Showing 51 items matching "beechworth hospital history"

The Beechworth Burke Museum
Audio - Oral History, Jennifer Williams, Mavis Jensen, 11 May 2000

... ...Beechworth hospital history...Beechworth with her family a year later, so her father could assist his father at Knight's Blacksmith at 1A Camp Street, where the Hotel Nicholas is now located. Mavis Jensen left school at the age of 13 and worked as a kitchen maid at Ovens Benevolent Asylum. She was employed as a ward assistant at Mayday Hills Hospital from 1939 to 1980, except for 1958-59 when she gave birth to her son, Noel. This oral history...Ovens Benevolent Asylum Beechworth hospital history Mavis Jensen / This is a digital copy of a recording that was originally captured on a cassette tape. ...

Mavis Jensen (nee Knight) was born in Broadford in 1920 and came to Beechworth with her family a year later, so her father could assist his father at Knight's Blacksmith at 1A Camp Street, where the Hotel Nicholas is now located. Mavis Jensen left school at the age of 13 and worked as a kitchen maid at Ovens Benevolent Asylum. She was employed as a ward assistant at Mayday Hills Hospital from 1939 to 1980, except for 1958-59 when she gave birth to her son, Noel. 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.Mavis Jensen'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. Her oral history is particularly significant for its insights into developments in psychiatric patient treatment and care in regional Victoria, as well as women's work conditions in the mid-twentieth century. 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.Mavis Jensen /listen to what they say, beechworth, oral history, burke museum, jensen, mavis jensen, psychiatric hospitals, mid-twentieth century psychiatry, regional hospitals, regional mental health care, mid-twentieth century women's working conditions, mayday hills hospital., ovens benevolent asylum, beechworth hospital history
The Beechworth Burke Museum
Photograph - Stereoscopic Photograph

... ...Beechworth hospital history...Isolation Ward Beechworth hospital history Beechworth Ovens District Hospital Former Ovens District Hospital Old Hospital Ruins Words 6 & 7 Little Canada A rectangular sepia stereoscopic photograph printed on matte photographic paper, mounted on board. ...

Believed to have been taken in the late 19th - early 20th century, this photograph depicts the former Ovens District Hospital or now referred to as the Old Hospital Ruins in Beechworth. The photograph highlights the isolation ward, or ward 6 and 7 as it was otherwise known, which was built by D Fiddes in 1890 . The former Ovens and District Hospital was closed and demolished in 1940.This photograph documents the structure of the former Ovens District Hospital before it was demolished in 1940. The Ovens District Hospital is considered a historically significant archaeological site within Victoria, therefore this photograph holds significance in its documentation of a stage of the history of this historic site. A rectangular sepia stereoscopic photograph printed on matte photographic paper, mounted on board.Words 6 & 7 Little Canadaisolation ward, beechworth hospital history, beechworth, ovens district hospital, former ovens district hospital, old hospital ruins
The Beechworth Burke Museum
Audio - Oral History, Joyce Snow

... beechworth...hospital...oral history...Hospital in Shepparton when Manpower sent her to Beechworth. She arrived at Beechworth in 1943 at a train in Wangaratta. She had been a nurse in Beechworth for more than seven years. She got married in Beechworth and had three children, two girls and one boy. By the time of her third child, she studied a one year supplementary course on Psychy at May Day. Joyce had nursed prisoners of the First World War. She shared about the differences of medical practice back then in comparison to now. This oral history...This oral history account is socially and historically significant as 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. burke museum beechworth hospital oral history nursing nurse first world war prisoners of war tatatura Moonrapna peritontitis doctors tuck shops Largactil rock films Victoria Park Kings in Grass Castle Durack Duracks glory box d'oylies Joyce Snow This is a digital copy of a recording that was originally captured on a cassette tape. ...

Joyce Snow was born in Avenel and came to Beechworth at the age of twenty-three. She grew up at Bundarta, a place just out of Shepparton. Her father was a soldier who was part of the 37th Battallion while her mother's family were some of the pioneers of Beechworth--the Duracks. She finished school at about thirteen years old, did a correspondence course, and when she was old enough, she went training for nursing. Joyce was a trained nurse at the old Mooroopna Base, Hospital. She working at a Hospital in Shepparton when Manpower sent her to Beechworth. She arrived at Beechworth in 1943 at a train in Wangaratta. She had been a nurse in Beechworth for more than seven years. She got married in Beechworth and had three children, two girls and one boy. By the time of her third child, she studied a one year supplementary course on Psychy at May Day. Joyce had nursed prisoners of the First World War. She shared about the differences of medical practice back then in comparison to now. 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.Joyce Snow's account of her life in the early 20th century is historically and socially significant to the cultural heritage of the region. She gave information about the settlements and life of the prisoners of First World War, the early forms of entertainment, education system and societal roles. She also mentioned changes in employment and migrant communities. This oral history account is socially and historically significant as 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.Joyce Snowburke museum, beechworth, hospital, oral history, nursing, nurse, first world war, prisoners of war, tatatura, moonrapna, peritontitis, doctors, tuck shops, largactil, rock films, victoria park, kings in grass castle, durack, duracks, glory box, d'oylies
The Beechworth Burke Museum
Photograph, R & M Harvey

... Beechworth’s association with conservatism and constitutionalism in the 1860s and 1870s. Numerous other papers sprung up to contest the Advertiser’s hold during the latter half of the nineteenth-century, but none were able to completely oust it from its post. As well as representing a key chapter in Beechworth’s history, the Advertiser can be used as a key source for the stories and figures of historic Beechworth. As well as managing the Advertiser, Richard Warren's owned or managed multiple businesses in Beechworth, founded the Ovens hospital...Beechworth’s association with conservatism and constitutionalism in the 1860s and 1870s. Numerous other papers sprung up to contest the Advertiser’s hold during the latter half of the nineteenth-century, but none were able to completely oust it from its post. As well as representing a key chapter in Beechworth’s history, the Advertiser can be used as a key source for the stories and figures of historic Beechworth. As well as managing the Advertiser, Richard Warren's owned or managed multiple businesses in Beechworth, founded the Ovens hospital ...

This photograph shows a group of men standing outside the Ford Street office of the Ovens and Murray Advertiser in Beechworth. This group includes the Advertiser''s manager, Richard Warren, who is bearded man standing in the doorway and who's name is written on the reverse of the photograph. The Advertiser was a local paper, first printed as a weekly in 1855, and then as a daily in 1857. It continues to be printed today, albeit in a different form. The Advertiser was launched by architect Francis Hodgson Nixon with assistance from businessman John Henry Gray, and newspaperman Richard Warren. Warren was sole owner from 1860 until his death in 1906, and it responsible for much of the paper’s success. Its goals included coverage of local events, as well as of global news, and the promotion of economic liberty, arts, and sciences. Beyond these initial goals, the Advertiser was instrumental in local politics, particularly Beechworth’s association with conservatism and constitutionalism in the 1860s and 1870s. Numerous other papers sprung up to contest the Advertiser’s hold during the latter half of the nineteenth-century, but none were able to completely oust it from its post. As well as representing a key chapter in Beechworth’s history, the Advertiser can be used as a key source for the stories and figures of historic Beechworth. As well as managing the Advertiser, Richard Warren's owned or managed multiple businesses in Beechworth, founded the Ovens hospital and Benevolent asylum, invested in local companies, and participated in a range of religious brotherhoods and societies. He married Mary Ann Mitchell when he was twenty-six, and, while the couple were unable to have children, they adopted one son, who began managing the Advertiser in the late-nineteenth century. This photograph has historic significance afor its relationship to the history of the Ovens and Murray Advertiser, which is a key example of of successful nineteenth-century business in Beechworth, and for including an image of Richard Warren, a key figure in the period. Sepia rectangular photograph, faded, printed on photographic material and mounted on board. Obverse: The Ovens and Murray Advertiser Reverse: Or M A/ Printing Office/ Ford Street About 1860/ Beechworth/ R Warren [logo: R & M Harvey/Authorised Newsagents/ and Gift Shop/ Beechworth Phone 114]ovens and murray advertiser, the ovens and murray advertiser, newspaper, printing, ford street, richard warren, journalism, advertising, 1800s, 1800s beechworth, #beechworth, local business, advertiser, workmen, hats, printers, journalists, warren, mary ann mitchell, mary ann warren, 1860s, 1860s beechworth, r warren, r & m harvey
The Beechworth Burke Museum
Photograph, c1900

