EMPLOYEES AT BENDIGO
POTTERY 1895
The famous Bendigo Pottery was established by George Duncan
Guthrie in 1858, taking advantage of the fine clays to be found in the Epsom
area. He sold the pottery in 1883 but had to return a few years later on a
rescue mission.
The 1890s were depression years and the company was reduced
to employing only 78 staff as listed on the 1895 pay sheet below. In 1898 the company was liquidated, but was
resurrected again and has suffered swinging fortunes ever since.
Today it is still working pottery open to tourists, with the
famous beehive kilns being the most prominent feature.
A book worth reading is “Bendigo Pottery” by Paul A Scholes
1979
Unfortunately the photo of the employees is not dated.
EMPLOYEES AT BENDIGO POTTERY 1895
The famous Bendigo Pottery was established by George Duncan Guthrie in 1858, taking advantage of the fine clays to be found in the Epsom area. He sold the pottery in 1883 but had to return a few years later on a rescue mission.
The 1890s were depression years and the company was reduced to employing only 78 staff as listed on the 1895 pay sheet below. In 1898 the company was liquidated, but was resurrected again and has suffered swinging fortunes ever since.
Today it is still working pottery open to tourists, with the famous beehive kilns being the most prominent feature.
A book worth reading is “Bendigo Pottery” by Paul A Scholes 1979
Unfortunately the photo of the employees is not dated.
BENDIGO'S BRAVEST
CIVILIAN BRAVERY AWARDS
Bendigo?s bravest citizens, 1875-1987 were recorded on rolls kept by the Royal Humane
Society (Victoria) and the Department of Mines, Victoria. To receive recognition for one of
these awards a person had to risk their own life in an attempt to rescue another.
Five Bendigonians have received the Clarke Gold Medal, ten have received a Silver
Medal, 56 were awarded Bronze Medal, and 33 were awarded a Certificate of Merit.
Many of these were for rescues in the deep mines, others from fires, and some from
drowning. Some recipients were only children, the youngest being only eight years old.
From the index attached it will be noticed that in several cases there were multiple awards
as sometimes it took a team of miners to achieve a rescue underground.
John Kelly has compiled the book recording the circumstances of each rescue, as much as
the records allow, and a short biography of each recipient. This book may be purchased for
$15 (plus P&P) by application to AIGS, PO Box 145, Bendigo Victoria 3552.
NEW ♦ INDEX TO SANDHURST [BENDIGO] MINING CLAIMS AND LEASES♦
A group of volunteers have been transcribing the Sandhurst [Bendigo] Mining Claims and Leases from film onto a computer program. Our database details all the available information, but this index shows the names of the people who have been listed so far. This is a work in progress and will be added to regularly.
The Bendigo AIGS gratefully acknowledge the support of the Victorian Government through the Community Support Fund and Public record Office Victoria for making this project possible.
Source: Register of Claims and Shares in the Sandhurst Mining District. March 1862 - October 1870 seven volumes on film. VPRS 6948 Mining Registrar's, Register of Claims Sandhust Mining District Division.
Open sample of data linked below to see what the record contains.
Contact bendigogen@gmail.com if you would like more information from the Index. Research Fee of $5 per name is required.
The Index is not complete as yet, you will need a pdf file reader to see the index. Updated June 2015.
Mining Claims & Leases March 1863 to October 1870
Mining Claims & Leases January 1873 to October 1879
Mining Claims & Leases 31 October 1879 to Sept 1898
Mining Claims & Leases September 1898 to February 1933
Mining Claims & Leases Feb 1933 to Nov 1975
PHOTOGRAPHS PUBLISHED IN THE BENDIGO ANNALS
The Bendigo Advertiser Annals are a very useful resource for research. They are a yearly summary of important events in Bendigo as published in the local newspaper, The Bendigo Advertiser. The first book covers the years 1851-1920 and although many photographs are published in the Annals, at this time the newspaper did not contain photographs.
EARLY BURIALS ON THE BENDIGO GOLDFIELDS 1852-1870
'WHERE THEY LIE'
This name list is from the book "Where They Lie", which in most cases also gives a full date of burial, age, where they died and where they are buried. There is also some very interesting information on the early burial grounds and lone graves in the Bendigo/ Sandhurst area. To purchase a copy of the book contact the authors -
Annette O'Donohue at ody_81@bigpond.com.au ; Bev Hanson at bevhansonb@bigpond.com
Link - SURNAME.pdf
The Bendigo Family History Group has indexed onto their own computer over 246,000 burials 1853-2005 from the four Bendigo Cemeteries ( White Hills, Bendigo, Kangaroo Flat, and Eaglehawk) and a wide surrounding area. This index can only be accessed though the Family History Group.
