I call Henry "Somerville Henry" to distinguish him from Henry Gomm of Rosebud (also his brothers, William and Thomas)and their father whom I refer to as Convict Henry. When Somerville Henry claimed in his 1888 biography to have been born in 1839 and come to the colony in the same year, I suspected that he was trying to conceal something, perhaps that he was the son of Convict Henry. After six months of research, I discovered that he had arrived in 1843 aged 4, and years later I found his obituary*, very detailed and correct! If I'd found the obituary in the first place, Graham Whitehead's fascinating story may never had been written.
TWO DISTINCT GOMM FAMILIES

*The obituary and much detail about the family are included in my MURRAY GOMM journal whose link can be found in the HARRY FALBY GOMM information at the end of this journal.

THIS JOURNAL IS BEING WRITTEN IN PREPARATION FOR A JOURNAL ABOUT SOMERVILLE'S STREET AND PLACE NAMES AND ALSO TO ESTABLISH WHERE THE CHILDREN WERE BORN.

MOORmeans the parish of Moorabbin and a comparison of the parish map
and Melway reveals that it adjoined the parish of Prahran at North Rd, extended from the bay to Warrigal Rd and went all the way south to Ricketts Point and the south end of Warrigal Rd.

FRANKSTON as a place of birth could mean the PARISH OF FRANKSTON, north of Eramosa Rd West, particularly the triangle bounded by Gomms Rd and Frankston Flinders Rd (Melway 107 D11.)

Additional information in bold type comes from my manuscript THE MYSTERIOUS HENRY GOMM, OBTAINED FROM ROOTSWEB.

HENRY AND MARGARET'S MARRIAGE.
EventMarriage Event registration number3735 Registration year1859
Personal information
Family nameGOMM Given namesHenry SexMale Spouse's family nameMONK Spouse's given namesMargaret
17-10-1859 at St. Peter's, Melbourne. Witnesses: Alfred Monk and Fanny Gomm.
-------------------------------------------------------------

THE CHILDREN OF HENRY AND MARGARET.
EventBirth Event registration number17325 Registration year1860
Personal information
Family nameGOMM Given namesGeorge SexUnknown Father's nameHenry Mother's nameMargaret (Monk) Place of birthMOOR
Married Amelia Andrews.
Confirmation.
EventMarriage Event registration number8562 Registration year1888
Personal information
Family nameGOMM Given namesGeorge SexMale Spouse's family nameANDREWS Spouse's given namesAmelia

George died in 1937.
EventDeath Event registration number17010 Registration year1937
Personal information
Family nameGOMM Given namesGeorge SexMale Father's nameGOMM Henry Mother's nameMargt (Monk) Place of birth Place of deathSOMERVILLE Age76
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EventBirth Event registration number13449 Registration year1862
Personal information
Family nameGOMM Given namesUnnamed Male SexUnknown Father's nameHenry Mother's nameMargaret (Monk) Place of birthMOOR Ditto.
(It is presumed that this child died soon after birth and that the age (vaguely recorded as 1) means 1 day.
EventDeath Event registration number6247 Registration year1862
Personal information
Family nameGOMM Given namesUnnamed Male SexUnknown Father's nameHenry Mother's nameMargaret (U) Place of birthMOOR Place of death Age1)
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EventBirth Event registration number1364 Registration year1864
Personal information
Family nameGOMM Given namesFrances Elizabeth SexUnknown Father's nameHenry Mother's nameMargaret (Monk) Place of birthMOOR
Married George Vincent Coate at Ballarat in 1891.
Confirmation.
EventMarriage Event registration number329 Registration year1891
Personal information
Family nameGOMM Given namesFrances Elizth SexFemale Spouse's family nameCOATE Spouse's given namesGeo Vincent

Frances died in 1940.
EventDeath Event registration number3285 Registration year1940
Personal information
Family nameCOATE Given namesFrances Elizabeth SexFemale Father's nameGOMM Henry Mother's nameMargaret (Monk) Place of birthCHELTENHAM VICTORIA Place of deathIVANHOE Age75
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EventBirth Event registration number23996 Registration year1866
Personal information
Family nameGOMM Given namesMinnie SexUnknown Father's nameHenry Mother's nameMargaret (Monk) Place of birthFRANKSTON
Married George Edward Shepherd. Death/burial 30-8-1955, St Kilda.
Confirmation.
EventMarriage Event registration number5840 Registration year1885
Personal information
Family nameGOMM Given namesMinnie Ann SexFemale Spouse's family nameSHEPHERD Spouse's given namesGeorge Edward