... Beechworth’s association with conversates and constitutionalism in the 1860s and 1870s. Numerous other papers sprung up to contest the Advertiser’s hold during the latter half of the nineteenth-century, but none were able to completely oust it from its post. As well as representing a key chapter in Beechworth’s history, the Advertiser can be used as a key source for the stories and figures of historic Beechworth. As well as managing the Advertiser, Richard Warren's owned or managed multiple businesses in Beechworth, founded the Ovens hospital...Beechworth’s association with conversates and constitutionalism in the 1860s and 1870s. Numerous other papers sprung up to contest the Advertiser’s hold during the latter half of the nineteenth-century, but none were able to completely oust it from its post. As well as representing a key chapter in Beechworth’s history, the Advertiser can be used as a key source for the stories and figures of historic Beechworth. As well as managing the Advertiser, Richard Warren's owned or managed multiple businesses in Beechworth, founded the Ovens hospital ...

This photograph shows a group of workmen outside the Loch Street Printing Office of the Ovens and Murray Advertiser in Beechworth. The Advertiser was a local paper, first printed as a weekly in 1855, and then as a daily in 1857. It continues to be printed today, albeit in a different form. Initially based on Ford Street, the Loch Street office opened in 1893, after printing facilities were updated. The Advertiser was launched by architect Francis Hodgson Nixon with assistance from businessman John Henry Gray, and newspaperman Richard Warren. Warren was sole owner from 1860 until his death in 1906, and it responsible for much of the paper’s success. He appears in this photo alongside twenty of his staff and is the man standing directly in front of the doorway. When it launched, the paper’s goals included coverage of local events, as well as of global news, and the promotion of economic liberty, arts, and sciences. Beyond these initial goals, the Advertiser was instrumental in local politics, particularly Beechworth’s association with conversates and constitutionalism in the 1860s and 1870s. Numerous other papers sprung up to contest the Advertiser’s hold during the latter half of the nineteenth-century, but none were able to completely oust it from its post. As well as representing a key chapter in Beechworth’s history, the Advertiser can be used as a key source for the stories and figures of historic Beechworth. As well as managing the Advertiser, Richard Warren's owned or managed multiple businesses in Beechworth, founded the Ovens hospital and Benevolent asylum, invested in local companies, and participated in a range of religious brotherhoods and societies. He married Mary Ann Mitchell when he was twenty-six, and, while the couple were unable to have children, they adopted one son, who began managing the Advertiser in the late-nineteenth century. This photograph has historic significance afor its relationship to the history of the Ovens and Murray Advertiser, which is a key example of of successful nineteenth-century business in Beechworth, and for including an image of Richard Warren, a key figure in the period.Rectangular black and white photo printed on photographic material, unmounted. Obverse: Ovens and Murray/ Printing Office Reverse: Ovens and Murray Advertiser Staff 7721/ Beechworth/ BMM 79.15ovens and murray advertiser, the ovens and murray advertiser, newspaper, printing, richard warren, journalism, advertising, 1800s, 1800s beechworth, #beechworth, local business, advertiser, workmen, hats, printers, journalists, warren, mary ann mitchell, mary ann warren, r warren, loch street, 1890s, 1890s beechworth
The Beechworth Burke Museum
Photograph, Circa 1858

... Beechworth...Newtown...Foundry...1858...local business...New Ford Street Foundry...Alexander Rogers...Victorian agricultural history...mining machinery...Beechworth Brewery...Ovens District...Mayday Hills Mental Asylum...Beechworth Mental Hospital...Pratten Beechworth grocers grocer New Town Newtown Beechworth Newtown Foundry 1858 local business New Ford Street Foundry Alexander Rogers Victorian agricultural history mining machinery Beechworth Brewery Ovens District Mayday Hills Mental Asylum Beechworth Mental Hospital beechworth mental asylum Mental Hospital mental Reverse: [Agfa wordmarks: diamond-shaped watermarks for Agfa photographic paper] 1997.2642/ refer to/ 1997 2650/ 3056 Black and white rectangular photograph printed on photographic paper Photograph Photograph ...

Taken around 1858, depicting a row of five business buildings on a rocky, sloping hillside at New Town, with a view across to residences and open land. Businesses included, Joseph E. Bishop, Coach Builders; Straughair Duncan, Engineers, Blacksmiths & Farriers; Straughair Duncan, Beechworth Foundry; Wholesale & Retail Est. 1855, Mackenzie Family Store ; and T. Pratten, Grocer. Eleven men may be seen outside the Foundry building. The Mental Hospital can be seen in the background. Mark Straughair and John Duncan, established the Beechworth Foundry, Newtown in 1858 and went on to build an important industry, employing around sixteen men, after acquiring Alexander Roger's New Ford Street Foundry in the late 1860s. Making and repairing mostly mining and agricultural machinery for the Ovens District and a Beechworth brewery, the business continued to function after Straughair's death in 1882, up until the death of Duncan in 1896, when the business folded. This photograph is historically significant because it shows the development of the businesses in Beechworth from the early establishment of the town.Black and white rectangular photograph printed on photographic paperReverse: [Agfa wordmarks: diamond-shaped watermarks for Agfa photographic paper] 1997.2642/ refer to/ 1997 2650/ 3056joseph e. bishop, mark straughair, john duncan, mackenzie family store, beechworth foundry, coach, coach builder, engineer, blacksmith, farrier, t. pratten, beechworth grocers, grocer, new town, newtown beechworth, newtown, foundry, 1858, local business, new ford street foundry, alexander rogers, victorian agricultural history, mining machinery, beechworth brewery, ovens district, mayday hills mental asylum, beechworth mental hospital, beechworth mental asylum, mental hospital, mental
The Beechworth Burke Museum
Audio - Oral History, Jennifer Williams, Mr Frank Blair, 20th April 2000

... He eventually became a well known personality around Beechworth, becoming president of the hospital and the bowls club. 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. ...He eventually became a well known personality around Beechworth, becoming president of the hospital and the bowls club. 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. ...

Francis Blair was born on January 17th, 1910. He was born in Bendigo, and lived in Daylesford from pre-school to the age of thirteen. His father was a miner who died in an explosion when he was one years old. As a result he was handed from relation to relation, commenting that he can never remember seeing his mother. He has a sister and aunt who owned a hotel in Daylesford. His sister was placed in the local convent to be looked after. He overheard his aunt talking about having him work in a drapers store, and not liking the idea, took a bicycle and rode off. He headed to Bendigo, staying with a relative where he eventually got a job at a wholesale food manufacturing company, making jelly crystals, custard powders and other things. He arrived in Beechworth in 1952, due to having built up a consultancy in the food manufacturing business. When he moved to Beechworth he had no prior contacts except the firm that was in Beechworth (Beechworth Brewery). He eventually became a well known personality around Beechworth, becoming president of the hospital and the bowls club. 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.Francis Blair's story is significant because he details how many food and beverages were crafted in the 1900s in Victoria. His story also allows the craft to stay alive by detailing the different aspects required to create specific food and beverage items.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
The Beechworth Burke Museum
Audio - Oral History, Jennifer Williams, Sister Elizabeth McGovern, Sister Mary Lacey, Sister Mary Griffiths, Sister Gerardus Thistlewaite, 18th March 2000

... Beechworth...nuns...brigidine sisters...brigidine convent...school...religion...prison...boarding school...modernization...food...women's history...teaching...teachers...Education...hospitals...beechworth hospital...Beechworth in the second half of the twentieth century. They had backgrounds in teaching and office work. As nuns, their contributions to the community included teaching, running camps, being there for community members wishing to talk to them or pray, and visiting prisons and hospitals. During their time in the order, the role of the nuns in Beechworth shifted due to the closing down of the Priory School, and changes in where housing for nuns was provided. The oral history...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. Listen to what they say Listen to what they say: voices of twentieth century Beechworth nuns brigidine sisters brigidine convent school religion prison boarding school modernization food women's history teaching teachers Education hospitals beechworth hospital charity old priory Father Stockdale easter Beechworth 1950s Sister Elizabeth McGovern, Sister Mary Lacey, Sister Mary Griffiths, Sister Gerardus Thistlewaite This is a series of digital recordings that were originally recorded on multiple cassette tapes. ...

