union house - dspace cover page - University of Melbourne

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UNION HOUSE - EAST ELEVATION

A

1960's scheme for what Union House would become.

(From Property and BuiUings, The University of Melbourne)

UNION HOUSE - EAST ELEVATION, AFTER 1968

(From the Colin Sach Collection, University of Melbourne Archives)

UNION HOUSE - EAST ELEVATION, 1992

(From the Sudent Union archives)

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SITE OF 1936 EXTENSIONS UNION CAFETERIA, 1921-1938

OLD MUSEUM, UNION 1910.

UNION ROOMS

BASEMEN'l� GR FL AND ]ST FL

PRINCESS IDA PARLOUR lST FLOOR

OLD QUADRANGLE

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Theway · gs

niay have been ...

Exercises ⁱⁿ the rebuilding and refurbislnnent of Union House that

reniained ideas.

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UNIVERSITY COUNCIL, 1919

This table which has been much loved by gener

ations of Rowden White Library patrons was built in 1863 and was originally located in the University Council chamber.

(From the University Photograph Collection, University of Melbourne Archives)

THE COFFEE LOUNGE, C.1985 (From the Student Union archives)

NORTH COUIU, 1990

(From the Student Union archives)

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THE CAI\ LATE 1988

(From the Sudent Union archives)

THE BILLIARDS ROOM, 1990 (From the Sudent Union archives)

Billiards has always been part of the Union.

The first billiards table was donated to the Union by the Medical Students Society in 1912 after the Union had moved to the Museum in 1910.

FARRAGO, 1991

THE ROWDEN WHITE LIBRARY C.1985 (From the Student Union archives)

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THE UNION BISTRO, 1969

(From the Melbourne University Union Annual report and accounts for 1969. Sudent Union archives)

The Union Bistro was opened in 1969 in the area which was once Milliways and is now part

ly the Oriental Chef and partly the Information Centre. The Bistro had a very smart carvery and was B.YO.

THE UNION SHOP

(From the Melbounie University Union Annual revort and accounts -for 1970, ₁ _J

Sudent Union archives)

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STUDENTS DINING lN THE NEW UNION CAFETERJA, 1938.

THE ROWDEN WHITE LIBRARY C. 1940

The original 1936-38 wood panelling, book

shelves and chandeliers have survived to add character to the present Library. The room was earlier the men's reading room.

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NORTH, SOUTH AND WEST ELEVAflONS

Philip and Hudson - Designing Architect Gawler and Crummond - Supervising architect (From Property and Bui/,dings,

The University of Melbounie)

EAST ELEVATION AND SECTIONS

Philip and Hudson - Designing Architect Gawler and Cmmmond - Supervising architect {From Property and BuiMings,

The University of Melbourne)

UNION HOUSE - EAST ELEVATION C. 1950 (From the Student Union archives)

This photograph shows some of the building addi

tions made in 1936, particularly to the North end which housed the new Union Theatre stage. The new Union boasted facilities unequalled by other Australian universities.

'It was the Victorian Arts centre in embryo', histori

an Marjorie Tipping [wrote]. 'The Union Theatre and common rooms were available for experimental drama, string orchestras, jazz bands, Russian ballet, recitals, art films, lectures, debates, musical recitals and recordings on the new Carnegie gramaphone ...

Radical and conservative philosophies on the arts were discussed with passionate dedication, and these discussions were of^ten related to contempo

rary political and religious issues.'

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PRINCESSES AT PLAY (The fantasy) (Cartoon from Melbourne Punch,

October 14, 1897. Drawn by Alfred Vincent) The cartoon derives from a complaint made by

Professor Harrison Moore about noise made by members of the Princess Ida Club. The poten

tial for rowdy activity in the small parlour is obviously limited but the mystery surrounding this early ancestor of our Women's Room would have been tantalising.

THE UNION ROOM

c.1890s

Formerly Professor Wilson's dining room, on the west side of the old quadrangle. It was from this small space that the S.R.C. attempted to administer student social and club life.

HAUNT OF THE DONS.

A

_POSTCARD

C.1895

(From the Colin Sach Collection,

University of Melbourne Archives)

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From: Rowden White Library (3/4/93) To: Scott Campbell

Subject: Time:12:02 AM

OFFICE MEMO exhibition captions Date:3/4/93 1. Map of the University grounds c. ?

Notable features include ?

2. The National Museum - East elevation. c. 1870.

(From the C. Nettleton Collection, University of Melbourne Archives) 3. The whale, proudly proclaimed as the largest museum exhibit in the world.

(From ?

4. Interior of the National Museum. in the 1870's

(From Geoffrey Blainey's The centennary history of the University of Melbourne,

first published 1957)

5. Princess Ida parlour, 1897 -The reality

The Princess Ida Club, formed in 1888, was for 28 years the heart of University

social life for women. The name of the club was taken from the popular Gilbert and Sullivan operetta Princess Ida which told the story of a women's university, which no man could enter.

