Francis Ormond facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Francis Ormond
|
|
|---|---|
The Honourable Francis Ormond, MLC
|
|
| Born | 27 November 1827 |
| Died | 5 May 1889 |
| Resting place | Eastern Cemetery Geelong, Australia |
| Education | Tyzack's Academy Liverpool, England |
| Occupation | pastoralist, parliamentarian |
| Known for | philanthropy |
| Title | The Honourable |
| Spouse(s) | Ann Greeves (1851-1881) Mary Oliphant (1885-1889) |
| Parent(s) | Francis Ormond Sr. Isabella (née Esson) |
Francis Ormond (born November 23, 1827, died May 5, 1889) was an important person from Scotland who moved to Australia. He was a farmer, a member of the parliament, and a very generous person. He helped a lot with education and religious groups.
He is famous for starting the Working Men's College of Melbourne, which is now a big university called RMIT. He also gave a lot of money to help create Ormond College and a special music teaching job (called the Ormond Professor of Music) at the University of Melbourne.
Contents
Francis Ormond's Early Life
Francis Ormond was born in Aberdeen, Scotland. He was the only son of three children. His father, Captain Francis Ormond Sr., was a sailor in the British Merchant Navy. His mother was Isabella (née Esson). Francis went to school at Tyzack's Academy in Liverpool, England. His family moved there around 1835 because his father wanted to improve his career.
Captain Ormond became interested in Australia after hearing stories about its early explorers. In 1840, he was the first to bring British settlers to the new town of Melbourne. He arrived in Port Phillip Bay. He was so impressed by the farming opportunities there that he decided to move his family to the colony. The next year, he bought a ship called the Tuscan and sailed with his family to the Port Phillip District.
Tough Times in Australia
When the Ormonds arrived in Melbourne in 1842, the area was facing a difficult time for businesses. Many new farmers were not taking care of their land. This caused the price of sheep to drop a lot. Sheep that once cost 35 shillings (about A$200 today) were selling for only 18 pence (about A$10 today), or even less.
Because of these problems, the Ormonds sailed to New Zealand. They had heard good things about the islands. But when they arrived, there was tension between the British settlers and the Māori tribes. Francis's father wasn't sure what to do. So, Francis went with him to meet a former passenger from his ship. This person advised them to go back to the Port Phillip District.
Settling in the Port Phillip District
The Ormonds returned to Melbourne. In 1843, Captain Ormond leased 20 acres (about 8 hectares) of land near Geelong. Part of the agreement was to improve the land and build a good inn. He built the Settler's Arms Inn (also known as Ormond's Inn). It was the first inn on the trade route from Geelong to Hamilton and did very well because of its location. Young Francis worked as a book keeper at his father's inn. His father wanted him to later train in business in Geelong.
Becoming a Farmer
In 1847, Captain Ormond had a chance to buy a small sheep station called Mopiamnum. It was near Piggoreet, south-west of Ballarat, and was very cheap. Since his inn lease was not yet finished, he trusted 19-year-old Francis to manage the station. The land at Mopiamnum was not good. Much of it was covered with thick scrub, which made it hard to keep the sheep. They also had constant attacks from dingoes. Despite these challenges, Francis worked hard. In his free time, he enjoyed studying classical literature and improving himself.
Francis's hard work made Mopiamnum successful. He needed more help to manage the land. In 1850, he hired several station hands. He soon found that most of them had never been to school. So, Francis decided to start a class for his employees. He spent almost every evening teaching them. When they left his job, they had a useful education.
Gaining Wealth from Land
To earn more money for his sheep, Francis took on the difficult job of carrying mail in 1850. He and his workers delivered mail for the Geelong area, in addition to their farming duties. Later that year, he bought the nearby property Ghirangemerajah, north of Lismore. With more workers, he could manage his second property from Mopiamnum.
On February 6, 1851, a huge bushfire known as "Black Thursday" swept over Mopiamnum. This was one of the worst fires in Australian colonial history. Francis worked tirelessly to save some of his sheep. The station and much of its grazing land, including the scrub, were burned. But when the rains came shortly after, the burned scrubland grew back as excellent grazing land. This made Mopiamnum much more valuable.
Francis sold Mopiamnum for a good profit. Later that year, he also sold Ghirangemerajah. He paid his father back for Mopiamnum and bought a 30,000 acre (about 12,140 hectares) station called Borriyalloak. It was near Skipton, east of Piggoreet, and came with many merino sheep. On August 2, 1851, gold was found in Ballarat. This started the Victorian Gold Rush, one of the biggest gold rushes in the world. This made Francis's land even more valuable. With his finances secure, he married Ann Greeves on November 23, 1851 (his 24th birthday). Ann was the daughter of a respected doctor in the area. They married at Christ Church in Geelong.
Helping Others: Early Philanthropy
In 1853, Francis Ormond became a local magistrate. He regularly served in courts in towns near Borriyalloak, like Skipton, Linton, Carngham, and Chepstowe. People knew him as a fair and dedicated magistrate. In 1855, he and two other important landowners started the Skipton Agricultural and Pastoral Association. It was the first group of its kind in the area. The association's yearly show became a big event. It created friendly competition among farmers and helped make Australian merino wool famous.
In the mid-1850s, Francis continued his educational work. He started a class for the children of his employees at Borriyalloak. These children often had no one to teach them while their parents worked. Francis was also a very religious Presbyterian. In 1856, after a town meeting in Skipton, he began talking with the Presbytery of Melbourne. He asked them to create a church area (a parish) in Skipton. He kept trying, and in 1857, a small brick church was built in the town. A minister was finally sent to the new Parish of Mount Emu Creek/Skipton.
