Sophia Elvina BABB
Name: BABB Sophia Elvina
Date of Birth: 1888
Birth Location: Williamstown, Victoria.
Maiden Name: DUNKLEY
Also Known As: Sophie
Age at Burial: 39 years
Date of Death: November 21, 1927
Death Location: SJOG Hospital, Bunbury
Date of Burial: November 23, 1927
Denomination: Anglican B
Row/Grave: Row 6 / Grave 78
Grave Transcription:
SOPHIA BABB
LOVED MOTHER OF KEN
1888 – 1927
Father: George Albert Dunkley born: June 8, 1864, Burton Latimer, Northamptonshire, England. Died: August 10, 1919. Buried Capel Cemetery.
Married: May 19, 1886, Melbourne, Victoria.
Mother: Harriet Amelia McLeish born: August 17, 1870, Launceston, Tasmania. Died: February 9, 1947. Buried Capel Cemetery.
Grandfather (Father): Henry Dunkley born:1835 Cranford, Northamptonshire, England. Died: Unknown
Married: October 29, 1858, Kettering, Northamptonshire.
Grandmother (Father): Lucy “Sophia” Arthur born: 1837 Burton Latimer, Northamptonshire, England. Died: Burial – May 23, 1869, Burton Latimer, Northamptonshire.
Grandfather (Mother): Alexander “Sandy” McLeish born: March 22, 1839, Launceston, Tasmania. Died: January 24, 1885, Buried Pentridge Prison Cemetery, Victoria.
Married: September 7, 1859, Launceston, Tasmania.
Grandmother (Mother): Elizabeth Simpson born: 1836 Scotland. Died: March 1, 1882, Buried Melbourne General Cemetery.
Siblings:
George Alexander Dunkley born: 1891, Footscray, Victoria. Died: March 12, 1945. Buried Yelbeni Cemetery. Married: 1916 Victoria Fitzgerald Conder.
Ruby Elizabeth / Hepzibah Dunkley born: 1893, Footscray, Victoria. Died: July 19, 1913. Buried Capel Cemetery.
Thirza Netherlea Dunkley born: December 15, 1896, Footscray, Victoria. Died: December 3, 1995. Buried Capel Cemetery. Married: December 15, 1919 Edwin Raymond “Joe” Upson.
Frederick William “Bill” Dunkley born: 1899, Footscray, Victoria. Died: July 1, 1912. Buried Capel Cemetery.
Henry Thomas “Brown” Dunkley born: October 20, 1902, Footscray, Victoria. Died: March 1, 1956. Buried Capel Cemetery. Married: 1926 Ursula Roberts Shiel.
Frank Stirling “Pat” Dunkley born: December 23, 1905, Bunbury, W.A. Died: August 4, 1956. Buried Wagin Cemetery. Married: 1933 Vera Treloar.
Alfred Ernest “Alf” Dunkley born: June 17, 1908, Bunbury, W.A. Died: October 17, 1998. Buried Capel Cemetery. Married: 1940 Gwenyth Clarinda Negus.
Unnamed Male Dunkley stillborn: October 31,1910, Bunbury, W.A. Buried Bunbury Pioneer Cemetery.
Spouse: Charles Cassimer Babb born: October 4, 1892, Hartland, England. Died: October 8,1974. Buried Karrakatta Cemetery.
Married: 1925, Perth.
Children:
Kenneth George Babb born: September 28, 1920, Perth. Died: August 31, 2007. Ashes Busselton Cemetery Niche Wall. Married: April 10, 1948, Capel, Edna Marjorie “Marj” Eaton.
Occupation: Farmer, Home duties.
Their Story
George Dunkley and Harriet McLeish met in about 1885 in Victoria and married the following year on May 19, 1886, in Melbourne. Their first child, a daughter, Sophia Elvina Dunkley, was born in 1888, in Williamstown where they were living in Dover Road. George was working as a dairyman. George and Harriet then leased a small farm at Rye where they grew vegetables, made hay and milked cows. Their little family soon grew with the birth of George jnr. in 1891, Ruby, 1893 and Thirza in 1896. It was around this time when they had saved enough money to buy a small farm in Carrum, Victoria. They continued to farm as they had in Rye and their family continued to grow. Frederick William, or Bill as he was known was born in 1899, and Henry Thomas, known as Brown in 1902.
