She was born in Woolloomooloo, New South Wales, on 20 May 1873. Her parents were Alfred Thomas Homfray and Alexandrina (Alexa) Homfray (née Gittins), who were married on 5 November 1870, at St Peter’s, in Woolloomooloo. Lucy was one of eight children (three of whom died in their infancy; which, unfortunately, was not unusual in those times): Ellen (born 1872, died 1875, aged 3 years and 5 months), Rose Fairlie (1874-1958), Lilian Mary (born 1875, died 1875, aged 3 months), Frances Lillian (born 1877, died 1877, aged 4 months), Edward Alfred (1878-1955), Florence Alexina (1880-1962), and Reginald Henry (1884-1916).[2]
Lucy’s mother was the youngest daughter of Thomas Lloyd Gittins. There was a strong connection between the Gittins and Homfray families. In 1862, Alfred’s eldest brother, Henry Homfray, married Alexandrina’s older sister, Ellen Gittins. In 1870, Alfred Homfray married Alexandrina Gittins. Also, records show that Lucy’s sister, Florence Homfray, shared a house (named “Halloween”) in Lindfield (Sydney) with her aunt, Elizabeth Gittins, during the 1920s and early 1930s (Elizabeth died in 1932); also, Lucy Homfray listed “Halloween”, Lindfield, as her contact address in her publication Hymn for Absent Soldiers and Sailors (1915).[3]
L. E. Homfray lived in various locations in New South Wales, including Woolloomooloo, Tinonee, Hornsby, Lindfield, Bowral, and Beecroft, as noted in various poems she published.[4]
Many of her poems had a religious flavour, indicating the spiritual tendencies of the poet. Indeed, she came from a religious family. Her brother, Edward, was a long-serving priest of the Church of England; both of her parents were active in the local church and its Sunday School; and her grandfather (on her father’s side) was the Rev. Edward Homfray (of England). Close participation in religion seems to have been a family tradition. Canon Homfray (her brother) said in 1954 that “There has been a Homfray in the Anglican Ministry for nearly 200 years”.[5]
L. E. Homfray wrote a fair amount of patriotic poetry during the First World War (1914-1918). The profits of her publications went towards the Allied war effort and patriotic causes. The funds raised by Australians, Awake! And Other Poems (1915) went to the Red Cross. Hymn for Absent Soldiers and Sailors (1915) also to the Red Cross. ‘Somewhere in France’ (1917) to aid the people of France. Voices of Anzac (1917) for War Chest Day. Unfaltering to the End (1918) for the A.I.F. Memorial. She was also directed affected by the war. Her brother Reginald, who worked on various ships, signed up with the British Army when his ship docked in London; he first joined the Shropshire Light Infantry (Shropshire was the birthplace of his parents), and then served with the Machine Gun Corps; he was killed in action in France on 18 March 1916.[6]
Lucy had a very charitable bent, collecting funds not only for the Red Cross, but also for sick children. Indeed, one of the earliest mentions of her in the press is a note praising her for raising funds for the Hospital for Sick Children (when she was eleven years old). She also raised funds for children who were mentally disabled.[7]
She may have been what was known as a “modern woman”, or an early feminist; her short story “The economies of Binks” indicates her leaning in that direction; it is a tale about a stay-at-home mother giving a lesson to her husband about how it is not so easy to look after a home and a baby.[8]
Lucy Everett Homfray died in Sydney (NSW) on 23 September 1951, at the Our Lady of Consolation Convent.[9]
After her passing, The Wingham Chronicle and Manning River Observer praised her, saying:
“Miss Homfray was a gifted writer of prose and verse, and was well known in literary circles.”[10]
The Lithgow Mercury applauded her literary talents, as well as praising her charity work:
“Miss Homfray … was a very gifted lady, having more than average ability, as a Prose Writer and Poetess. Her composition, “Hymn for Airmen,” set to the tune “Old Hundreth” was much used by some Army and Air Force chaplains. The deceased lady was a great inspiration to her brother in his parochial ministrations, her life could be summed up with due reverence in that noble tribute, “She went about doing good!””[11]
Although Lucy Homfray never produced a literary piece which captured the general public’s attention, her efforts on the literary stage, especially her patriotic pieces, commend her to the Australian people.
References:
[1] “Works of L. E. Homfray”, Institute of Australian Culture, 5 February 2022
[2] Details about Homfray family members were obtained from the NSW Registry of Births Deaths & Marriages, as well as from notices and articles published in various newspapers (as noted below).
