Working Men's College Photographic Club (1891 - 1919)

From
1891
To
1919
Summary

The Working Men's College Photographic Club was established in 1891 and initially open to 'all Students and ex-Students' of the College (WMC Report, 1891, p. 17). The Australian Photographic Journal (20 March 1901) credits Ludovico Hart, instructor in photography, as instrumental in its formation. The Director of the College, William Charles Kernot, was the first President and Mr H. F. Hyslop the first Secretary. Progressive for the period, the club admitted both men and women at a time when most Melbourne clubs restricted membership to men. The club promoted photography through lectures, demonstrations, exhibitions, competitions and field excursions. By 1910, the College Prospectus described it as 'one of the most active institutions' and recorded that it was 'open to anyone', with more than 100 members. Now known as the Melbourne Camera Club, it is among Australia's oldest photographic clubs and has maintained an unbroken history since its founding in 1891.

Related Organisations

Related Themes

Archival Resources

Melbourne Camera Club Archives

  • Rules, The Working Men's College Photographic Club; Melbourne Camera Club Archives. Details

Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) University Archives

  • THE COLLEGE QUARTERLY: The Official Organ of the Working Men's College Melbourne 1900; 1909 - 1912, 1900 - 1912, Series S0326; Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) University Archives. Details
  • Prospectus. The Working Men's College, Melbourne. The Technical College and School of Mines for the Metropolitan District 1910. Melbourne: The College, [1910]. 170p. Contained in bound volumes 6 and 7, 1910, Item no. SER-05128, Series S0390; Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) University Archives. Details
  • Report of the Working Men's College Melbourne for Year 1891. Melbourne: [The College], [1891]. 104p. - Contained in bound volume 2, 1891, Item no. SER-05109, Series S0390; Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) University Archives. Details

Published Resources

Books

  • Elliott, Alan, A Century Exposed: One Hundred Years of the Melbourne Camera Club, Melbourne Camera Club, South Melbourne, Victoria, 1991. 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

Journal Articles

Newspaper Articles

Images

Title
A few members of the Working Mens' College Photographic Club at an outing at Blackburn
Type
Image
Date
April 1917
Control
Call Number: N 770.5 AUS
Source
The Australasian Photo-Review, vol. XXIV, no. 6, 15 June 1917, p. 329; National Library of Australia via Trove

Details

Sources used to compile this entry: 'Photography', The North Melbourne Advertiser, 3 July 1891, p. 4. Also available at http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article66161816; 'Rules of The Working Men's College Photographic Club', The North Melbourne Advertiser, 26 June 1891, p. 4. Also available at http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article66161800; 'Working Men's College Photographic Club', The Argus (Melbourne, Victoria), 17 April 1891, p. 6. Also available at https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/8663408; THE COLLEGE QUARTERLY: The Official Organ of the Working Men's College Melbourne 1900; 1909 - 1912, 1900 - 1912, Series S0326; Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) University Archives; Elliott, Alan, A Century Exposed: One Hundred Years of the Melbourne Camera Club, Melbourne Camera Club, South Melbourne, Victoria, 1991; 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; Prospectus. The Working Men's College, Melbourne. The Technical College and School of Mines for the Metropolitan District 1910. Melbourne: The College, [1910]. 170p. Contained in bound volumes 6 and 7, 1910, Item no. SER-05128, Series S0390; Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) University Archives; Report of the Working Men's College Melbourne for Year 1891. Melbourne: [The College], [1891]. 104p. - Contained in bound volume 2, 1891, Item no. SER-05109, Series S0390; Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) University Archives; Rules, The Working Men's College Photographic Club; Melbourne Camera Club Archives.

Prepared by: Miranda Francis

Created: 19 March 2026, Last modified: 24 March 2026