The Advertiser, Tuesday 2 October 1917
(Adelaide, South Australia)
 

PERSONAL
The death occurred at North Adelaide on Sunday of Mr. Thomas Morris at the age of 82 years and 4 months. Mr. Morris was born in the parish of Gulval, Penzance, Cornwall, in 1835 and was educated at the Gulval Royal Academy. With his father, the late Mr. W. L. Morris, he left the land of his birth for South Australia in the ship Cressee, landing at Holdfast Bay in 1847. The family first resided in Adelaide. The late Mr. W. L. Morris started a coachbuilding business in King William-street in 1849, and carried on successfully until 1882, when he retired, and the business was then conducted by his sons. The first firereel used in Adelaide was made on the premises, and was manned by Mr. Thomas Morris and his two brothers. Water in those days had to be carted from the Torrens River for the extinction of fires. At the time of the gold rush to Victoria Mr. Thomas Morris, with his father and brother, built a waggon, and set off with a bullock team overland to the diggings. After mining for some months without much luck they sold out their teams and sailed from Melbourne to Adelaide in a sailing boat, which arrived after five weeks’ tossing about the ocean and a narrow escape from shipwreck. The business of coachbuilding was resumed and kept going by Mr. Thomas Morris until 1905, when the business was taken over by his son. Mr. T. Morris was well known in business circles, and his sterling business qualities, his uprightness, and force of character were freely admitted. Mr. Morris attended the Wesleyan Church in Gawler-place in the early days, and later at Pirie-street, where he was married to Miss Nickols. After spending some years in the city he removed to Goodwood in 1878, and joined the Unley Methodist Church, in which he held office until four years ago, when illness overtook him. Mr. Morris left a family of five sons and five daughters, 48 grandchildren, and 14 great-grandchildren.

Contributed by Bob Bolitho