Sister Elizabeth McGovern, Sister Mary Lacey, Sister Mary Griffiths, and Sister Gerardus Thistlewaite were all nuns of the Brigidine Order in Beechworth in the second half of the twentieth century. They had backgrounds in teaching and office work. As nuns, their contributions to the community included teaching, running camps, being there for community members wishing to talk to them or pray, and visiting prisons and hospitals. During their time in the order, the role of the nuns in Beechworth shifted due to the closing down of the Priory School, and changes in where housing for nuns was provided. The oral history also includes stories of boarding at the convent in the 1950s, and reflections on how the experience of being a nun has changed due to increasing immersion in the modern world, and the move from convent to house. 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.Sister Elizabeth McGovern, Sister Mary Lacey, Sister Mary Griffiths, and Sister Gerardus Thistlewaite's interview with Jennifer Williams is revealing of the history of the Brigidine order in Beechworth, and the role religion and nuns played in the wellbeing, education, and life of the community in the latter half of the twentieth century. It is significant both for what it illustrates about the lives and motivation of the Sisters, and for what it tells us about how the role of religious education and figures shifted in Beecjhworth from 1950 onward. It is especially illuminating about the experience of women in education. 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 series of digital recordings that were originally recorded on multiple cassette tapes. The cassette tapes are black with a horizontal white strip and are currently stored in a clear flat plastic rectangular container. They up to 40 minutes of recordings on each side.Sister Elizabeth McGovern, Sister Mary Lacey, Sister Mary Griffiths, Sister Gerardus Thistlewaitelisten to what they say, listen to what they say: voices of twentieth century beechworth, nuns, brigidine sisters, brigidine convent, school, religion, prison, boarding school, modernization, food, women's history, teaching, teachers, education, hospitals, beechworth hospital, charity, old priory, father stockdale, easter, beechworth 1950s
The Beechworth Burke Museum
Audio - Oral History, Jennifer Williams, Mr John Clemens, 2000

... Beechworth. John worked as a motor mechanic in his early years, having left school in sixth grade. He later worked carting wood (independently) and drinks for Murray Breweries/Billson's Breweries. He delivered drinks and wood to the Old Hospital after its relocation in 1940, to Bonegilla Migrants Camp and got to know most of the townspeople. He recounts his interactions with various members of the community, highlighting the importance of the Zwar Tannery, which John recounts as employing approximately 200 people (dating this recollection to approximately 1938). This oral history...Beechworth. John worked as a motor mechanic in his early years, having left school in sixth grade. He later worked carting wood (independently) and drinks for Murray Breweries/Billson's Breweries. He delivered drinks and wood to the Old Hospital after its relocation in 1940, to Bonegilla Migrants Camp and got to know most of the townspeople. He recounts his interactions with various members of the community, highlighting the importance of the Zwar Tannery, which John recounts as employing approximately 200 people (dating this recollection to approximately 1938). This oral history ...

Mr John Clemens was born in 1913 to Australian parents. His father worked in building roads which led to the family's move from Sunnyside Gen Willis to Beechworth. His father was part of the road making team on the Buffalo River Road between Myrtleford and Beechworth. John worked as a motor mechanic in his early years, having left school in sixth grade. He later worked carting wood (independently) and drinks for Murray Breweries/Billson's Breweries. He delivered drinks and wood to the Old Hospital after its relocation in 1940, to Bonegilla Migrants Camp and got to know most of the townspeople. He recounts his interactions with various members of the community, highlighting the importance of the Zwar Tannery, which John recounts as employing approximately 200 people (dating this recollection to approximately 1938). 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.John's interview demonstrates the dynamics of the Beechworth township in the 1920s-1940s, showing the important industries and connections of the town which he was involved in. His mention of the Model T Ford, produced 1908-1927, shows his experience with early cars in the town, which were owned by the richer people. He talks about the dominance of the Zwar Bros. Tannery over the town, by employing hundreds of people (dating John's recollection to approximately 1938). John's interview shows the changed that the town has gone through through his experiences as a driver for wood and drinks. It can be interpreted as historically significant to the Beechworth local area but also to a wider audience; Zwar Tannery supplies leather to General Motors Holden, the brewery was one of the largest in the country, and the Bonegilla Migrants Camp was the largest and longest running migrant camp in Australia. John's everyday interactions with all of these places and people within makes his story significant. The project is significant for its recording of stories from members of the local Beechworth community before they are lost. It tells of the everyday stories of the people and their memories of the town. The recordings were done in 2000, with interviewees such as John being in their 80s when interviewed. The interviews were recorded to cassette, before being digitised in 2021. 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. john clemens, burke museum, beechworth, bonegilla migrants camp, beechworth hospital, murray breweries, billson's breweries, zwar bros. tannery
The Beechworth Burke Museum
Audio - Oral History, Mr Doug Craig

... Doug gave an account of his younger years as a student at Beechworth in the post war periods of 1959 to 1953, his employment and the culture within companies he worked for, the changes brought by the new drug era, working in the hospital, 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. ...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. beechworth mental hospital drugs burke museum Stanley State hospitals hospital patients cocky's loft may day hills May Day This is a digital copy of a recording that was originally captured on a cassette tape. ...

Doug Craig was born in Beechworth but had lived in Stanley. His parents had been in Stanley since the 1850's. He went to secondary school in Beechworth. His family roots are from France and Scotland. Doug gave an account of his younger years as a student at Beechworth in the post war periods of 1959 to 1953, his employment and the culture within companies he worked for, the changes brought by the new drug era, working in the hospital, 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 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.beechworth, mental hospital, drugs, burke museum, stanley state, hospitals, hospital patients, cocky's loft, may day hills, may day
The Beechworth Burke Museum
Audio - Oral History, Jennifer Williams, Wilma Wells, 10th February 2000

... Beechworth...May Day Hills...Oral History...burke museum...wilma wells...hospital...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. Beechworth May Day Hills Oral History burke museum wilma wells hospital ...

Born on the 24th of December 1912 at the Three Mile was Wilma Wells. Her mother born into English heritage bore four children, one who died shortly after birth, while her father had Irish heritage and worked at May Day Hills as a warden and a nurse. Wilma married Ted Wells when she was 23 and subsequently had two daughters. 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. Wilma Wells account of her life during the 20th century is historically and socially significant to the cultural heritage of Beechworth and the surrounding regions. She details important historical places and hardships within the region that have a lasting impact which includes but is not limited to issues with race, women's societal expectations and economic struggles. 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 Wilma Wells /beechworth, may day hills, oral history, burke museum, wilma wells, hospital, listen, weddings, three mile, picnic
The Beechworth Burke Museum
Audio - Oral History, Mrs Frances Gladstone, 31st March 2000

... Beechworth with his sister, who was a trained nurse and helped establish a hospital for the goldfields. Frances remembers her father saying the Chinese miners were not allowed to bring their families to the goldfields, hence there were no Chinese children in schools around Beechworth. Frances was an avid botanist, and wrote a book called 'The Little Huntsman', which she wrote while watching her husband gold mining. This oral history...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. Frances Gladstone's story is significant, as she remembered important information about Chinese miners in the gold rush, explained the role of women in the 20th century in Beechworth, and the history of the hospitals ...