A Race Against Time
As a magistrate, Francis investigated a death near Ballarat in 1858. He believed the man's death was an accident. But, without his knowledge, his findings were never shown at the trial. Later, he read in the newspaper that the accused man had been found guilty by a jury in Melbourne. The man was sentenced to death by hanging, which was to happen in two days. Francis immediately ordered his fastest horses. He quickly began the long and difficult journey to the city.
Francis rode all night and the next day. He crossed flooded rivers without bridges. He arrived in Melbourne the evening before the hanging. He went straight to the office of the Attorney-General. The Attorney-General told him it was too late to do anything. But Francis insisted that the Attorney-General look at his findings. When he finally agreed and saw the serious mistake, he immediately stopped the hanging. A full investigation was ordered. The accused man's innocence was later proven, and the Governor of Victoria, Sir Henry Barkly, ordered his release.
Growing Wealth and Moving to Melbourne
As Francis Ormond became wealthier, he continued to care about education. He even set up a school on his farm for the children of his workers. In 1860, he traveled to Europe. There, he was inspired by a speech from Thomas Guthrie about the Ragged Schools charity, which helped poor children. When he returned to Victoria, he became even more interested in helping others. His first big donation was in 1872. He gave £1,000 to help create a scholarship at the Presbyterian Theological Hall in Melbourne.
Founding Ormond College
.jpg)
After his father died in 1875, Francis and his wife moved from Skipton to Melbourne. He bought a large house called "Ognez" in Toorak. He later helped establish the Presbyterian church in Toorak. Francis was a very religious Presbyterian and a leader in the church. In 1877, when people discussed creating a Presbyterian college at the University of Melbourne, he promised £10,000. When the college opened on March 18, 1881, it was officially named Ormond College to honor his huge contribution. Throughout his life, Francis donated almost £40,000 to build the college completely.
A Sad Loss and New Contributions
Francis's first wife, Mary Ann, died on July 6, 1881, at their home in Toorak. His late wife was a member of the Church of England. In her memory, he secretly donated £5,000 to help build St Paul's Cathedral in Melbourne. This donation paid for the completion of its central tower and western tower. In 1881, he bought a large part of James Balfour's "Round Hill Station" near Albury in New South Wales. He named his section "Kirndeen Station." He also expanded his land in Victoria at his "Bangal Station" in Skipton.
In 1881, Francis was asked to join a special group called the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Education Act. He refused to be the chairman because he believed religious education should be taught in public schools. But he accepted a general position on the commission. Francis encouraged the creation of the Technological Commission. This group later helped bring technical education into public schools. He also suggested the idea of a technical college for Melbourne. He promised £5,000 for the idea, if the government provided land and trade unions gave most of the money. However, the idea did not get much support and was put aside.
Joining Parliament
Francis Ormond also tried to start a music college in Melbourne in 1882. But, like his technical college idea, it didn't get much support. In 1882, he ran for the Parliament of Victoria and was elected as a member of the Legislative Council for the South-Western Province. With his new political power, Francis brought back his technical college idea, which was approved in late 1882. On October 1, 1885, he married Mary (née Oliphant) in London. He was visiting technical colleges and music colleges in Europe to learn about their methods. Also in 1885, he became a key supporter of the proposed Gordon Memorial Technical College in Geelong.
Ormond's "Working Men's College"
During his first four trips to Europe, Francis visited many technical colleges. He wanted to learn their best methods to create a similar college in Victoria. He became convinced that a college for working men would be very useful. He offered £5,000 for the building if the government would provide the land. At first, he didn't get much encouragement, and the plan was put on hold.
In May, the idea of a Working Men's College was brought up again. He again offered £5,000. After some initial difficulties, the college finally opened in June 1887. On the first night, there were 320 students. Within 12 months, the number grew to over 1,000. By 1938, nearly 10,000 students attended. This college later became known as the Royal Melbourne Technical College and then the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology. Today, it is known as RMIT University, one of Australia's largest and leading universities.
Later Life and Legacy
In the 1880s, after trying to start a music college in Melbourne, Francis Ormond gave £20,000 to create the Ormond Chair of Music at the university. This was because other help was not available.
Francis found that people in Melbourne had different ideas about how to use his donation. Not many people had offered money for scholarships. However, the money was eventually raised. In May 1887, the Ormond Chair of Music at the University of Melbourne was officially created.
Francis Ormond had no children of his own, but he adopted two girls and a boy.
On his fifth visit to Europe, Francis became very ill, possibly from overwork. He died in Pau, South France, on May 5, 1889. His body was sent to Melbourne. After a service at Scots Church and a large procession to Spencer Street, his body was taken by train to Geelong. He was buried there on September 7. His wife survived him and passed away in 1925.
Francis Ormond's Legacy
Many places and things are named in honor of Francis Ormond:
- The Ormond Chair of Music at the University of Melbourne.
- Ormond Hall at the Royal Victorian Institute for the Blind.
- RMIT's Francis Ormond Building (which used to be the Working Men's College).
- Ormond College at the University of Melbourne.
- Ormond Road in Geelong.
- The Francis Ormond Masonic Lodge No 286 UGLV.
- The Melbourne suburb of Ormond.
A bronze statue of Francis Ormond stands outside RMIT's Francis Ormond Building on La Trobe Street in Melbourne.
Images for kids
-
The Gordon Memorial Technical College (1888)
See also
- Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology
- Ormond College (University of Melbourne)
- Gordon Institute of TAFE
- Ormond, Victoria
