The Victory Hall, Tatura, was opened on 9 March 1926 by the Governor General Lord Stonehaven. The architect was Mr A. S. Eggleston.Black and white photograph of Victory Hall Hogan Street Tatura 1987on back: Victory Hall Tatura 1987lord stonehaven, a. s. eggleston, victory hall tatura

John O'Loughlin was born in 1922 in Warracknabeal, Victoria and moved to Beechworth in February 1969. Following a brief time working in the real estate business, John gained employment as a prison officer at Beechworth Gaol. The gaol had initially closed its doors in 1918 but was reopened after the completion of alterations in 1926 as a reformatory prison for habitual male criminals. In his new role, John was able to pursue management in the farming industry, taking trusted prisoners out to a farm on the Wodonga side of Beechworth to work the land. This area was known as The Rockery, a grazing property of two-hundred and eighty acres about two miles north of Beechworth. This work done by the prisoners included timber cutting, land maintenance and the grazing of livestock, mainly Black Poll cattle. The programme was an instrumental component of prisoner rehabilitation, allowing freedom and responsibility. When he retired from his work in 1987, John observed that many improvements had been made towards the living conditions and daily life of the prisoners. This oral history recording was part of a project conducted by Jennifer Williams in the year 2000 to capture the everyday life and struggles in Beechworth during the twentieth century. This project involved recording seventy oral histories on cassette tapes of local Beechworth residents which were then published in a book titled: Listen to what they say: voices of twentieth century Beechworth. The cassette tapes were digitised in July 2021 with funds made available by the Friends of the Burke. John O'Loughlin's account of his life in Beechworth and the local area during the twentieth century is historically and socially significant to the cultural heritage of the region. He details important information surrounding Beechworth Gaol and the daily life of its prisoners; it is a place that still holds significance for the residents of Beechworth today. This oral history account is socially and historically significant as it is part of a broader collection of interviews conducted by Jennifer Williams which were published in the book 'Listen to what they say: voices of twentieth century Beechworth'. While the township of Beechworth is known for its history as a gold rush town, these accounts provide a unique insight into the day-to-day life of the town's residents during the twentieth century, much of which would have been lost if they had not been preserved. This is a digital copy of a recording that was originally captured on a cassette tape. The cassette tape is black with a horizontal white stripe and is currently stored in a clear flat rectangular plastic container. It holds up to forty minutes of recording on each side. John O'Loughlin / beechworth gaol, old beechworth gaol, john o'loughlin, beechworth prison, beechworth, gaol, prisoners, beechworth prison officer, prisoner reform beechworth, the rockery, black poll cattle, daily prison life beechworth, prisoner farmwork, beechworth training prison

Mechanics Institute built 1881, used for library, meetings and other functions. Victory Hall opened 1926 used for balls, dances, square dances, as a picture theatre for many years, concerts, toy library, new catering facilities.Black and white photograph of Victory Hall, Mechanics Institute and Library, Hogan Street Tatura. Taken from Fraser Street. Part of Mrs A. Marsh's house on right.on back: Victory Hall, Mechanics Institute and Library, Tatura, 1987victory hall, mechanics institute tatura

Masonic Hall, Tatura, built 1923, used for meetings, dances, balls and weddings.Black and white photograph of Masonic Hall, Francis Street Tatura. Exterior. also 2 duplicates.on back: Masonic Hall, Francis Street Tatura, 1986