Historical information

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.

Physical description

Michele Matthews Collection: PHD Research - Relief during the great depression

This item includes the following documents:

8672.41a The document contains two related letters dated 23 June 1932 and 2 July 1932. The first is a handwritten request from C. E. Smith to the Town Clerk, and the second is the Town Clerk's typed reply.

Summary

On 23 June 1932, C. E. Smith, of 200 Booth Street, Golden Square, writes to the Town Clerk asking if any work can be provided so that he can pay his local rates. He explains that he has been a ratepayer for many years, but because he has been unemployed for a considerable period, he has fallen behind on his payments for the first time. Smith expresses that he is unable to pay his rates without employment and respectfully asks if the council can find him any kind of work. He closes the letter by thanking the Town Clerk in anticipation of assistance and signs it "Yours respectfully."

In the 2 July 1932 reply, the Town Clerk acknowledges receipt of Smith's letter and confirms that it has been received as an application for work to enable him to pay his rates. The Town Clerk regrets to inform him that there is currently no work available. However, Smith's application will be kept on file for future reference, and if work becomes available through the Government's Unemployment Grant, his request will be considered. The letter ends with the formal closing, "Yours faithfully."