Accession[2009.0028] Historic Academic GownsIdentifierUMA-IT-000002002Scope and ContentInscriptions: Hand stitched white fabric label inside the gown with black text "The / Mutual Store / Ltd / Melbourne / No / Date." Inscribed in blue/black pen [partly illegible] "_80_7 1948 / _L.T WEM_". There is another label attached via string and a safety pin which is inscribed in blue ink "The / University / of / Melbourne / (Protocol) / Ph.D / (II)"
This is a very plain looking academic gown with no colours inside the sleeves. The Mutual Store Ltd was Melbourne's first department store, the large emporium was located on the corner of Flinders and Degraves streets. The company, established as a profit- sharing co-operative between shareholders and staff, was incorporated in 1872 but suffered a significant setback when fire destroyed the original building in 1891. Architects Reed, Smart & Tappin, who had designed the Melbourne Town Hall and the Royal Exhibition Building, designed a new building in the Mannerist style on the same site. Despite the interruption, the company thrived and within a year of rebuilding, its range of products filled a catalogue of over 40 pages. In 1961 the Mutual Store was taken over by Peter Kaye Consolidated Ltd, which changed its name to Mutual Stores Holdings Ltd. Three years later Cleckheaton Ltd (Yorkshire) took over the company and closed the department store in 1965. The Mutual Stores Ltd collection is held at the University of Melbourne Archives. [information from http://www.emelbourne.net.au/]Access StatusAccess restrictions applyRequest TypeRequest unitUnit2009.0028 Unit 0011
Protocol & Events (The University of Melbourne), Academic Gown, [UMA-IT-000002002]. University of Melbourne Archives, accessed 13/12/2025, https://archives.library.unimelb.edu.au/nodes/view/464555