Frances Gertrude Gladstone was born on the 18th of September 1919 to Arthur George Ladson and Gertrude Hunrick Irving. France's grandfather, Alfred Ladson, came Beechworth from Norfolk, England, during the gold rush. Alfred had a grocery business, and was well known for writing letters for the miners to send to their families. Alfred also travelled to Beechworth with his sister, who was a trained nurse and helped establish a hospital for the goldfields. Frances remembers her father saying the Chinese miners were not allowed to bring their families to the goldfields, hence there were no Chinese children in schools around Beechworth. Frances was an avid botanist, and wrote a book called 'The Little Huntsman', which she wrote while watching her husband gold mining. 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.Frances Gladstone's story is significant, as she remembered important information about Chinese miners in the gold rush, explained the role of women in the 20th century in Beechworth, and the history of the hospitals in the region. 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, botanist, chinese miners, goldmining, gladstone
The Beechworth Burke Museum
Audio - Oral History, Jennifer Williams, Mrs Margaret O'Loughlin, 26 September 2000

... beechworth...oral history...burke museum...post office...margaret o'loughlin...mayday...mental hospital...Beechworth at the old hospital in 1937. Her father was born in Greta West and Mother is from Timboon. Margaret spent her life in the Beechworth area where she was educated and worked at the post office in the telephone exchange. Working at the exchange gave Margaret a behind the scenes understanding of the community from working the switch board and connecting vital services such as the fire brigade, the doctor and mental hospital in Beechworth. This oral history...Beechworth at the old hospital in 1937. Her father was born in Greta West and Mother is from Timboon. Margaret spent her life in the Beechworth area where she was educated and worked at the post office in the telephone exchange. Working at the exchange gave Margaret a behind the scenes understanding of the community from working the switch board and connecting vital services such as the fire brigade, the doctor and mental hospital in Beechworth. This oral history ...

Margaret O’Loughlin was born in Beechworth at the old hospital in 1937. Her father was born in Greta West and Mother is from Timboon. Margaret spent her life in the Beechworth area where she was educated and worked at the post office in the telephone exchange. Working at the exchange gave Margaret a behind the scenes understanding of the community from working the switch board and connecting vital services such as the fire brigade, the doctor and mental hospital in Beechworth. 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.Margaret O’Loughlin’s life story is significant to the Burke Museum as she was born and raised educated and worked in the district her whole life. She married and had three children. She was community minded and worked in the Post Office while her husband worked in the local mental hospital. As a family they then lived next to the Fire Station in the fire house and their knowledge of the township spans the 1900s. Margaret saw changes in the town from a communications perspective, working in the telephone exchange sending messages via Wangaratta and until a time that the exchange became automated. After that she continued working in a face to face roll at the Post Office and had an intimate knowledge of the town. Her husband worked for 31 years at the mental hospital, Mayday and the couple saw changes to the town and community brought about be World War II. 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. Mrs Margaret O'Loughlin /listen to what they say, beechworth, oral history, burke museum, post office, margaret o'loughlin, mayday, mental hospital, communications, fire house, telephone exchange
The Beechworth Burke Museum
Audio - Oral History, Jennifer Williams, Mrs Sheila Parkinson, 3 January 2000

... 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...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...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. 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 Mrs Sheila Parkinson / This is a digital copy of a recording that was originally captured on a cassette tape. ...

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
The Beechworth Burke Museum
Audio - Oral History, Jennifer Williams, Gwen and Jack Scott, 24th February 2000

... beechworth tannery...Ovens and Murray Hospital for the Aged...Benevolent Asylum...Open-air Cinema...The Rock cinema...Italians Beechworth...hospital births 1920s...Wang Tech...Wangaratta Tech...Nell Scott...Jennifer Williams...Oral History...Gwen and Jack Scott’s oral history recording is part of a larger collection of oral histories recorded by Jennifer Williams in 2000, collectively they provide invaluable insights into Beechworth during the 20th century, much of the information in these oral histories would be lost if not documented and missed in the interpretation of tangible objects. Jack Scott Gwen Scott R. Scott Carriers Scott Brothers Zwar Brother's Beechworth Tannery Zwar Tannery beechworth tannery Ovens and Murray Hospital ...

Jack Scott was born in Beechworth on the 24th January 1919 into a third generation Beechworth family who had migrated from Scotland, Cornwall and Ireland during the 1860s. Also present during the oral history recording is Jack’s wife, Gwen Scott. In 1878 Jack’s grandfather established the carrier business - R. Scott Carriers. Jack’s grandfather secured a contract with the Zwar Brothers' Beechworth Tannery to transport all goods between the tannery and train station via horse and cart. Jack’s father and uncle carried on the family business, before Jack and his brother eventually joined after the Second World War. The company expanded from a single horse and cart short route to multiple trucks operating interstate routes. Prior to joining the family carrier business, Jack on leaving school started work at the tannery and served in the air force during the Second World War. When asked about the working conditions at the tannery, Jack recalls while they did have union representatives, it was not particularly effectual. The union representatives were often placated by sharing multiple whiskies with the Zwar brothers when in their offices to discuss workers’ issues. Gwen’s father also worked for the tannery for a period of time, and she enjoyed the annual picnics the tannery provided for employee families. Both Jack and Gwen’s connections to the tannery reinforces the tannery’s role as a major employer and presence in the Beechworth community. Prior to marrying Jack, Gwen worked in a range of roles including at the Ovens and Murray Hospital for the Aged, managing the family home when her parents both worked during the Second World War, and apprenticed with her sister as a hairdresser. Jack and Gwen provide some insight into maternal health issues in brief discussions of hospital birthing trends and awareness of contraception and family planning. Both Jack and Gwen recalled attending the open-air cinema at ‘The Rock’ in their childhoods. Gwen remembers that the ‘elites’ would sit on chairs at the front, and Gwen’s family sat on a rug at the back, while Jack would jump the fence and get in for nothing. Jack and Gwen discuss attitudes towards both Chinese Australians and Italian migrants in Beechworth. They did not notice any racism and from their perspective felt they were accepted in the town. Jack did note that Italian employees lost their jobs at the tannery during the Second World War, but believed they all stayed within the area and found stonemason and concrete work in the interim. Jack socialised with members of the Italian community and joyfully recalled attending their homes for music nights with lots of drinking and instruments being played. 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. Gwen and Jack Scott’s account of their lives in Beechworth is historically and socially significant to the cultural heritage of the region. Gwen and Jack in reflecting on their everyday experiences of operating a family business, availability of work, leisure opportunities, interaction with migrants, and access to maternal health care provide essential economic, social, and healthcare insights. Gwen and Jack Scott’s oral history recording is part of a larger collection of oral histories recorded by Jennifer Williams in 2000, collectively they provide invaluable insights into Beechworth during the 20th century, much of the information in these oral histories would be lost if not documented and missed in the interpretation of tangible objects. 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 Gwen and Mr Jack Scott jack scott, gwen scott, r. scott carriers, scott brothers, zwar brother's beechworth tannery, zwar tannery, beechworth tannery, ovens and murray hospital for the aged, benevolent asylum, open-air cinema, the rock cinema, italians beechworth, hospital births 1920s, wang tech, wangaratta tech, nell scott, jennifer williams, oral history, listen to what they say: voices of twentieth century beechworth, tannery union
The Beechworth Burke Museum
Audio - Oral History, Jennifer Williams, Mrs Beth Miller, 8 June 2000

... Beechworth...Beth Miller...Miller...Listen to what they say...Jennifer Williams...oral history...Latvia...Bonegilla...immigration...Mayday...Mayday Hills...Mental Hospital...Hospital brought her to Beechworth, where she settled with her husband and parents. Mrs Miller recounts the daily work in the Mental Hospital during the 1950s, life in Black Spring and the isolation of the immigrant experience. This oral history...Beechworth high-country Mrs Beth Miller was born in February, 1924 in Latvia. Her family left for Germany after Russian occupation was implemented in Latvia, and eventually sailed for Australia from Naples, Italy in 1949. A working contract and position at the Mayday Hills Mental Hospital brought her to Beechworth, where she settled with her husband and parents. Mrs Miller recounts the daily work in the Mental Hospital during the 1950s, life in Black Spring and the isolation of the immigrant experience. This oral history ...

