W. Thorne architect of Albury designed the library building and the plan was approved in June 1915 The building contractor was J. W. Cochrane of Albury. The land was purchased from Mr. Walter Huon. On the 28th July 1915 the Shire President, Councillor Beardmore, laid the foundation stone for the building that would become the Wodonga Public Library. Almost 12 months later, on the 8th March 1916, the library was officially opened. It was the pride of Wodonga. The Shire Council closed their doors for a brief period so that all staff could attend the opening and the teachers and children of the local schools also attended. Councillor Beardmore declared that “it was an asset that would return a profit- not in pounds and shillings and pence but in the development and furnishing of the minds and lives of our young people”. It was known as the Beardmore Library. The Wodonga Athenaeum, in an out of the way location, had closed in 1914 after continuing reports of a lack of funds and the proceeds of the sale of the building went towards the building of the new library. In 1915 the library building committee started to put together a building fund for a new library. The library, situated at 78 High Street, was funded almost exclusively by the public. The books from the Athenaeum were presented to the library committee at the opening in 1916. The new library was both a place for education and recreation, a communal space to socialise, which also boasted a billiards room downstairs. In March 1970 construction of a new Civic Centre which included a library began in Wodonga. With its completion the following year, the original library was closed down. The building was vacant for some time and deteriorated badly. It was later purchased by Peter Middleton, who extensively restored the building. These images have local significance as they document an important building in Wodonga.2 photos - one black and white and one in colour of the same brick building. The first photo is of the building when it served as the Wodonga Public Library. The colour photo was taken approximately 60 years later.Photo 1 - In Brickwork above the door: PUBLIC LIBRARY Photo 2 - Above door: MIDDLETONS CARPETSwodonga public library, wodonga buildings

This box of pastels was donated to the Wodonga & District Historical Society by Betty L. Barberis (nee Barton), a prominent artist. They were given to her by Mr Colin Findlay, the teacher at Upper Gundowring Primary School from 1930 to 1939. His students at that school and many others used these pastels each day. Reeves’ “Greyhound” business was originally established by William Reeves who opened his first shop near St Paul’s Cathedral in London, England in 1766. The greyhound crest was later adopted as their emblem, taken from the coat-of-arms of the extinct Ryves family of Dorset. It consisted of a black-seated greyhound spotted with gold. After William’s death, the business was carried out by his brother, in partnership with various businessmen. They sold a wide range of art supplies in England and their trade extended to supplying drawing instruments and stationery products to the East India Company in the early 1800s. In the 1920s the Greyhound Colour Works at Enfield became known especially for its famous Greyhound pastels. Reeves Greyhound products were also being made in Melbourne, Australia. They were marketed widely through schools in all States from the 1920s onwards. Reeves continues to be a huge brand both in the United Kingdom and internationally, placed in over 70 countries worldwide including America, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, South Africa and Australia.These pastels are significant because they were widely used in Victorian Schools and were donated to our Collection by a prominent local artist.A cardboard box with a corrugated cardboard to store 12 pastels. The pastels are held in a cardboard tray insert.REEVES' 'GREYHOUND" PASTELS (REGISTERED) Directions for use Non-INJURIOUS Made in Australia On each pastel: REEVES GREYHOUND reeves greyhound pastels, primary school art supplies, education 1930s, upper gundowring primary school, betty l. barberis

When Mrs Julia Ronan nee Arundel lost her husband John to tuberculosis in 1906, she quickly decided to move from their small farm into Wodonga with her 3 children. She was granted the lease of the ground she needed to establish her eating house at one shilling per year in a shed on the Dalgety's saleyard block. Two established merchants Albert Schlink and John Whan and butcher Jack Garrett agreed to allow her credit which enabled her to open Ronan's Dining Rooms at the Saleyards. It was often a challenging environment, with drovers, and horse- breakers, auctioneers and bushmen bringing huge mobs of cattle and horses to the saleyards. Stories of the premises include the unexpected arrival in the passage of a lively bullock which finished up on the girls' bed. Mrs Ronan persevered and beat all obstacles to finally move from the saleyards to the Wodonga Coffee Palace in High Street, beside the railway gates in 1921. The construction of the Hume Weir had begun and some construction workers boarded at the Coffee Palace. Her 3 children achieved success due to their mother’s hard work to ensure their futures. Bill trained for the priesthood and was a parish priest, but died from tuberculosis 1n 1939 aged of 41. Katie became a highly accomplished music teacher, including 32 years at Albury Public School. In the 1930s she was able to buy a house at 49 High Street, Wodonga where she lived with her mother and sister Mary. Mary trained in office work at Edmondson’s solicitors and then worked on the Albury Council. After living with her daughters in the High Street house, Julia passed away on her 90th birthday in 1958. Mary died on 6 January 1983. Katie passed away in Wodonga at the age of 97 on the 16 September 1996. All members of the family are buried at Yackandandah, Victoria.A black and white image of Miss Mary Ronan, Mrs Julia Ronan and Miss Teresa Trudewind at the Old Saleyards Dining Room, Wodonga.On front of building: DINING ROOMS/ MRS. J. RONANmrs. ronan, dining rooms wodonga sale yards, wodonga businesses, wodonga pioneers

Alexander Sutherland Bremner was born in Lyster, Scotland in about 1890. He migrated to South Australia and by 1914 was stationed in Mount Gambier as a missionary in connection with St Andrew’s Presbyterian Church. At that stage he was a student of Divinity. He moved to Victoria and served in Beech Forest and Kyabram. After three years in Kyabram, Reverend Bremner transferred to Wodonga in April 1919. Although only in Wodonga for two years, Reverend Bremner quickly became highly regarded in the community for the compassion he brought to his calling. He was particularly concerned about the welfare of boys in Wodonga and became involved in the Scouts as well as establishing the Wodonga Boys’ Club. Although the Boys’ Club had been formed through the Church it was open to all local boys. Tragedy struck on 20th November 1920 when Reverend Bremner was accompanying a group of boys on an outing to the Wodonga Creek. In order to stop the boys from entering a deep water hole he positioned himself on a log between it and the shallower water. Unfortunately he slipped off the log himself and fell into the waterhole. He was unable to swim and despite the best efforts of one of the boys to rescue him, he drowned. To add further to the tragedy, his fiancé was on her way to Wodonga by train to visit Reverend Bremner for the weekend. She could not be advised of his death before arriving at the station where she expected him to be waiting. As a mark of respect, a hall was erected at the back of the Wodonga Presbyterian Church in High Street to serve as a kindergarten and Sunday School. It was officially opened on Sunday 6th November 1921 and named Bremner Hall.This album is significant because it documents the service and untimely death of a highly regarded Minister of the Presbyterian Church in Wodonga.A small brown photo album containing photos and newspaper articles chronicling the drowning of Reverend Alexander Sutherland Bremner in Wodonga.reverend a.s. bremner, presbyterian church, bremner hall