Historical information

Book prize awarded to T Boyd (enrolled 1873) for excellence in Writing by Principal F J Thomas in 1874. The book was donated to the school by Sheila (Campbell) Edwards who purchased it from a secondhand dealer in Melbourne.

Significance

During these early times book prizes were ordered from London where they were specially bound and embossed with the College crest. F J Thomas had an illustrious career at Ballarat College. During his tenure as Principal it was discovered the BA after his name stoold for Bonn Academy (Germany) not, as may have been implied, Bachelor of Arts. Once discovered he left the State under 'not too dignified circumstances' as Mein records in the 1964 History of Ballarat College, p. 19.

Physical description

Light brown calf binding with gold borders to front and back covers; raised bands on spine with six compartments, gold lettering and decoration; school crest embossed on front cover; book plate inside front cover;black and white sketches on frontispiece and throughout book;

Inscriptions & markings

Book plate inside front cover: Ballarat College crest / PRIZE / FOR / Writing / Awarded to / T Boyd / 1874 / F J THOMAS, B.A.PRINCIPAL