Mrs Sheila Parkinson was born in Wagga in 1916 and came to Beechworth as a young woman around 1938. Sheila trained as a psychiatric nurse at Mayday Hills hospital prior to the second World War. At that time, unmarried women were accommodated and received nursing training on-site. Shiela was obliged to cease professional training and employment when she married in 1941, which disrupted completion of her final nursing examinations. Following post-war changes to the law that allowed married women to work, Sheila returned to Mayday Hills. Sheila's husband, Don, returned to Beechworth after four years abroad as a serviceman in the Australian Air Force. Beechworth's institutions were a major source of local employment throughout the twentieth century. As well as providing limited employment opportunities to young women like Shiela, post-war European migrants from Bonegilla Migrant camp found at Mayday Hills, encouraging European migrant settlement in the district. Mayday Hills was renamed several times since its establishment in 1867. At the peak of operations, it comprised sixty-seven buildings housing over twelve hundred patients patients and five hundred staff. The hospital officially closed in 1998. Today, the decommissioned two-storey Italianate style main building stands on eleven hectares of botanical gardens under National Trust protection. The site remains a popular cultural heritage destination for visitors. 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.Employed as a psychiatric nurse at one of Beechworth's large welfare institutions, Mayday Hills, Mrs Sheila Parkinson recalls the conditions faced by staff and patients at the hospital, which cared for chronically ill people from the Ovens region and patients from the Yarra Bend Asylum, Melbourne, which closed in 1925. When Sheila first began her nurse training, Mayday Hills suffered from a lack of resources and rudimentary facilities and patients frequently suffered from the cold due to poor heating and inadequate clothing and bedding. However, as the twentieth century progressed, Sheila recalls how conditions and treatments improved as a result of increased government funding of services and advances in psychiatry and pharmaceutical medicine. Mrs Sheila Parkinson's oral history recording is historically and socially significant for its witness to life in Beechworth in the pre- and post-WWII period. Sheila's story enriches our understanding of processes of modernisation with regard to psychiatric and welfare services, while the course of Sheila's professional training and employment brings attention to systemic and socio-economic barriers faced by women, as well as the valuable contribution women and migrants make in the delivery of care and ancillary services. This oral history account is socially and historically significant as it is a 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, many 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 strip and is currently stored in a clear flat plastic rectangular container. It holds up 40 minutes of recordings on each side.Mrs Sheila Parkinson /twentieth century beechworth, mayday hills, psychiatric care, benevolent asylums, nursing, wwii, psychiatric treatment, country women, psychiatric hostpital, beechworth's institutions, local employment, government institutions, listen to what they say, oral history, burke museum, sheila parkinson, beechworth lunatic asylum, beechworth mental hospital, beechworth hospital for the insane, the kerferd clinic, bonegilla migrant camp, working women, white australia policy

Mr Maxwell Pemberton was born in Goulburn, NSW in 1923 and moved to Beechworth as a child just before the Great Depression. Mr Pemberton's father was a baker who opened a grocery store in Beechworth to support his seven children. The store, which competed with eight other grocery traders in Beechworth for finite local business, delivered goods by horse and cart to customers all over the district, including the hamlet of Stanley. Mr Pemberton's oral history testifies to the sorts of economic struggles faced by the majority of Beechworth's residents during the depression years. Mr Pemberton worked in many different industries in and around Beechworth, including in his father's grocery store, which he later took over with his brother; the Zwar Tannery, where he served as a union representative; and at the Ovens and Murray Hospital for the Aged, formally the Ovens Benovolent Asylum, established in 1862 for care of the district's destitute, disabled and aged people from Euroa to the Murray, among them, homeless people Mr Pemberton referred to as 'river-bankers'. The hospital's founding in the 1860s was driven by a committee headed by the notable figure, G.B Kerford. Beechworth's institutions were a major source of local employment in the twentieth century. Mr Pemberton joined the Australian Navy during WWII and served at Port Moresby in Papua New Guinea. During his period of service, he received an honorary award from the Royal Humane Society of Australia for aiding and saving a drowning civilian at risk to his own life. Mr Pemberton's oral history also touches on the complex relationship between Australian forces and local Papuan people during the war. 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. These cassette tapes were digitised in July 2021 with funds made available by the Friends of the Burke.Mr Maxwell Pemberton's oral history recalls many aspects of life in Beechworth and the Oven's district during the twentieth century and enriches our understanding of the effects of the periods of socio-economic decline and renewal that unfolded as the century progressed. His singular account of his various jobs and colourful memories of life as a youth and young man in Beechworth, and abroad as a serviceman, contributes to our understanding of society's attitudes and expectations regarding ideals of masculinity and Australian national identity. This oral history account is socially and historically significant as it is a 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 20th century, many 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 strip and is currently stored in a clear flat plastic rectangular container. It holds up 40 minutes of recordings on each side.Mr Max Pemberton /twentieth century beechworth, benevolent asylums, wwii, beechworth's institutions, local employment, government institutions, listen to what they say, oral history, burke museum, maxwell pemberton, ovens and murray hospital for the aged, zwar tannery, beechworth grocers, australian navy, port morseby, papua new guinea, trade unions, welfare services, homelessness, 'river bankers', aged care, g.b kerford, ovens benevolent asylum, ovens benevolent home