(From Farley Kelley's Degrees of liberarion : a short history of women in the University of Melbourne, published 1985)

6. Princesses at play-The fantasy

(Cartoon from Melbourne Punch, October 14, 1897. Drawn by Alfred Vincent)

The cartoon derives from a complaint lodged by Professor Harrison Moore about

noise made by members of the Princess Ida Club. The potential for rowdy activity in the small parlour is obviously limited but the mystery surrounding this early ancestor of our Women's Room would have been tantalising.

7. Haunt of the Dons. A postcard c.1895

(From the Colin Sach Collection, University of Melbourne Archives)

===--- ---=====================--=---=--======

======

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NORTH Courn� A DIFFERENT ANGLE, 1968

(From the Melbourne University Union Annual report and accounts for 1968, Student Union archives)

THE NORTH SIDE EXTENSION

THE SOUTH SIDE EXTENSION

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THE Soun-I - WEST CORNER OF UNION HOUSE (From the Melbourne University Union Anuual report and accounts for 1966, Student Union _... ₀ archives)

An attempt was made to retain the shell of the National Museum but this was unsuccessful The windows on the far left of photograph are

where the Rowden White Library was located from 1938-1968.

DEMOLITION AND REBUILDING

(From the Melbourne University Union Annual report and accounts -for 196Z _... _., Student Union archives)

15th November, 1966 2nd March, 1967

30th October, 1967 26th April, 1968

NoRTH Couin� c. 1968

{Postcard no. 8, A.J Cook photograph, Colin Sach Collection, University of Melbourne Archives)

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THE "CLUBBUS", 1931.

(SOUTH EASTERN ELEVA^TION)

0n

E.J

Hartung photograph from the Colin Sach Collection,

At this stage, the building was available for the use of students but was depressingly shabby and offered few facilities. Men and women were provided with separate quarters and there were some complaints about this. The common room, to all intents and purposes, excluded women, and the billiards room remained unchallenged as a masculine stronghold.

RAYMOND PRJESTLEY

Raymond Priestley was the University's first salaried full-time Vice-chancellor from 1835 - 1938. His energy and determination ensured a successful appeal to raise funds for the building of a new Student Union. Begun in late 1936, the splendid new building was officially opened on April 6, 1938.

(From the Student Union Archives)

y

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A UNION LANDMARK AWAITING THE WRECKERS, 1966

THE DEMOLITION AND REBUILDING OF UNION HOUSE

The various stages of demolition and building took from 1966 - 1968. Throughout most of this period, the S.R.C., the Travel Service,

Farrago, the Union shop and the book exchange operated backstage of the theatre. The Rowden White Library and Ewing Gallery spent nearly three years in packing cases.

>

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THE WHALE

The whale was proudly proclaimed as the largest museum exhibit in the world. It stood on the West side of the Musemn, more or less where the lifts are now.

(From the University Photog^raph Collection, University of Melbourne Archives)

PRJNCESS IDA PARLOUR, 1897 (The reality)

The Princess Ida Club, formed in 1888, was for 28 years the heart of University social life for women. The name of the club was taken from the popular Gilbert and Sullivan operetta Princess Ida which told the story of a university which no man could enter.

(From Farl_eyKelly's Degrees ofliberarion:

a short history of women in the University of Melbourne, published 1985)

INTERIOR OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM.

IN THE 1870'5

(From Geoffrey Blain_ey's The centenary history of the University of Melbourne, first published

1957) �:

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UNION fACADE FROM THE SOUTH-E.AS'l� 1953 (From the Alice Paton Collection,

The Argus of March 17, 1953, commented,

"Union House tower carried this grim welcome sign to freshers at the University today''.

UNION HOUSE, C. 1954.

(From the Alice Paton Collection, University of Melbourne Archives)

This photograph shows the central tower at the entrance and the steps to the stage door of the Union Theatre. Wilson Hall can be seen in the background.

UNION HOUSE FROM THE NORTl-1-WEST (NORTH Couiu), c. 1958

(From the

JL.

O'Brien Collection, University of Melbourne Archives)

The central block is part of the 1936 design.

The women's cloakroom was on the ground floor and the women's lounge on the first floor.

To the left of the photograph is part of the West elevation of the Union Theatre which was formerly the National Museum.

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Library Digitised Collections

Author/s:

Melbourne University Student Union Title:

Printed captions for photographs Date:

1993 Citation:

Draft of wall text. Union House: An Architectural History, 6-23 April 1993, George Paton Gallery, University of Melbourne.

Persistent Link:

http://hdl.handle.net/11343/212284 Terms and Conditions:

This item has been published for research purposes only with the permission of the Rowden White Library. For information about reproducing this image contact the Rowden White Library: +61 3 8344 6966.