Iles Bertrol Robert Rohde
1919–1996
Born: 03 Nov 1919 · Avoca, Victoria, Australia
Married: 1943 · Balranald, New South Wales, Australia
Family
- Father
- August Ashlen Rohde
- Mother
- Jane Gouge
- Spouse
- Nancy Frances Mary Lowe
- Children
- Barry Ashlen Rohde
Biography
Born 3 Nov 1919 at Avoca, Victoria, son of August Ashlen Rohde and Jane Gouge. Family documents show him as Iles R. Rohde apprenticed in bread-making/baking from 1937, and a 1 Nov 1940 Avoca Bakery reference says he had worked there for four years and was “careful, obliging, honest and trustworthy.” Married Nancy Frances Mary Lowe in 1943 at Balranald, NSW. Trove newspaper advertisements show Rohdes' Bakery operating in Berrigan from at least 1952 to 1958 as “Bakers and Pastrycooks”; a community reference supplied by Luke names the bakery as operating in the time of Bob and Nance Rohde, making them likely operators/proprietors, though legal ownership still needs a primary source. By 1960 the family had moved to the former Johnson’s Reef Hotel on Eaglehawk Road, California Gully/Bendigo. A Bendigo Advertiser article says Bob was a baker, installed an oven in the former barber shop, cooked pies and ran a pie shop, with the family also running a mixed business and later a newsagency. Died 20 Sep 1996 and is buried at Eaglehawk, Victoria.
Sources & Records
Iles Rohde baking apprenticeship papers
IlesRohdeBaker.pdf, local family archive; processed 1 Jun 2026
- Bread-making/baking apprenticeship began in 1937.
- Avoca Bakery employment for four years by 1 Nov 1940.
Rohdes' Bakery, Berrigan newspaper advertisements
Trove / National Library of Australia, The Berrigan Advocate advertisements, 1952-1958
Primary evidence for business existence under Rohdes name; secondary/user-supplied evidence links Bob and Nance directly to operation/proprietorship.
- Rohdes' Bakery advertised in Berrigan in 1952, 1954, 1957 and 1958.
- The business described itself as bakers and pastrycooks.
- A community reference supplied by Luke names the bakery as operating in the time of Bob and Nance Rohde and Reg and Betty Cobb.
- No primary source has yet been found saying Robert/Bob Rohde legally owned the bakery.
Bendigo Advertiser: Memories of a gold rush icon
Wendy Williams, “Memories of a gold rush icon”, Bendigo Advertiser, 20 Dec 2013; captured 1 Jun 2026
Strong secondary newspaper/local-history source with first-person family recollections and captioned gallery images.
- The Rohde family owned the former Johnson’s Reef Hotel from 1960.
- Bob/Iles Rohde was a baker, installed an oven in the former barber shop, cooked pies, and ran a pie shop.
- The family also ran a mixed business and later a newsagency from the building.
- The mixed business stopped making money after a supermarket opened.
- The former hotel was also the Rohde family home, where Mike, Barry, Peter and Barbara grew up.
- Barbara Zysvelt worked in the shop with Nancy/Nance from 1960 until 1981; Nancy is remembered as a popular listener in the shop.
- Barry used the cellar for band practice; the cellar door had a Jimi Hendrix mural.
Photos
Documents & Records
Iles Rohde baking apprenticeship papers
Important occupational source for Bob/Iles; the family label “baking licence” appears to be an apprenticeship indenture plus an Avoca Bakery reference.
Transcription
Compound PDF source. Visible extracted pages show a Bread Trade Board apprenticeship indenture for Iles R. Rohde. Page 1 heading: “Form of Indenture prescribed by the Bread Trade Board.” Handwritten parties identify apprentice “Iles R. Rohde” and parent/guardian “J. Rohde”. The employer covenants to take the apprentice for a four-year term from 15 Feb 1937 and teach/instruct him in “the process trade or business of bread-making or baking.” Signature page shows parent/guardian J. Rohde, employer [E. W. Perrin/Perrins, unclear], and apprentice Iles R. Rohde, with witnesses. Related extracted images in this manifest include iles_bertrol_robert_rohde_baking_indentures_p001.jpg, iles_bertrol_robert_rohde_baking_reference_p002.jpg, and iles_bertrol_robert_rohde_baking_signatures_p004.jpg.