Sophia was 6 in 1894 and would have started school at Rye, and then to Carrum School when the family moved. George jnr. and Ruby would have accompanied Sophia on the walk when they started in 1897 and 1899. The children had to walk the cows to their day paddock on their way to school and then bring them home again on their way back in the afternoon. They always had jobs to do. As Sophia got older, she helped her mother milk the cows both morning and night. On Sundays, Harriet and the children went to the Presbyterian Church that was close by. Sophia’s aunts and uncles came to visit, she and the other children would have played with their cousins.
In winter 1903, the Patterson River that was nearby, burst its banks and flooded the Dunkley farm, ruining the vegetable crops and soaking the haystack, which after a couple of weeks caught fire and burnt. The Dunkley’s had heard farmland was becoming available in Western Australia. George decided to travel to WA to see if he thought there were opportunities for the family to farm there. When he went home to Carrum, the decision was made to sell their small farm and move to WA. They kept 13 of their cattle, a pony, the wagon and all their household possessions. In mid February, 1904, George, Harriet, their six children, the cattle, pony and wagon full of household possessions were loaded on the ship “Pilbarra”, headed for the Port of Fremantle in WA. The 7 day journey was very rough. Sophia and Ruby had to milk the cows on the trip. Harriet spent most of her time in the cabin with sea sickness. It must have been a great relief when the ship docked at Fremantle on February 20. The family and their belongings then boarded a train to Wonnerup Siding, just out of Busselton.
George hired two big horses to pull the family’s wagon, and they set off through the bush towards Nannup, headed for the Manjimup district, where they had heard land was available. Sophia, now 16, and her brother George took turns riding the pony and keeping the cattle together and moving in the right direction. She and Ruby milked the cows on the way. They all slept on the ground under the wagon which had a tarpaulin draped over the top to make a tent. Harriet cooked damper in the campfire coals each night so they had bread for the next day. When getting closer to Manjimup, Sophia’s father and brother, George went ahead to look at the land they hoped to farm. On their return, Mother, Harriet told her husband that she had seen in a local paper that the Busselton Creamery was opening, providing farmers with a market for their milk and cream. After finding that there wasn’t anything in the district where they were headed, she made the decision to go back the way they had come and return to Wonnerup. The family trekked back, and George leased a small farm on the Sabina River near the estuary.
Sophia, George jnr., Ruby and Thirza walked to and from school in West Street, Busselton each day. Sophia and Ruby milked the cows each morning and afternoon, before and after school. The family remained on this farm for 9 months, until the Stirling Estate was opened for sale in early 1905. The family had been allocated two 14 acre blocks on the low lying ground not far from the Capel River. So once again, they packed up their belongings and went to the Stirling Estate. Here they again made a tent from their tarpaulin and a large tuart log that formed the back wall.
There wasn’t a school on the Stirling Estate, but the children remained busy. They collected wood for their mother so she could keep them well fed and warm over winter. Sophia, Ruby and Thirza looked after the milking, while George jnr. helped his father fence their two allotments. Sophia, being the eldest probably took charge of the younger children’s education. Sophia’s mother Harriet went to hospital in Bunbury for the birth of another baby, Frank, known as Pat, at the end of 1905. There were many children on the Stirling Estate, so the families got together a petition to the Government asking them to provide a school. Towards the end of 1906 the Stirling State School opened and approximately 30 children attended. Ruby, Thirza and Bill walked two miles to and from school each day. Sophia, now 18, stayed at home helping on the farm. They had now acquired more land on higher ground. The family were building a home on this land out of timber that was milled nearby. George jnr. was helping his father or neighbouring farmers.
In 1908,when Sophia was 20, her father became a member of the Capel Roads Board and the Stirling Drainage Committee. Her brother, George jnr. went to the Wheatbelt to work and her mother had another baby son, Alfred. Brown was now going to the Stirling school with the other children. This appeared to be Ruby’s last year at school.
Sophia and Ruby did a lot of the lighter farm work. Their father was clearing and fencing the land and making improvements when they could afford them. They were now growing crops to make chaff for the working horses. Sophia and Ruby were still in charge of the milking and then helped churn the butter after the milk had been cooled down the well. They had a good vegetable garden and had planted fruit trees and some vines, so there was rarely a quiet moment. Their father was also fencing other allotments for absentee owners to bring in the extra money. Again, Harriet went to Bunbury for the birth of her ninth child, in October 1910. Sadly, the baby boy was stillborn. Pat started school at the beginning of 1911, so again there were four Dunkley children going to Stirling School.