Worn by all Australian Forces in WWI. Few of the leather tags have survived. They were used to identify the Dead and Injured soldiers, one tag being removed for records and the other being left on the deceased serviceman. Of interest is that the Aluminium tag has the this soldiers religion as CE (Church of England) while the leather tag has the religion recorder as PRES (Presbyterian) Few of the leather tags have survived2 round identity tags on leather thong One of silver coloured metal and one of copperAluminium tag - 1056 OLDEN T N 57 A1 CE Leather- OLDEN T E 1056 57 BTN PRESdog tags, identity tags, wwi

Vietnam Veterans parade 1987. Australia gives the Vietnam Veterans:soldiers, navy and airman finally receive the "welcome home" they deserved. Vietnam Veterans parade 1987. Australia gives the Vietnam Veterans:soldiers, navy and airman finally receive the "welcome home" they deserved. Stained pine board with three Vietnam plaques mounted on - plaques - 1. Australian force Vietnam, 2.National memorial to Vietnam forces 3 Vietnam vetrans parade sydney 1987. 1. Australian Vietnam Forces National Memorial and 2. National Memorial to Vietnam forces The Australian Vietnam Forces National Memorial is dedicated to all those Australians who served, suffered and died in that conflict. It was built largely through contributions from the Australian people, raised by the Australian Vietnam Forces National Memorial Committee. 3. Vietnam Vetrans Parade Sydney 1987 On October 3, 1987, around 22, 000 Vietnam veterans marched in a ‘Welcome Home’ parade through the streets of Sydney It was estimated that the parade was watched by a crowd of up to 100,000, including Prime Minister Hawke, and that it stood up to ten deep along the parade route in some places. he marchers carried more than 500 Australian flags, each flag representing a serviceman who had lost their life during the Vietnam War. These simple acts represented the reconciliatory nature of the event – the flags, standing for the nation-state, were accepted as a proper symbol for the fallen by the veterans and symbolised their reconciliation with the body politic that they felt had rejected their rightful place in the Anzac narrative after the end of the Vietnam conflict. Plaques:- 1. Australian Vietnam Forces National Memorial, Wooden Shield with metal shield with black outer ringed by service corps insignia, inner with a white band of the shield shape. the interior of the metal shield is light blue circle, with a white vertical sword, the top of the sword is a banner of red and orange strips. Below the metal shield is a Australian Army rising sun badge. Followed by a banner inscribed with " Australian Force Vietnam" 2. National Memorial to the Australian Vietnam Forces :- Small wooden shield, with a metal rectangle inscribed - vietnam veterans, welcome home parade 1987, plaques

The Returned Serviceman's Gala Day was held on the Lara main oval on Saturday 8th November 1919. Each returned serviceman was presented with a medallion with their name on it. Copies of the badge are held at the Lara RSL Sub Branch. Lt General Smith is presenting a badge to a serviceman in one photo. The other photo is the serviceman's race of 100 yardsRectangular shaped photographs ( 2 of )Returned service men WW1.ww1, returned service men, australian army, lara r.s.l.world war one.

Booklet produced for Victorian RSL as a yearly booklet for 1965 containing information on Pensions, Welfare, Membership, Procedures, Ceremonies, etc. The booklet belonged to J.P. McKelvey VX27173 Born 1904, Died 1970. Member of 1st Australian Signal Corps, 2nd AIF. Served in the middle East and South West Pacific. A member of the Lara RSL from 1964 till 1970.A booklet produced each year by the RSL Victoria for its members.Green covered booklet1965 logo of the RSL on front with words, "Serving Still" underneath. Then below '1965 50th Anniversary' and below that 'Victorian Branch'rsl, booklet, rsl victorian branch, 50th anniversary, returned serviceman's league, 1965, j.p. mckelvey, vx27173, lara rsl