Mrs Beth Miller was born in February, 1924 in Latvia. Her family left for Germany after Russian occupation was implemented in Latvia, and eventually sailed for Australia from Naples, Italy in 1949. A working contract and position at the Mayday Hills Mental Hospital brought her to Beechworth, where she settled with her husband and parents. Mrs Miller recounts the daily work in the Mental Hospital during the 1950s, life in Black Spring and the isolation of the immigrant experience. 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 Beth Millers 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 gives important insights into the life of post-war European immigrants in the 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.Mrs Beth Miller /beechworth, beth miller, miller, listen to what they say, jennifer williams, oral history, latvia, bonegilla, immigration, mayday, mayday hills, mental hospital, asylum, black spring, bakery, lutheran, immigrant
The Beechworth Burke Museum
Audio - Oral History, Jennifer Williams, Mrs Elva Hill & Mrs Mary Martina, 22nd August 2000

... beechworth...oral history...burke museum...hill...martina...sisters...boarding school...rural school...primary school...beechworth secondary school...mayday hills mental hospital...Beechworth Post Office to Mt Buffalo in just eight days, with the winner awarded twenty pounds. A brochure was published with official rules, and the incident made international news in the New York Times. They briefly discussed that their parents worked at the 'Mental Hospital', the full name of which was the Mayday Hills Mental Hospital, known at other points as the Beechworth Asylum and the Beechworth Hospital for the Insane. This oral history...Beechworth Post Office to Mt Buffalo in just eight days, with the winner awarded twenty pounds. A brochure was published with official rules, and the incident made international news in the New York Times. They briefly discussed that their parents worked at the 'Mental Hospital', the full name of which was the Mayday Hills Mental Hospital, known at other points as the Beechworth Asylum and the Beechworth Hospital for the Insane. This oral history ...

This oral history interview was conducted with two sisters, Mrs Elva Hill and Mrs Mary Martina. They describe growing up in Beechworth, living a fairly well-off life compared to others around them. Mrs Martina in particular talks about going to school, becoming a teacher, and helping to set up Beechworth Secondary School. She talks briefly about gender roles for girls in the classroom and how teaching has changed over time. Mrs Hill and Mrs Martina describe the Beechworth community as friendly, including towards migrants, and suggest they were not particularly involved in political movements except for protesting after the dismissal of the Whitlam Government. They discuss visiting the Albury Show. The sisters briefly discuss 'them pushing the wheelbarrow to Mt Buffalo'. This refers to a publicised wager between garage proprietor Tom Parkinson and Post Office Hotel licensee Tony Evans in 1935. Evans challenged Parkinson to push him in a wheelbarrow for over 80km (with an elevation of 1000m) from the Beechworth Post Office to Mt Buffalo in just eight days, with the winner awarded twenty pounds. A brochure was published with official rules, and the incident made international news in the New York Times. They briefly discussed that their parents worked at the 'Mental Hospital', the full name of which was the Mayday Hills Mental Hospital, known at other points as the Beechworth Asylum and the Beechworth Hospital for the Insane. 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 statement captures a personal perspective on the teaching profession and education at rural schools during the mid-twentieth century, with a focus on the experience of young girls and women going to school. It specifically discusses the establishment of Beechworth Secondary School. Mrs Hill and Mrs Martina also provide insights into the social dynamics of the town, as two girls from a well-off family discuss how they believed people from different backgrounds interacted with one another. The interview also puts Beechworth into a wider social context, as the women discuss how they were perceived when they went to College and how they interacted with wider politics. 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 Elva & Mrs Mary Martina /listen to what they say, beechworth, oral history, burke museum, hill, martina, sisters, boarding school, rural school, primary school, beechworth secondary school, mayday hills mental hospital, gender, gender at school, entertainment, albury show, dress codes, wealth gap, whitlam dismissal
The Beechworth Burke Museum
Audio - Oral History, Jennifer Williams, Barry Pope, 26/6/2000

... Beechworth...1960s...1970s...1980s...Stanley Mill...Logging...Hotel Wentworth...Oral history...Hospital...Hospital. Taking up new opportunities to advance his career and earning potential, he trained as a prison officer, working for several months at Pentridge Prison and Fairlea Women's Prison in Melbourne. He then returned to Beechworth to work in the prison system. In his story Mr Pope discusses many aspects of prison life for both prisoners and prison officers, from the food and daily routine, attitudes to discipline and rehabilitation, industries and opportunities available to prisoners and how prisoners were viewed in society after their period in prison was finished. This oral history...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. Beechworth 1960s 1970s 1980s Stanley Mill Logging Hotel Wentworth Oral history Hospital ...

Barry Pope left Melbourne at the intentions of travelling around Australia, met a local girl in Beechworth and decided to stay. He worked firstly in logging operations at the mill in Stanley, had some bartending jobs at Beechworth hotels, then got a job as a kitchen-hand at the Mayday Hill Hospital. Taking up new opportunities to advance his career and earning potential, he trained as a prison officer, working for several months at Pentridge Prison and Fairlea Women's Prison in Melbourne. He then returned to Beechworth to work in the prison system. In his story Mr Pope discusses many aspects of prison life for both prisoners and prison officers, from the food and daily routine, attitudes to discipline and rehabilitation, industries and opportunities available to prisoners and how prisoners were viewed in society after their period in prison was finished. 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.Barry Pope's account of his career is historically and socially significant as it details practices within the prison industry in the Twentieth Century as well as the operations of regional hospitals. 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.Barry Pope /beechworth, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, stanley mill, logging, hotel wentworth, oral history, hospital garden, mayday hill hospital, met hospital, social welfare department, loyola, lyolla, pentridge prison, fairlea women's prison, prison officer training, drug crimes, prison daily life, prison farm, prison wood workshop, prison industry, prison escapes, beechworth prison, prison suicides, prison violence, prisoner attitudes to crime, mental health, isolation cells, walking dog scheme, guide dogs, prison concerts, prison plays, george smee, prison food, prison officer accommodation
The Beechworth Burke Museum
Audio - Oral History, Jennifer Williams, Mrs May Sewell, 23rd November 2000

... history...Jennifer Williams...Listen to what they say: voices of twentieth century Beechworth...Beechworth Church of England...Easter Festival...Beechworth Girl Guides...Hospital...Beechworth. May described her husband as very hardworking, he worked as a cleaner overnight at the Ovens and Murray Hospital for the Aged while during the day tended his cattle and sheep farm. This oral history...May’s oral history recording is part of a larger collection of oral histories recorded by Jennifer Williams in 2000, collectively they provide invaluable insights into Beechworth during the 20th century, much of the information in these oral histories would be lost if not documented and missed in the interpretation of tangible objects. May Sewell Oral history Jennifer Williams Listen to what they say: voices of twentieth century Beechworth Beechworth Church of England Easter Festival Beechworth Girl Guides Hospital ...