The new agricultural hall had opened in Capel in 1911. It provided the community with a wonderful social centre and was well used. Sophia, Ruby and Thirza would have enjoyed many opportunities to go to dances and functions, meeting up with friends and other young people of the district.
Sophia’s father was elected Chairman of the Capel Roads Board in early 1912. Meetings and other public duties meant that Sophia and Ruby, along with their mother Harriet had extra work to do on the farm. In June 1912, Bill complained of a sore foot. His foot continued to get worse until it became too painful to walk, and he was unwell. Harriet took Bill to Bunbury to see a doctor, where he was put into hospital. The doctor treated Bill’s foot, but nothing helped. Bill died on July 1, 1912, from blood poisoning. It was thought to have come from a splinter in his foot. The family came together with the community for the funeral of 13 year old Bill the next day.
The following year, George was not re-elected as Chairman of the Roads Board but remained an active member. Sophia and the others helped with the planting and digging of the potato crops on land near the river. Sophia, Ruby and their mother were now milking 30 cows, morning and night. The other children all had jobs to do too. Their father, George continued clearing the land, with the help of gelignite for the big tuart and red gum trees. He had employed a Mr Block, to help him with the heavier work. George often put the gelignite near the stove in the kitchen when it had sweated, or the weather was cold. This helped warm it ready for use in the paddocks.
On Saturday morning, July 19, 1913, about 3 weeks after the 1 year anniversary of Bill’s death, George put his packet of gelignite on the side of the stove to warm and went out to see Mr Block about the day’s work. Ruby had stayed in the house whilst the rest of the family had gone to start the milking and other work. They heard a loud explosion coming from the direction of the house and saw sheets of tin and timber flying in the air. George ran from the paddock to find Ruby lying in the rubble of the house with both her legs shattered. He carried her to the bedroom, sent some of the children to Capel to summon a doctor and others to neighbours for help. They tried to calm and comfort Ruby but could do little else. Even when two doctors came, one from Busselton and the other from Bunbury, there was nothing to be done for poor Ruby and she passed away within a short time. Once again, the family and the community came together for the funeral. Ruby was placed in with her brother, Bill, on July 20.
The Dunkley family must have wondered what was going to happen next. Sophia and Ruby had worked together on the farm, helping their mother and father establish “Summerlea”. Thirza now helped Sophia on the farm. They did the milking, fed the pigs and probably the calves. The only parts of the house still standing after the explosion were the girls’ and boys’ bedrooms and not much else. George set about rebuilding the house, it was bigger, with a verandah. Little Alf had gone to Stirling School with Brown and Pat, even though he was only four and a half.
When Brown finished at Stirling School, he went to Bunbury High School, where he boarded during the week and came home on weekends. George jnr. married in 1916, in Perth. Thirza struck up a friendship with local storekeeper Joe Upson. He enlisted and went to war in 1916.
The family exhibited stock and produce in the local shows and were quite successful. Sophia went to help but also compete in the horse riding. At the Bunbury Show in 1918, she received great praise for her riding.
Bunbury Herald 16.11.1918
Bunbury Show
For the Ladies’ Hunter four horses came out. The event was remarkable for a fine exhibition of riding by Miss Dunkley, who took three mounts round the course in succession. Mr. Hugh Brockman’s chestnut which, earlier in the afternoon, got rid of Mr. W. Rose, was ridden by Miss Brockman, and showed no disinclination to negotiate the hurdles. Mrs. McFarlane’s brown, ridden by Miss Dunkley, covered the two rounds at a tremendous pace. Coming to the fourth hurdle opposite the pavilion, the rider’s hat blew over her eyes, and she had to pull off for an adjustment of headgear. The finish of the round was perfect, and the horse must have covered 14 feet in taking the last jump. Eventually, this animal was placed first, Mr. Brockman’s nomination second, and Mr. G. Dunkley’s ‘Lady Capel’ third.
