Printed transcription, 2 pages, A4, single sidednon-fictionPersonal account by William Witt of arrival in Australia, settling in Beechworth and Burwood and taking on civic positions.witt william, beechworth mayor, burwood shire president

This photograph depicts members of the Beechworth Band at a 'Liedertafel' concert in the main hall at the Burke Museum in 1999. The concert was associated with an exhibition titled, 'From the Liedertafel to the Skating Rink: Entertainment in Beechworth 1852 - early 1900s', which celebrated the rich and diverse entertainments that were a part of Beechworth life in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Marching bands, choirs, circus acts, theatrical performances, races, and seasonal activities, such as Mr. Spiller's roller skating rink, founded in the late 1860s, were among the attractions on offer. 'Liedertafel' is a tradition that accompanied German settlers to Australia. It refers to a friendly society of men united by an enthusiasm for singing. The Beechworth Brass Band was formed by Mr. H. Vandenberg in 1887. The Beechworth Liedertafel was established 14 March 1894 at the London Tavern, Camp Street, Beechworth, by Mr. A.A. Billson, and a visiting conductor, Mr. H. Fielder. German clubs, complete with marching bands, athletics associations and Liedertafel choirs, were centres of social activity attracting wide audiences not limited to members of their own ethnicity. Alfred Arthur Billson was the youngest son of Mr. George Billson, who served as Beechworth’s mayor between 1869-1871. In 1872, George purchased the Oven’s Brewery in Last Street, which became Billson’s Brewery, one of the oldest continuing beverage manufacturers in Australia. An active member of Beechworth’s cultural, business and political life around the turn of the century, A.A. Billson served on Beechworth Shire Council from 1884 to 1893, and from 1895 to 1910, with three terms as president (1888–89, 1899–1901, 1908–09). He founded the Beechworth Progress Association in 1891 and produced an ‘Illustrated Guide to Beechworth and Vicinity’ to develop tourism potential. This photograph of the Beechworth Band playing at the Burke Museum is historically significant for the information it conveys about an exhibition at the Burke Museum between September and November 1999. The use of the contemporary Beechworth Band in a 'Liedertafel' performance provides insight into curatorial approaches at the turn of the twenty-first century and improves our understanding of how exhibitions use objects in the Burke Museum's Collection to tell stories about the past in the present. The image is historically and socially significant for attesting to the enduring appeal of local musical associations, which were a popular means of entertainment that fostered social connections among settlers from diverse ethnic backgrounds. Rectangular colour photograph printed on matte photographic paper. Reverse: 7029 / Label: 7029 / Source / Burke Museum / Beechworth / Band / 1999/2000 /liedertafel, beechworth band, burke museum, from the liedertafel to the skating rink, entertainment in beechworth 1852 - early 1900s, gold rush, immigration, beechworth's german heritage, london tavern beechworth, beechworth's first brick tavern, spiller's skating rink, vandenberg's beechworth brass band, protestantism, teetotallism, skating carnivals, beechworth german association, yma's, beechworth skating rink, progress societies, billson's brewery, german-australians, beechworth progess association, lodges, freemasonry, colonial australia

This booklet of sales dockets came from the Youngers Stores in Warrnambool. John Younger came to Warrnambool from Beechworth in 1888 and established a general store in Liebig Street and quickly built up a thriving business. His store was one of the main reasons why Liebig Street became the main shopping precinct in Warrnambool by the beginning of the 20th century. John Younger was active in community affairs and was a Town Councillor from 1902 to 1918 and Mayor of the Town. He died in the 1930s and his store was continued by family members but taken over by Charles Moore in 1958. It closed in the 1980s. The maker of the docket book, Lamson Paragon Limited, was a British firm with factories and offices in Australia and it initially specialized in making sales docket books using a carbon paper process. The original founder of the firm, William Lamson of Massachusetts, U.S.A., was the first to introduce the system of paying for goods in a store using cash balls on tracks. This pad is of some interest as it shows the system of receipts issued by a Warrnambool firm in the 1950s. It is of particular interest coming from Youngers Stores, a major retailer in Warrnambool for over 90 years. This is a pad of dockets stapled together 30 pages). The pages are buff-coloured with red and black printing on every second page. Every second page has been left blank so that a second copy could be kept of every transaction using carbon paper. The pad originally had dockets for 50 transactions for Youngers Stores in Liebig Street, Warrnambool. The first three pages are badly torn. The back of every docket has an advertisement for Youngers stores.Docket front: ‘Phone 21, Terms, Nett Cash, M……………., Younger Pty Ltd, General Merchants, Registered Office, Liebig St., Warrnambool, We Buy for Cash and Sell for Cash, Sold by, Exd. By, Date, Lamson Paragon Limited.’docket book, younger pty ltd, general merchants, department stores, liebig street, warrnambool

