Figure 1.--The photo shows Lady Maud Montgomery, née Farrar, (1864-1949) widow of the Rev. Henry Montgomery (1847-1932) and mother of the Field Marshal Bernard Law Montgomery, 1st Viscount Montgomery of Alamein (1887-1976). Rev. Henry was an British Irish Anglican priest and then bishop. The photo was taken during World War II (October 16, 1943 in Moville in the north of Ireland. Moville is a coastal town in the Inishowen Peninsula, while locared in the north of Irland, it was part of the Republic of Ireland, but only 20 miles Northeast of Derry. The Montgomery's ancestors belonged to the town landed gentry, the Protestant Accendancy. The photo shows a boy helping Lady Montgomery (79 years old) with her shopping. Lady Montgomery was proud of her son, but the Fiel Marsall was estrained from her. During the later Troubles between Protestants and Catholics, the boy would have been a an Anglican(Protestant). A Catholic helping a Protestant would have been seen as a traitor by his fellows and as a spy by the Protestants. During the 1940s, hoever, the two communities were not as hostile. Perhaps our Irish leader can provide some insight here.

Bernard's father was an Ulster-Scots Church of Ireland (Anglican) minister, The Reverend Henry Montgomery. His mother was Maud (née Farrar). The Montgomery family was an 'Ascendancy' gentry family. They were the County Donegal branch of the Clan Montgomery. His father at the time Bernard was born was Vicar of St Mark's Church, Kennington. He was the second son of Sir Robert Montgomery, a native of Inishowen in County Donegal in Ulster. This of course was before Ireland was divided politically, but was divided religiously. Ulster and northern Kreland in general had a majority Protestant population. Sir Robert was a noted colonial administrator in British India. He passed away a month after Bernard's birth. He is believed to be a descendant of Colonel Alexander Montgomery (1686–1729). Maud, was the daughter of The Very Rev. Frederic William Canon Farrar, a celebrated preacher. She was much younger than her husband (18 years). Maud met Henry when she was 12 years old. There apparently was an immediate connection. They became engaged at 14, and married before she was 17. Like her husband, she had strong Christian convictions. When Sir Robert Montgomery died, Henry inherited the Montgomery ancestral estate of New Park in Moville (Inishowen in Ulster). It was not a financial windfall. Henry had to pay off £13,000 on the mortgage. This was a very substantial sum in the 1880s, especially for a an Anglican vicar without independent means. He had sell the farms at Ballynally. Henry complained, "there was barely enough to keep up New Park and pay for the blasted summer holiday" which was spent at New Park. The family moved to Tasmania of Bernard's eight siblings, all but Sibyl who died prematurely in Tasmania sirvived to adulthood. Harold, Donald, and Una emigrated. The newly appointed Bishop Montgomery was very concientious as to his duties. He thought it important to spend time in rural Tasmania and thus was away from home for long periods, as much as 6 months at a time. This meant that Maude, still in her 20s was largely responsible for the large brood. They were not, however, a priority for her nor was she a very affectionate mother. Her approach marriage was to focus on her duties as the Bishop's wife and to ignore the children, except when administered frequent beatings. In fairness to his mother, corporal punishment was widespreadat the time, although more associated with fathers than mothers. And by Montgomery's own admission, he was a bit of a hellion. His mother's lack of interest and beatings certainly left an indelable imprint. Montgomery refused to allow his son David to have anything to do with his grandmother, who spent her last years in Ireland. Despite their estraingment, she spoke admiringly about his accomplishments. Montgomery for his part declined to attend her funeral after the War (1949).

Created: 1:04 AM 8/29/2017
Last updated: 1:04 AM 8/29/2017