I) Alfred Thomas Homfray (1830-1908).
a) Homfray, Alfred T.: Died 1908; Father: Edward L.; Mother: Ann (Death registration number: 11314/1908).
NSW Registry of Births Deaths & Marriages
b) “HOMFRAY. — July 6, at Salopia, Hornsby, Alfred Thomas Homfray, of heart failure, aged 78.”
“Deaths”, The Sydney Mail and New South Wales Advertiser (Sydney, NSW), 8 July 1908, p. 126
c) “The death took place at Hornsby on Monday of Mr. A. T. Homfray, aged 78.” [Died 6 July 1908.]
“Chips”, The Cumberland Argus and Fruitgrowers’ Advocate (Parramatta, NSW), 8 July 1908, p. 3
d) Alfred Thomas Homfray was born in Pontesbury, Shropshire, England, in 1830.
“Alexandrina Gittins (1842 – 1927)”, Ancestry
II) Alexandrina Homfray (née Gittins) (1842-1927).
a) Homfray, Alexandrina: Died 1927; Father: Thomas L.; Mother: Priscilla G. (Death registration number: 6727/1927)
NSW Registry of Births Deaths & Marriages
b) “HOMFRAY.—June 19, at her residence, “Halloween,” Lindfield, Alexa, widow of the late A. T. Homfray, and beloved mother of Lucy, Florence, and Rev. Canon Edward Homfray.”
“Deaths”, Daily Telegraph News Pictorial (Sydney, NSW), 20 June 1927, p. 23
c) Alexandrina Gittins was born in Shropshire, United Kingdom in March 1842; her parents were Thomas Lloyd Gittins (1800-1873) and Priscilla Georgina Symonds (1803-1876).
“Alexandrina Gittins (1842 – 1927)”, Ancestry
III) Marriage of Alfred Thomas Homfray and Alexandrina Gittins (1870).
a) Homfray, Alfred Thomas: 1870; Bride’s given names: Alexan Nina [sic: Alexandrina]; Bride’s family name: Gittuis [sic: Gittins] (Marriage registration number: 1054/1870).
NSW Registry of Births Deaths & Marriages
b) “On the 5th instant, at St. Peter’s, Woolloomooloo, by the Rev. W. Lumsdane, ALFRED THOS. HOMFRAY, Esq., second son of the late Rev. E. Homfray, rector of Rattlinghope and Longden, Shropshire, to ALEXANDRINA, youngest daughter of THOS. LLOYD GITTINS, Esq., Sydney, late of Upper Berwick, Shropshire, England.”
“Marriage”, The Sydney Morning Herald (Sydney, NSW), 7 November 1870, p. 1
See also: “Marriage”, The Evening News (Sydney, NSW), 7 November 1870, p. 2
IV) Ellen Frances Georgina Homfray (1872-1875).
a) Homfray, Ellen F. G.: Died 1875; Father: Alfred; Mother: Alexandrina (Death registration number: 7510/1875).
NSW Registry of Births Deaths & Marriages
b) “HOMFRAY. — July 19, at her parents’ residence, Tinonee, Manning River, Ellen Frances Georgina, eldest daughter of Alfred Thomas and Alexandrina Homfray, of congestion of the lungs, aged 3 years and 5 months.”
“Deaths”, The Sydney Morning Herald (Sydney, NSW), 24 July 1875, p. 1
Note: No official record of her birth has been located. However, there are some transcription errors in the database of the NSW Registry of Births Deaths & Marriages (as the original handwritten records can sometimes be difficult to read), so it is possible that her surname has been incorrectly listed.
V) Lucy Everett Homfray (1873-1951).
a) Homfray, Lucy E.: Born 20 May 1873; Father: Alfred Thomas; Mother: Alexander [sic: Alexandrina] (Birth registration number: 1397/1873).
NSW Registry of Births Deaths & Marriages
b) “On the 20th instant, at Tupo-terrace, Woolloomooloo, the wife of Alfred Thomas Homfray, of a daughter.”
“Births”, The Sydney Morning Herald (Sydney, NSW), 27 May 1873, p. 1
c) “The death occurred recently at Our Lady of Consolation Convent, Buckingham-street Sydney, of Miss Lucy Everett Homfray, sister of Canon Homfray, late of Portland. Miss Homfray was a gifted writer of prose and verse and was well known in literary circles.”
“Brevities”, Lithgow Mercury (Lithgow NSW), 28 September 1951, p. 2
See also: “Pars and Personals”, The Wingham Chronicle and Manning River Observer (Wingham, NSW), 2 October 1951, p. 2
d) “Lucy Everett Homfray passed away on 23 September 1951 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.”
