The first Bank of New South Wales building in Wodonga was located in a small cottage. The branch opened on 7 May 1872. At first it was conducted as an agency of the Beechworth branch. In October 1872 premises in Sydney road were purchased from Mr P. L. M. S. Chauncy for £650. When the bank commenced in the cottage the first account was opened in the name of Hillerman & Co, storekeepers, Wodonga. Another early account was in the name of William Huon, squatter of de Kerilleau, Wodonga. On 9 July 1873, the agency was converted into full branch under the management of Mr. Joseph Belcher. Other early accounts included Cronin & Callaghan, storekeepers; John Bassett Jnr, shoemaker; John Jennings, contractor; Ah Soon, tobacco grower, Kergunyah; John de Corney Ireland, collector of customs; Andrew Kyle, fellmonger; Rowan Lockhead, accountant; Alexander McKay, publican; George Pollard, farmer; Thomas Street, farmer; and Edmund Uren, gentleman, Buninyong. Organisations banking at the branch included Wodonga Building Society, 1873; Wodonga Mechanics Institute 1875; Wodonga Band Fund 1882; Talgarno Athenaeum, 1888; Talgarno Butter & Cheese Factory 1892; Wodonga Federation League 1893; Wodonga Brass Band 1895; Wodonga Benevolent Society 1895; Wodonga Fire Brigade 1897; Wodonga Rifle Club and Wodonga Racing Club in 1899 and Kiewa Polo Club in 1900. There were also numerous lodge and church accounts. The cottage was later renovated with a porch added in 1889 and an extension to the residence in 1898. The original house was eventually demolished to make way for a new bank and manager’s residence in Sydney Road in 1906. That building was again remodelled in 1969. It became a branch of the WESTPAC bank when the Bank of NSW and CBA Bank joined to become the Westpac Banking Corporation in 1982. After the building ceased operation as a bank, it has been the home to several businesses including a video store, a travel agency and a clothing store.These images have local significance as they record changes to a building which filled an important role in the commercial life of Wodonga.A series of photos both black and white and coloured which document changes in the former Bank of New South Wales building in Wodonga over time.Photo 1: On sign above verandah "BANK of NEW SOUTH WALES" Photo 2: On sides of building and above door: "BANK OF NEW SOUTH WALES" Photo 3: Above door: "HIRE/ VIDEO MADNESS/ SALES" Photo 4: Above door: "WODONGA TRAVEL"wodonga businesses, banking wodonga, bank nsw wodonga, businesses high street wodonga

Sikh hawkers were a regular sight throughout the Wodonga and Upper Murray district in the early 20th century. The regular visitors to the area included Pola Singh and Gambil (Gamble) Singh. Gamble Singh often camped on McKoy’s Moorefield property in West Wodonga and several other places around the district. Gamble was also a horse breeder and had several draught horses to pull his wagon. Like many of the hawkers he worked hard to send money back to support family in India. He apparently returned to India about 1950, but left some money in the Bank of NSW in Wodonga in case he returned. He allegedly died soon after and the money was eventually able to be claimed by his nephews in India. A small overlooked park in Wodonga is named the “Gamble Singh Park” in his memory. J. Flanagan who operated the Halfway Hotel commented on having as many as seven or eight bullock teams “yoked” overnight to the fence outside the hotel as well as 100 or more Indian hawkers – led by the fondly known Pola (Pollah) Singh. The hawkers returned to Wodonga annually to renew their hawkers’ license and camped on the flats, or also came to Wodonga to collect orders at the railway station to stock up their supplies. Pola Singh was often based at the Colac Colac reserve near Corryong and had on board his compatriot Isar Singh. He often acted as an intermediary between the individual hawkers and the authorities. Unfortunately, it was Pola’s habit to walk in front of his wagon at the start of each day. On the morning of 23 June 1923 his horses were restive and hard to control. They took flight and ran Pola down on the road near Cudgewa. He was rushed to the Corryong Hospital but died there a few days later, aged 65. Pola was cremated, with some of his ashes scattered in the Murray River and some returned to his homeland to be scattered in the Ganges River. His cremation was listed in the Obituary page of the Weekly Times, Melbourne on Saturday 14 July 1923. A small memorial to Pola Singh is located in the Corryong Cemetery.These images are significant because they help to document the history of the Sikh Hawkers who plied their services to Wodonga and throughout rural Australia in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.A collection of black and white images featuring Sikh Hawkers Gamble Singh and Pola Singh take in the Wodonga area.indian hawkers, sikh hawkers, gamble singh, pola singh