Historical information

This book contains information on all known Mechanics’ Institutes in Victoria. Mechanics’ Institutes were organizations formed originally to improve the education of working men and to instruct them in their various trades. The first Institutes were established in London and Manchester in the 1820s and in Australia the first Institutes were set up in New South Wales and Tasmania in the late 1820s, with the first one in Melbourne in 1839. Mechanics’ Institutes were set up in Victorian country towns, in many cases, soon after the settlements were founded.

Significance

This book is of some importance as a reference book as it gives information on all known Mechanics’ Institutes in Victoria and there were many in the Warrnambool region. The Mechanics’ Institutes were important centres for local adult education and recreation. The book will therefore be of great use to readers of local history and researchers.

Physical description

This is a hard cover book of 704 pages. It has many photographs, mostly black and white, and other images related to Mechanics’ Institutes in Victoria. It has a Contents page, Foreword, Dedications, a story entitled ‘Dingo Flat’, Preface, Introduction, Acknowledgements and articles on hundreds of Mechanics’ Institutes in Victoria, whether closed or still existing. The front cover has two black and white photographs and the title and the back cover has images from two Mechanics’ Institutes. The authors are Pam Baragwanath and Ken James.

Inscriptions & markings

Front Cover: ‘These Walls Speak Volumes’, ‘A History of Mechanics’ Institutes in Victoria, ‘Pam Baragwanath and Ken James’