This jacket is part of a Royal Australian Army Ordnance Corps uniform. The Royal Australian Army Ordnance Corps (RAAOC) is responsible for various logistics and organisational operations, such as maintenance of parachutes, fuel distribution, personnel administration, exlosive disposal and laundy operations. The jacket was manufactured in 1968 and was worn by an unknown RAAOC serviceman. The patches on his sleeves denote that he had earned qualifications as a parachuter and a marksman and that he was a Warrant Officer 1. Due to the period of manufacture it can be presumed that the serviceman whom this uniform belonged to served Vietnam War.As an historic military uniform dating to 1968, it is presumed that this item would have been used in service during the Vietnam War. The wearer of the uniform is unknown, however the patches and flashes attached signify that the serviceman worked for the Royal Australian Army Ordnance Corps, earned qualifications as a parachuter and marksman and ranked highly as a Warrant Officer 1. The item is representative of a type of uniform worn by high ranking RAAOC servicemen during the 1960’s. It is also in very good condition for its age.A khaki coloured waist length jacket which is composed of a heavy fabric. The jacket fastens with five buttons down the front and a buckle. The buttons are composed of brown plastic and the buckle is a dark grey metal. The buckle is attached to a waistband on the right-hand side which loops around to a strip of fabric on the left-hand side which passes through the buckle. There are two breast pockets, one on each side of the chest. The right breast pocket is fastened with a brown plastic button and the left breast pocket is missing its button. Each pocket has a flap of fabric which covers the button area. The jacket has a collar and an epaulette on each shoulder which are each fastened with one brown plastic button. There is a ribbon of fabric on the interior of the collar with no inscriptions. There are identical crescent shaped red patches on each shoulder, each showing the words in navy blue stitching "Royal Australian Army Ordinance Corps". The upper right sleeve has a khaki coloured parachuting qualification patch, which depicts an air balloon in white stitching, with wings on either side in light blue stitching. The lower section of each sleeve has a Warrant Officer First Class khaki coloured patch. This depicts a shield in red, black, white, blue and gold stitching in the centre which sits beneath a gold and blue striped line and a gold star. There is a gold kangaroo to the left of these motifs and a gold emu to the right. Beneath these motifs there is a ribbon in white, blue and gold stitching with the word "Australia". In addition there are curvilinear green decorative elements with yellow flowers on their ends. The left-hand sleeve also has a brown marksmen qualification patch. This depicts two crossed rifles in white and brown stitching. There is a white label with printed inscriptions on the interior of the left breast pocket. There is also a band of fabric on the interior back waist band which has three button holes.Printed in black inscriptions on the white label: E.W. PTY/LTD. SOUTH AUSTRALIA 1968 (a broad arrow) Class 8405-66-025-641 Batch A.W... Mill (the ‘A.W...’ is in stamped purple ink and there are some other purple inscriptions that are difficult to decipher) SIZE OF CHEST 39/49PR MATCHING TROUSERS 37 PR DRY CLEAN ONLY CREASE UPPER HALF OF LAPELS ONLY NAME..... ARMY No..... (the number 40 is also wrtten in faded black ink in the top right corner of the label)military, jacket, army, raaoc, royal australian army ordnance corps, parachuting, marksman, warrant officer, uniform

These trousers are part of a Royal Australian Army Ordnance Corps uniform. The Royal Australian Army Ordnance Corps (RAAOC) is responsible for various logistics and organisational operations, such as maintenance of parachutes, fuel distribution, personnel administration, exlosive disposal and laundy operations. The trousers were manufactured in 1969 and were worn by an unknown RAAOC serviceman. The patches on the sleeves of the corresponding jacket denote that he had earned qualifications as a parachuter and a marksman and that he was a Warrant Officer 1. Due to the period of manufacture it can be presumed that the serviceman whom this uniform belonged to served in the Vietnam War.As historic military uniform trousers dating to 1968, it is presumed that this item would have been used in service during the Vietnam War. The wearer of the uniform is unknown, however the patches and flashes attached signify that the serviceman worked for the Royal Australian Army Ordnance Corps, earned qualifications as a parachuter and marksman and ranked highly as a Warrant Officer 1. The item is representative of a type of uniform worn by high ranking RAAOC servicemen during the 1960’s. It is also in very good condition for its age.khaki coloured trousers which are composed of a heavy fabric. The trousers button up at the front with 6 plastic buttons. There is an additional strip of fabric attached to the right-hand fly which can be fastened with an extra button on the interior of the left-hand fly. There are an additional 6 buttons along the interior waistband. There are also three buttons on the exterior waistband down the front and a buckle. The buttons are composed of brown plastic. There are two open hip pockets, one on either side, and another button-up pocket on the right-hand side of the back. There is a white label with inscriptions attached to the interior of the back pocket with an extra piece of fabric attached for mending patches.Printed in black inscriptions on the white label: CONWAY BROS. PTY. LTD ADELAIDE 1969 (a broad arrow) Class 8405-66-025-6183 A W M 7 (these characters are stamped in faded black ink) SIZE & WAIST 33R MATCHING JACKET 37-38R in a box are the words: DRY CLEAN ONLY. Re-press on original seams. Creases set by Si-ro-set. Mending patch attached. (end of box containing words) NAME.....DOCKSEY (‘Docksey is in hand-written black ink) ARMY No.....216308 (numbers also hand-written in black ink) (the number 40 is also wrtten in faded black ink in the top right corner of the label)military, army, raaoc, marksman, royal australian army ordnance corps, parachuting, warrant officer, uniform, trousers