This photograph is taken of Lake Kerferd in around 1910. The photograph shows the road circling around the large lake and the jetty on the lake. On the other side, there is a written message from Fred Pulling to Win Pulling. Fred seems to have gone away and was not sure when he would return. He was also glad to hear about a gentlemen called Perc, who he stated to be a 'decent enough chap'.This postcard is significant because Lake Kerferd itself is significant within Beechworth's history. This lake was constructed in 1862 and was named after the former Beechworth Mayor, Hon. G B Kerferd. This lake was originally constructed to supply the town with water. Fred's correspondence with Win demonstrates a glimpse into what life was like during this time. Black and white rectangular postcard printed on cardObverse: (113) Lake Kerferd Beechworth / Reverse: Beechworth / 29.11.19 / [ Stamped: POST CARD / KODAK AUSTRALIA / Dear Win / Gald to hear that you / have made up your mind about / Perc / He seems a decent enough chap / too / Anyway, Thanks for the letter / Dont exactly know when we are / returning / will write later. Regards / to Nell of course, and H. (indecipherable) / Lots of love / Fred / lake kerferd, jetty, chap, postcard, letter, trees, lake, horse drawn carriage, horse drawn cart, kodak, australia, gum trees, gravel road, beechworth, kerferd

This carte de visite was taken of Hiram Crawford in fire brigade uniform taken by Stewart & CO., Melbourne. Hiram Crawford was Captain of the Beechworth Volunteer Fire Brigade for twenty-five years. Hiram arrived in Australia at the age of 21 in August 1853. He mined for short time at Back Creek Bendigo, then went to the Ovens where he sought gold in Spring Creek, Buckland and 3 Mile. After moving to Albury for 18 months he married Anna, moved to Woolshed and was there for two years mining gold. After discovering his fortune he formed Crawford and Co. Coaching Lines in Beechworth in late 1856. It was this company which became the longest surviving coaching business in the State of Victoria. Hiram and Anna had two daughters. Anna died in March 1862 and in May Hiram left from Melbourne to return to the United States on a visit. Hiram married Martha Foster during this visit and returned to Australia in March 1863. With his coach line established, and leaving it under management, he moved around the north east of Victoria establishing and building shops and the Star Hotel and Theatre in Chiltern in 1866. In 1869 he moved to Melbourne for a few years in which time he built the Eastern Arcade in Bourke Street. In 1876 the family returned to Beechworth for a few years eventually moving to Everton where Hiram grew hops, tobacco, fruit trees and established the largest lemon orchard at that time in Australia. Hiram spent a considerable amount of his time helping to develop the North East of the State not only in his private endeavours but as a public figure. Among his many achievements a few are listed - Councillor, Mayor of Chiltern and Beechworth, President of the Shire on two occasions, Director of many mining companies, Inaugural Chairman and Director of the Beechworth Gas Company roles he held for over 20 years, Foundation member of Beechworth Pottery, Committee member of the Beechworth Hospital, Captain/Superintendent of the Vol. Fire Brigade for over 20 years, Foundation, Life member of and on the State Fire Brigade Board for many years, President of the North Eastern Railway League in Chiltern On a personal level Hiram was involved in lodges including St. Johns #14, Beechworth. and had several grazing properties in the Ovens area. He had the Forest Park Hotel at Carboor, the Creamery at Carboor, and grazing land on which the Milawa Creamery was built during his ownership. He was a committee member for 3 committees duirng the 1888 International Exhibition in Melbourne. Hiram had many voyages around the world studying irrigation, hop growing, tobacco growing and drying. During his retirement in Melbourne Hiram purchased many properties in the Elsternwick area and acted as an Estate Agent. After the death of his second wife Martha, Hiram married for the third time in 1912 to Sophia Maude Heatley. Crawford and Co continued until 1921. [Taken from HighCountryHeritage.com.au]Black and white reproduction of a studio portrait of Hiram Crawford in fire brigade uniform, printed on gloss photographic paper and bordered with a white frame.Badge on uniform sleeve reads: CAPTAIN / BVFB Obverse: AB/ Stewart & CO./ Melbourne Reverse: Hiram Collection/ BMM2435burke museum, emergency services, beechworth, carte de visite, black and white, fire brigade, hiram crawford, stewart & co., melbourne.