The Emily McPherson College of Domestic Economy was an Australian

domestic science Home economics, also called domestic science or family and consumer sciences, is a subject concerning human development, personal and family finances, consumer issues, housing and interior design, nutrition and food preparation, as well as texti ...

college for women, in

Melbourne Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...

Victoria Victoria most commonly refers to: * Victoria (Australia), a state of the Commonwealth of Australia * Victoria, British Columbia, provincial capital of British Columbia, Canada * Victoria (mythology), Roman goddess of Victory * Victoria, Seychelle ...

. It was officially opened on 27 April 1927 by The Duchess of York (later Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother.) On 30 June 1979 it became part of the

Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology RMIT University, officially the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology,, section 4(b) is a public university, public research university in Melbourne, Australia. Founded in 1887 by Francis Ormond, RMIT began as a night school offering cla ...

and is known as RMIT Building 13 (Emily McPherson College).

History of the college

During the 1920s,

businessman Sir William McPherson donated £25,000 ( ≈ A$1.5 million today) towards the establishment of a college of

exclusively for women; which was later named in honour of his wife Lady Emily McPherson. The building opened in 1927, and was designed by then state architect Evan Smith, in simplified

Neo-Grec Néo-Grec was a Neoclassical Revival style of the mid-to-late 19th century that was popularized in architecture, the decorative arts, and in painting during France's Second Empire, or the reign of Napoleon III (1852–1870). The Néo-Grec v ...

architecture and Beaux-Arts style. The Ethel Osborne Wing opened in 1950, and was designed by then state architect

Percy Everett Sir Percy Winn Everett (b. 22 April 1870 Rushmere, Ipswich – 23 February 1952 Elstree) was an editor-in-chief for the publisher C. Arthur Pearson Limited and an active Scouter who became the Deputy Chief Scout of The Boy Scouts Association.T.C. ...

Opening

The college, on the corner of Russell Street and Victoria Street adjacent to the

, was officially opened on 27 April 1927 by the Duchess of York (later Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother), during a royal visit to Australia by her and her husband, the Duke of York (later

George VI George VI (Albert Frederick Arthur George; 14 December 1895 – 6 February 1952) was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until his death in 1952. He was also the last Emperor of I ...

.) ''

The Age ''The Age'' is a daily newspaper in Melbourne, Australia, that has been published since 1854. Owned and published by Nine Entertainment, ''The Age'' primarily serves Victoria, but copies also sell in Tasmania, the Australian Capital Territory ...

'' newspaper later estimated that a crowd of 5,000 people and dignitaries gathered outside the new college, with a guard of honour formed by students from schools as far afield as Ballarat and Bendigo, to witness the Duchess officially open the college with a

gold Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au (from la, aurum) and atomic number 79. This makes it one of the higher atomic number elements that occur naturally. It is a bright, slightly orange-yellow, dense, soft, malleable, and ductile me ...

key and unveil a commemorative plaque and bust of Lady McPherson: Dr Ethel Osborne, who had invited the Duchess to open the college, then presented her with the first diploma issued by the college stating that the Duchess "had set all Australians an example of home life". Upon accepting the diploma, the Duchess thanked Dr Osborne and said "it will always be a delightful memento but one of which I am afraid I am not worthy!".

Present college building

On 30 June 1979, the college was amalgamated with the nearby expanding Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT). Today, it remains a part of the RMIT City campus, and has been refurbished to house the RMIT Graduate School of Business. The building is registered as "significant" and a "notable building" with the

Victorian Heritage Register The Victorian Heritage Register (VHR) lists places deemed to be of cultural heritage significance to the State of Victoria, Australia. It has statutory weight under the Heritage Act 2017. The Minister for Planning is the responsible Minister. ...

and the National Trust of Australia.

External links

The Emily McPherson Collection is a historical collection of cookery books and related ephemera housed as part of the Special Collection within the Swanston Library and RMIT Archives.
Emily McPherson Collection on Research Data Australia

References

Texts: * * * * * (see: ''Notes'') Notes: * The sum listed via the Reserve Bank of Australia is an approximation (≈) determined by

inflation In economics, inflation is an increase in the general price level of goods and services in an economy. When the general price level rises, each unit of currency buys fewer goods and services; consequently, inflation corresponds to a reduct ...

in Australia leading up to the year 2007, from the year 1927 (the opening of the college). {{DEFAULTSORT:Emily McPherson College of Domestic Economy RMIT University RMIT University buildings Former entities of RMIT University Heritage-listed buildings in Melbourne Buildings and structures in Melbourne City Centre Former women's universities and colleges Women's universities and colleges in Australia Educational institutions established in 1927 University and college buildings completed in 1927 1927 establishments in Australia Women in Melbourne