The war ended and Joe Upson returned home safely, at the beginning of June 1919. Thirza and Joe were to be married. Sophia was to be Thirza’s bridesmaid. Their father George had become unwell and went to hospital, so the wedding was put off until he recovered. This would have meant Sophia and Thirza had extra work while their father was recuperating. George went into hospital again but died on August 10, 1919. The funeral for George was held on August 12. He was buried in the grave with Ruby and Bill. At the end of the year, Brown finished high school in Bunbury and came home to run Summerlea, with his mother and Sophia. Pat was at Narrogin Agricultural School and Alf was now going to Capel School.
At last, the family had a chance to celebrate, when Thirza and Joe married in St. Paul’s Church, Bunbury, December 15, 1919. Sophia, as bridesmaid, wore an Assam costume (Indian silk) with hat to match. Thirza and Joe went to live at Kalgan near Albany. Sophia must have missed her sister and thought her so far away.
Sophia became an aunt on September 26, 1920, when Thirza had a baby son, Raymond Ernest Upson. Sophia went to Perth for the birth of her son, Kenneth George, born September 28, 1920. She named him after her father. When she and baby Ken came home to Summerlea she continued helping on the farm and milking the cows with her mother Harriet.
Thirza and Joe had another son, Edwin Douglas, in 1922. In 1923, the Upson family moved back to Capel. Sophia and Thirza must have been excited to live close to each other and have had so much to catch up on. The Upsons again, ran one of the local stores. They lived in the house at the shop. Pat had finished at Narrogin Agricultural School and had come home to help Brown with the farm and Alf had now gone to Narrogin. It must have helped Harriet and Sophia to have two men on the farm.
On March 1, 1924, Charles Cassimer Babb boarded the “Ormonde” in England and came to Australia, arriving in Fremantle, April 1, 1924. He was a shoemaker by trade. He ended up in Capel. The Upson’s had a spare room in their shop where he set up his business. It was here that he would have met Sophia. He also joined the Capel Rifle Club where both Brown and Pat were active members.
Sophia and Charlie became friends. Their friendship grew and they were married in Perth in 1925. Sophia then leased a property with a dairy, on the Stirling Estate, from Ben Prowse and milked her own cows, along with some of Mr Prowse’s. Charlie helped where he could. Later that year Sophia became unwell and was sent to Perth for an operation.
Southwest Times December 17, 1925
Mrs. C. Babb, of Capel, went to Perth at the end of last week, to undergo a serious operation. Her many friends wish her the best of luck.
After a time recuperating, she continued her farming venture. She was also a good card player and was often at someone’s card afternoon playing Euchre. She won the ladies prize at a tournament held in May 1926.
Trove Article – Euchre Tournament
The Babb’s shoemaking business and small farm must have been doing quite well. A report in the newspaper tells of Charlie’s smart new Chrysler.
Sunday Times May 1, 1927
Still the Chrysler Increases its popularity in the south-western corner of the State. Last week Mr. Chas. C. Babb, of Capel, took delivery of as smart a looking Chrysler as one could wish to see.
The family came together for another wedding when Henry (Brown) and Ursula Shiel were married in Bunbury, in early May 1926. They had hosted their kitchen tea in the Capel Hall just prior to their marriage.
Sophia, Charlie, Harriet and Pat attended a kitchen tea for Laura Fennell and Rex Harris in the Capel Hall in early July 1927.
By August, Sophia’s health had deteriorated, and it was reported that she was seriously ill in hospital. This must have been a worrying time for Charlie and her family. Her son Ken, nearly six was attending Capel School.
Sophia came home and her sister Thirza helped nurse her and care for Charlie and Ken, as well as her own family. This must have been very hard for her. Sophia’s health did not improve, and she had to return to hospital, and it was here that she passed away November 21, 1927. The funeral was held two days later at Capel. She was buried close to her father, George, brother Bill, and sister Ruby.
After Sophia died, her son Ken went to live with his Aunt Thirza and her family for six months and then with his Gran. Gran Dunkley raised Ken, he went to Capel School and then Muresk Agricultural College. When he had finished school, he came home and worked for Dunkley Bros. on Summerlea. He enlisted in WW2 in 1941.
Charlie held a clearing sale in January 1928, to sell their furniture and household belongings. Sophia died intestate and probate was granted March 5, 1928, to Charlie.
Trove Article – Sale of Furniture
Researched and compiled by DC member of CDCP.
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