A Baillieu Recollection
Fiona Baillieu
As a schoolgirl I was one of the throng attending the Baillieu Library’s opening ceremony, thanks to my father Darren, a lifelong bibliophile. Dad’s interest in the future of Australia as well as its history led to friendships with many other book-minded peoplewho sought to improve facilities for the getting of wisdom in Melbourne. (I should mention that it was this band of dedicated enthusiasts who went on in later years to found the Friends of the Baillieu Library.)
The opening of the Library was a dream come true and long awaited. Dad had often talked to his children about the importance of education and about his family’s humble beginnings in this country. His father was one of ten sons of the original pioneer James George Baillieu who arrived in Victoria in 1853. Amongst Dad’s nine uncles was Edward Lloyd Morgan Baillieu who died in July 1939 leaving a substantial bequest to the University in memory of his brother William Lawrence Baillieu who died in 1936. World War II and years of rationing postponed the use of this bequest for its intended purpose to help build the University a large central library. Melbourne’s hosting of the Olympic Games may have been a catalyst for action. Prime Minister Robert Menzies secured vital Commonwealth Government funding for the library project and at last it all started to happen.
My memories of the opening of the Baillieu Library are now a bit confused due to the awe I felt on the occasion. Such a huge modern building! So many dignitaries in gowns! I recall standing on the lower stairs to watch the Prime Minister, the Chancellor Justice Arthur Dean, my father’s cousin Clive Lord Baillieu and the rest of the official party pass by and move to the area south of the main entrance. The speeches were made close to where the 1888 Alexandra printing press now stands. In recent weeks I have been reading some of the remarks made during the opening ceremony and took particular note of the Prime Minister’s words in which hesaid that ‘the truth is that to get library facilities that are worthy of a famous and great university like this, is the hardest thing in the world, and therefore this is a great day in the history of the Melbourne University’. Menzies’ comments seem just as relevant today as they were in 1959.
Members of our family have taken great pleasure over subsequent years in maintaining a close association with the Library and the staff who work there. My late mother Diana very much enjoyed her many years on the Committee of the Friends of the Baillieu Library. ‘They are such wonderful people,’ she would say. I would echo that fervently after my dozen or so years on the Committee. I appreciate the insights into the life of the Library that membership of the Friends has afforded me.
As the Baillieu Library enters its second half century and awaits its refurbishment it is a great pleasure to join others in celebrating the service that this Library has provided to the University and to wish it well for the future.