‘My Nan, Mrs Susan Rodda lived at the following hotels throughout her life: the Hibernian, Fifeshire, Golden Gate and Brougham Arms. The Hibernian was during the time growing up. She was on good terms with the Mulqueen family and the Chinese in Bridge Street.

Nan and some of her children moved into the Brougham Arms in late 1944 or early 1945. Nan was a beautiful cook and she had a real heart for the disaffected. She had boarders at the hotel. Nan never drank alcohol and said it would be like drinking your profits. She used to say, “you can be a lady wherever you are.”  Nan Rodda remained in the Brougham Arms until her untimely death in 1954 aged 67 years.

Across the road at Ewing Park were stationed lots of American soldiers- very interesting for two single girls- my mum and her sister who were in their early twenties (pictured in the background of the above picture). They had lots of fun times dancing with the soldiers, taking photos and showing them around Bendigo

Whilst living at the Brougham Arms, my mum met my dad when he came to hotel I assume in the early 1950’s. I think dad first met mum’s brother Leo at the YCW footy. At that time my dad had been discharged from the RAAF. He was a fitter and turner by trade. He wanted to buy his own truck and cart goods mainly around Victoria. To save money, he lived in a cave in Bendigo for a number of months. It was not a common thing to do but it wasn’t rare either. Each Saturday my dad was welcomed by my Nan at the Brougham Arms where he was allowed to shower, and then Nan served him a meal of corned silverside. The first time mum ‘went out’ with dad, was when Nan asked dad to deliver a commode chair to a friend. Nan told mum to go with him in the ute to show him where to go; it was a bit embarrassing for a young woman to be in the back of a ute holding onto a commode.

The present hotel is on the same site as the one pictured.