pope spent the next five or so years in the victorian gold diggings, pursuing his studies at the same time. his scholastic efforts were rewarded with the highest attainable honours of the victorian denominational school board. on 22 december 1862, at ballarat he married helen grant rattray, daughter of the sexton of the ballarat cemetery, in a presbyterian service: they were to have 12 children; eight boys and four girls; two of the girls dying at an early age.