Bridget Powell

Background

Bridget was the daughter of Daniel and Bridget Sheehan and was born in Limerick, Ireland.

Obituary

THE LATE MRS. BRIDGET POWELL. In the bright sunshine of a perfect early winter's day there was laid to rest in Sheep Hills Cemetery the mortal remains of one of the earliest, best known and most highly respected pioneers of the Wimmera district. But to say that Mrs. Bridget Powell— the subject of these remarks— was a pioneer of the Wimmera is to tell but half the truth, for she was well worthy of a niche in the temple of fame erected for those who pioneered Australia. Born in County Limerick, and wedded in her teens, she and her almost equally youthful husband, the late Mr. George Powell, J.P., started on a long voyage to Australia a country then coming into notice through the discovery of gold. The young couple landed at Sandridge, now Port Melbourne, in 1851, and, imbued with the spirit of adventure, while possessing that grit which was so characteristic of Mr. Powell in later years, at once proceeded to the Ballarat goldfields, where Mr. Powell followed the avocation of a gold digger with considerable success. The young wife, living in a tent, contri-buted her share towards filling the stocking, for she had purchased a cow or two. and as dairy produce on a goldfield was at famine prices she commanded a good market. Coming from an agricultural and dairying lo cality in Ireland, Mr. Powell shrewdly foresaw that the best gold mine of all is the land, and, with the proceeds of the gold he had won, purchased a small area of land at Windermere, which was afterwards added to. For many years Mrs. Powell worked hard on the farm, marketing her produce regularly every week in Ballarat. The necessities of an increasing family of sturdy boys and winsome lassies, com bined with the fact that the Govern-ment was, in the early seventies, throwing open for free selection the pastoral areas of the North-West of Victoria, were the principal causes which induced Mr. and Mrs. Powell to consider the possibilities of that "terra incognita." Mr. Powell and those of his sons who were of eligible age to select, came to Sheep Hills, and being much impressed with the land, selected their quota. For a second time, it fell to Mrs. Powell's lot to do pioneering work, for she came away from what, by that time, had become a most comfortable home at Windermere, and took up her resi-dence on the selected land five miles from Sheep Hills. The present gene-ration know but little of the hard ships undergone in those by-gone days by their ancestors, when there were no railways, telephones, or motor cars, and everything had to be carted to and from Stawell. But with indom-itable pluck and perseverance these men and women surmounted the difficulties confronting them and helped to make the Wimmera what it is today. Bereft in 1887 of the companion ship of her husband, Mrs. Powell con-tinued in occupation of the property known as "Review" for some con-siderable time, but the increasing weight of years began to press on her, and she retired from her activi-ties and came to reside in Sheep Hills, though spending a portion of, each year with married daughter in Geelong. As time went on it became evident that the sands of life were running out-the machinery was worn beyond repair-and on May 25th her spirit returned to the God that gave it. Having fulilled her destiny, she passed peacefully away on a Sunday morning full of years and honor, and when the end came it did not hind her unprepared. Mrs. Powell was a lady of great force of character. Possessed of a ready fund of keen wit and humor, she was always a most entertaining companion. Her tongue could at times be caustic, and woe betide the unfortunate individual upon whom her scathing sentences descended. But underneath it all there beat a warm Irish heart. Her home was a ren-dezvous for her numlerous friends, and she was never happier than when surrounded by those whose privileges it was to be included in the inner cir-cle of her acquaintance. Seated at her hospitable board, one could al-ways derive pleasure and knowledge from her conversation when she could be induced to relate her experiences of Ballarat, for she was a witness to the burning of Bentley's hotel, and was on the field when the Eureka riots bioke out. Ah well, she has gone. and the world is poorer for her going. In the presence of 10 of her children, and surrounded by a representative as semblage gathered from long distances to pay their last tribute to one who was more than respected—for she was beloved by those who knew her best— the body of Bridget Powell was consigned to the tomb there to await the resurrection morn and to hear the Supreme Judge say, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant, enter now into the joy of your Lord."—In the Minyip Guardian, contributed by one or two who knew Mrs. Powell for 40 years and over.

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