Historical information
Taken in 1994, this photograph depicts the reunion of four women, all of whom were former workers at the Beechworth Shoe Factory. Pictured from left to right are: Nettie Maher, Beryl Pope, Alice Adams and Leila Doig. Nola (Nettie) Maher, who donated this photograph to the museum in 2001, was born in Beechworth on the twenty-first of December 1935. She is one of the many - primarily women - workers employed by the Beechworth Shoe Factory (also known as Pitman's Shoe Factory). Once located on Ford Street, the factory was established by Mr T. Nagle Pitman as a branch of the company Elgins Shoes, and was in operation from the first of July 1947 to the twenty-eighth of August 1961.
In an interview given in 2000, Nettie recalls the close trust and friendships that were built amongst the factory workers. A sense of this bond is reflected in this reunion photograph, taken several decades later.
Significance
This photograph is historically significant as it provides insight into the experiences of women factory workers in Beechworth during the twentieth century.
Physical description
Colour rectangular photograph printed on matte photographic paper
Inscriptions & markings
Reverse:
13 /
6981 /
Subjects
References
- Victorian Collections - Audio Oral History, Jennifer Williams et al, Nola (Nettie) Maher, 27 April 2000 This is an audio interview of Nola (Nettie) Maher (former factory worker) and provides insight into her life and experiences in Beechworth.
- TROVE - Beechworth May Have Shoe Unit Factory This newspaper article provides information on the origins of the Beechworth Shoe Factory.
