The preservation of MLC's history
In July 1960, the College Council requested the formation of an Archives Committee to ensure that the College’s history and memories were preserved for future generations. The task was taken up by the Old Collegians’ Club with Edna Cornell (Pryor 1924) as Convener.
Through the efforts of this Archives Committee and later, the staff who have held the position of College Archivist, the MLC Archives are a comprehensive and vitally important resource for the College. The ongoing role of the College Archivist aims to continue the collection, preservation and promotion of items relating to MLC’s history in order to safeguard the integrity and significance of the collections, which document the progress of MLC and women’s education in Australia.
MLC is pleased to have recently published ‘All things are Possible: 140 Years of MLC’. This book celebrates the rich history of events that have occurred at MLC from its foundation in 1882 until today. The spirited nature of our students, staff, and community are cause for celebration and reflection as we enjoy the decades of MLC's history.
Cost: $25.00 (inc. postage and handling)
The MLC Archives are always delighted to receive offers of donations. The Archive Collections hold extensive records in the following area:
- Student and staff records
- Administrative and business records
- School magazines and student publications
- Student work and textbooks
- Curriculum information
- Maps, building plans and information
- Photographs and audio-visual recordings
- Uniforms and badges
- Trophies and,
- Other artefacts and memorabilia
When considering donating to the MLC Archives, please note that our main objective is to acquire, catalogue and preserve items that contribute to the history of MLC. As our collections continue to grow and storage facilities near capacity, we are unable to accept donations of the following:
- Silver and Green Magazines.
- The Star Magazines.
- The Old Collegian Magazines or Newsletters.
- Purchased teacups, saucers, or other tableware.
- Prize books.
Please note that once items have been donated to the MLC Archives, they become the property of the College and will be subject to College policies and procedures. Items may be used in various ways, including historic displays, content for publications, and content for social media platforms.
Donations can be posted to our Kew Campus or dropped off at Hamley Reception. Please email archives@mlc.vic.edu.au should you have any questions or queries.
The Silver and Green is a student run publication and an important memento for many Old Collegians. It is also a great resource for family historians and researchers wishing to know more about MLC. Issues from 1921-1969 are publicly available via the College’s Issuu page below. For editions outside this period, including The Bluebell (previous student magazine from 1885-1920), please contact the MLC Archives.
Archival Research and Information Requests
MLC’s archive collection preserves the unique story of our 140 year history and the contributions of our founders, past principals, and past students. The collection contains images, written documentation, and a significant repository of historical items, important to our heritage. MLC is no stranger to world events, having carried on its mission throughout two World Wars, the Spanish Influenza Pandemic, the Swinging Sixties, the Cold War, and many other periods of note that will be of interest to journalists, social historians, history students and the general community. MLC’s Archive preserves College memories for current, past, and future generations.
The MLC Archives are happy to assist with various requests including:
- Family history research
- General history research
- Education verification letters
For all archives enquiries, please email archives@mlc.vic.edu.au. If your enquiry is regarding an Old Collegian, please ensure you include both their school surname and married name, as well as roughly what years they would have attended school.