Key facts
- Bread Trade Board indenture for Iles R. Rohde.
- Apprenticeship trade: bread-making or baking.
- Four-year term from 15 Feb 1937.
- Parent/guardian shown as J. Rohde.
- Signature page includes parent/guardian, employer, and apprentice signatures.
IlesRohdeBaker.pdf, local family archive; processed 1 Jun 2026
iles_bertrol_robert_rohde_baking_indentures_p001.jpg
Scanned indenture page; useful but some handwritten fields remain unclear.
Transcription
Form of Indenture prescribed by the Bread Trade Board. This Indenture ... between Iles R. Rohde [Apprentice] and J. Rohde [Parent or Guardian] ... for the full term of four years from the 15th day of [month unclear] 1937 ... taught and instructed ... in the process trade or business of bread-making or baking.
Key facts
- Apprentice named Iles R. Rohde.
- Parent or guardian appears as J. Rohde.
- Trade/business named as bread-making or baking.
- Term begins in 1937; month/day partly unclear from the scan.
Avoca Bakery reference for Iles Rohde, 1940
Excellent occupational character reference; transcribed for verbatim use.
Transcription
Avoca 1-11-40 To whom it may concern The bearer Mr Iles Rohde has been in the employ of The Avoca Bakery for the past four years. I have found him careful, obliging, honest and trustworthy. I have the greatest confidence in recommending him to anyone requiring his services. He leaves of his own account. The Avoca Bakery [signature unclear]
Key facts
- Iles Rohde worked at The Avoca Bakery for four years before 1 Nov 1940.
- The reference calls him careful, obliging, honest and trustworthy.
- He left of his own account.
IlesRohdeBaker.pdf, local family archive; processed 1 Jun 2026
iles_bertrol_robert_rohde_baking_signatures_p004.jpg
Signature/terms page; confirms parties, but employer signature remains hard to read.
Transcription
Signature page confirms Iles R. Rohde as apprentice and J. Rohde as parent or guardian. Employer signature is present but not confidently read from this scan.
Key facts
- Confirms Iles R. Rohde signature/name on the apprenticeship papers.
- Confirms J. Rohde as parent or guardian on the papers.
rohde_from_tanning_to_panning_bob_august_carl_p070.jpg
Useful context page but the Bob/August/Carl image is low-resolution in the scan.
Transcription
Image/caption page from From Tanning to Panning. Captions visible: “Bob, August, Carl” under a small outdoor family photograph; “Carl” under a horse/cart image; “Carl” under a portrait; and “Tilly with Carl” under a photograph of two children. No extended prose is visible on this extracted page.
Key facts
- Image page showing Bob, August and Carl; Carl with horse/cart; Carl portrait; and Tilly with Carl.
- Useful visual context but low-resolution scan limits identification detail.
Research Notes
User-supplied family memory: Bob Rohde had a bakery at Berrigan, where Barry was born, before the family moved to Bendigo. Corroborating source still needed.
Rohdes' Bakery evidence: Trove advertisements prove the business operated/advertised in Berrigan from at least 1952 to 1958. User-supplied community reference names Bob and Nance Rohde; primary legal ownership source still needed.
Bendigo phase: Bendigo Advertiser article says Bob was a baker, installed an oven in the former barber shop at the former Johnson’s Reef Hotel, cooked pies and ran a pie shop, alongside a mixed business and later newsagency. Verify exact purchase/closure dates with land title, rates or directories.
User-provided rohde_store.jpeg shows the Rohde name on the shopfront/parapet and “Milk Bar” signage; exact date and people/business phase should be confirmed with family memory.