Boarding Pass issued to Pte Kevin PURDON, National Serviceman No 3792379. Served Vietnam. 1ARU 30.7.1968 - 23.8.1968, 3 RAR 24.8.1968 - 14.11.1968. 1ARU 15.11.1968 - 5.12.1968, 9 RAR 6.12.1968 - 7.1.1969 (ARU) 1st Australian Reinforcement Unit. (RAR) Royal Australian Regiment.Document. foolscap, printed in purple type with details of Rules & Regulations re boarding a flight from Saigon, South Vietnam to Sydney. Also recorded are flight times, meals, prohibited items & alcohol abuse.“Boarding Pass No 81”document, boarding pass, vietnam

Badge issued to Paul Francis Reidy No 3793403 National Serviceman KIA Vietnam. Refer Cat No 2526.2 for his service history and details re his death.Hat badge, pressed brass, crown at top, wreath arrangement around outside, centre crossed rifles, scrolls at bottom with "Royal Australian Infantry Corps". Rear has two lugs with pin through. badges, infantry corps

Book chronicles the experiences of the author, Gary McKay as a National Serviceman in Vietnam.Brown buckram hard cover, title in gold lettering. White dust cover with title in black & brown lettering. Black & white illustration on front. 197 pages with cut edges. Illustrated with black & white photos & diagrams. Brown end paper paper front & back.books - military, military history - army, vietnam

The photos relate to Vivian Raymond George Thomas No VX15538, enlisted on 17.5.40 age 28 years. Embarked for the Middle East with D Coy 2/14th Batt holding the rank of CPL. The Batt returned to Australia before then embarking for New Guinea where he was KIA on 28.11.1942.All black & white photographs. .1) Church, Jerusalem. .2) Sheep in countryside & shepherd Jerusalem. .3) Male serviceman. .4) 2 Male servicemen & Jewish 3 children in front of car. .5) Same as above. .6) Group of soldiers with rifles. .7) Nazareth - scenery & town. .8) Soldier in shorts & slouch hat in countryside. .9) View of Bathsaida - Palestine. .10) View of market in Bethlehem, animals & people. .11) View of Nazareth town. .12) Soldier in slouch hat & shorts. .13) Nazareth - view of countryside. .14) Nazareth - animals, people & town. .15) Mountain view, Palestine. .16) View of Galilee Sea.photography-photographs, military history - army, palestine

Card issued to Peter John Umina, National Serviceman No 3792233 in Vietnam. Served with 102 Field Workshops 24.3.1969 - 3.4.1969, 106 Field Workshops 4.4.1969 - 3.9.1969. Small card issued by Australian Army for Forces in Vietnam. Lists 9 Rules for use whilst serving in Vietnam, Green colour with Rising Sun emblem.“3792233” printed on 1 side in pen.military history - army, documents - cards, rules

Letter written to Mrs Reidy by her son Paul's Section Commander BRUCE D SCOTT. It details the circumstances of PAUL REIDY'S death in Vietnam on 25.5.1969. It was during “Operation Reynella” around the Long Hai Mountains. Paul Francis Reidy No 3793403. A National Serviceman Paul served Vietnam first in 1 ARU from 24.2.1969 - 17.3.1969 and then posted to B Coy 9 RAR 18.3.1969 until his death. Bruce Donaldson Scott No 213485. Australian Regular Army served Vietnam first in 1 ARU from 10.3.1969 - 1.4.1969 and then posted to B Coy 9 RAR 2.4.1969 until being Medivaced home on 2.6.1969. 1 ARU (1st Australian Reinforcement Unit) 9 RAR (9th Battalion of the Royal Australian Regiment) Refer 1189.5, 2224, 2237.2P re Paul Reidy. Copy of typed two page letter on A4 paper from BRUCE D SCOTT to Mrs Reidy.documents - letters, military history