'FORTUNA" BENDIGO
ARMY HEADQUARTERS SURVEY REGIMENT
PERSONNEL LIST 1942-1945
In 1942, at the time of the Second World War, the government needed a safe home for the military map making facility, and it chose an old vacant mansion, ?Fortuna? situated in Bendigo. The grounds surrounding it were large enough to build extra accommodation, and it was away from the coast and the capital cities.
During the war period approximately 16 million maps of Australia, its Territories and the theatres of operation in the South Pacific area were produced for the use of the allied Services. This function was continued as a routine peacetime role in the post war years. It was not until 2008 that the Army finally moved out of ?Fortuna? into a specifically designed building north of Bendigo.
In 1946 a Souvenir booklet was produced by the unit as a memento of the time spent at ?Fortuna? during the war years. In it there are many photographs of personnel working there and activities during work and relaxation periods.
Most importantly there is a complete list of all men and women who were stationed in Bendigo from 1942 till 1945.
ARMY HEADQUARTERS SURVEY REGIMENT.pdf
BENDIGO BENEVOLENT ASYLUM
GENERAL RETURN OF CHILDREN IN CARE 1861-1862
FROM A LIST AT THE PUBLIC RECORDS OFFICE OF VICTORIA
VPRS 1189 UNIT 752
The Bendigo Benevolent Asylum was established in 1860 to care for the destitute people on the Bendigo Goldfield; not everyone found gold and became rich ! If the father deserted or died the family were often reduced to near starvation and the mother and children would be given a few weeks care in the Asylum. Many of these families would then be given outdoor relief. The Benevolent Asylum was never intended to be an orphanage although a few years later, for a short time, there was an Industrial School established within its boundaries
bendigo ben asylum children in care.pdf
SANDHURST (BENDIGO) COMMON SCHOOL EXAMINATION REGISTER INDEX 1864-1868
This early school was established by the Presbyterian Church in Myers Street.
The new State regulations introduced in 1864 were quite specific about standards. Each school and all pupils were to be examined by inspectors each 6 months.
By some miracle these books have survived, and this abridged edition of the index notes the first and last entry for each pupil. There is no other personal detail about the pupils in these books.
Note - Sandhurst was the name for Bendigo municipality for 40 years from 1852-1892 before it reverted to its original name of Bendigo. The goldfield was ALWAYS known as Bendigo Goldfield.
The Asylum was established in 1860 to care for the destitute people on the goldfields, and from the beginning housed neglected children. In 1868 the Government established an Industrial School within the complex and many children were brought in from other areas. The Industrial School was closed in 1885. The registers often give nothing more than dates, but a copy of the entry will be supplied on application for a fee of $5.
Bendigo Benevolent Asylum Childrens Register.pdf
Between 1852 and 2002 over 820 mining fatalities occurred in Bendigo. This is a list of the miners accidently killed in the mines, NEW with death dates, who are featured in the book "Bendigo's Lost Miners "
The book 'Lost Miners' is SOLD Out information from the entries are available apply by email bendigogen@gmail.com
In an extraordinary effort to gain the right to vote 539 women from Bendigo put their signatures to the petition that was presented to the Parliament of Victoria in September 1891
1891Women's Suffrage Petition.pdf
St Mary's Catholic School
St Mary's Catholic School No.812 was established by John Kinnear in 1865 in Michael Street Bendigo. In 1875 the Education Department withdrew its support but St Marys continued as a small private school for a futher 7 years. This is the School Register for the year 1865.
Bendigo Voters Roll
This is a surname list of Voters who are included in our New CD "Bendigo Voters Rolls" which covers the years 1896 through to 1914. The voters rolls cover the wards of Sutton, Barkly and Darling. (See Sales for more details)
Link to - Bendigo Voters Rolls
White Hills Hamlets Petition 1856
Applications to the Licensing Courts
A list of names from the Sandhurst and Eaglehawk Licensing Court for 1886 listed in the Bendigo Advertiser also a list of names taken from the Courier of the Mines newspaper for the year 1856.
1856 Licences.pdf Updated
The Ball
6th July 1881 From the Bendigo Advertiser Newspaper.
A Ball held in honour of the visit to Bendigo from the Princes Albert Victor 1864-1892 and George 1865-1936 sons of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. Search the link below for names of those who attended.
