In keeping with the PMI objective to organise educational activities relating to the history of Victoria there are four main events on our annual calendar. All our events are free of charge and open to the public. Subscribe to our newsletter, or keep an eye on this page to see what’s coming up at the PMI in 2009.
Bruce Turner Lecture - 7pm, Wednesday 17 March 2010
 |
Dr Gary Presland on The Place for a Village: How nature has shaped the city of Melbourne. Have you ever wondered why Melbourne is located where it is? Or why it has the shape it does?
Free entry, seating is limited, bookings are ESSENTIAL
The lecture will be followed by refreshments in the library.
|
TopShort History Prize
 |
In keeping with the PMI’s objective to encourage and facilitate historical research, we invite you to participate in our Short History Prize 2010. Entries are to Prize: $1,000 - Being $500 for the author(s) and $500 for the associated historical group. Closing date: 4pm Friday 27 August 2010 and winner announced Monday 25 October 2010
For further details and an entry form > CLICK HERE
|
March Lecture
The first lecture of the year, usually held in March, reflects an open general topic relating to some aspect of the history of Victoria. Previous lecturers include:
 | 2009: Jenny Lee on Making Modern Melbourne | |
 | 2008: Don Hauser on Printers of the Streets and Lanes of Melbourne | |
 | 2007: Max Lay on Melbourne Miles: the Story of Melbourne's Roads | |
 | 2006: Andrew Brown-May on The Encylopedia of Melbourne |
2005: Peter Wolfenden on 'Movies at Mechanics' Institutes: More Than Meets the Eye'
2004: Jim Lowden on his visits to 33 mechanics' institutes in the UK and beyond
2003: Judith Buckrich on Port of Melbourne
2002: Marguerite Hancock on Colonial Consorts: the Wives of Victoria's Governors 1839-1900
2002: Ann Synan on We Came With Nothing: a History of the West Sale Migrant Holding Centre
2001: Frank Van Straten on 'Entertaining Melbourne: a Celebration of Our Unique Historic Theatres'
2001: Andrew Ward on 'Melbourne Metro Railway Architecture'
2000: John Lahey on Faces of Federation
2000: Catherine Milward-Bason on 'Mechanics' Institutes of North America'
1999: Ralph Stavely on 'A History of Victorian Police Valour, 1899-1999'
1998: Weston Bate on 'Essential but Unplanned: the Story of Melbourne's Lanes'
1998: Alex Tyrrell on 'The Origins of the Mechanics' Institute Movement'
1997: Richard Broom on 'The Rise and Fall of Side Show Alley'
1997: Weston Bate on 'History - Who Needs It?'
Laurie McCalman Lecture
Usually held in May during National Library & Information Week, the Laurie McCalman Lecture is a joint presentation of the PMI and the Prahran Historical & Arts Society, and usually has a local flavour. Previous Laurie McCalman lecturers include:
 | 2009: Helen D. Harris, OAM on Helen Hart: ‘Founder of Women’s Suffrage in Australasia’ |
 | 2008: Robin Grow on Art Deco in the Prahran area |
 | 2007: Judith Buckrich on Design for Living: a History of ‘Prahran Tech’ |
 | 2006: Kristin Otto on Yarra: a Diverting History of Melbourne's Murky River |
2004: Mary Ellis on People and Plants: a History of Gardening in Victoria
2003: Michael Challinger on Historic Court Houses of Victoria
2002: Meyer Eidelson on Great Lives & Stories from the St Kilda Cemetery
2001: Robyn Annear on Nothing but Gold
2000: Philippe Batters on 'Historic Houses of South Yarra'
1999: Jim Badger on 'The Diggers' Weddings'
Family History Week Seminar
 | Held during National Family History Week in August, the Family History Week Seminar is designed for beginner genealogists. The day includes two illustrated lectures, afternoon tea and a door prize provided by National Family History Week sponsors. Past speakers include Alison Boundy on 'Organising and Caring for your Family History Documents', Christine Worthington on ‘Family History and Computers’ and Eleanor Frost on 'Dating Family Photographs'. |
Historic Picture Show
 | Held in November each year, and jointly presented by the PMI and the Cinema and Theatre Historical Society (CATHS), the Picture Show is a real treat. For the past five years, Peter Wolfenden of CATHS, has taken us on entertaining and informative journeys through time via series of historic short films relating to a different theme each year. Previous themes have included 'Transport and Telecommunications', 'Melbourne and Victoria as they used to be', 'Documented Communication', 'Before the Video/DVD Store' and a demonstartion of a real magic lantern show using authentic slides from the 1870s. |
Alan Shinkfield Awards
 |
Every year in December the PMI Committee presents awards to Grade 6 students at six primary schools in the City of Stonnington: Armadale Primary School, Malvern Primary School, South Yarra Primary School, Stonnington Primary School, Toorak Primary School and Victorian College of the Deaf.
The awards are presented to students who have made a positive contribution to the life of the school and his/her classmates. Recipients receive a certificate, a cash prize and a voucher for membership of the PMI Library. The awards are named after the late Alan Shinkfield, a former committee member who instigated the awards in 1984. See our information sheet to read more and see the names of all the past recipients of the awards. |
Exhibitions
In the past the PMI has hosted a number of notable travelling exhibitions, but regretably no longer has the space in the library to do this. Exhibitions hosted have included:
‘Nothing on a Plate: Women's Journey Towards Equity in Victoria’, which was created in 2001 by the Union of Australian Women.
‘150 Years of Municipal History in Prahran and Malvern, the City of Stonnington’ created by the Stonnington Local History Service.
‘On the Run: Daring Convict Escapes’ created by the State Library of NSW, and sponsored in Victoria by the Department for Victorian Communities.
‘Mechanics and Proud of It’ created by the Mechanics’ Institutes of Victoria.
‘A Magnificent Spectacle: the Theatre Posters of J.C. Williamson’ created by the State Library of NSW, and sponsored in Victoria by the Department for Victorian Communities.
