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Heritage Guide to The Geelong College






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GEORGE MORRISON MEMORIAL LIBRARY CABINET

George Morison Memorial Library Cabinet, circa 2004

George Morison Memorial Library Cabinet, circa 2004




GEORGE MORRISON MEMORIAL LIBRARY CABINET

The Annual Report of 1899 described in detail the design of the new gothic GEORGE MORRISON MEMORIAL LIBRARY. A feature of the original Library were the two crenellated Library Cabinets containing books which ran the length of both sides of the Library. These imposing Cabinets bore a number of cut-out motifs relating to the Morrison Family including the Fleur de Lis and the Cross. These emblems derive from the Morrison Coat-of-Arms. Some of these motifs occur elsewhere in the School such as in the Alexander Campbell Room.

The Library was designed by Frederick Purnell with the approval of the Morrison family and was a gift from the Old Collegians. Following demolition of the original Morrison Library in about 1937, at least one of the cabinets was moved into the new Library, in what had previously been the Dining Room and later was to become part of the staff facilities.

When the current Senior School Library was constructed, the remaining George Morrison Library Cabinet was not included, but instead, moved to a prominent position in the original Northern Entry (Public Entry) foyer facing the entrance where it was used to display heritage materials. In 2010, during remodelling of the Main Entry Foyer the cabinet was removed and broken up. The Cabinet was one of the few items with a clear provenance to have survived in the College from the Morrison era and had been in the School for nearly 110 years.


George Morrison Memorial Library Cabinet, circa 1938.

George Morrison Memorial Library Cabinet, circa 1938.

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