Working Men's College (1887 - 1934)
- From
- 7 June 1887
- To
- 1934
- Alternative Names
- The Melbourne Technical School (also known as)
- Summary
The Working Men's College was established in Melbourne on 7 June 1887 with the financial support of Francis Ormond and other donors (State Government of Victoria, 2018, p. 1; Murray-Smith and Dare, 1987, pp. 13-14, 21 and 27).
Details
On the cover of the Working Men's College Prospectus from 1916 to 1933 the college was referred to as 'The Working Men's College Incorporated. The Melbourne Technical School'. The Melbourne Technical School Magazine was established in 1921 (Edquist and Grierson, 2008, p. 31).
The West Melbourne Technical School amalgamated with the Working Men's College on 1 January 1933, with the West Melbourne Technical School becoming the Working Men's College junior technical school (Eltham, 1934, p. 20; Age, 28 September 1933, p. 13).
The process to change the name of the Working Men's College to the Melbourne Technical College commenced in 1933, with the name of the college officially changed in 1934 (SER-09907, 27 November 1933, p. 1364, RMIT University Archives; Melbourne Technical College, 1946, p. 143; Murray-Smith and Dare, 1987, p. 211).
Sources used to compile this entry: 'Employment for Boys: Problem of Technical Education', The Age (Melbourne, Victoria), 28 September 1933, p. 13. Also available at http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article205114503; Edquist, Harriet and Grierson, Elizabeth, A Skilled Hand and Cultivated Mind: A Guide to the Architecture and Art of RMIT University, RMIT University Press, Melbourne, Victoria, 2008; Eltham, E. P., 'Report on Technical Education', in Report of the Minister of Public Instruction for the year 1932-33, Melbourne, Victoria, 1934, pp. 20-22. Also available at https://pov.ent.sirsidynix.net.au/client/en_GB/parl_paper/search/detailnonmodal/ent:$002f$002fSD_ILS$002f0$002fSD_ILS:28098/one; Melbourne Technical College, Melbourne Technical College Prospectus 1946, Melbourne, Victoria, https://rmit.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/61RMIT_INST/1ke29l0/alma9921556741501341; Murray-Smith, Stephen and Dare, Anthony John, The Tech: A Centenary History of the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, Hyland House Publishing Pty Limited, South Yarra, Victoria, 1987; State Government of Victoria, 'Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology Act 2010', Authorised Version No. 007, State Government of Victoria, Melbourne, Victoria, 15 October 2018. Also available at https://www.legislation.vic.gov.au/in-force/acts/royal-melbourne-institute-technology-act-2010/007; Working Men's College / Melbourne Technical College Council Minutes 1932 - 1936 - No. 7 22 August 1932 - 14 December 1936 1216-1735, 1932 - 1936, Item no. SER-09907, Series S0602; Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) University Archives.
Related Entities
Timeline
1887 - 1934 Working Men's College
1934 - 1954 Melbourne Technical College
1954 - 1960 Royal Melbourne Technical College
1960 - 1992 Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology
1992 - Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) University
Archival Resources
Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) University Archives
- The Melbourne Technical School Magazine (1921 - 1926; 1928 - 1933) [continued by] The Melbourne Technical College Magazine (1934 - 1935), 1921 - 1935, Series S0274; Working Men's College; Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) University Archives. Details
- Report and Prospectus of the Working Men's College 1887. Melbourne: [The College], [1887]. 40p. - Contained in bound volume 1, 1887, Item no. SER-05100, Series S0390; Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) University Archives. Details
- Working Men's College / Melbourne Technical College Council Minutes 1932 - 1936 - No. 7 22 August 1932 - 14 December 1936 1216-1735, 1932 - 1936, Item no. SER-09907, Series S0602; Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) University Archives. Details
Published Resources
Books
- Edquist, Harriet and Grierson, Elizabeth, A Skilled Hand and Cultivated Mind: A Guide to the Architecture and Art of RMIT University, RMIT University Press, Melbourne, Victoria, 2008. Details
- Murray-Smith, Stephen and Dare, Anthony John, The Tech: A Centenary History of the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, Hyland House Publishing Pty Limited, South Yarra, Victoria, 1987. Details
Legislations
- State Government of Victoria, 'Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology Act 2010', Authorised Version No. 007, State Government of Victoria, Melbourne, Victoria, 15 October 2018. Also available at https://www.legislation.vic.gov.au/in-force/acts/royal-melbourne-institute-technology-act-2010/007. Details
Newspaper Articles
- 'The Working Men's College', The Argus (Melbourne, Victoria), 10 May 1889, p. 7. Also available at https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/6245515. Details
- 'Working Men's College: Amalgamation with West Melbourne School', The Age (Melbourne, Victoria), 29 November 1932, p. 10. Also available at http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article204300210. Details
- 'Technical Schools: Amalgamation Deferred', The Argus (Melbourne, Victoria), 24 May 1932, p. 11. Also available at http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article4453546. Details
- 'Employment for Boys: Problem of Technical Education', The Age (Melbourne, Victoria), 28 September 1933, p. 13. Also available at http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article205114503. Details
- Murphy, William E., 'The Proposed Working Men's College', The Argus (Melbourne, Victoria), 28 August 1882, p. 4. Also available at http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article11551191. Details
- Prelector, 'The Schools', The Argus (Melbourne, Victoria), 17 May 1934, p. 7. Also available at http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article10937817. Details
Report sections
- Eltham, E. P., 'Report on Technical Education', in Report of the Minister of Public Instruction for the year 1932-33, Melbourne, Victoria, 1934, pp. 20-22. Also available at https://pov.ent.sirsidynix.net.au/client/en_GB/parl_paper/search/detailnonmodal/ent:$002f$002fSD_ILS$002f0$002fSD_ILS:28098/one. Details
Online Resources
- Melbourne Technical College, Melbourne Technical College Prospectus 1946, Melbourne, Victoria, https://rmit.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/61RMIT_INST/1ke29l0/alma9921556741501341. Details
- The Working Men's College, The Melbourne Technical School Prospectus 1930, Melbourne, Victoria, https://rmit.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/61RMIT_INST/1adn3cm/alma9921556619801341. Details
Images

- Title
- Photograph - Working Men's College, Latrobe Street, Melbourne, Victoria, circa 1895
- Type
- Image
- Date
- c. 1895
- Creator
- , Nettleton & Arnest Photographic Studio
- Control
- MM 109776
- Source
- Museums Victoria

- Title
- Bowen Street Looking Southward - Buildings - General Campus and Aerial
- Type
- Image
- Date
- c. 1900
- Control
- Item no. PH2.2.014, Series S0462
- Source
- Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) University Archives
Created: 11 November 2021, Last modified: 10 December 2024