“Lucy Everett Homfray (1873-1951)”, Ancestry
Note: No official record of her death has been located. However, there are some transcription errors in the database of the NSW Registry of Births Deaths & Marriages (as the original handwritten records can sometimes be difficult to read), so it is possible that her surname has been incorrectly listed.
VI) Rose Fairlie Homfray (1874-1958).
a) “Rose Fairlie Homfray 1874 – 1958”
“Alexandrina Gittins (1842 – 1927)”, Ancestry
b) Homfray, Rose Fairlie: Died 1962; Father: 84 years [error?]; Mother: Katcomba [error?] (Death registration number: 23259/1958).
NSW Registry of Births Deaths & Marriages
c) “Florence Alexina Homfray and Ethelwynne Hill George, the executrices of the will of the said Rose Fairley Homfray, who died on the 24th July, 1958”
“Re will of Rose Fairley Homfray”, Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales (Sydney, NSW), 3 April 1959, p. 1062 (column 2)
Note: No official record of her birth has been located. However, there are some transcription errors in the database of the NSW Registry of Births Deaths & Marriages (as the original handwritten records can sometimes be difficult to read), so it is possible that her surname has been incorrectly listed.
VII) Lilian Mary Homfray (1875-1875).
a) Homfray, Lilian Mary: Born 19 September 1875; Father: Alfred Thomas; Mother: Alexandrina (Birth registration number: 2624/1875).
NSW Registry of Births Deaths & Marriages
b) Homfray, Lilian M.: Died 1875; Father: Alfred T.; Mother: Alexandrina (Death registration number: 2682/1875).
NSW Registry of Births Deaths & Marriages
c) “HOMFRAY. — September 19, at 3, Tupo-terrace, Broughton-street, Woolloomooloo, the wife of Alfred Thomas Homfray, of a daughter.”
“Births”, The Sydney Morning Herald (Sydney, NSW), 23 September 1875, p. 1
d) “HOMFRAY.—December 28, at 3, Tupo-terrace, Brougham-street, Woolloomooloo, Lillian Mary, infant daughter of Alfred Thomas and Alexandrina Homfray, aged 3 months.”
“Deaths”, The Sydney Morning Herald (Sydney, NSW), 28 December 1875, p. 1 (Lillian Mary Homfray died, aged 3 months)
VIII) Frances Lillian Homfray (1877-1877).
a) Homfray, Frances Lillian: Born 23 January 1877; Father: Alfred Thomas; Mother: Alexandrina (Birth registration number: 500/1877).
NSW Registry of Births Deaths & Marriages
b) Homfray, Frances L.: Died 1877; Father: Alfred T.; Mother: Alexandrina (Death registration number: 6534/1877).
NSW Registry of Births Deaths & Marriages
c) “HOMFRAY. — January 23, at 90, Forbes-street, Woolloomooloo, the wife of Alfred Thomas Homfray, of a daughter.”
“Births”, The Sydney Morning Herald (Sydney NSW), 26 January 1877, p. 1
d) “HOMFRAY. — May 29, at Tinonee, Manning River, Frances Lillian, infant daughter of Alfred Thomas and Alexandrina Homfray, of bronchitis, aged 4 months.”
“Daths”, The Sydney Morning Herald (Sydney NSW), 5 June 1877, p. 1
IX) Edward Alfred Homfray (1878-1955).
a) Homfray, Edward A.: Born 7 July 1878; Father: Alfred S. [sic: Alfred T.]; Mother: Alexandrina (Birth registration number: 15973/1878).
NSW Registry of Births Deaths & Marriages
b) Homfray, Edward Alfred: Died 1955; Father: Alfred Thomas; Mother: Alex [sic: Alexandrina] (Death registration number: 17547/1955).
NSW Registry of Births Deaths & Marriages
c) “HOMFRAY. — July 7, at her residence, Tinonee, Manning River, the wife of Alfred Thomas Homfray, of a son.”
“Births”, The Sydney Mail and New South Wales Advertiser (Sydney, NSW), 3 August 1878, p. 165 (5th page of that issue)
X) Florence Alexina Homfray (1880-1962)
a) Homfray, Florence Alexina: Born 1880; Father: Alfred Thomas; Mother: Alexandrina (Birth registration number: 17839/1880).
NSW Registry of Births Deaths & Marriages
b) Homfray, Florence Alexina: Died 1962; Father: 82 years [error?]; Mother: Lawson [error?] (Death registration number: 16311/1962).