EventDeath Event registration number9957 Registration year1955
Personal information
Family nameSHEPHERD Given namesMinnie Ann SexFemale Father's nameGOMM Henry Mother's nameMargaret (Monk) Place of birthSOMERVILLE Place of deathST KILDA EAST Age89
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EventBirth Event registration number14811 Registration year1869
Personal information
Family nameGOMM Given namesHenry Ernest SexUnknown Father's nameHenry Mother's nameMargaret (Monk) Place of birthCOLL'WOOD
I was unfamiliar with this name so I checked if he'd died young . The age,1, could mean a day or a month. EventDeath Event registration number7913 Registration year1869
Personal information
Family nameGOMM Given namesHenry Ernest SexUnknown Father's nameHenry Mother's nameMargaret (Monk) Place of birthCOLL Place of death Age1 Ditto.
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EventBirth Event registration number14543 Registration year1870
Personal information
Family nameGOMM Given namesAngelina May SexUnknown Father's nameHenry Mother's nameMargaret (Monk) Place of birthCHEL (Cheltenham!) Died 1952, Victoria.
Confirmation.
EventDeath Event registration number14863 Registration year1952
Personal information
Family nameGOMM Given namesAngelina May SexFemale Father's nameGOMM Henry Mother's nameMargaret (Monk) Place of birthCHELTENHAM Place of deathASCOT VALE Age83
If I remember correctly Angelina died at David and Beatrice Graf's house in Temperance Township, Ascot Vale. My memory WAS correct!
GOMM, Angelina May, - On De-
cember 17, at 19 Bloomfield road,
Ascotvale, dearly loved daughter of
the late Henry and Margaret Gomm,
of Glenhoya, Somerville, and loved
sister of George (deceased), Harry
(W.A.,) Min (Mrs Shepherd), Fan
(Mrs Coate, deceased) Jess (Mrs
Devlin), Ted, Bert, and Beatrice
(Mrs Graf, deceased), aged 83
years - R. I. P. (P.15, Argus, 18-12-1952.)

An application for probate of Beatrice's will (The Age Thursday 24 July 1952 p 7) gives her late address as 19 Bloomfield Rd.
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EventBirth Event registration number9368 Registration year1873
Personal information
Family nameGOMM Given namesHarry Fallby SexUnknown Father's nameHenry Mother's nameMargaret (Monk) Place of birthFRANKSTON MarriedCatherine Rogers at Albany, W.A. in 1900.
Confirmation. See HENRY FALBY GOMM after Victorian BDM records.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

EventBirth Event registration number22982 Registration year1875
Personal information
Family nameGOMM Given namesCharles Edward SexUnknown Father's nameHenry Mother's nameMargaret (Monk) Place of birthFRAN Died Chelsea 1960. Married Annie Julia Henderson 1899, Langwarrin.
Confirmation.
EventDeath Event registration number5108 Registration year1960
Personal information
Family nameGOMM Given namesCharles Edward SexMale Father's nameGOMM Henry Mother's nameMargaret (Monk) Place of birthSOMERVILLE Place of deathCHELTENHAM Age84

EventMarriage Event registration number2252 Registration year1899
Personal information
Family nameGOMM Given namesChas Edw SexUnknown Spouse's family nameHENDERSON Spouse's given namesAnnie Julia
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EventBirth Event registration number9193 Registration year1878
Personal information
Family nameGOMM Given namesIsabella Jessie SexUnknown Father's nameHenry Mother's nameMargaret (Monk) Place of birthFR AN Married Oliver Percy Devlin in 1901* at Sth. Fitzroy.
Confirmation. The marriage record states 1900 but this could be a typo.
EventMarriage Event registration number6187 Registration year1900
Personal information
Family nameGOMM Given namesIsabella Jessie SexUnknown Spouse's family nameDEVLIN Spouse's given namesOliver Percival

She died in 1958.
EventDeath Event registration number5897 Registration year1958
Personal information
Family nameDEVLIN Given namesIsobel Jessie SexFemale Father's nameGOMM Henry Mother's nameMargaret (Monk) Place of birthSOMERVILLE Place of deathMIDDLE BRIGHTON Age80
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"PADDY"
EventBirth Event registration number15902 Registration year1880
Personal information
Family nameGOMM Given namesWilliam Herbert SexUnknown Father's nameHenry Mother's nameMragaret (Monk) Place of birthFRANKSTON
Married Jean Firth 1915, Victoria.
Confirmation.
EventMarriage Event registration number10026 Registration year1915
Personal information
Family nameFIRTH Given namesJean SexUnknown Spouse's family nameGOMM Spouse's given namesWm Herbt

From my Murray Gomm journal (link below.)
Murray's grandfather was generally known as Paddy but also sometimes as Herb.
The wedding of Mr Wm Herbert (Paddy) Gomm, 'Glenhoya,' Somerville, to Jean, eldest daughter of the late Wm Firth and Mrs Firth*. 'Orkney Farm.' Somerville, was quiety celebrated at St Anslem's Church of England, Middle Park, on November 20, the Rev A P McFarlane being the officiating clergyman.
(P.2, Dandenong Advertiser and Cranbourne Berwick and Oakleigh Advocate Advertiser, 9-12-1915.)
(*Nee Ann Scott, the first white child (or girl?) born at Somerville.)

