The Social History of Mechanics’ Institutes

From the grand Athenaeum in Melbourne to the small hall in a country town, Mechanics’ Institutes have played a role in the life of communities for over 180 years. The buildings, often funded by the community, provided even a small town with a venue for education, recreation, politics and socialising.  This talk takes an eclectic look at some of the stories and events associated with Mechanics’ Institutes in Victoria, illustrated with a procession of photographs showing  the humble to the splendid.

 

Heather Arnold is the President of the Koo Wee Rup Swamp Historical Society, Secretary of the South Eastern Historical Association and the Mechanics’ Institutes of Victoria and was for many years the Local History Librarian at Casey Cardinia Libraries. She is a local history enthusiast, lives and breathes history and firmly believes that everyone and everything has a story worth telling.

 

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