The Ladies’ College.

Rare c.19th engraving of the original building for the Presbyterian Ladies College in East Melbourne which was established 1875.

The Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of Victoria had set up an Education Committee in 1869, to look into establishing a ladies’ college. At the time the Church owned 2 acres in Albert Street, East Melbourne, opposite the current Fitzroy Gardens. A school building and a teacher’s home were already built on the site, and were rented to a teacher as a primary school. The committee resolved to build the college and provide advice and support, but the college would be self-supporting. Joseph Reed drew plans for a building that would house 30 boarders and 150 day students, at an estimated cost of £12,000. They decided to draw a line down the middle of the plans and build one section only.  The building was completed in time for the school’s first year, 1875, with Charles Henry Pearson as founding principal. Pearson served as principal until 1879, when Andrew Harper took over. While other private (church-run) girls’ schools had existed before PLC, the school was Australia’s first school for girls to offer a program and education equal to that of a boys’ school modelled on the great English Public Schools.

From the original edition of the Australasian Sketcher.

Collections:
National Library Australia: Bib ID 914558
State Library New South Wales: REF1/MAV/FM4/9236-9239
State Library Victoria: PCINF AS 30-07-81 P.248