Bill Gerrard was born in Albury in 1934 and moved to Beechworth in 1960 when his wife was employed as a nurse at Mayday Hills Hospital, later becoming nurse-in-charge. Gerrard first worked for the local railway and then as a taxi driver in Beechworth, and was involved in volunteer fund-raising activities such as raffles for charitable causes. 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 Bill Gerrard's account of his life in Beechworth and the local area during the mid-to-late 20th century is historically and socially significant to the cultural heritage of the region. He recounts aspects of community life and working conditions in Beechworth, particularly during the 1960s and 1970s, as well as conditions for staff and patients at Mayday Hills Hospital where his wife worked during that period. His story also provides insights into economic hardhsip and the role of voluntary fundraising in the Beechworth community. 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.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 Bill Gerrard /listen to what they say, beechworth, oral history, burke museum, bill gerrard, mayday hills hospital, taxi driver, beechworth railway, religion, beechworth 1960s, beechworth 1970s, social welfare, community cohesion, twentieth-century working conditions, twentieth-century regional victoria, hibernian hotel, fund-raising

Clemence Orton was born in Beechworth in 1922 and lived his life in Murmungee on his parent’s property that he took over and ran working the land. He was schooled in Murmungee and interested in vet science. He served in WWII and was 24 years old when he returned. After World War II he took work experience with the local vet and attended his own farm stock, horses in particular. His knowledge of the area during his parent’s time and his families time saw him familiar with mining in the local area and Chinese miners through to farming techniques and practices. He was known as a ‘local resident with an encyclopaedic knowledge of local history'. Clemence married Dorothy and raised his family in Murmungee. He passed away on January 17th 2007. 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. Clemence Orton’s family has lived in the Beechworth and Murmungee region for over a century. Through his experience living on the land he is able to shine a light on farming and life on the land, farming techniques and mining history in the region. Clemence Orton was know for his knowledge of local history and lived in the region making his involvement in this oral history project important. 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 will have now 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 cleat flat plastic rectangular container. It holds up to 40 minutes of recordings on each side. Mr Clemence Orton /listen to what they say, beechworth, oral history, burke museum, orton, vet, mining history, chinese miners, clemence orton

Herbert McFeeters as born in Wooragee Creek in 11th July 1905. Mr McFeeters would walk to school in Beechworth by foot, about 3.5 miles through the hills. It would take him and his siblings one hour to get to school. Mr McFeeters worked at the local tannery from the age of 14 for 11 years. After which he worked for himself, farming cattle and selling milk around the region. Mr McFeeters bought land from the Crown, who were selling lands after many miners had left the region. Mr McFeeters recalls the Chinese community that remained the Beechworth area and the social activities in the town, including the pictures, football games and Harvest Festivals. 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 McFeeters oral history provides detail of life in rural Victoria during the early 20th Century. Mr McFeeters describes his early childhood and working life, including details of the social activities 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. 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 Herbert McFeeters /listen to what they say, beechworth, oral history, burke museum, herbert mcfeeters, wooragee creek, reid's creek

Mr Max Sutor was born in South Australia. He first began his work as a marine engineer at the Mildura Irrigation Trusts, moving later to the Melbourne Harbour Trusts. After a number of years as an engineer, he moved into farming at Gippsland and joined the prison service several years after during the late 1960s. He was first stationed at Morwell River Prison in South Gippsland, transferring to McLeod Prison in 1972 and finally to Beechworth in 1974 as senior prison and stores officer. He would assist in the organisation, obtaining and distribution of food and medication to prisoners. The prison, at the time, was of medium security and held high security prisoners, with an estimated amount of 108 prisoners to 23 staff. Mr Suter showed a great push in showing humility towards prisoners, wanting to avoid animosity against them by never looking at their records to treat them equally. His choice of kind behaviour towards prisoners had clearly influenced their own, especially during manual labor. The prison had worked cooperatively with a local farm, having their prisoners assist in the farm work. Attitudes inevitably changed positively for several prisoners. Whilst he held no control over their actions at the farm, he still became well trusted and liked amongst the prisoners, as they would continue to go to him for assistance and questions. Mr Suter had also worked as an instigator of finding drugs within each prison he has worked within. This led him to study the variations, and being a member of the Parents and Citizens Association at the high school his children attended, as well as Community Service Director of a Rotary club, he wanted to educate parents in guidance for those unsure on how to conduct actions against such behaviours. From his first seminar, a police surgeon told him that three drug users were found by their parents. 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 Max Suter's account on his time and experience as a senior prison officer at Beechworth Prison is historically and socially significant for the cultural heritage of the region. His recounts of his time working within the prison and out in local parent and community associations held a positive effect on the awareness and behaviours of the Beechworth area, and provides detailed information on the duties and complications working in a 20th century rural prison, as well as the lack of local awareness from adults with young influential children. 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 will have now 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.Max Suterlisten to what they say, beechworth, oral history, burke museum, max suter, beechworth prison, farming, drug awareness