The uniform was issued to Paul Francis Reidy No 3793403 National Serviceman KIA Vietnam. Refer Cat No 2526.2 for his service history and details re his death. The uniform being winter dress remained in Australia as there was no need for this to go to Vietnam..1) Jacket (Battle Dress winter) .2) Trousers (Battle dress winter) .3) Lanyard, red colour. .4) Slouch Hat with leather chin strap, cloth pugaree and brass regimental badge depicting a kangaroo with crossed rifles and wattle. .5) Braces.4) “Reidy 3793403 6 3/8"uniform, slouch hat, army, reidy

Originally would have been issued with a scroll & letter from the King but neither with plaque. 1914-1918 Memorial Plaque In early 1920 it was announced that the next-of-kin of all Australian servicemen and women whose deaths were attributable to the First World War would receive a memorial plaque and scroll "as a solace for bereavement and as a memento". The memorial plaques were not uniquely Australian. In fact they were designed and produced in Britain and issued to commemorate all those who died as a result of war service from within the British Commonwealth. The idea for the plaques was originally conceived mid-way through the war. In 1917 a competition was announced to obtain a suitable design and 800 entries were eventually received. The winner, Mr. E. Carter Preston of Liverpool, England, was chosen in 1918. He was awarded a prize of 250 pounds. Mr Manning Pike directed the manufacture of the memorial plaques at the Memorial Plaque Factory set up at Acton, London. Some later plaques were also made at the Woolwich Arsenal. The cost of manufacturing so many plaques must have been considerable. Each plaque had the name of the soldier commemorated individually embossed (some were engraved) as part of the design. The full name was given without any indication of rank or honours to show the equality of sacrifice of all those who had lost their lives. The scroll designed to accompany the plaques was of thick paper, headed by the royal coat-of-arms, and bore the following message: "He whom this scroll commemorates was numbered among those who, at the call of King and Country, left all that was dear to them, endured hardness, faced danger, and finally passed out of the sight of men by the path of duty and self-sacrifice, giving up their own lives that others might live in freedom. Let those that come after see that his name is not forgotten". Underneath the message the serviceman or woman’s name, rank, honours and unit were written by hand in red ink. Because of the late arrival in Australia of the plaques many scrolls were sent out separately. A message from the King, "I join with my grateful people in sending you this memorial of a brave life given for others in the Great War", was included with the scroll. The first plaques were distributed in Australia in 1922. Each plaque was sent out from Base Records Office at Victoria Barracks in Melbourne by second-class mail. Approximately 60,000 plaques were issued in Australia. Families of deceased members of the Royal Australian Navy and the Australian Army Nursing Service also received plaques and scrolls Bronze Memorial Plaque 1914-1918 for 4876 Pte. Harry Milne , 46 Battalion KIA 10/5/1918, In a cardboard square envelope. http://www.awm.gov.au/research/people/roll_of_honour/person.asp?p=493414Embossed around edge of plaque "HE DIED FOR FREEDOM AND HONOVR" Name of serviceman embossed on plaque right of centre "HARRY MILNE"ww1, dead mans penny, kings penny, memorial plaque

Cloth handkerchief sent to family in Australia by Noel Louis Blundell, a 2nd AIF serviceman in Syria during World War 2. The handkerchief is maroon in colour and made from a square piece of silk-like cloth. The edges of the cloth have been cut in decorative pattern. The cloth has been decorated with a paint like material on one side which is gold in colour and contains some golden glitter particles.The handkerchief is inscribed around the perimeter with the following words "MEMORY OF SYRIA" and "SOUVENIR D'SYRIE". In one corner of the square there is a bird (dove?) holding a flag as it is flying over another inscription "SOUVENIR D'SYRIE". Above the flag are 17 stars. The flag is of unknown origin at this stage. souvenir, ww2, world war 2, handkerchief, syria, blundell, noel blundell

Framed collection of railway spikes and clips from the Thai-Burma Railway recovered from Hell Fire Pass in 1987. These items were recovered during a visit to the site by Australian Army World War 2 ex-serviceman John William Toon, service number VX30397. J W Toon (also known as Bill Toon) served with the 8th Division and was a prisoner of war.

Posed studio photograph of World War 1 serviceman, Leonard Stockdale Watson, service number 2075, in Australian Army uniform. This photograph is printed in typical post card style with a scene of Egyptian Pyramids. The reverse side of this is a post card letter format. (refer item 00448).