Warrnambool's Mechanics' Institute (or Institution as it was sometimes called) was one of the earliest in Victoria. On 17th October 1853 a meeting was held where it was resolved to request the Lieutenant Governor of the Colony to grant land for the erection of a Mechanics' Institutes building. A committee was formed at the meeting and Richard Osburne chaired the first meeting of this committee. The land on the North West corner of Banyan and Merri Streets was granted but there were no funds to erect the building. The Formal Rights of the Warrnambool Mechanics' Institute's encompassed its aims and these were officially adopted in1859; "This Institution has for its object the diffusion of literary, scientific, and other useful knowledge amongst its members, excluding all controversial subjects, religious or political. These objects are sought to be obtained by means of a circulating library, a reading room, the establishment of classes, debates, and the occasional delivery of lectures on natural and experimental philosophy, mechanics, astronomy, chemistry, natural history, literature, and the useful and ornamental arts, particularly those which have a more immediate reference to the colony." The Warrnambool Mechanics' Institute opened its first reading room in November1884 in the National School building at the corner of Banyan and Timor Streets. The Institute was funded by member subscription, payable on a quarterly, half yearly or yearly basis. Samuel Hannaford, the Manager of the Warrnambool Bank of Australasia, was the first Honorary Secretary of the Mechanics' Institutes, and an early President and Vice-President. He also gave several of the early lectures in the Reading Room. Another early Secretary, Librarian and lecturer was Marmaduke Fisher, the teacher at the National School. Lecture topics included The Poets and Poetry of Ireland', 'The Birth and Development of the Earth', 'The Vertebrae - with Remarks on the pleasures resulting from the study of Natural History' and 'Architecture'. In 1856 the Reading Room was moved to James Hider's shop in Timor Street, and by 1864 it was located in the bookshop of Davies and Read. In the 1860's the Mechanics' Institute struggled as membership waned but in 1866, after a series of fund raising efforts, the committee was able to purchase land in Liebig Street, on a site then called Market Square, between the weighbridge and the fire station. A Mechanics' Institute building was opened at this site in August 1871. The following year four more rooms were added to the main Reading Room and in 1873 the Artisan School of Design was incorporated into the Institute. The same year Joseph Archibald established a Museum; however it deteriorated when he was transferred to Bendigo in 1877. In 1880, with Archibald's return to Warrnambool, the Museum was re-established, and in 1885 a new building was built at the back of the Institute to accommodate the re-created School of Design, the Art Gallery and the Museum. In 1887 the Museum section was moved to the former court house in Timor Street (for some time the walls of the building formed part of the TAFE cafeteria but all is now demolished)). In 1911 the Museum was transferred back to the original building and the management of the Mechanics' Institute was handed over to the Warrnambool City Council. The Museum and Art Gallery became one and housed many fine works of art, and the Library continued to grow. The building was well patronised, with records showing that at the beginning of the 20th century there were between 500 and 800 visitors. During World War One the monthly figures were in the thousands, with 3,400 people visiting in January 1915. The Museum was a much loved Institution in Warrnambool until the contents of the Museum and Art Gallery were removed to make room for the Warrnambool City Council Engineers' Department. The contents were stored but many of the items were scattered or lost. When the original building was demolished the site became occupied by the Civic Centre, which included the new City Library. (The library was temporarily located in the old Palais building in Koroit Street.) In the process of reorganisation the Collection was distributed amongst the community groups: -The new City Library took some of the historic books and some important documents, historic photographs and newspapers. -The Art Gallery kept the 19th Century art collection and some of the artefacts from the museum. -The Historic Society has some items -The State Museum has some items -Some items were destroyed -Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village has old newspapers, Government Gazettes, most of the Mechanics' Institute Library, ledgers and documents connected to the Mechanics' Institute Library, some framed and unframed art works and some photographs. The Warrnambool Mechanics' Institute Library book collection is deemed to be of great importance because it is one of the The Phantom Paradise The story of the Expedition of the Marquis De Rays Author: J H Niau Publisher: Angus & Robertson Date: 1936Label on spine cover with typed text RH 910.4 NIA Inside of front loose endpaper has a stamp from Warrnambool Mechanics Institutewarrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, shipwrecked-artefact, great ocean road, book, warrnambool library, warrnambool mechanics’ institute, mechanics’ institute library, victorian library board, warrnambool books and records, warrnambool children’s library, warrnambool public library, the phantom paradise, marquis de rays, j h niau

