Mechanics' Institutes of Australia

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Mechanics' Institutes were a Victorian institution which spread to the corners of the English speaking world, including Australian colonies where they were set up in virtually every colony. The world's first Mechanics' Institute was established in Edinburgh, Scotland, in October 1821 as the .[1][2]

In Australia, the first Mechanics' Institute was established in Hobart in 1827, followed by the Sydney Mechanics' School of Arts[3] in 1833, Newcastle School of Arts in 1835, then the Melbourne Mechanics' Institute established in 1839 (renamed the Melbourne Athenaeum in 1873). From the 1850s, Mechanics' Institutes quickly spread throughout Victoria wherever a hall, library or school was needed. Over 1200 Mechanics' Institutes were built in Victoria but just over 500 remain today, and only six still operate their lending library services.[4]

Listing[]

New South Wales[]

Sydney School of Arts, 1869
Street view of the Cronulla Arts Theatre, Cronulla, New South Wales, Australia.

South Australia[]

Mitcham Village Institute

Tasmania[]

Sorrento Institute

Victoria[]

Melbourne Athenaeum

Still operating as libraries[]

Only a few mechanics' institutes still operate as libraries: list derived from the Mechanics' Institute of Victoria, Inc.'s Library Directory 2018.[13]

Others[]

  • Mechanics Institute
  • Brunswick, Victoria Mechanics Institute
  • Ballan Mechanics Institute 1860[15]
  • Berwick Mechanics’ Institute and Free Library, 1862
  • Briagolong Mechanics’ Institute, 1874
  • Bunyip Mechanics’ Institute 1905
  • Glengarry Mechanics’ Institute, 1886
  • Geelong Mechanics Institute
  • Wiiliamstown Mechanics Institute
  • Burke and Wills Institute, Fryertown Victoria[16]
  • Long Gully Mechanics Institute,
  • , 1886
  • , 1862
  • , 1892
  • [17] now part of the
  • , 1863
  • ., 1866
  • , 1883
Lilydale Mechanics Institute
  • Alexandra, Victoria School of Arts
  • Ballarat Mechanics Institute
  • Ballan Mechanics Institute
  • Charlton, Mechanics Institute
  • Drysdale Free Library
  • Elmhurst Mechanics Institute
  • Echuca Mechanics' Institute, Victoria
  • Great Western Mechanics Institute
  • Healesville Mechanics Institute
  • Kyneton Mechanics Institute
  • Horsham, Mechanics Institute
  • Leongatha Mechanics Institute
  • Lilydale Mechanics Institute
  • Moonambel Mechanics Institute
  • Mornington Mechanics Institute
  • Morongla Creek Mechanics Institute Hall
  • Murrumburrah#gallery Institute
  • Macarthur, Victoria Mechanisc Institute Hall
  • Nagambie Mechanics Institute
  • Riddells Creek Mechanics Institute
  • Rushworth Mechanics Institute
  • Winiam, Shire of Lowan Mechanis Institute Library
  • Woodend Mechanics Institute
  • Yandoit Mechanics Institute

Queensland[]

  • West End School of Arts

Western Australia[]

Schools of Arts[]

New South Wales[]

Epping School of Arts

Queensland[]

Notable schools of arts in Queensland include:

References[]

  1. ^ Kelly, Thomas (November 1952). "The Origin of Mechanics' Institutes". British Journal of Educational Studies. Society for Educational Studies. 1 (1): 17–27. doi:10.2307/3119430. JSTOR 3119430.
  2. ^ "What is a Mechanics' Institute?". Prahran Mechanics' Institute. 8 November 2012. Retrieved 4 July 2020.
  3. ^ "SMSA (Sydney Mechanics' School of Arts)". SMSA.
  4. ^ Lowden, Bronwyn (2010). Mechanics' Institutes, Schools of Arts, Athenaeums, etc.: An Australian Checklist – 3rd Edition. Donvale, Australia: Lowden Publishing Co. pp. 64–111. ISBN 978-1-920753-16-0.
  5. ^ http://www.dictionaryofsydney.org/entry/sydney_mechanics_school_of_arts Dictionary of Sydney
  6. ^ Oldest and Largest in Australia
  7. ^ Cumberland Argus and Fruitgrowers Advocate, 3 June 1922 p 8.
  8. ^ Roger Morris, 'Sydney suburban Schools of Arts: From and for the community' in Schools of Arts and Mechanics' Institutes: From and for the community – Proceedings of a National Conference, University of Technology, Sydney, 2002, p 79
  9. ^ Catherine Freyne, The School of Arts movement(Sydney Mechanics' School of Arts, 2010).
  10. ^ The Grenfell Record and Lachlan District Advertiser Saturday 19 July 1902 page 2.
  11. ^ Jump up to: a b The Libraries of Schools of Arts and Mechanics’ Institutes: Time Capsules of Australian Book Collections..
  12. ^ Hunter River General (NewsPaper) 16 July 1870 p2.
  13. ^ Library Directory 2018. Windsor, Vic.: Mechanics' Institute of Victoria. 2018. p. 33.
  14. ^ These Walls Speak Volumes: A history of Mechanics’ Institutes in Victoria by Pam Baragwanath and Ken James ISBN 9780992308780
  15. ^ Mechanics’ Institutes March 29, 2017 | historicalragbag .
  16. ^ A History of Mechanics' Institute Libraries.
  17. ^ Chris Healy, From the Ruins of Colonialism: History as Social Memory (CUP, 1997) page 204.
  18. ^ Bathurst School of Arts Act 1858.
  19. ^ Berry School of Arts.
  20. ^ "BOURKE MECHANICS' INSTITUTE". Western Herald. XXX (1644). New South Wales, Australia. 18 July 1903. p. 2. Retrieved 7 May 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
  21. ^ Burrawang School of Arts.
  22. ^ Fairfield School of Arts Archived 2015-04-02 at the Wayback Machine.
  23. ^ 5 Eliza Street Archived 2015-03-22 at the Wayback Machine recycled
  24. ^ Peakhurst School of Arts.
  25. ^ Rooty Hill Archived 2013-12-27 at the Wayback Machine at Blacktown City Council webpage.
  26. ^ St Albans School of Art Hall.
  27. ^ Wentworth Falls School of Arts Archived 2015-02-02 at archive.today.
  28. ^ Wentworth Falls School of Arts.
  29. ^ School of Arts Hall, Wilberforce.
  30. ^ Windsor School of Arts.
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