Historical information

The Ballarat School of Mines was the first of its type in Australia. The Albert Street frontage was the 'working end' of the campus with the mining laboratory, gauge tower and caretakers cottage. All the structures in the foreground have been demolished to make way for the Flecknoe Building and the M.B. John Building.

Harry Brew, the well known Ballarat School of Mines caretaker, lived in the small weatherboard building to the right of the photograph. He was appointed to the staff at the Ballarat School of Mines in 1936.

Physical description

Black and white photograph showing the Ballarat School of Mines from Albert Street. Henry Richards Caselli's Gauge Tower is in the foreground. To its left is the Mining Laboratory, and to it's right is the caretakers cottage.

Inscriptions & markings

verso 'SMB. Albert St frontage, showing (Harry Brew's) edge of his cottage. harry was a likeable character in his day, he was an old sailor boy, served, on HMAS Physice, & was an expert in , bugs and such like, crawling beasties (signature undecipherable)