The White Hat Guide to Francis Ormond

Francis Ormond
Businessman, philanthropist
23 November 1829 - 5 May 1889

Francis Ormond was a man of his time – paternalistic by today’s standards, but Melbourne would be considerably poorer without him.

Francis’ Scottish father was a sea captain who arrived in Melbourne in 1842. Like Johhny Fawkner seven years before him, Mr Ormond quickly saw that the way to make money in Melbourne was to open a pub. He worked hard at his inn at Shelford and eventually accumulated enough savings to buy a large area of land at Skipton (Henry Bolte country). By the time he handed the property onto Ormond junior he had amassed a great deal of wealth. Junior (Francis) then set about distributing large amounts of the wealth around Melbourne. He paid for the establishment of Ormond College, established the Professor of Music chair at Melbourne University, funded the central and western towers of St Paul’s Cathedral as well as dispersing significant grants to various hospitals and churches.

He was a great believer in the power of education and proposed a working men’s college be built for which he supplied the majority of the funds. This college later expanded to become the RMIT. Although Ormond contributed the majority of the funds, the emerging trade unions had also raised funds and wanted to influence the direction and agendas of the college. Ormond was concerned about the financial management of the institution and its use for political agendas. By questionable use of his status as chief funder, he was able to win the power struggle.

Francis Ormond’s name crops up all over Melbourne. His portrait can be seen hanging in the foyer of Melba Hall at the conservatorium. His statue stands outside the working men’s college and RMIT. The Melbourne suburb of Ormond is named after him.

Some philanthropy-related links on this site

'Mac' Robertson
Alfred Felton
Caroline Chisholm
Clarke Family
Dame Elisabeth Murdoch
Dick Smith
Francis Ormond
George & Annis Bills
George Coppin
Hugo Wertheim
John & Sunday Reed
Kerry Packer
Lindsay Fox
Louise Hanson-Dyer
Richard Pratt
Russell Grimwade
Sidney Myer
Sir Ian Potter
Sir Ian Potter
The Smorgon Family
Walter & Eliza Hall