May Sewell was born in Beechworth in 1917, her paternal grandparents had come to Beechworth from Ireland and her maternal grandparents from Scotland. She was the youngest of five siblings and the only one to be born in a hospital rather than at home. May loved growing up and living in Beechworth, and fondly recalls knowing all her neighbours, meeting friends at the pictures, attending girl guides, picking wildflowers around the gorge, participating keenly in the Church of England choir and dances, and the big Easter festivals. May worked various jobs before getting married. After leaving school at fifteen, May learnt dressmaking with Lal Anderson (and was delighted with her wage of two and six pence a week) and then went on to learn tailoring with Mr Charles. May then worked in the dining rooms at the Commercial Hotel and Hotel Nicholas. May was at the Hotel Nicholas for seven years but stopped when she got married as female employees were not asked to stay once they were married. May married her husband in 1944 and had known him since school. They went on to have six children, sadly three did not live past infancy. Her first children were twin girls who died six hours after birth. May briefly discusses the difficulty in grieving her twin daughters, the lack of available support, and the expectancy to carry on. Her next child, a son named Ian James, died when he was only ten months old from a tumour. May described Ian James as a lovely boy. May had multiple connections to the Zwar Brothers' Beechworth Tannery. Her father and then her three brothers worked there, and also her husband for a short period of time. The tannery was a major employer in Beechworth, and May having multiple family members employed by the tannery underlines the significant role of the tannery in Beechworth. May described her husband as very hardworking, he worked as a cleaner overnight at the Ovens and Murray Hospital for the Aged while during the day tended his cattle and sheep farm. 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. Miss May Sewell’s account of her life in Beechworth is historically and socially significant to the cultural heritage of the region. May in reflecting on her experiences of leisure opportunities, town festivals, work available for women, leaving the workforce once married, the tannery, post-natal care, grief and child mortality provide essential historic, economic, social, and healthcare insights. May’s oral history recording is part of a larger collection of oral histories recorded by Jennifer Williams in 2000, collectively they provide invaluable insights into Beechworth during the 20th century, much of the information in these oral histories would be lost if not documented and missed in the interpretation of tangible objects. 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 May Sewellmay sewell, oral history, jennifer williams, listen to what they say: voices of twentieth century beechworth, beechworth church of england, easter festival, beechworth girl guides, hospital birth 1917, lal anderson, tailor beechworth, commercial hotel, hotel nicholas, zwar brother's beechworth tannery, ovens and murray hospital for the aged, dressmaking beechworth, beechworth cinemas, paul voglis
The Beechworth Burke Museum
Audio - Oral History, Jennifer Williams, Mr Bill Gerrard, 10 August 2000

... beechworth...oral history...burke museum...Bill Gerrard...Mayday Hills Hospital...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...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 ...

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
The Beechworth Burke Museum
Audio - Oral History, Jennifer Williams, Nola (Nettie) Maher, 27 April 2000

... Beechworth...Nola Maher...Nettie Maher...Listen to what they say...Jennifer Williams...oral history...hospital...history account is socially and historically significant as it is 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 had they not been preserved. Beechworth Nola Maher Nettie Maher Listen to what they say Jennifer Williams oral history hospital ...

Nola (Nettie) Maher was born in Beechworth on 31st December, 1935. Her father returned from World War One and purchased a miner’s cottage in 1919 where Nettie lived in for the majority of her life. Nettie worked for ten years at the Pittman’s Shoe Factory, once located on Ford Street, which was in operation from 1 July 1947 to 28 August 1961. She fondly recalls the camaraderie amongst the staff and certain managers, and details the factory processes, union activities and the work she continued to do once she was married and had children. 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. Nola Nettie Maher’s account of her personal and working 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 details about life and working in the region post World War Two, including insights into women’s working roles, as well as the social aspects of town life. This oral history account is socially and historically significant as it is 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 had they 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.Nola Maher /beechworth, nola maher, nettie maher, listen to what they say, jennifer williams, oral history, hospital, private hospital, birth, miner’s cottage, kerosine, eucalyptus, rabbit, laundry, dressmaking, dressing certificate, dry cleaners, hotel, shoe, leather, shoe factory, uppers, pittman, ford street, charlie king, union, wages, new years eve, dance, memorial hall, married women, flexible hours, ice cream, milk bar
The Beechworth Burke Museum
Audio - Oral History, Jennifer Williams, Maxwell Pemberton, 23 June 2000

... 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...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'. ...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. 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 Mr Max Pemberton / This is a digital copy of a recording that was originally captured on a cassette tape. ...

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
The Beechworth Burke Museum
Audio - Oral History, Jennifer Williams, Isabel Wells, 24th February 2000

... Beechworth Mr. Newey Ford street butcher Mayday Hills Hospital The Ovens and Murray Home fire brigade 23rd March 1867 fire osteoarthritis Boxing Day horseraces Lake Kerferd Buffalo picnic cars firefighters Luke Reilly wheelchair Mrs Isabel Wells/ 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. Isabel Wells Audio Oral History ...

Isabel Wells was born in Beechworth in 1914. Her father, Mr. Newey, was a butcher; his shop was in Ford street and he took over from his grandfather. The family business, along with the local residents, was supplying the main government institutions in the region, like Mayday Hills Hospital and The Ovens and Murray Home, making a large percentage of his profit. Mr. Newey was also a captain of the fire brigade and Isabel mentioned that there were more fires happening in those days. The menace of a huge fire was impending in Beechworth for many years, due to the lack of adequate water supply and the absence of trained firefighters. The first fire brigade in the town was voluntary and was formed in 1858 under Superintendent Luke Reilly. A few other schemes deployed the following years, with all failing to sufficiently control the fires that occurred, until the creation of the first reliable fire brigade in the 1870s. The worst fire in the town's history happened on 23rd March 1867; it swept through many shops and the post office, leaving behind a damage cost estimated at £12,000. Isabel's mother was in a wheelchair, suffering from osteoarthritis; thus, Isabel had taken over the responsibility for looking after her mother and assisting her with daily living needs and personal care activities. She used to play golf and tennis and she was a member of the town tennis club. In terms of social life, Boxing Day was a big occasion for the town, with horse-races and games taking place. According to her narration, the use of cars was a turning point in the town's social activities, since people were able to visit nearby places and take day trips, such as having a picnic at Lake Kerferd or Buffalo. 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. Isabel'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 operation of butcher shops and meat supply during the first half of the previous century. Additionally, it offers invaluable information about the everyday life of people living in Beechworth, and highlights aspects of the overall social life and activities.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 Isabel Wells/ isabel wells, beechworth, mr. newey, ford street, butcher, mayday hills hospital, the ovens and murray home, fire brigade, 23rd march 1867, fire, osteoarthritis, boxing day, horseraces, lake kerferd, buffalo, picnic, cars, firefighters, luke reilly, wheelchair
The Beechworth Burke Museum
Audio - Oral history, Jennifer Williams, Mrs Florence Goonan, 10th August 2000

... hospital, before moving to Beechworth in 1954 when her husband was employed at the Beechworth Mental Hospital. Florence had eight children. Her husband was very ill, having surgery to remove part of his stomach at the Royal Melbourne Hospital, and struggled to gain income for the family. This oral history...hospital, before moving to Beechworth in 1954 when her husband was employed at the Beechworth Mental Hospital. Florence had eight children. Her husband was very ill, having surgery to remove part of his stomach at the Royal Melbourne Hospital, and struggled to gain income for the family. This oral history ...

Florence Alice Gonnan was born on the 13th of June 1917 in Yackandandah, Victoria, the youngest of six children. Her father worked in the gold mines, bringing in wood. Florence recalls her Grandfather being in charge of turning on the water for the mines in Yackandandah. Florence worked as a nurse in the Yackandandah hospital, before moving to Beechworth in 1954 when her husband was employed at the Beechworth Mental Hospital. Florence had eight children. Her husband was very ill, having surgery to remove part of his stomach at the Royal Melbourne Hospital, and struggled to gain income for the family. 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.Florence Alice Gonnan provides an account of life in Yackandandah from 1917 to 1954, and in Beechworth from 1954 to 2000. She provides descriptions of daily living, and how a big family with eight children survived without much income. 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, gonnan, florence alice gonnan, yackandandah
The Beechworth Burke Museum
Audio - Oral History, Jennifer Williams, Mr and Mrs Don Hayes, 20th May 2000

... beechworth...oral history...burke museum...Mayday Hills Hospital...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...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. 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 This is a digital copy of a recording that was originally captured on a cassette tape. ...

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
The Beechworth Burke Museum
Textile - Banner, c1872

... Beechworth Chinese community in recognition of their support of the Hospital and Benevolent Asylum in 1875, from the Carnival Committee. These banners had been purchased in China by a social envoy from Beechworth then presented to the Chinese community during the Beechworth Fine Arts Exhibition in May of that same year, by Donald Fiddes, President of the Ovens District Hospital. The Burke Museum's Chinese Collection presents the history...Beechworth Chinese community in recognition of their support of the Hospital and Benevolent Asylum in 1875, from the Carnival Committee. These banners had been purchased in China by a social envoy from Beechworth then presented to the Chinese community during the Beechworth Fine Arts Exhibition in May of that same year, by Donald Fiddes, President of the Ovens District Hospital. The Burke Museum's Chinese Collection presents the history ...