NSW Registry of Births Deaths & Marriages
c) “In the will of FLORENCE ALEXINA HOMFRAY, late of Lawson, in the State of New South Wales, spinster, deceased … the said Florence Alexina Homfray, who died on the 8th June, 1962”
“In the Supreme Court of New South Wales. — Probate Jurisdiction”, Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales (Sydney, NSW), 1 March 1963, p. 596
XI) Reginald Henry Homfray (1884-1916).
a) Reginald Henry Homfray 1884 – 1916. Born in Wingham, New South Wales.
“Alexandrina Gittins (1842 – 1927)”, Ancestry
b) Report of Reginald Homfray, ship’s steward, being robbed.
“Robbing a ship’s steward”, The Australian Star (Sydney, NSW), 28 January 1903, p. 5
c) Regarding his father, Alfred Thomas Homfray: “Mr. Homfray leaves a widow, two daughters, and two sons. One son is rector at Portland, one is at sea, and the daughters are at home.”
“Hornsby”, The Cumberland Argus and Fruitgrowers’ Advocate (Parramatta, NSW), 11 July 1908, p. 10
d) “Pte. Reginald Homfray, brother of Rev. Mr. Homfray, some time since curate to Rev. Canon Alldis, Molong, was killed in France on March 18. He was attached to a Machine Gun Corps as a range-finder.”
“Personalities”, The Molong Express and Western District Advertiser (Molong, NSW), 27 May 1916, p. 10
e) “In the Estate of REGINALD HENRY HOMFRAY, late of France, Pantryman, deceased, intestate. — Application will be made after fourteen days from the publication hereof that administration of the Estate of the abovenamed deceased may be granted to ALEXANDRINA HOMFRAY, the Mother of the said deceased; and all notices may be served at the undermentioned address. Halloween, Hordon-road, Lindfield.”
“Legal notices”, The Sydney Morning Herald (Sydney, NSW), 13 May 1916, p. 7
f) “Born in Tinonee, New South Wales in 1884”
“Next of kin plaque: Private Reginald Henry Homfray, 63rd Company, Machine Gun Corps, British army”, Australian War Memorial
g) “Date of Death: 18 March 1916; Place of Death: France; Cause of Death: Killed in action; Age at Death: 32”
“Reginald Henry Homfray”, Australian War Memorial
[3] a) Homfray, Henry E.: 1862; Bride’s given name: Ellen; Bride’s family name: Gittins (Marriage registration number: 1178/1862).
NSW Registry of Births Deaths & Marriages
b) “Miss Elizabeth Gittins, who lives with her niece, Miss Homfray, at Halloween, Gordon-road, Lindfield, recently celebrated her 98th birthday.”
“98th birthday”, The Sydney Morning Herald (Sydney, NSW), 3 February 1932, p. 17
c) Death notice of Elizabeth Gittins: “GITTINS. — August 29, 1932, at her residence, 464 Gordon-road, Lindfield, Elizabeth Gittins, dearly loved aunt of Lucy, Florence, and Canon Homfray, aged 98 years.”
“Deaths”, The Sydney Morning Herald (Sydney, NSW), 30 August 1932, p. 8
d) The Post Office Directory shows both Miss Flor [Florence] Homfray and Miss Eliz [Elizabeth] Gittins living at “Halloween”, Lane Cove Road, near Provincial Road, Lindfield, NSW.
Wise’s New South Wales Post Office Directory (1929 edition), Sydney: H. Wise & Co., p. 554 (column 2)
e) “A.B.M. Office 242 Pitt Street, Sydney; Mrs. Homfray, “Halloween,” Lindfield.”
L. E. Homfray and Maud Ingoldby, Hymn for Absent Soldiers and Sailors, Sydney: A.B.M., [1915]
[4] Addresses used by Lucy Homfray:
a) Woolloomooloo (place of birth):
“On the 20th instant, at Tupo-terrace, Woolloomooloo, the wife of Alfred Thomas Homfray, of a daughter.”
“Births”, The Sydney Morning Herald (Sydney, NSW), 27 May 1873, p. 1
b) Tinonee:
Lucy’s (younger) brother Reginald was born at Tinonee in 1884.
“Next of kin plaque: Private Reginald Henry Homfray, 63rd Company, Machine Gun Corps, British army”, Australian War Memorial
“Many years ago the Homfray family lived at Tinonee for 17 years.”
“Hymn for Airmen”, The Manning River Times and Advocate for the Northern Coast Districts of New South Wales (Taree, NSW), 31 July 1940, p. 3
c) Hornsby:
“On Monday last there passed away an old resident of Hornsby in the person of Mr. Alfred Thomas Homfray. … Mr. Homfray leaves a widow, two daughters, and two sons. One son is rector at Portland, one is at sea, and the daughters are at home.”
