Working Men's College of Melbourne
| RMIT Building 1 (Francis Ormond Building) | |
former Working Men's College (left building) from La Trobe Street
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| Type | college of further education |
|---|---|
| Established | 1887 |
| Founder | The Hon. Francis Ormond |
| Location |
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia 37°48′32″S 144°57′55″E / 37.8088°S 144.9652°ECoordinates: 37°48′32″S 144°57′55″E / 37.8088°S 144.9652°E |
| Nickname | "The College" |
The Working Men's College was an Australian college of further education located in Melbourne, Victoria. It was founded in 1887 by a prominent Victorian parliamentarian and philanthropist, Francis Ormond.
The college was the predecessor to the current-day Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT University). Today, the original building of the college is known as RMIT Building 1 (Francis Ormond Building).
The Working Men’s College was founded in 1881 by a prominent grazier and philanthropist, The Hon. Francis Ormond, who donated £5000 towards the establishment of the college. The Council of the Melbourne Trades Hall then matched Ormond's initial donation by rallying its members. On 4 June 1887, the college opened in its purpose-built building on the corners of Bowen Street and La Trobe Street in Melbourne, with a gala ceremony. It became the third official provider of higher education in the new Colony of Victoria (the Melbourne Athenaeum was founded in 1839 and the University of Melbourne in 1853).
Stage 1: building permit dated 23 April 1885. Architect: Terry & Oakden and Nahum Barnet.
Stage 1 of the building was the "Bowen Street Wing" - which included the main lecture hall, workshops, classrooms and caretaker’s quarters. It cost £10,600, which was paid by Ormond's initial donation and the further contribution of the Trades Hall Council.
The college building was constructed in two stages. The builder was "James Moore of Sandridge Road", South Melbourne.
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