In 1891, one hundred and twelve years ago, my great-great-grandfather, Philip de Crespigny (1850-1927) married Sophia Beggs (1870 – 1936).

The Sentinel. (1891, November 7). Queenscliff Sentinel, Drysdale, Portarlington & Sorrento Advertiser (Vic. : 1885 – 1894), p. 1. Retrieved November 5, 2013, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article73592032

 

This news item was reproduced in the Euroa Advertiser of 13 November, with the bride’s surname given correctly as Beggs.

His marriage to Sophia Beggs was Philip de Crespigny’s second, and this wedding seems a little more sedate than his first. In 1883 Philip’s first wife, Annie Frances née Chauncy, had died at the age of twenty-five, leaving him with two young boys: Philip born 1879 and Constantine Trent (then called Con) born 1882.  At the time of her death, Philip and Annie had been married for little more than five years.

In March 1889 P. C. Crespigny was manager of the South Melbourne Branch of the Bank of Victoria.  He had previously served at Queenscliff (where Annie Frances had died ) and Epsom near Bendigo (where his son Philip was born).  By August 1890 he had been promoted to Assistant Inspector of Branches for the bank, and went on to  become General Manager in 1916. 

Sophia Beggs was the cousin of  Philip’s brother-in-law, Frank Beggs (1850 – 1921), who had married Rose de Crespigny (1858 – 1937) in 1876.

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