10 November 1865 Central Hotel 191 Charles Street Launceston Tasmania Australia James Davidson Jessie May, Leslie Keith, Margery Alice, Isabel Jean & John Alexander

Laura Isabella Morton was born on 10 Nov 1865, the eldest daughter and third child of Thomas Morton (1840-1906), assistant draper, shopkeeper and later publican, and his wife Elizabeth Jessie Wood (1842-1887) who were married at Westbury in 1861. Thomas was from Berwick on Tweed, Scotland. Laura was baptised at the Methodist Church in Westbury on 23 Dec 1865.

The family moved to Launceston in 1886 when Laura was 21. Her father became the licensee of the Central Family Hotel in Charles Street. Her mother died there the following year, on 14 Sep 1887. Thomas was at the Central Hotel for 14 years, until he took over the licence of the Cornwall Hotel in Cameron Street in 1899. He died aged 66 on 11 Jun 1906.

Laura married James Davidson and moved to Hobart where their five children were born between 1892 and 1899. Laura died unexpectedly, and was buried on 14 May 1901 aged 34. Her son Leslie died in 1902 just after his eighth birthday. The Davidson family remained in Hobart following Laura's death. Her sister Alice and brother Francis are also pictured in the Family Album. Miss Morton, probably Laura, was a soprano in the Exhibition Choir in 1891-92.

Jennie Chapman Oct 2006 & Marion Sargent Aug 2009