VALE VICTOR BERQUEZ

Followers of the Virtual Yallourn website will be deeply saddened by the recent passing of Victor Berquez. Victor died on the 19th March after a long and courageous battle with debilitating illness.

Victor, who commenced his studies at Yallourn High School in 1961, was a most popular identity throughout the Latrobe Valley. He was a talented sportsman whose passion for music and supreme sense of humour will long be remembered in years to come.

Victor was born in Brockley, England, in 1948; and arrived with his family in Australia in December 1953. After a time in Yallourn, the Berquez family moved to Eastern Avenue in Newborough.  

The stunning photograph shows Victor and the girl who ‘lived next door’ at Newborough, Pam Goode. Victor and Pam married in January 1968; and had four children Victor, Michael, Angela and Andrew.

Victor’s life is an enlightening story; and many readers will have anecdotes and fond memories of his school and working years. The photograph below will also resonate with Victor’s former classmates from Yallourn High School. 

Victor Berquez and his friends from Form 1A at Yallourn High School in 1961. Victor can be seen fourth from the left in the second back row.

A service to celebrate Victor’s life was held at the Turfside Function Centre, Moe Racing Club on Friday 25th March; and hundreds of people, from near and far, gathered to farewell an extraordinarily spirited and brave man.

Warm tributes to Victor’s life were delivered by John Parkin, son Victor, his four sisters Yvonne, Claudette, Olive and Marion, brother-in-law Bruce Goode and three of his grandchildren Alex Skinner, Sam Skinner and Christian Berquez.  

A beautifully presented photographic and musical tribute was indeed moving; and told much about Victor’s early years, his unreserved love of family and his deep appreciation of music. The readers of Virtual Yallourn extend their deepest sympathies to Pam, Victor, Angela, Michael and Andrew.

Ernest Hemingway may have had people such as Victor Berquez in his mind when he wrote …“Courage is grace under pressure.”  

R.I.P.

Prepared and presented for the Virtual Yallourn website by Roger Spaull and Julie George in April 2023. Julie would welcome other photographs of Victor and his YHS friends for posting on the website. Thank you.

To read this article in pdf format, please click the link below.

THE LATROBE RIVER - 1920’s & 30’s

Title: Rowboat

Details:  Seven men are standing on the bank of the Latrobe River near Yallourn. One man is holding a chain attached to a wooden rowing boat. Source: Reference 9460: Centre for Gippsland Studies, Federation University Australia.

NOTE: This is yet to be verified but the above photograph may be part of a series of photographs taken by Yallourn’s famous photographer J. P. Campbell (1865-1935). James was a most intriguing character in the story of Yallourn; and this website has numerous articles about his life and achievements.

Copies of ‘J P Campbell Pictorialist Photographer, at Home and at War’ written by Alan Harding are available at the State Library of Victoria, Monash University, and the Gippsland Campus of the Federation University.  

YALLOURN HIGH SCHOOL ‘PYLON’ MAGAZINE COMMITTEE

1973 - 50 YEARS AGO

Caption:   Pylon ‘staff’ at work

Source: This photograph was in the 1973 edition of the YHS ‘Pylon’ magazine

CAN YOU HELP?

Unfortunately, there were no names attached regarding the student members of the 1973 ‘Pylon’ magazine committee. Perhaps there are some readers who can recognise the ‘young journalists’ at work, on their typewriters, preparing the articles for that year’s edition.

YALLOURN REUNION – 4 MARCH – 2 Venues (choose one or both)

Saturday, 4 March - YALLOURN REUNION will be held at the Morwell RSL for lunch, then after at Woorabinda Camp - overnight accommodation available. Full details were given in the newsletter sent out in January 2023. Booking deadline Thurs, 23 February. For more details, contact julie@yallourn.org.

GRACE ROULSTON (SCOTT) -  A CARING AND HUMBLE ACHIEVER OF YALLOURN

INTRODUCTION

This article is to place on record Grace Roulston’s positive influence on the lives of many children of Yallourn and the district; and to document her keen involvement in the local community. 

As this website demonstrates, there are many heart-warming stories to be told about Yallourn. It was an industrial town that attracted widespread affirmative comment, intrigued visitors and engendered civic pride.  

While the town’s essence sprang from Ebenezer Howard’s concept of an ideal ‘Garden City’, it was, nevertheless, the selfless endeavour of countless individuals who made Yallourn a unique and spirited community. Grace Rouslton was one such person; and her contribution to the town should be recorded for posterity.

Source: ‘The Morwell Advertiser’ October 15th 1936. Page:  11

As the extract above shows, local girls Rhena Neil, Rena Cunningham, Shirley Maxfield, Judith Andrew and Fay Sweeney were successful in the University of Melbourne’s Music Examinations which were held at Yallourn in 1932.

Such exams were rigorous and nerve-racking; and, in order to gain a mere pass, many hours of training/practise and study of theory were necessary; and that is where Grace Roulston played such a vital role in the context of her pupils’ accomplishments….

“…Conservatorium of Music and conducted by Professor Laver, all candidates presented by Miss Roulston were successful…” Source: See above.

EARLY DAYS

Grace Marion Roulston was born at Henty in 1903. She was the daughter of Joseph and Emily Roulston. Joseph was a farmer and expert breeder of Clydesdales (a Scottish variety of draught horse and a powerful ‘beast of burden) which were ideal for agricultural and haulage work in earlier times.

...to continue reading this article, please click on the pdf link below:

Researched and written by Kaye Brill 2022

To read the full article, please click on the pdf link.