This photograph was probably taken in the 1880's when Sophia Povey was a pupil teacher.
SS No 2047 Digby
1866 : Sophia Povey - student
1880 : Sophia Povey - teacher
1889 : Sophia Povey - marriage
1907 : Digby Pupils 1907 (photo)
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Extracts from "Vision and Realisation", edited by E. J. Blake and published in 1973 to celebrate the centenary of state education in Victoria was a three volume history of State Education in Victoria and it provided the following information on the two Digby Schools
191 DIGBY and 2047 DIGBY
Digby Common School No 191 opened in 1864 with 54 pupils. The enrolment age of the youngest pupil was 2 years and 6 months, while several others were under 3. SS 2047 Digby opened in a Brick Building in 1878. In 1880 the enrolment was 104. A weatherboard house was built in 1890 as a teacher's residence. During 1938 the old brick school was demolished and a new wooden building officially opened on 28th October 1838 by W. H. Ellwood, Chief Inspector of Schools. A fence and gate pillars were built using the stones from the foundations of the old brick school, by HT A. R. Whatmore, later Director-General of Social Welfare. Over the years the population dwindled until in 1969 only 20 pupils attended.
Sophia Povey - a pupil at SS 2047, 1866 - 1880
Sophia Grey Povey (also called Sophia Townsend) was the youngest child of Joseph Povey and Ann Livingston when born at Deep Creek (Greenwald), Victoria in 1862. Sophia was only four when her mother died from tuberculosis at Dartmoor in 1866 and the legacy of this disease was to decimate her family in that two of her brothers died in the 1870's, Sophia herself died from it in 1904 when only 41 as well as one of her daughters. Sophia is buried in the Ararat Cemetery.
Sophia was raised by Matthew Townsend and his second wife Euphemia McKinnon at the Digby Post Office/Store after the death of her mother in 1866. She attended the nearby school, SS 2047 Digby as a pupil from 1866 to 1880, after which she became a pupil teacher at the same school.
Matthew Townsend had been born in Kirtling, Cambridgeshire, England in 1832, son of Jack & Elizabeth Townsend and arrived in Victoria ca. 1853. He first married Eliza McKENZIE in 1859 and after she died in 1865 he married Euphemia McKinnon in 1866. There were no children from either marriage. Matthew died in Portland in 1918 and is buried in the Digby Cemetery.
Sophia Povey - a pupil teacher at SS 2047, 1880 - 1888
Sophia Povey became a pupil teacher 4th Class on 15 Dec 1880 at the age of 18 years 4 months at SS 2047 Digby. She remained at the school rising to 1st Class on 30 Jun 1887. Apart from two weeks as a temporary assistant at SS 1978 Branxholme from 14 Apr 1888 to 25 Apr 1888, she remained at Digby until posted as a temporary assistant to SS 2665 Bringalbert on 30 Jul 1888. She resigned at the end of August as she was to marry George Moulden at Digby in September, 1889.
Sophia Povey married George Moulden - Digby 1889
On the 25th of September 1899 at St. John's Church of England, Digby, Sophia Grey Povey, aged 27, from Goroke, married George Moulden, aged 31, Auctioneer Agent & Manager from Goroke. Witnesses to the wedding were Sophia's guardian, Matthew Townsend and Sophia's brother, Thomas Povey. The officiating Minister was Henry Kendall. Sophia and George's wedding was reported in the local paper:
HAMILTON SPECTATOR
1st. Oct. 1889
The usually quiet township of Digby was particularly lively last Wednesday, in consequence of a most interesting event, viz., the wedding of a young lady who had been associated with the township from infancy, and who has taken an active part in many movements calculated to benefit its inhabitants. I allude to Miss Sophia G. Povey, the adopted daughter of Mr. M. Townsend, and who was lead to the hymeneal altar by Mr. G. Moulden of Goroke. The ceremony was performed by the Rev. R. Kendall in St. John's Church, which had been tastefully decorated for the occasion. The bride looked charming, robed in a lavender corded satin, with suitable bridal adornments, and accompanied by a bevy of most captivating bridesmaids. After the ceremony the officiating minister suitably addressed the newly-wedded couple, referring feelingly to the past useful career of the bride, and on behalf of the Girl's Friendly Society, presented Mrs. Moulden with a beautifully bound Bible. Mr. Wade then, on behalf of the state school, in which Mrs. Moulden had formerly been a pupil teacher, presented a gold locket, a very nice address being at the same time read by Master Wade; next followed a presentation of a valuable gold watch given by Mr. G. Simpkin on behalf of the church choir, which the recipient had conducted for many years. The presents were gracefully acknowledged by the bridegroom. After the usual congratulations an adjournment was made to the Foresters' Hall, where a most sumptuous breakfast was laid, and to which some eighty guests sat down. Shortly afterwards, the happy pair proceeded to their new home at Goroke, accompanied by many good wishes. A ball, in honour of the occasion, followed, the votaries of Terpsichore tripping it on the light fantastic until daylight next morning. This brought to a conclusion one of the most pleasant events that it has been my lot to chronicle, and which, for both method and liberality, reflects the highest credit upon the host and hostess, Mr. and Mrs. Townsend.
George Moulden, Sophia Povey and Daughters