Graeme Gallus was born on the Mornington Peninsular in a town called Sommerville, in 1938. His family was born in Germany and came to Australia in 1851. He arrived in Beechworth in 1981 after purchasing a taxi service. He talks about local businesses, government employment, community celebrations and clubs. Miss Amy Elizabeth Porrit's account of her life in Beechworth and the local area during the 20th century is historically and socially significant to the cultural heritage of the region. She details important historical events and hardships in the region's history that had a lasting local, regional and national impact, including Australia during war time, economic struggles, and women's societal roles in a rural area. 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 will have now 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 Graeme Gallussommerville, gallus, graeme gallus, taxi, beechworth, real estate, christmas, lions club

This oral history interview was conducted with Mrs May Harris (née Peach), who grew up in the farming town of Stanley, about 9km southeast of Beechworth. Mrs Harris moved to Melbourne and got work cleaning houses before getting married. Her husband worked on farms, and the couple eventually found their way back to Stanley. She describes experiences of illness, particularly her husband and children's experience with asthma and the impact that had on their lives and careers. Mrs Harris talks about local fundraising events in Stanley, particularly what she calls 'Australian Teas', as well as some of the dances and picnics that were major sources of entertainment when she was young. 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.Mrs May Harris' statement explores life in a small farming community alongside some of her life in the city, which might provide an interesting comparison. She discusses the difficulties of facing illnesses in these rural communities, noting the lack of available resources and need to travel to Beechworth. She discusses community events, highlighting both the social aspects and the fundraising aspects.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.listen to what they say, beechworth, oral history, burke museum, illness, asthma, farming, farm work, rural life, stanley, stanley athenaeum, sinclair's sawmill, sawmill, the great depression, housework, australian tea, fundraising

In this interview we hear from Don and Bobbie Hayes who met and were married in Beechworth. Mrs Hayes was born in Beechworth to a blacksmith and a teacher who had moved to the area not long before she was born in 1925. She discusses her family and the struggle her mother had being a city woman relocated to the bush and into a family who didn't accept her for her Methodist religious beliefs as they were a staunch Catholic family. After working in the Tannery when they first moved to Beechworth from Melbourne, Don got a job in the 1950's at the Beechworth Mental hospital known as Mayday Hills (est. 1862) and continued working there for the next thirty six years. Starting as a nurse Don would be one of three or four staff known then as attendants, who would oversee up to forty patients in a ward taking them out to work the land and gardens or chop wood on the grounds. Mrs Hayes also worked in the Hospital and discusses the need at the time to be earning to pay for large medical bills that came from two of their children, one having a congenital heart problem which was not covered by hospital benefits and the other displaced hips that required surgery. By the end of his time working at the hospital, Don was in charge of the patient training centre where those destined for discharge would be trained on how to cope in the world outside of the hospital grounds they were so used to. Both talk openly and with heartfelt candour, recalling their years spent among the patients of the hospital community, their sense of humour and compassion are evident and although the times and the jobs were definitely hard and the wages low, this couple cared deeply about the people they worked with and sit among those people from the local area who established Beechworth as a significant social welfare region. 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.The significance of this oral history lies in the firsthand accounts from two people who were directly involved in the significant nursing work undertaken at Mayday Hills Mental hospital from the 1950's. Hearing the stories from those who were there and had lived experience, adds depth and we gain valuable insight into how and what the asylum was like for those who worked there and colourful details about the kinds of patients they encountered too, it adds human and personal context to what could otherwise become statistic and abstract information about a historic site. 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 will have now 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.listen to what they say, beechworth, oral history, burke museum, mayday hills hospital, may day hills, beechworth mental asylum, mental hospital, asylum, nursing, hospital, patient training centre, patients, social welfare

