WARRNAMBOOL MECHANICS’ INSTITUTE 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 November 1884 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 fundraising 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 courthouse 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 historical 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 Historical 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 artworks and some photographs. The Warrnambool Mechanics' Institute Library book collection is deemed to be of great importance because it is one of the few collections in an almost intact state, and many of the books are now very rare and of great value. The Songs of A Sentimental Bloke Author: C J Dennis With Illustrations by Hal Gye Publisher: Angus & Robertson Date: 1916 The label on spine cover with typed text R.A. 822.912 DEN flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked coast, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village, 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 songs of a sentimental bloke, c j dennis, hal gye

Ill, p.133.fictionThe Songs of a Sentimental Bloke, a comic verse novel, was first published in book form in 1915 and sold more than sixty thousand copies in nine editions within a year. By the mid-1970s nearly three hundred thousand copies had been sold internationally. australia - poetry, australia - literary works

Book. ALEC H CHISHOLM COLLECTION. 128 page hardcover book of 'The Songs of the Sentimental Bloke' by C J Dennis. Cover design and decorations by Hal Gye and Foreword by Henry Lawson. First published in 1915. This edition published in 1957 by Angus and Robertson and reprinted in 1974 by John Sands Pty Ltd, Halstead Press Division. Catalogue sticker on spine '2090 DEN'C J Dennisbooks, collections, poetry, alec h chisholm collection, c j dennis, hal gye, poetry

Book. ALEC H CHISHOLM COLLECTION. 137 page hardcover small book of ''The Songs of the Sentimental Bloke'' by C. J. Dennis. Illustrations by Hal Gye. Published in 1916 by Angus & Robertson and printed by W. C. Penfold & Co. Ltd., Sydney. Includes a preface to 1st edition by Henry Lawson and a 21 page glossary. Catalogue sticker ''2079 DEN'' on spine. A faded newspaper cutting of slang origins by C. J. Dennis from Melbourne Herald, 24/5/34 pasted inside front cover..J. Dennisbooks, collections, poetry, alec h chisholm collection, c.j.dennis, poetry

Book. ALEC H CHISHOLM COLLECTION. 128 page blue hardback collection of verse, Songs of the Sentimental Bloke. Illustrated with B & W sketches and a coloured dust jacket by Hal Gye. Published in 1957 by Angus and Robertson, reprinted from the original publication of 1915 with a forward by Henry Lawson. Printed by Halstead Press, Sydney. A glossary of Australian vernacular at the end of the book. The back of the dust jacket indicates that Alec H Chisholm was a biographer of C. J. Dennis. Catalogue sticker ''2077 DEN'' on spine.G. J Dennisbooks, collections, poetry, alec h chisholm collection, c.j.dennis, hal gye, poetry

Book review from The Courier, titled "Tram ride to success", reviewing a book "The Promise of Gold and its results" written by David Griffiths. Looks at the life and work of John Garibaldi Roberts a supporter of the Arts and Chief Accountant of the Melbourne Tramway and Omnibus Co (MTOCo) and later the manager of the cable tram system for the MMTB. He retired in 1923. Has photos of the family, John at his work desk in 1910 and the directors of the MTOCo. Item written by Caleb Cluff of The Courier. One of Roberts guests was C J Dennis, who wrote Songs of the Sentimental bloke" while staying at Roberts place in the Dandenongs which had been formed from disused horse buses. Yields information about J G Roberts, a support of the Arts and a senior tramway manager.Newspaper cutting from The Courier, Ballarat, 24/4/2021 titled Book review "Tram ride to success" and photo provided of C J Dennis inside one of the horse buses on Robert's Dandenong "Sunnyside" property.mtoco, j g roberts, chief accountant, c j dennis, sunnyside