This banner was one of five banners gifted to the Beechworth Chinese community in recognition of their support of the Hospital and Benevolent Asylum in 1875, from the Carnival Committee. These banners had been purchased in China by a social envoy from Beechworth then presented to the Chinese community during the Beechworth Fine Arts Exhibition in May of that same year, by Donald Fiddes, President of the Ovens District Hospital. The Burke Museum's Chinese Collection presents the history of Chinese settlement in Beechworth from 1856 and its involvement in local community affairs in the second half of the 19th century. In settling in the area they formed their own community with distinctive Chinese cultural traditions, forming their own 'camps' with laid out streets, housing a Temple, Chinese Theatre and restaurants, hotels, stores, gambling houses and dwellings. Members of the Chinese community took an active interest in town affairs and were generous donors to the appeal to build the Ovens District Hospital in 1856/7. The vibrant colours and dynamic graphics of the silk embroidered Chinese banners were a highlight of Beechworth Charitable processions that took place in the main street. Two of the Chinese banners were conserved for the Burke Museum in 2006 by Carol Campbell of Phoenix Conservation Services with funding from Victoria’s Heritage Grants. In 2015, with the enormous support of the Copland Foundation and fundraising activities by the Friends of the Bur Museum Committee, conservation of the third banner was undertaken by Artlab Australia in Adelaide.The banners display traditional Chinese textile techniques and are visually beautiful and very rare and are considered of local and national significance, with the potential to be deemed internationally significant.Multi panelled banner with embroidery and applied design motifs on front. The front panels have been constructed using strips of various weaves and colours of silk that have been embroidered or had a design applied prior to the overall construction of the piece. The embroidery is predominantly gold work with both plyed and floss silk threads.beechworth, burke museum, chinese, benevolent asylum, ovens district hospital, beechworth carnival processions, carnival, processions, beechworth chinese community, beechworth fine arts exhibition, donald fiddes
The Beechworth Burke Museum
Textile - Banner, c1872

... Beechworth Chinese community in recognition of their support of the Hospital and Benevolent Asylum in 1875, from the Carnival Committee. These banners had been purchased in China by a social envoy from Beechworth then presented to the Chinese community during the Beechworth Fine Arts Exhibition in May of that same year, by Donald Fiddes, President of the Ovens District Hospital. The Burke Museum's Chinese Collection presents the history...Beechworth Chinese community in recognition of their support of the Hospital and Benevolent Asylum in 1875, from the Carnival Committee. These banners had been purchased in China by a social envoy from Beechworth then presented to the Chinese community during the Beechworth Fine Arts Exhibition in May of that same year, by Donald Fiddes, President of the Ovens District Hospital. The Burke Museum's Chinese Collection presents the history ...

This banner was one of five banners gifted to the Beechworth Chinese community in recognition of their support of the Hospital and Benevolent Asylum in 1875, from the Carnival Committee. These banners had been purchased in China by a social envoy from Beechworth then presented to the Chinese community during the Beechworth Fine Arts Exhibition in May of that same year, by Donald Fiddes, President of the Ovens District Hospital. The Burke Museum's Chinese Collection presents the history of Chinese settlement in Beechworth from 1856 and its involvement in local community affairs in the second half of the 19th century. In settling in the area they formed their own community with distinctive Chinese cultural traditions, forming their own 'camps' with laid out streets, housing a Temple, Chinese Theatre and restaurants, hotels, stores, gambling houses and dwellings. Members of the Chinese community took an active interest in town affairs and were generous donors to the appeal to build the Ovens District Hospital in 1856/7. The vibrant colours and dynamic graphics of the silk embroidered Chinese banners were a highlight of Beechworth Charitable processions that took place in the main street. Two of the Chinese banners were conserved for the Burke Museum in 2006 by Carol Campbell of Phoenix Conservation Services with funding from Victoria’s Heritage Grants. In 2015, with the enormous support of the Copland Foundation and fundraising activities by the Friends of the Bur Museum Committee, conservation of the third banner was undertaken by Artlab Australia in Adelaide. The banners display traditional Chinese textile techniques and are visually beautiful and very rare and are considered of local and national significance, with the potential to be deemed internationally significant.Multi panelled banner with embroidery and applied design motifs on front. The front panels have been constructed using strips of various weaves and colours of silk that have been embroidered or had a design applied prior to the overall construction of the piece. The embroidery is predominantly gold work with both plyed and floss silk threads.beechworth, burke museum, chinese, benevolent asylum, ovens district hospital, beechworth carnival processions, carnival, processions, beechworth chinese community, beechworth fine arts exhibition, donald fiddes
The Beechworth Burke Museum
Textile - Banner, c1872

... Beechworth Chinese community in recognition of their support of the Hospital and Benevolent Asylum in 1875, from the Carnival Committee. These banners had been purchased in China by a social envoy from Beechworth then presented to the Chinese community during the Beechworth Fine Arts Exhibition in May of that same year, by Donald Fiddes, President of the Ovens District Hospital. The Burke Museum's Chinese Collection presents the history...Beechworth Chinese community in recognition of their support of the Hospital and Benevolent Asylum in 1875, from the Carnival Committee. These banners had been purchased in China by a social envoy from Beechworth then presented to the Chinese community during the Beechworth Fine Arts Exhibition in May of that same year, by Donald Fiddes, President of the Ovens District Hospital. The Burke Museum's Chinese Collection presents the history ...

This banner was one of five banners gifted to the Beechworth Chinese community in recognition of their support of the Hospital and Benevolent Asylum in 1875, from the Carnival Committee. These banners had been purchased in China by a social envoy from Beechworth then presented to the Chinese community during the Beechworth Fine Arts Exhibition in May of that same year, by Donald Fiddes, President of the Ovens District Hospital. The Burke Museum's Chinese Collection presents the history of Chinese settlement in Beechworth from 1856 and its involvement in local community affairs in the second half of the 19th century. In settling in the area they formed their own community with distinctive Chinese cultural traditions, forming their own 'camps' with laid out streets, housing a Temple, Chinese Theatre and restaurants, hotels, stores, gambling houses and dwellings. Members of the Chinese community took an active interest in town affairs and were generous donors to the appeal to build the Ovens District Hospital in 1856/7. The vibrant colours and dynamic graphics of the silk embroidered Chinese banners were a highlight of Beechworth Charitable processions that took place in the main street. Two of the Chinese banners were conserved for the Burke Museum in 2006 by Carol Campbell of Phoenix Conservation Services with funding from Victoria’s Heritage Grants. In 2015, with the enormous support of the Copland Foundation and fundraising activities by the Friends of the Bur Museum Committee, conservation of the third banner was undertaken by Artlab Australia in Adelaide. The banners display traditional Chinese textile techniques and are visually beautiful and very rare and are considered of local and national significance, with the potential to be deemed internationally significant.Multi panelled banner with embroidery and applied design motifs on front. The front panels have been constructed using strips of various weaves and colours of silk that have been embroidered or had a design applied prior to the overall construction of the piece. The embroidery is predominantly gold work with both plyed and floss silk threads. beechworth, burke museum, chinese, benevolent asylum, ovens district hospital, beechworth carnival processions, carnival, processions, beechworth chinese community, beechworth fine arts exhibition, donald fiddes
The Beechworth Burke Museum
Photograph - Lantern Slide, c1900

... history of nursing in Beechworth. Three medical or social welfare facilities opened in the mid-1800s as part of a push by the township to become a regional centre for Government services. These were the Ovens District Hospital...Beechworth high-country This image appears to show nurses at what is now the Mayday Hills Mental Asylum arriving for work in approximately 1900. These individuals are part of a long history of nursing in Beechworth. Three medical or social welfare facilities opened in the mid-1800s as part of a push by the township to become a regional centre for Government services. These were the Ovens District Hospital ...

