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CAMPBELL, Frederick Alexander, MCE (1849-1930)

CAMPBELL, Frederick Alexander, MCE (1849-1930)


Frederick Campbell, circa 1911.

Frederick Campbell, circa 1911.

Frederick Alexander Campbell, engineer and educationist was born at Melrose, Scotland, the son of the Rev Alexander James Campbell and Mary Turner Wedderburn nee Heriot Maitland. He arrived in Geelong in 1859, spending his boyhood in the precincts of St George's Presbyterian Church, where his father, was in charge. The latter, in conjunction with the late George Morrison, founded Geelong College, at the opening of which, in 1861, Fred Campbell was present. He was a student at the School from 1861 until 1870 and matriculated in 1871.

After leaving school he travelled, publishing a book, A Year in the Hebrides after his return to Australia. Enrolling at Melbourne University in 1875 he graduated as a certificated engineer in 1879 and in July commenced employment with the NSW Railways Department. During this period he published a number of papers on the properties of timbers. He retained a keen interest in his old school in after years, and in 1908 filled the position of President of the Old Collegians' Association. He was largely responsible for the introduction of technical education in Victoria, and was the first director of the Working Men's College in Geelong. He held this position from 1887 until 1913. He was a former member of the Royal Society, and an exhibiting member of the Painters' and Etchers' Society and the Victorian Artists' Society.

During World War I, he received the Belgian Albert Medal for services rendered, to the Belgian clothing movement, of which he was organiser and honorary secretary.


Sources: Pegasus May 1920 p4; Pegasus May 1930 p45. S Murray-Smith Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 7, pp545-7.
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