Benjamin Danks was b. 1853 England, ordained 1878, and died 1921 in Rookwood, NSW. DANKS, Benjamin (1853-1921) Michael Horsburgh, DANKS, BENJAMIN (b. Wednesbury, England, 12 Feb 1853; d. Sydney, NSW, 12 April 1921). Methodist missionary in New Britain and missionary administrator. Benjamin Danks migrated to Vic with his family when a young child. He entered the Wesleyan Methodist ministry in 1878 and was sent with his wife, Emma, daughter of John and Elizabeth Watsford, to join the Rev George Brown in the newly established missionary venture on the Duke of York group in New Britain, where he remained for nine years. An opponent of 'blackbirding', the traffic in indentured island labour for the Australian sugar cane industry, he warned local inhabitants not to go aboard any vessel recruiting labour for distant places, much to the displeasure of the labour traders. In 1880 he participated in the rescue of the survivors of the ill-fated settlement established by the Marquis de Rays. In 1907 he succeeded George Brown as the general secretary of Foreign Missions for the Methodist Church of Australasia and was president of the NSW Conference in 1908. He retired in 1918 and died in 1921 after a long illness attributed to the privations of his missionary career. Danks was highly regarded as a linguist and published the first book in the Tolai language of New Britain. He was a strong supporter of state legislation to control social evils, and to ensure pure food and drugs. He was an ardent temperance advocate. George Brown, An Autobiography (London, 1908); New South Wales Methodist Conference, Souvenir of the Presidency of the Rev. Benjamin Danks (Sydney, 1909); Wallace Deane (ed), In Wild New Britain (Sydney, 1933); Neville Threlfall, One Hundred Years in the Islands (Rabaul, 1975). MICHAEL HORSBURGH Electronic Version © Southern Cross College, 2004. Content © Evangelical History Association of Australia and the author, 2004.Sepia oval portrait photo of a younger man with wiry beard and moustache, dressed as clergyman.danks, benjamin, new britain

Benjamin Danks was b. 1853 England, ordained 1878, and died 1921 in Rookwood, NSW. DANKS, Benjamin (1853-1921) Michael Horsburgh DANKS, BENJAMIN (b. Wednesbury, England, 12 Feb 1853; d. Sydney, NSW, 12 April 1921). Methodist missionary in New Britain and missionary administrator. Benjamin Danks migrated to Vic with his family when a young child. He entered the Wesleyan Methodist ministry in 1878 and was sent with his wife, Emma, daughter of John and Elizabeth Watsford, to join the Rev George Brown in the newly established missionary venture on the Duke of York group in New Britain, where he remained for nine years. An opponent of 'blackbirding', the traffic in indentured island labour for the Australian sugar cane industry, he warned local inhabitants not to go aboard any vessel recruiting labour for distant places, much to the displeasure of the labour traders. In 1880 he participated in the rescue of the survivors of the ill-fated settlement established by the Marquis de Rays. In 1907 he succeeded George Brown as the general secretary of Foreign Missions for the Methodist Church of Australasia and was president of the NSW Conference in 1908. He retired in 1918 and died in 1921 after a long illness attributed to the privations of his missionary career. Danks was highly regarded as a linguist and published the first book in the Tolai language of New Britain. He was a strong supporter of state legislation to control social evils, and to ensure pure food and drugs. He was an ardent temperance advocate. George Brown, An Autobiography (London, 1908); New South Wales Methodist Conference, Souvenir of the Presidency of the Rev. Benjamin Danks (Sydney, 1909); Wallace Deane (ed), In Wild New Britain (Sydney, 1933); Neville Threlfall, One Hundred Years in the Islands (Rabaul, 1975). MICHAEL HORSBURGH Electronic Version © Southern Cross College, 2004. Content © Evangelical History Association of Australia and the author, 2004.Engraving of Rev. Benjamin Danks based on the portrait."Rev. B. Danks. Late of New Guinea, Foreign Mission Secretary, Melbourne."danks, benjamin, new britain

Benjamin Danks was b. 1853 England, ordained 1878, and died 1921 in Rookwood, NSW. DANKS, Benjamin (1853-1921) Michael Horsburgh, DANKS, BENJAMIN (b. Wednesbury, England, 12 Feb 1853; d. Sydney, NSW, 12 April 1921). Methodist missionary in New Britain and missionary administrator. Benjamin Danks migrated to Vic with his family when a young child. He entered the Wesleyan Methodist ministry in 1878 and was sent with his wife, Emma, daughter of John and Elizabeth Watsford, to join the Rev George Brown in the newly established missionary venture on the Duke of York group in New Britain, where he remained for nine years. An opponent of 'blackbirding', the traffic in indentured island labour for the Australian sugar cane industry, he warned local inhabitants not to go aboard any vessel recruiting labour for distant places, much to the displeasure of the labour traders. In 1880 he participated in the rescue of the survivors of the ill-fated settlement established by the Marquis de Rays. In 1907 he succeeded George Brown as the general secretary of Foreign Missions for the Methodist Church of Australasia and was president of the NSW Conference in 1908. He retired in 1918 and died in 1921 after a long illness attributed to the privations of his missionary career. Danks was highly regarded as a linguist and published the first book in the Tolai language of New Britain. He was a strong supporter of state legislation to control social evils, and to ensure pure food and drugs. He was an ardent temperance advocate. George Brown, An Autobiography (London, 1908); New South Wales Methodist Conference, Souvenir of the Presidency of the Rev. Benjamin Danks (Sydney, 1909); Wallace Deane (ed), In Wild New Britain (Sydney, 1933); Neville Threlfall, One Hundred Years in the Islands (Rabaul, 1975). MICHAEL HORSBURGH Electronic Version © Southern Cross College, 2004. Content © Evangelical History Association of Australia and the author, 2004.Photocopy of page from a book (A4 size) with pictures of Danks and Mrs. Danks and a map showing New Britain and New Ireland and the mission stations of the New Britain district of the Wesleyan Methodist Mission and the sites of the Free Colony of New France.danks, benjamin, new britain