Paddy died in 1963.
EventDeath Event registration number12631 Registration year1963
Personal information
Family nameGOMM Given namesWilliam Herbert SexMale Father's nameGOMM Henry Mother's nameMargaret (Monk) Place of birthSomerville Place of deathHastings Age83
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EventBirth Event registration number16362 Registration year1882
Personal information
Family nameGOMM Given namesBeatrice Ethel SexUnknown Father's nameHenry Mother's nameMargaret (Monk) Place of birthFRAN
Married David George* Graf (born 1872, Shepherd's Flat)in 1909, Victoria.
Confirmation.
EventMarriage Event registration number5706 Registration year1909
Personal information
Family nameGOMM Given namesBeatrice Ethel SexUnknown Spouse's family nameGRAF Spouse's given namesDavid Jno*

The marriage report gives the groom's initial as J, not G.
Wedding. GRAF-GOMM. A wedding of local importance was celebrated quietly at St. Mary's Star of the Sea, West Melbourne, on Wednesday last, the contracting parties being Mr David J. Graf, of Ascot Vale and Miss Beatrice Ethel Gomm, youngest daughter of Mr and Mrs H. Gomm, "Glenhoya" Somerville. The bride, who wore a handsome dress of cream crepe de cheyne, over glace silk, was given away by her brother, Mr C. E.Gomm, Mr W. H. Gomm acting as groomsman. The bridegroom's gifts to the bride were a handsome pearl pendant and beautifully bound prayer book. The happy couple left by the Sydney express for the Blue Mountains where they will spend their honeymoon. The bride's travelling dress was a tailor made costume of Navy blue with wedgewood blue hat. The presents were numerous, many being received from the Victorian railway staff.(P.2, Mornington and Dromana Standard, 14-8-1909.)
Beatrice died in 1952.
EventDeath Event registration number3714 Registration year1952
Personal information
Family nameGRAF Given namesBeatrice Ethel SexFemale Father's nameGOMM Henry Mother's nameMargaret (Monk) Place of birthFRANKSTON Place of deathASCOT VALE Age69

It seems that the rootsweb source had the right birth place for David Graf, Shepherds Flat being between Franklinford and Hepburn Springs on the back road to Dayleford, but the wrong second given name for him. This is definitely the husband of Beatrice.
EventDeath Event registration number4381 Registration year1940
Personal information
Family nameGRAF Given namesDavid John SexMale Father's nameGRAF David Mother's nameJulia (Bell) Place of birthDAYLESFORD VICTORIA Place of deathASCOT VALE Age68

This was probably their first child.
EventDeath Event registration number5846 Registration year1972
Personal information
Family nameGRAF Given namesHenry David SexMale Father's nameGRAF David John Mother's nameBeatrice Ethel (Gomm) Place of birthFlemington Place of deathAscot Vale Age62
##############################################################################################

HARRY FALBY GOMM.
(From comments under my MURRAY GOMM journal.)
Henry's boy who went west.

PARENTS
HENRY THOMAS GOMM b.1838,WHEATLEY OXFORDSHIRE ENGLAND
MARGARET MONK B.1842, BIERTON BUCKINGHAMSHIRE ENGLAND

HARRY FALBY GOMM
born 24 02 1873, FRANKSTON VIC
died 02 02 1962, KALGOORLIE WA

FAMILY LIST
SPOUSE: CATHERINE ROGERS,B 1866, M 1900 ALBANY WA, D 1950.

CHILDREN
HENRY CHAMBERS GOMM,B 1900 ALBANY WA
FRANCIS WILLIAM GOMM, B 1902 ALBANY WA, D 1987
THOMAS FALBY GOMM, B 1904 ALBANY WA, D 1939
CHARLES GORDON GOMM, B 1905,ALBANY WA
JACK M H GOMM, B 1906 PLANTAGENET WA, D 1980
CATHERINE MAY GOMM, B 1908 ALBANY WA

ELECTORAL ROLL
Year Surname First Name Gender Residence Occupation
1903 GOMM HARRY FELBOY M BRUNSWICK ROAD LABOURER
1912 GOMM HARRY F M KALGAN RIVER FARMER
1922 GOMM HARRY FALBY M KALGAN RIVER FARMER

albany wa - Great Southern Pioneers

Harry Falby Gomm's service details from MAPPING OUR ANZACS.
Service number 24526
Place of birth Frankston, VIC, Australia
Place of enlistment Blackboy Hill, WA, Australia
Next of kin Gomm, Catherine (wife)
WWI file B2455, GOMM H F

Harry's great-grandson, Kevin Gomm, has a publishing company called DIGGER PRESS. The website for DIGGER PRESS shows that Kevin looks very similar to our local footy hero. It also reveals that Harry fought in France and Belgium during W.W.1, suffering from the effects of mustard gas. He had earlier served as an armed guardsman at the Princess Royal Fortress at Albany throughout the 1890's.

