Eileen O’Moore married Robert Mitchell on the 12th October 1899 on board the Rhouma. She was born Lydia Elizabeth Doyle in Australia in 1873, the daughter and 8th child of Charles Edward Doyle and Emily Rosalie nee McKay.
The New Zealand newspapers fill in some of the story.
Violinist Eileen O’Moore, previously known as Bessie Doyle, was described as a ‘young and beautiful artist who rendered pieces by Spohr, Ernst and Tschaikovsky with mingled vigour and refinement’. At another concert in January 1898, ‘she played with perfect command over her instrument, her delicate and masterful execution being wonderful and delightful’. Other articles praise her health and vigour as she treks round New Zealand by horseback giving classical music concerts en route. It would appear possible that Robert and George met her while they were in New Zealand, although she travelled widely. There is at one point confusion in the papers as it is expected that she marry George Bullough, to whom of course she was considerably nearer in age. One of the papers says ‘New Zealand has been credited as the birthplace of Miss O’Moore, who is well known as a violinist of exceptional ability, but it is pretty well known that she is the daughter of a New South Wales squatter’.
She seems to have frequently changed her name, born Lydia Elizabeth Doyle, she married Louis Reginald Northey in April 1894, subsequently divorcing him in 1897. Known on stage as Eileen O’Moore, after her marriage to Robert Mitchell she took the name of Eileen Mitchell O’Moore.