Neville, Bridget
Bridget Neville was born in Goulburn in 1868 to John Neville, hotel licensee, and Anne Jane nee Cassaday, both Irish immigrants. Bridget was third of their seven children, five of whom reached adulthood. The family's adherence to Roman Catholicism is reflected in the selection of Our Lady of Mercy Convent, Goulburn, for Bridget's education.
In June 1888 Bridget, aged 20, was appointed to Boro Provisional school as an unclassified teacher. The school was previously known as Boro Upper, the smaller of two schools in the region. (The larger school was known as Boro Lower). Bridget remained at Boro for twelve months, the absence of any correspondence with the Department in this time implying capable management of the appointment.
In July 1889 the Department transferred Bridget to Woodfield Provisional(renamed Amungula after 1908) after the resignation of Margaret Ryan, the school's inaugural teacher. The lack of Departmental correspondence that typified Bridget's time at Boro continued with no apparent communication over her first two years at Woodfield. In March 1892, Bridget's third year at the school, she wrote to the Department to resign effective from the Easter vacation. The state of the building at this time must have been quite poor as 'urgently needed' repairs were recommended before the arrival of the next teacher. This work included lining the walls and ceiling with hessian, installing ventilation, repairing spouting and downpipes, and moving a door opening. Bridget returned to her family home in Goulburn, informing the Department from there that she hadn't received her final salary cheque and instructing them to post it to her home address.
In September 1895, Bridget now aged 27, married William Ambrose Broderick from a successful Crookwell farming family, at Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Cathedral, Goulburn. Reports of the wedding service mention the large attendance and tasteful floral arrangements, with the ceremony taking place 'within the railings of the sanctuary', a privilege granted in recognition of Bridget's committed involvement with the Catholic Church. The celebration that followed was remarked upon as a breakfast 'of most elaborate scale'.
Bridget and William had one son, born in 1897 while they were living in Cooma. The family later moved to Young where they developed a strong engagement with the Catholic community, reflected in the considerable attendance at their son's funeral when he died aged 37. Bridget lived another two decades, dying in 1952 aged 84, and being buried with her son. Her obituary noted that while 'of a retiring disposition her staunch character drew to her a large circle of friends'.
[Biography prepared by Joanne Toohey, 2023. Sources consulted include NSW school teachers' rolls 1868-1908, NSW school and related records 1876-1979, historic newspapers, NSW births, deaths and marriages index, and Early Education and Schools in the Canberra Region, (1999) by Lyall Gillespie].
Schools
- Amungula
07/1889 - 04/1892