South Melbourne College was a co-education boarding school in

South Melbourne South Melbourne is an inner suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 3 km south of Melbourne's Central Business District, located within the City of Port Phillip local government area. South Melbourne recorded a population of 11,548 at ...

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 ...

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

. The school was founded by Thomas Palmer in 1883. John Bernard O'Hara became a partner in 1889 and became sole proprietor in 1893-4. In his hands it became a leading private school in Victoria. During a period of eight years, of 28 first-class honours gained by all the schools of Victoria in physics and chemistry, 14 were obtained by pupils from South Melbourne College. O'Hara was an inspiring teacher, and many of his pupils went on to hold distinguished positions in the universities of Australia. From 1905, the school was located at 76 Kerferd Rd, South Melbourne. O'Hara closed the school in 1917 due to ill health. The Fred Walker Company acquired the premises in 1920, housing the food manufacturing business which later produced

Vegemite Vegemite ( ) is a thick, dark brown Australian food spread made from leftover brewers' yeast extract with various vegetable and spice additives. It was developed by Cyril Callister in Melbourne, Victoria, in 1922. A spread for sandwiches, ...

Notable alumni

Edith Helen Barrett Edith Helen Barrett (1872-1939) was an Australian medical doctor and a founder of the Bush Nursing Association of Victoria. Early life and education Barrett was born on 29 October 1872 in Emerald Hill, Victoria and was one of eight children of ...

, medical doctor * Don Cameron, politician *

Isabella Jobson Isabella Kate Jobson, (1878 – 6 July 1943) was a decorated Australian nurse who served in the First World War. Early life and career Jobson was born in Clunes, Victoria, in 1878 to Christopher Jobson, a merchant from Northumberland, England, ...

, nurse who served in World War I * Paul Jones, politician *

Katharine Susannah Prichard Katharine Susannah Prichard (4 December 18832 October 1969) was an Australian author and co-founding member of the Communist Party of Australia. Early life Prichard was born in Levuka, Fiji in 1883 to Australian parents. She spent her childhoo ...

, author *

Henry Caselli Richards Henry Caselli (H. C.) Richards (16 December 1884 – 13 June 1947), was an Australian professor of geology, academic and teacher. Education Richards was born in Melton, Victoria and was educated at Box Hill Grammar, South Melbourne College a ...

, geologist *

T. J. Ryan Thomas Joseph Ryan (1 July 1876 – 1 August 1921) was an Australian politician who served as Premier of Queensland from 1915 to 1919, as leader of the state Labor Party. He resigned to enter federal politics, sitting in the House of Represe ...

, politician *

Walter Nairn Walter Maxwell Nairn (17 March 187912 December 1958) was an Australian politician. He was a member of the Australian House of Representatives from 1929 to 1943, representing the electorate of Perth for the Nationalist Party of Australia and its ...

, politician * Doctor Sister

Mary Glowrey Mary Glowrey (1887–1957) was an Australian born and educated doctor who spent 37 years in India, where she set up healthcare facilities, services and systems. She is believed to be the first Catholic religious sister-in-vows to practise as a ...

JMJ, medical missionary in India * Doctor Elsie Carne (nee Thomas), medical missionary in India and Fiji

References

{{Authority control Educational institutions established in 1889 Private secondary schools in Melbourne Defunct schools in Victoria (Australia) 1889 establishments in Australia