Historical information

Arthur William Pulfer was born on 18 April 1918, in Bendigo, Victoria, Australia, his father, Harold Victor Pulfer, was 30 and his mother, Elsie Maud Rumball, was 26. He married Norma Stewart in Bendigo, Victoria, Australia. He died on 6 March 2001, in his hometown, at the age of 82, and was buried in the Bendigo Cemetery.

1965 fire at the Bendigo Railway Station

A dull explosion in the refreshment room about 1:30 p.m. touched off the blaze, which quickly spread and burnt out the station in less than an hour. Just before the explosion a train carrying more than 200 Melbourne-bound holiday makers pulled out of the station. Scores of railways employees in other parts of the station did not realise the refreshment room was on fire until a signal box attendant gave the alarm.

Early estimates place damage at more than £100,000. Quick work by station staff saved many thousands of pounds worth of equipment before flames engulfed the building from end to end.

At the height of the blaze, a Bendigo fire brigade Station Officer, Vin Lapsley, fell 18 feet – and miraculously landed on his feet – after being overcome by smoke while directing a hose from a ladder on to the roof. Mr. Lapsley was later treated for a broken bone in his right leg.

Physical description

Many images from by Arthur Pulfer copied to slides.

Nineteen Slides of Bendigo images:

7795.4a Bendigo Town Hall and Bull Street

7795.4b Bendigo Cenotaph - set up for an event - Charing Cross - 1957

7795.4c Bendigo Law Courts and Police Station from the conservatory gardens

7795.4d Gold Panners Monument with the Bendigo Technical school in the background

7795.4e New Bendigo Chinese Dragon 'Loong' 1970

7795.4f Golden Square High School September 1965 Hattam Street Bendigo

7795.4g Opening of Golden Oaks retirement village September 1965 - Hattam Street Bendigo

7795.4h High Street Golden Square, Bendigo - monument to the founding of gold in the area

7795.4i Easter Procession 1957

7795.4j Bendigo Showgrounds with the Benevolent Home and the Base Hospital in the background

7795.4k Old Base Hospital Lucan Street Bendigo

7795.4l Old Base Hospital Lucan Street Bendigo 1972

7795.4m Bendigo Railway Station after fire 1965

7795.4n Bendigo Railway Station after fire 1965

7795.4o New Bendigo Railway Station after the fire.

7795.4p Arnold Street former shop Bendigo

7795.4q Alexandra Fountain Charing Cross Bendigo

7796.4r Banner - Bendigo Traing Centre

7795.4s Bendigo House - address unknown