“Hornsby”, The Cumberland Argus and Fruitgrowers’ Advocate (Parramatta, NSW), 11 July 1908, p. 10
d) Bondi Junction:
“Printed and published by D. S. Ford, 729 George Street, Sydney, for Miss Homfray, 115 Oxford Street, Bondi Junction, from whom copies may be obtained”
L. E. Homfray, Australians, Awake! And Other Poems, Sydney: D. S. Ford, [1915?]
e) Lindfield:
“A.B.M. Office 242 Pitt Street, Sydney; Mrs. Homfray, “Halloween,” Lindfield.”
L. E. Homfray and Maud Ingoldby, Hymn for Absent Soldiers and Sailors, Sydney: A.B.M., [1915]
“Further copies can be obtained from Miss Homfray, Lindfield.”
L. E. Homfray, Unfaltering to the End, Sydney: D. S. Ford (printer), [1918]
e) Bowral:
L. E. Homfray, “The Christmas Vision”, The Robertson Advocate (Robertson, NSW), 17 December 1920, p. 2
L. E. Homfray, “Compensation!, The Robertson Advocate (Robertson, NSW), 11 November 1921, p. 2
L. E. Homfray, “Echoes of the Christmas Bells”, The Robertson Advocate (Robertson, NSW), 23 December 1921, p. 2
““Tanglin,” Beecroft Road, Beecroft. November, 1929.”
L. E. Homfray, An appeal for our weaker brothers & sisters, The Wingham Chronicle, and Manning River Observer (Wingham, NSW), 29 November 1929, p. 3
L. E. Homfray, “Hymn for Airmen”, The Manning River Times and Advocate for the Northern Coast Districts of New South Wales (Taree, NSW), 31 July 1940, p. 3
[5] “Hornsby”, The Cumberland Argus and Fruitgrowers’ Advocate (Parramatta, NSW), 11 July 1908, p. 10 [obituary of Alfred Thomas Homfray; mentions Lucy Homfray’s grandfather, and the church work done by her parents]
“Canon Homfray ordained as church deacon”, The Manning River Times (Taree, NSW), 4 November 1953, p. 3
“Jottings from Canon Homfray”, The Lithgow Mercury (Lithgow, NSW), 25 February 1954, p. 6 [quote from Canon Homfray]
[6] L. E. Homfray, Australians, Awake! And Other Poems, Sydney: D. S. Ford, [1915?]
L. E. Homfray, Hymn for Absent Soldiers and Sailors, Sydney: A.B.M., [1915?]
[L. E. Homfray], ‘Somewhere in France’, Sydney: D. S. Ford, [1917?]
“Women’s news”, The Sunday Times (Sydney, NSW ), 16 September 1917, p. 14 [regarding Voices of Anzac and War Chest Day]
L. E. Homfray, Unfaltering to the End, Sydney: D. S. Ford, [1918?]
“Next of kin plaque: Private Reginald Henry Homfray, 63rd Company, Machine Gun Corps, British army”, Australian War Memorial
“Alexandrina Gittins (1842 – 1927)”, Ancestry [Alexandrina Homfray, née Gittins, was born in Shropshire, as was Alfred Thomas Homfray]
[7] “News of the day”, The Sydney Morning Herald (Sydney, NSW), 14 January 1885, p. 9 [“A pleasing subscription was received from a little girl — Miss Lucy Homfray — amounting to £6, which had been collected by her in small sums not exceeding 6d. each.”]
L. E. Homfray, “An appeal for our weaker brothers & sisters”, The Wingham Chronicle, and Manning River Observer (Wingham, NSW), 29 November 1929, p. 3
[8] L. E. Homfray, “The economies of Binks”, The Capricornian (Rockhampton, Qld.), 9 December 1921, pp. 14-15 of “The Capricornian Illustrated Christmas Supplement 1921”
[9] “Brevities”, Lithgow Mercury (Lithgow NSW), 28 September 1951, p. 2
“Lucy Everett Homfray (1873-1951)”, Ancestry
[10] “Pars and Personals”, The Wingham Chronicle and Manning River Observer (Wingham, NSW), 2 October 1951, p. 2
See also: “Brevities”, Lithgow Mercury (Lithgow NSW), 28 September 1951, p. 2
[11] “Personal”, Lithgow Mercury (Lithgow, NSW), 10 January 1952, p. 6
Updated 13 November 2023
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