Dr Michele Matthews has been a local and social historian for nearly three decades since she first used correspondence held by the then Bendigo City Council for her Honours thesis. She is an ardent advocate for the use of local history records to tell Victorian and Australian history from a grassroots perspective. Michele’s MA thesis, ‘A forgotten “Father” of Federation: Sir John Quick 1852‑1911’ (2003), and her PhD thesis, ‘Survivors, schemes, Samaritans and shareholders: the impact of the Great Depression on Bendigo and District 1925‑1935’ (2007), both drew heavily on Bendigo and district records. A copy of her Thesis is held in the Bendigo Historical Society Collection. Michele worked as an historian, undertaking numerous contracts for the former City of Bendigo Council, including researching and writing the Catalogue of Bendigo City Council’s Correspondence 1856‑1899. Since working at the Bendigo Regional Archives Centre (BRAC), she has created an accompanying subject and person index for this catalogue. Michele also worked as the historian for Bendigo Bank, cataloguing their extensive record collection. She has also written articles, book reviews and teachers’ notes for documentaries. A personal highlight was writing the entry for Sir John Quick in the Australian dictionary of biography, vol. 11. Michele was an Archives Officer at BRAC since its commencement in 2008. Many of the records she looked after in her day‑to‑day work are the same ones she first used while researching for her Honours thesis back in 1983. She has spoken at many public functions about the records housed at BRAC, and is particularly proud of the digitised online project, Petitions of the people.This item includes the following five documents: 8672.19a Talk entitled: Not "Exceptional Circumstances"; Women in Bendigo and District 1925-1935 Four typed sheets This document analyzes the social and economic hardships faced by widowed, deserted, and single women in Bendigo and its district from 1925 to 1935, particularly during the Great Depression. The study centers on women without male breadwinners—widows, deserted wives, and single women—who were not considered "exceptional circumstances" by contemporary legal standards, despite their significant numbers. Many widows resulted from miners' phthisis (tuberculosis), leaving families destitute. Economic support was limited; widows often relied on outdoor relief (ODR) from the Bendigo Benevolent Asylum, typically in the form of food handouts. Employment options were mostly low-paid domestic service jobs (cleaning, laundry, sewing, charwork). Victorian widows did not receive state pensions until 1937, much later than in New South Wales. Desertion often occurred during or shortly after pregnancy, leaving women with young children and little support. Legal recourse for maintenance was costly and rarely effective. Like widows, deserted women depended on ODR and had limited employment opportunities. Financial assistance through "boarding out" (child welfare payments) was available but difficult to access due to strict guidelines and legal hurdles. Single women had more varied job opportunities, especially in factories (knitting, clothing, underclothes) and domestic service, but large-scale employers were few. The Great Depression sharply reduced available jobs for women. Single, unemployed women were ineligible for government sustenance relief, making them particularly vulnerable without family support. In 1933, a significant proportion of women worked in domestic service (e.g., 23.7% in Bendigo, 29.4% in Huntly). From 1925-1929, women made up the majority of new ODR applicants (e.g., 91.7% in 1926). The number of children in ODR families increased dramatically during this period, reflecting growing hardship. Female employment in local industries declined during the Depression, with total female factory workers dropping from 614 in 1929 to 423 in 1931.6. Widows, deserted wives, and single women in Bendigo faced persistent economic insecurity and limited social support before and during the Great Depression. The records of the Bendigo Benevolent Asylum provide detailed evidence of their struggles and the inadequacy of available assistance. These findings highlight the systemic challenges faced by women outside the male breadwinner model in early 20th-century regional Australia. 8672.19b Cue Cards for a talk on Entertainment for Children 1920s and 1930s, 18 hand held cards handwritten prompts (glossy paper). The talk was split into two parts "Local Public Entertainment" and "Family and Home Entertainment" 8672.19c Draft copy of Chapter four fo Michele's Thesis - Chapter entitled: Not "Exceptional Circumstances"; Women in Bendigo and District, 14 Typewritten A4 pages with hand-written notes and deletions, Pages 92 to 103 Contact BHS for Details This document analyzes the social and economic impacts of widowhood, illness, and mining-related accidents on families in Bendigo and its district during the early 20th century, especially from 1925. The document concludes that unsupported women—widows, deserted wives, and single women—were marginalized and forced to rely on charity, highlighting the inadequacy of social policy in Australia during this period. 8672.19d Draft copy of Chapter four fo Michele's Thesis - Chapter entitled: Not "Exceptional Circumstances"; Women in Bendigo and District, 12 Typewritten A4 pages with hand-written notes and deletions, Pages 92 of 105 Contact BHS for Details 8672.19e Draft copy of Chapter four of Michele's Thesis - Chapter entitled: Not "Exceptional Circumstances"; Women in Bendigo and District, 11 Typewritten A4 pages with hand-written notes and deletions, Pages 92 to 103 Various pages Contact BHS for Detailsbendigo, brac, michele matthews collection

