For about 40 years the corner of Hargraves and Williamson Streets in Bendigo in rural Victoria had been known for its arresting aroma. From a hole in a window wafted the smell of Gillies Brothers' meat pies.The Gillies window, along with the nearby Shamrock Hotel, ANZ Bank and Post Office, was one of the delights of Bendigo and proof that mass-produced food can still be delicious. Gillies went from strength to strength, surviving listing on the second board and a handover to a younger generation of managers.Gillies had three factories, 10 shops in rural Victoria and Melbourne. Les Gillies, one of three brothers who founded the baking business after the difficult drought years preceding 1950, admits that the company has not always been run along the most modern business methods. Change began with the preparation of a business plan subsidised by the Victorian Department of Industry, Technology and Resources in 1974. Prepared by Cruickshanks, the plan formed the basis of the company's float on the second board. Capital expanded to $4.4 million. In 1988, a second plan was produced by Chris Mason and Associates covering business, marketing, computer utilisation and human resources. This factory for Gillies pies originally opened in the 1950s, but has sadly been closed and abandoned since about 2006.CD Gillies History Photos containig 11 photos of shops, staff and factories in Bendigo.bendigo, business, gillies bros, gillies pies

Small brochure prepared for the ''Cohn cousins and kin gathering'' celebrating the 150th anniversary of the three Cohn brothers arrival in Bendigo in 1853.bendigo, business, cohn bros

Badge with a drawing of a bottle and the words Cohns C.O.D. Gangbendigo, business, cohn bros

List of hotel owned by Cohn Brothers or were licensed to deliver their beer to.bendigo, business, cohn bros

Two pages typewritten history of the Cohn family. Also stapled two copies of black and white photographs, one of Captain Julius Isaac Cohn the other of Joel Isaak Cohn and family in front of their house in Smedegade, Horsens, Denmark.bendigo, business, cohn bros

COLLECTION OF PHOTOGRAPHS FROM MISS E.W.WELLS -black and white, faded PHOTO OF HARRIET ROTHERHAM (GRANDMOTHER).Bartlett Brothers photographersphotograph, portrait, female, 'bartlett bros. , view place sandhurst , photographers

Dull orange folder containing copies of letters, brochures, information sheets and some newspaper cuttings. Name on the front is Frank A. Stevenson 244 Hargreaves St Bendigo. Letters date from 1937 to 1942. Newspaper titles include: Prevention of Rust- Principle of the Scalebuoy, Scalebuoys in Cars, Tragic Death of Captain Hartley Abbott and the Obituary of Captain R.H.S.Abbott.sciences, instruments - general, scalebuoy, bill ashman collection - correspondence, frank a stevenson, mr bacon, amalgamated freezing co bendigo, g whalley, gunbower co-operative butter factory & trading coy ltd, mr wallace, j charlesworth, d v evershed, bendigo electronic co, walshes crown hotel, hunter bros, wybgones unit, 180 gold mining co, o'hallorans cyanide unit, crystal ice works, stevenson unit, bendigo council, central nell gwynne, nth deborugh g m co, deborugh g m c, deborugh consolidated, cohuna butter factory, geo ross, victorian producers' co-operative coy ltd, h abbott, ernest f o liddell, rothacker bros, motor spares ltd, leggo's buildings, t j jorgensen, mr robinson, stevenson bros, r h s abbott, d c house, the electrical factor in metabolism, w n abbott, the great boulder proprietary gold mines ltd, w o galletly, mr stronell, newport workshops, victorian railways, mr brownbill, mr james, the university of melbourne, j l osborne, n clarkson, sister mary gonzaga, st joseph's hospital, mater misericordiae hospital, mr herzog, sister m monica?, vacuum oil, j johns, h j grigg, w a walsh, market square, crown hotel, g e cole, transport & engineering in australia 16/12/1937, mr menderson, mr ross, sanitary age 8/2/1935, northern kiwanis clubs, harry a baxter, w h cunningham & hill ltd, link-belt co ltd, sir william crooks, royal zoological society, ginna works germany, close brothers, w h taylor, geo taylor hardware co ltd, details of hydraulic spinner unit (scalebuoy), a davidson, john g kelly inc, hannon, myers wishart, kennedy, mr critten, pennsylvania rubber coy, paul a douden & co, w e humphrey, kansas city public service co, smith, tangney hotels, wahkonsa hotel, muscatine hotel, arlington hotel, burke hotel, helen tangney-springer, f w woolworth co, w w edan, ymca, n f alcock, b j ingram, scalebuoys, bendigo electronic company of australia proprietary limited, a s bloomfield, harry ponsonby mackenzie, arthur robinson & co, the commercial banking company of sydney ltd, a t madden, victorian railways, e c eyers, city of bendigo, frank h day, lane's motors pty ltd, h c holland, union oil soap & candle co ltd, knox home, n a duthie, w h mccorkindale, maungatapere co-op dairy co ltd, the whangarei co-op dairy co ltd, w h millingford, kettering cartons limited, j g arlidge, w e humphrey, kansas city public service company, h w smith, prospectus of scale buoy distributors limited, edwin gripper banks, richard hartley smith abbott, frank shaw fitchett, hayden smith & fitchett, the commercial bank of australia limited, william john stanley horsfall, frank cooper, scott's hotel, a j phillips, stringer & phillips proprietary ltd, e g banks, edwin gripper banks, reginald william stringer, frank cooper, claude gordon robinson, s reid

Sheet of notepaper headed Menzies Hotel Melbourne. A number of names written on the paper for 4B Units Loaned.sciences, instruments - general, scalebuoy, bill ashman collection - correspondence, menzies hotel melbourne, j g robertson, parsons bros ltd, dodds