This image appears to show nurses at what is now the Mayday Hills Mental Asylum arriving for work in approximately 1900. These individuals are part of a long history of nursing in Beechworth. Three medical or social welfare facilities opened in the mid-1800s as part of a push by the township to become a regional centre for Government services. These were the Ovens District Hospital (opened in 1857), the Ovens Benevolent Asylum (opened in 1863), and the Beechworth Mental Hospital (opened in 1867 and renamed Mayday Hills Hospital at Centenary celebrations in 1967). It was recognised that the unsettled living conditions, poverty and relative isolation of the Goldfields environment could produce 'mental disturbances' which required local treatment facilities as services in Melbourne were too far away. Carole Woods' publication 'A Titan's Field' describes activities undertaken by patients at Beechworth Mental Hospital as including monthly balls and occasional concerts as well as work to make the facility self-supporting such as farm work and making clothes. She mentions a report in 1870 that the approximately 300 patients were clean and neat with 'no-one in restraint or seclusion' but that by 1905 the organisation had 623 patients which placed strain on building infrastructure such as heating and water supplies, leading to high turnover of nurses and other issues. A program of building works to extend and improve facilities followed over subsequent decades. Lantern slides, sometimes called 'magic lantern' slides, are glass plates on which an image has been secured for the purpose of projection. Glass slides were etched or hand-painted for this purpose from the Eighteenth Century but the process became more popular and accessible to the public with the development of photographic-emulsion slides used with a 'Magic Lantern' device in the mid-Nineteenth Century. Photographic lantern slides comprise a double-negative emulsion layer (forming a positive image) between thin glass plates that are bound together. A number of processes existed to form and bind the emulsion layer to the base plate, including the albumen, wet plate collodion, gelatine dry plate and Woodburytype techniques. Lantern slides and magic lantern technologies are seen as foundational precursors to the development of modern photography and film-making techniques This glass slide is significant because it provides insight into Beechworth's social and medical amenities in the early Twentieth Century, around the time of Australia's Federation into one nation. It is also an example of an early photographic and film-making technology in use in regional Victoria in the time period.Thin translucent sheet of glass with a rectangular image printed on the front and framed in a black backing. It is held together by metals strips to secure the edges of the slide.Obverse: i /burke museum, beechworth, lantern slide, slide, glass slide, plate, burke museum collection, photograph, monochrome, magic lantern, indigo shire, north-east victoria, nineteenth century, 1900s, twentieth century, emulsion slides, nursing, nurses, mental hospitals, lunatic asylums, asylums, social services, social welfare, insane asylums, mental health, infrastructure
The Beechworth Burke Museum
Photograph - Lantern Slide, c1900

... history of nursing in Beechworth. Three medical or social welfare facilities opened in the mid-1800s as part of a push by the township to become a regional centre for Government services. These were the Ovens District Hospital...Beechworth high-country This image appears to show nurses at what is now the Mayday Hills Mental Asylum in approximately 1900. These individuals are part of a long history of nursing in Beechworth. Three medical or social welfare facilities opened in the mid-1800s as part of a push by the township to become a regional centre for Government services. These were the Ovens District Hospital ...

This image appears to show nurses at what is now the Mayday Hills Mental Asylum in approximately 1900. These individuals are part of a long history of nursing in Beechworth. Three medical or social welfare facilities opened in the mid-1800s as part of a push by the township to become a regional centre for Government services. These were the Ovens District Hospital (opened in 1857), the Ovens Benevolent Asylum (opened in 1863), and the Beechworth Mental Hospital (opened in 1867 and renamed Mayday Hills Hospital at Centenary celebrations in 1967). It was recognised that the unsettled living conditions, poverty and relative isolation of the Goldfields environment could produce 'mental disturbances' which required local treatment facilities as services in Melbourne were too far away. Carole Woods' publication 'A Titan's Field' describes activities undertaken by patients at Beechworth Mental Hospital as including monthly balls and occasional concerts as well as work to make the facility self-supporting such as farm work and making clothes. She mentions a report in 1870 that the approximately 300 patients were clean and neat with 'no-one in restraint or seclusion' but that by 1905 the organisation had 623 patients which placed strain on building infrastructure such as heating and water supplies, leading to high turnover of nurses and other issues. A program of building works to extend and improve facilities followed over subsequent decades. Lantern slides, sometimes called 'magic lantern' slides, are glass plates on which an image has been secured for the purpose of projection. Glass slides were etched or hand-painted for this purpose from the Eighteenth Century but the process became more popular and accessible to the public with the development of photographic-emulsion slides used with a 'Magic Lantern' device in the mid-Nineteenth Century. Photographic lantern slides comprise a double-negative emulsion layer (forming a positive image) between thin glass plates that are bound together. A number of processes existed to form and bind the emulsion layer to the base plate, including the albumen, wet plate collodion, gelatine dry plate and Woodburytype techniques. Lantern slides and magic lantern technologies are seen as foundational precursors to the development of modern photography and film-making techniques.This glass slide is significant because it provides insight into Beechworth's social and medical amenities in the early Twentieth Century, around the time of Australia's Federation into one nation. It is also an example of an early photographic and film-making technology in use in regional Victoria in the time period.Thin translucent sheet of glass with a circular image printed on the front and framed in a black backing. It is held together by metals strips to secure the edges of the slide.burke museum, beechworth, lantern slide, slide, glass slide, plate, burke museum collection, photograph, monochrome, magic lantern, indigo shire, north-east victoria, nineteenth century, 1900s, twentieth century, emulsion slides, nursing, nurses, mental hospitals, lunatic asylums, asylums, social services, social welfare, insane asylums, mental health, infrastructure

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Showing 51 items matching "beechworth hospital history"

Audio - Oral History, Jennifer Williams, Mavis Jensen, 11 May 2000

Photograph - Stereoscopic Photograph

Audio - Oral History, Joyce Snow

Photograph, R & M Harvey

Photograph, c1900

Photograph, Circa 1858

Audio - Oral History, Jennifer Williams, Mr Frank Blair, 20th April 2000

Audio - Oral History, Jennifer Williams, Sister Elizabeth McGovern, Sister Mary Lacey, Sister Mary Griffiths, Sister Gerardus Thistlewaite, 18th March 2000

Audio - Oral History, Jennifer Williams, Mr John Clemens, 2000

Audio - Oral History, Mr Doug Craig

Audio - Oral History, Jennifer Williams, Wilma Wells, 10th February 2000

Audio - Oral History, Mrs Frances Gladstone, 31st March 2000

Audio - Oral History, Jennifer Williams, Mrs Margaret O'Loughlin, 26 September 2000

Audio - Oral History, Jennifer Williams, Mrs Sheila Parkinson, 3 January 2000

Audio - Oral History, Jennifer Williams, Gwen and Jack Scott, 24th February 2000

Audio - Oral History, Jennifer Williams, Mrs Beth Miller, 8 June 2000

Audio - Oral History, Jennifer Williams, Mrs Elva Hill & Mrs Mary Martina, 22nd August 2000

Audio - Oral History, Jennifer Williams, Barry Pope, 26/6/2000

Audio - Oral History, Jennifer Williams, Mrs May Sewell, 23rd November 2000

Audio - Oral History, Jennifer Williams, Mr Bill Gerrard, 10 August 2000

Audio - Oral History, Jennifer Williams, Nola (Nettie) Maher, 27 April 2000

Audio - Oral History, Jennifer Williams, Maxwell Pemberton, 23 June 2000

Audio - Oral History, Jennifer Williams, Isabel Wells, 24th February 2000

Audio - Oral history, Jennifer Williams, Mrs Florence Goonan, 10th August 2000

Audio - Oral History, Jennifer Williams, Mr and Mrs Don Hayes, 20th May 2000

Textile - Banner, c1872

Textile - Banner, c1872

Textile - Banner, c1872

Photograph - Lantern Slide, c1900

Photograph - Lantern Slide, c1900