Mrs. Vanessa McDonald was born in Beechworth in 1917. Christened, Agnes Bertha Collins, Vanessa changed her name in 1960. Mrs. McDonald's family's connection with gold mining in the district reach back to the first of Beechworth's gold rushes, when her great grandfather, a Dutchman who adopted the name Charles Collins, arrived in 1851-1852. Mrs. McDonald spent her childhood in the isolated hamlet of Stanley, in the area known as 'Little Scotland', where she recalls helping her mother to raise younger siblings, picking apples and walnuts on the family farm, and roaming the hills for wildflowers. As a young woman Mrs. McDonald attended religious and social gatherings in the local community. In 1940 she went to Melbourne to work as a mothercraft nurse during the Second World War. She met her husband at a Beechworth football match and was married at the Stanley Methodist Church in 1941. The gold diggings known as the 'Nine Mile' became the hamlet of Stanley, after the British Prime Minister, Lord Stanley, in 1858. By the late 1850s, Stanley boasted schools, an athenaeum, a church, a weekly newspaper and several hotels and other civic infrastructure to cater for a growing population. The area attracted large numbers of Chinese miners, whose presence was frequently resisted. Like other early Victorian mining settlements, Stanley was a hotbed of political and racial tensions during the gold rush. One side of the Nine Mile Creek was known as 'Little Scotland’, the other, 'Little Ireland'. A number of Christian denominations built congregations and churches in Stanley, including the Church of England, Methodist Church, the Catholic Church, and Presbyterian Church. Stanley became part of the United Shire of Beechworth in 1871. By 1880 timber was being cut and two sawmills were established by 1887. River-dredged gold mining consumed vast amounts of timber from the forests in the area, and in 1931 the first of several softwood plantations began. 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.Following the decline in the mining and associated industries during the early-mid-twentieth century, the Beechworth district experienced a period of general economic decline. On the east side of the Dingle Range, Mrs. McDonald's father, William Henry Collins, felled timber and the family were pioneer apple orchardists. The establishment of apple orchards in Stanley reflects changes to how land was used and contributes to our understanding of the historical development of rural communities following the gold rush. Mrs. McDonald's recollections are significant for understanding family and social life in a small rural town in years leading up to the Great Depression and prior to the Second World War. This oral history recording may be compared with other oral histories and items in the Burke Museum's collection. 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 will have now 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 Vanessa McDonald /listen to what they say, beechworth, oral history, burke museum, emigration, gold rush immigration, victorian gold rush, mining families, apple orchard, forestry, forest plantation, little scotland, stanley, twentieth century history, regional australia, rural australia, farming, harvest festival, great depression, dingle range, the nine mile, australian wildflowers, high country wildflowers, mothercraft nurse, rural and regional women, social history, collins, mrs. vanessa mcdonald, building community life, shaping cultural and creative life, fruit growers, family history, changes to land use in regional victoria

Gwendoline Warden was born in Ararat in 1913. When she was 13 years old, she moved to Wangaratta, where her parents owned the “Hibernian Hotel”. Her father`s name was William Lavender. When Gwen was around 16 years old, she moved to Beechworth, where she met her husband and they got married in 1935. They had their wedding reception at Warden`s Hotel and they had two children together, a boy and a girl. She recounts how difficult it was for them during the war to manage their grocery's shop and source the supplies they needed, having coupons for food and the black-market prevailing. They faced financial difficulties and, ultimately, they had to sell the shop. After the war she did a few other jobs and she retired when she was nearly sixty. Gwendoline portrays Beechworth as a quiet place, where people were happy and peaceful, enjoying the many opportunities they had for entertainment, such as dances and balls, or the celebrations for the New Year's Eve. She also witnessed the beginning of the famous wheelbarrow race, which started just outside the post office and a big crowd gathered to farewell the two barrowmen. When comparing the past with the present, she points out how much Beechworth has changed over the last decades, with many new people coming to town, making her feel as “the only one around”. She also remarked that young people have changed as well; in her day they were entertaining themselves but nowadays they want to be entertained. 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.Gwendoline Warden's account of her life in Beechworth and the local area during the 20th century is historically and socially significant as it offers valuable information about the business activity in the region and provides a deeper insight into the way hotels and grocery shops were operating during the first half of the previous century. Additionally, along with all the details provided for many aspects of social life, her personal account of the war period is of great importance, offering vital information to research on the way the Australian society experienced WWII. 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 Gwendoline Warden/ararat, wangaratta, hibernian hotel, gwendoline warden, william lavender, beechworth, warden`s hotel, grocery`s shop, coupons, black-market, war, dances, new year`s eve, balls, new people, listen to what they say: voices of twentieth century beechworth, jennifer williams, cassette tapes, friends of the burke, oral histories

Fred was born on the 1st of March 1928 and Bette in 1934, in Beechworth. Both of their families immigrated from England on convict ships in the 1800s. Fred and Bette both had large families of 9 and 5 siblings respectively, with 2 of Fred's siblings suffering from muscular dystrophy both dying at 20 years old which affected the family. Bette originally worked in multiple cafes and kitchens in Beechworth before working in "Ennals Store" which was a grocery store, for over 30 years. Fred worked as a milkman during the war before becoming an engineer at the tannery and the brewery in Beechworth. He rebuilt the factory at the brewery during the 1970s and worked there until he retired. 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.Fred and Bette Wyatt's account of their lives in Beechworth and the local area during the 20th century is historically and socially significant to the cultural heritage of the region. They both mention important historical events and hardships in the region's history that had a lasting local, regional and national impact, including Australia during wartime, economic struggles, and the development of Beechworth town. 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 will have now 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.Fred and Bette Wyattbeechworth, beechworth tannery, beechworth brewery, fred and bette wyatt, wyatt, wyatt beechworth, ennals store, ennals beechworth, listen to what they say, burke museum