Printed Cohn Brothers Memorandum dated 26th June 1895 handwritten note to Secretary Collins St Melbourne re: M. G. J. Williams estate signed Magnus Cohnbendigo, industry, cohn bros brewery

Post Office telegram from Bendigo dated June 11th 95 to E. P. Hastings handwritten Pass Book missed post Credit Balance four hundred pounds signed Magnus Cohnbendigo, industry, cohn bros brewery

Cohn Brothers Printed Memorandum dated 23 May 1895 with handwritten note to E. P. Hastings re: acknowledging receipt of cheque signed Magnus Cohnbendigo, industry, cohn bros brewery

Post Office Telegram from Bendigo stamped July 12th 1894 to E. P. Hastings asking have you sent vouchers waiting them signed Magnus Cohn.bendigo, industry, cohn bros brewery

Printed letterhead memorandum dated 25th May 1894 to E. P. Hastings re: returning sealed balance sheet proof documents signed Magnus Cohnbendigo, industry, cohn bros brewery

Handwritten note addressed to E. P. Hastings re: transfer of scrip signed Julius Cohn dated 06/04/94bendigo, industry, cohn bros brewery

Crabbe, Cohen and Kirby handwritten note to E. P. Hastings re: share certificates Mr George Harold Watson, Catherine Hayes signed Crabbe Cohen & Kirby.dated 11.3.1895bendigo, industry, cohn bros brewery

Note from Crabbe, Cohen and Kirby Barristers & Solicitors dated 11th march 1895 to E. P. Hastings re: return of administration letter signed Crabbe Cohen & Kirby.bendigo, industry, cohn bros brewery

Handwritten note from A Drake 'Jumburu' addressed to E P Hastings re: forwarding cheque signed A Drake.dated 17.6.1895bendigo, industry, cohn bros brewery

Printed letterhead of Clarke & Company Stock and Share Brokers 309 Collins Street Melbourne addressed to Secretary Cohn's Brewery re: delivery of share scrip from Clarke & Co dated 20th February 1895.bendigo, industry, cohn bros brewery

Handwritten note dated June 21st 1894 to E P Hastings Vic Brewery Co Melbourne re: sending dividend cheque signed Arthur Drake.bendigo, industry, cohn bros brewery

Large Scroll Print 'The Equity' Smaller scroll Trustees, Executors & Agency Company Limited, 52 Queens Street Melbourne dated 17th December 1895. To the Manager Cohn's Brewery Ltd Bendigo re: Madame Bouteau shares signed Joel Fox Manager.bendigo, industry, cohn bros brewery

Printed Letterhead in large scrolled letters 'The Equity, Trustees, Executors, & Agency Company Limited 52 Queen Street Melbourne dated 24th September 1895 to The Manager Cohn's Brewery, Bendigo. Typed print message re: changing power from Madame H J Bouteau to Mons C Bouteau.bendigo, industry, cohn bros brewery

Handwritten note from Athol Greenwood Care Greenwood Brothers, Coburg Produce Store, Sydney Road Coburg to The Secretary Cohns Brewery. Couangalt address. Beg to inform Cohns address will be Coburg Produce Store. Dated 9th March 1895bendigo, industry, cohn bros brewery

Hand written note with Cohns Received 21 / 12/ 93 & acknowledged 21 / 12/93 stamp . From Athol Greenwood Couangalt Gisborne 19th December 1893 to E P Hastings re: forwarding dividend from Cohns Brewery.bendigo, industry, cohn bros brewery

Victorian State Post card mailed on April 2 1895 to Mr E.P. Hastings 489 Collins Street Melbourne . Bendigo Post Office Duplex cancellation. Reverse. Post Office Stamped receival Melbourne same day. Pre printed Victoria Brewery with printed scroll options. Dated 1/4 1895. Please send some Transfers.bendigo, industry, cohn bros brewery

Vic State Post Card stamped with Bendigo Duplex No 2/ 95 addressed to E.P. Hastings, 487 Collins Street, Melbourne. Reverse. Melbourne Post Office receival stamp. Date obscured . Handwritten, kindly send transfer forms signed with initials CPM ,LMS dated 1/11/95bendigo, industry, cohn bros brewery

State Postcard date Stamped June 23rd 1894 Counangalt, beside Barred Oval, 610 hand stamp addressed to E. P. Hastings Sec Cohns Brewery, 487 Collins Street, Melbourne. Reverse. Received and redirected June 23rd from Gisborne PO. Handwritten Counangalt Gisborne 23rd June Date. Request for posting dividend cheque. Signed A Greenwoodbendigo, industry, cohn bros brewery

Memorandum on Arthur H Hasell of 59 Queen Street Melbourne letterheaded paper dated 26/6/1894 re transfer of share scrip signed A H Hasell.bendigo, industry, cohn bros brewery

Series 288 parts a,b,c, relate to notes on Fitzgeralds Brewing & Malting Co Castlemaine letterhead paper with dates 14/6/1894, 26/9/1894, 28/12/1893 re: paying dividend cheques all signed James Newmanbendigo, industry, cohn bros brewery

Parts a,b,c, of Series 287 relate to Tessie Dobie in handwritten notes sent six months apart re: her not receiving her interest payment on shares. A, Handwritten note headed 'Wermatong' dated Jan 6th 1894 signed Tessie Dobie querying why she has not received her interest on shares.bendigo, industry, cohn bros brewery

Handwritten note with illegible signature from Mc Ivor Road Bendigo address directed to Mr hastings re dividend cheque.bendigo, industry, cohn bros brewery