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History of the geology department Project (H.gd.P)
This project began documenting the history of the School of Earth Sciences as part of the University of Melbourne's 150th Anniversary Celebration in 2003. It concentrates on the story of the geology department from its initiation under Professor Gregory in 1900 up to today.
A history of the Meteorology Department (now joined with Geology in the School of Earth Sciences) produced in 1993 by Uwe Radok covers the period from 1937 to 1990.
People currently involved in H.gd.P are:
- Doug McCann - historian of geology – research and publications on McCoy and Gregory.
- Bernie Joyce - School of Earth Sciences representative – archive assembly, indexing and storage.
The aims of the H.gd.P are to establish an archive of historical documents, photographs and artefacts, carry out interviews with current staff members, surviving ex-staff, and past students of the former geology department, and ultimately to publish a departmental history.
Recent archival additions includes material relating to two former Professors of the Geology Department, Professor Herbert St John Summers (1876-1963) and Professor Edwin Sherbon Hills (1906-1986).
Our archives include a series of photo albums, which provide much information, and are helping jog the memories of our interviewees.
Future research
Several further interviews of former Earth Sciences geology lecturers are planned.
Doug McCann is documenting the history and "pre-history" of the geology department, beginning with Professor Frederick McCoy and Professor Gregory and through to the present day.
Bernie Joyce is sorting and labelling material donated by the Summers and Hills families, mounting displays in cabinets in the 4th Floor Common Room, and helping with the reinstatement in the McCoy building of photographic portraits of past Professors.
Program for 2010
Doug McCann will begin writing a history of the Department of Earth Sciences from the days of Professor Frederick McCoy in 1854 to the foundation of the Geology Department under Professor John Walter Gregory in late 1899, and then beyond into the 20th century.
Doug will continue assisting Bernie Joyce with finalising the cataloguing and storage of the geology archives.
Together they will prepare a DVD of some fifteen taped interviews and questionnaires with past staff and students, to be launched at a suitable commemoration.
E. B. Joyce and D. A. McCann 26th January 2010
For further information, see:
http://web.earthsci.unimelb.edu.au/Joyce/history/history.html
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