brother Thomas Armstrong (1835) highlights their Dumfries origin, their parents were John Armstrong and Vair ( Scott ).

It would be interesting to understand what relationship existed in Scotland to the various Armstrong`s noted in your site.

There is also a relationship with Coombe cottage ( Melba and the Armstrongs of Yarra Glen ) we visited there as Kids and the person I remember being there was Jack Lithgow, ran the hotel , who married a descendant of my Grandmothers sister Kirsty Jane. Melba married an Armstrong , from what background I do not know and have not researched.
John Livy later added:
Emigrated aboard the "David Clark" with associated families from the Dumfries region (the Bell and Armstrong families) as a single man "employed on own account" \endash one of the few registered under this title.
The David Clark arrived October 27^th, 1839 at Sandridge Beach, Port Melbourne via Williamstown, from Greenock. \endash (Victorian Gazette papers)
"David Clark" was the first emigrant ship direct to Port Phillip from the United Kingdom, the population of Melbourne was estimated to be 4000.
Soon settled at Yarra Glen and became a leading farmer and citizen during the next 5 decades (Encyclopaedia of Yarra Glen site and other articles from the time)
Acquired and further developed Gulf Station at Yarra Glen in partnership with the Bell family \endash Gulf Station still exists and is heritage listed. It is located on the eastern edge of Yarra Glen township
Became an owner of significant land holdings in the area, allotted land for the Primary School, Racecourse ( current site of the Yarra Valley Racecourse) which he founded and ceded the land in 1880, often referred to as "Armstrong`s Racecourse" and one of the original Hotels.( article "AGE (Melbourne) 5<sup>th</sup> January 1935, p.17 (Titled - Yarra Flats)"
Member of the now Eltham council for 35 years, Justice of the Peace, (often acting as a Magistrate), School committee member and founding member of the Yarra Flats Cemetery Trust.
He was captain of the Hunt Club, master of the hounds for many years and participated at a high level in local sports.
Married three times \endash Dinah Bell m.1841 d.1875, Georgina Hirst m.1875 d.1885 and Rose Gavagan m.1886 d.1886 \endash all children produced from the Georgina Hirst marriage.
Had five children with Georgina \endash Georgina ( our family ancestor )b.1875, John Thomas (Jack) b.1878, Emma b.1878, Kirsty Jane (Kit) b.1879 and James b.1880 who died of diphtheria in 1883.
At this stage it would appear his parents were Thomas Armstrong and Mary (Tait) b. 9<sup>th</sup> May 1874, he had a sister (Agnes b.1814 Irongray) who appears to have remained in Scotland. Mary`s parents were John Tait and Agnes (Bell) m. 1783 Moffat (Dumfries region).
Jack Armstrong b.1878, served in WW1 in the Light Horse, wounded at Gallipoli \endash died at Warrington Military Hospital, England 23^rd January,1918.
Georgina Armstrong b.1875 \endash Thomas and Georgina`s daughter, married Frank Livy in 1902, she died in1921.
The family unit consisted of :
Frank Livy b.1907, d.18^th October 1934 (car accident), Perth. Very successful jockey, rode in 3 Melbourne Cups and rode in most states nationally.
Thomas Armstrong Livy b.1913, d.1987, Melbourne. Thomas married Florence Wheeler (Bonnie) in 1942.
John Ronald (Jack) Livy b.1915, d.20^th February 1942, Ambon WW2 POW.
Thomas married Florence Wheeler (Bonnie) b.1921, m. 1941 \endash resulting family group :
Lois Georgina 1942
Janice Ann 1944
Barbara Joy b. 1946 d. 1946
John Ronald 1952
Marion Julie 1955

  Noted events in his life were:

• Arrival, 29 Oct 1839.

Thomas married Dinah Bell, daughter of William Bell and Agnes Muncaster (nee Tweedie), in 1841 in Victoria Australia.⁸¹¹ (Dinah Bell was born in 1822 in Scotland UK and died on 27 Apr 1873 in Kangaroo Ground, (now Moonee Ponds) Victoria Australia ⁸¹¹.)

Thomas next married Georgina Hirst in 1875.⁸¹¹ (Georgina Hirst was born circa 1850 and died in 1885 ⁸¹¹.)

Thomas next married Rose Gavagan in 1886.⁸¹¹ (Rose Gavagan was born circa 1830 and died in 1886 ⁸¹¹.)