Dr Michele Matthews has been a local and social historian for nearly three decades since she first used correspondence held by the then Bendigo City Council for her Honours thesis. She is an ardent advocate for the use of local history records to tell Victorian and Australian history from a grassroots perspective. Michele’s MA thesis, ‘A forgotten “Father” of Federation: Sir John Quick 1852‑1911’ (2003), and her PhD thesis, ‘Survivors, schemes, Samaritans and shareholders: the impact of the Great Depression on Bendigo and District 1925‑1935’ (2007), both drew heavily on Bendigo and district records. This document from the Australian Mining History Association Annual Conference in Bendigo July 2005 provides a historical analysis of the exploration, development, and management of the Bendigo goldfield by major mining companies from the 1930s to the early 1990s, focusing on two main episodes: 1. Gold Mines of Australia (GMA) and Bendigo Mines Ltd (BML) in the 1930s. BML, a subsidiary of GMA, invested over $1 million (equivalent to $35 million today) to reopen and develop the Bendigo goldfield. Extensive infrastructure was built, including three major new shafts, a stamp battery, and associated plant. Despite significant scientific and engineering efforts, no major gold discoveries were made. Only 7,347 ounces of gold were recovered from 47,000 tons of ore, yielding revenue far below investment. The company was liquidated in 1937, with shareholders receiving nothing. Excessive spending on production infrastructure before confirming ore reserves. Misapplied expertise (iron ore mining methods used for gold exploration).Insufficient focus on exploration and prospecting before large-scale development. 2. Western Mining Corporation (WMC) in the 1970s–1990s WMC reassessed the Bendigo field in the late 1970s, leveraging improved drilling technology and historical data.Comprehensive geological reviews and innovative drilling identified several promising areas. WMC invested over $20 million in exploration, shaft rehabilitation, and bulk sampling. Environmental regulations, local opposition, and administrative hurdles complicated operations. Attempts to form a public company (Great Bendigo Goldfields Ltd) to share risk and involve local stakeholders failed due to regulatory delays and waning public interest. Falling gold prices, loss of tax incentives, and restrictive government policies led WMC to cease operations in 1989. The project was sold in 1992 for $1.6 million, a fraction of the investment. 3. Both major efforts ended in financial loss, encapsulated by the phrase "We did our dough, in Bendigo. "Key factors in failure included premature large-scale investment, external economic and regulatory pressures, and underestimation of exploration risk. The document notes that future efforts may benefit from the accumulated knowledge and changed technical, economic, and political conditions. These episodes illustrate the risks of large-scale mining ventures without adequate exploration and the impact of external factors on mining project viability. Michele Matthews Collection: Presentation - "We Did Our Dough in Bendigo" July 2005 by Gilbert M Ralph, MBE, OAM This item includes the following two documents: 8672.20a This eight typed paged document from the Australian Mining History Association Annual Conference in Bendigo July 2005 provides a historical analysis of the exploration, development, and management of the Bendigo goldfield by major mining companies from the 1930s to the early 1990s. 8672.20b Business card - Gilbert M Ralph, Consultant, Mt Waveley - Victoria - Contact BHS for detailsbendigo, brac, michele matthews collection

Twenty-three page catalogue for the auction of antique furniture, Victoriana china, silver, bric-a-brac, etc. at 'Stanton Drew' 89 Wellington Rd. Portland, on Mon. 15th March, 1976. Covers glossy paper, light burgundy and white, photo of 'Stanton Drew'. White glossy pages, burgundy print.

23 page catalogue, produced by Leonard Joel Auctioneers and Valuers for the auction of antique furniture, Victoriana, china, silver, bric-a-brac etc. on the property 'Stanton Drew', 89 Wellington Road, Portland, Victoria, on Monday 15th March 1976. Glossy paper cover, burgundy and white photo of 'Stanton Drew' across front and back. Inside shiny white paper, burgundy print.stanton drew