Harry's second son, Frank (see previous comment)was Kevin's grandfather and was one of the key individuals who oversaw the bringing of the Desert Corps Memorial from Egypt and its erection on Mount Clarence at Albany. Frank was awarded the BRITISH EMPIRE MEDAL for services to Legacy. Kevin's father, Brian was a National Serviceman and a talented pianist. We all know that Darwin was bombed during W.W.2 but it comes as a surprise to me that Western Australian towns suffered air raids too. Drawing on his family traditions, Kevin was an accomplished musician but is now the foremost authority on Western Australia military history relative to W.W.2.

Did the musical talent come from the Gomms?
Gunner Gomm was heard on the local concert platform for the first time in the song "Little Nell," and received a fair share of applause.
(P.3, Albany Advertiser, 4-11-1899.)

The Misses Grant sang a couple of duets very well; Mr H.Gomm doing justice to two very fine songs. (P.2, Mornington Standard, 29-3-1894.CONCERT AT MORNINGTON JUNCTION.)N.B. Mornington Junction had been known as Baxter's Flat until a railway line branched off to Mornington, and is now known as Baxter. Was this Henry, who was extremely deaf by 1899, or Harry, before his departure to the west?

Dance music was also supplied by Mrs Griffiths and Miss Jessie Gomm.
(P.2, Mornington Standard, 7-7-1898.) Mr H.Gomm Snr rendered an item but it was unclear whether he sang or recited. Ted (Charles Edward)certainly sang and Isabella Jessie obviously played an instrument.

So it seems as if military historian,Kevin Gomm, inherited at least part of his musical ability from Somerville genes! The big question now is whether Murray can sing !!!

We know the link between the Gomms of Somerville, Victoria and Albany, Western Australia was Harry Falby Gomm. While trying to find details of Harry's involvement in the council at Albany or an obituary on google, I found details of his son, Thomas Falby Gomm's wedding in 1932 on the outback pioneers website.
WesG - Outback Family History
outbackfamilyhistory.com.au/Miscellany/WesG.htm‎
GOMM Thomas Felby, 1932 Dec 12, Norseman. Methodist Church, HARSLETT Lilian Grace Allen, Ba/Prospector, Albany, Norseman, GOMM Harry Felby/ ...

And then I found that the W.A. branch of the family had its own MURRAY Gomm.
In view of not having found any marital connection with a Murray family, I can only assume that the name was part of the family folklore taken west by Harry. (See after the ORANJE TRACTOR excerpt.)

Oranje Tractor | Our Story
www.oranjetractor.com/OurStory.aspx‎
His story: Murray Gomm. Murray was raised in the Albany region, on a dairy farm and fled, as most school-leavers do, to continue his education in Perth.
His story: Murray Gomm
Murray was raised in the Albany region, on a dairy farm and fled, as most school-leavers do, to continue his education in Perth. Although he studied physical education, most of his work has been in the health promotion field. He has a naturally 'green thumb' which he clearly inherited from his mother, and a penchant for hard work like his father - who is still farming on the adjacent property. Murray is the creative genius of the oranje tractor team: he took the photo of the tractor that's been used on the label, and he developed the name oranje tractor.

THE MURRAY-GOMM CONNECTION?
Harry probably played cricket with the Murray boys.(P.S. note DEVLIN!)
Somerville Railways play Hastings on the ground of the former, whose team will be chosen from the following, Docwra, Barrett, Harboard, Gomm 3, Beauland, Devlin, Rule Murray and Firth. (P.2, Mornington Standard, 4-1-1894.)


While the majority of the Murray grants were on the south side of Mornington-Tyabb Rd between Stumpy Gully and Coolart Rds (14AB, 13, 8A Bittern of 445 acres) and 6A Tyabb (144 acres granted 1875, Melway 107 G8, Inghams site)the following death notice indicates that the Murrays would have been well acquainted with the Gomms outside of sport and possibly great friends. The post office was probably diagonally across the railway crossing from Henry Gomm's Somerville Hotel.

Mornington Standard (Vic. : 1889 - 1908) Saturday 16 August 1890 Edition: MIRNING. p 2 Family Notices
... Death. MURRAY--On the 7th August, at her residence, Somerville, Elizabeth, the dearly beloved wife of Charles Murray, and only daughter of James Grant, post- master, Somerville. Deeply regretted.