Holloway at 75

While writing this series of articles for the school newsletter on the development of Sandringham College, and its former life as a Technical School, the main focus has been on the history of the buildings.  Important to the history as this is, consider that several government departments and school community had a hand in making sure the buildings got there in the first place.  In the early years, as it is now, both the school council and Principals work together for the betterment of the school.  In the early years, we can thank the long-standing President of the School Council, Sir Robert Blackwood for his drive and commitment to the early Sandringham Technical School.

While Sir Robert Blackwood was President of the School Council from 1951-1967, he was a member of the council from the time Sandringham Technical School commenced in 1949.  With his career spanning academia at Melbourne University and Monash University, and a corporate career at Dunlop Rubber, Sir Robert was able to draw on these experiences to greatly assist the running and development of Sandringham Technical School.  As Mr. W. McKay, acting President of the School Council noted when Sir Robert retired from the council in 1968, “His knowledge of business administration and the Education Department had also been of great assistance, particularly in the building of the assembly hall.”  Mr. Murray Porter, then Minister of Public Works and Mr. J. Kepert, then Director of Technical Education gave similar platitudes about Sir Robert.

Who was Sir Robert Blackwood?  He was born in 1906 in South Yarra and was the eldest of three children - his youngest sister was Dame Margaret Blackwood, who made a name for herself as an eminent botanical scientist.  Robert was educated at Melbourne Grammar, then at the University of Melbourne where he specialised in electrical engineering and lectured in agricultural engineering.  In 1933 he joined the firm Dunlop Rubber, firstly as a Research Engineer, and then from 1937-1946 was a Technical Manager.  Returning to academic life in 1947, he was appointed as a Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Melbourne, a position he briefly held until returning to Dunlop Rubber in 1948 as a General Manager – a year before Sandringham Technical School was opened in 1949.  Dunlop Rubber had factories in the south-east of Melbourne.

Sir Robert was General Manager of Dunlop Rubber from 1948-1966 and it was during this time that he was the President of the School Council at Sandringham Technical School.  In addition to these appointments, he was approached by the Victorian Government in 1958 to chair the interim council to establish Monash University.  Originally, Monash University, as Victoria’s second university, was destined to specialise in science, engineering and medicine, and to relieve overcrowding at the University of Melbourne.  He worked hard to develop a masterplan for Monash including a ring road and initial buildings.  But more importantly, Monash started with additional faculties to cater for all students – Monash University opened in 1961, and Sir Robert was appointed as its first Chancellor.

He was knighted in 1961 for his services to the University of Melbourne and continued as Chancellor at Monash until his resignation in 1968.  In a further honour, Monash University named its new great hall, Sir Robert Blackwood Hall in 1971.  Due to his commitments at Monash University and Dunlop Rubber, it did mean that he was unable to commit to Sandringham Technical School as much as he would have liked.  He said in an article published in the Sandringham News in April 1968 that,

“…he was sorry to be leaving, but had not been able to attend more than a few meetings last year, and when that happened, he should not be in the job.  

He said it had been a pleasure to serve on the council, and concluded by wishing the school every success in the future.”

Sir Robert Blackwood passed away in 1982 and leaves a legacy at Sandringham College of facilities and ideals that still exist to this day.  Sandringham College in turn honours the memory of Sir Robert by holding the Year 12 graduation ceremony in Sir Robert Blackwood Hall at Monash University each year.

Information for this article was sourced from Monash University Archives, the Sandringham College Archive, the Trove Archive, The Australian Dictionary of Biography, and The Encyclopaedia of Australian Science and Innovation.  The photograph of Sir Robert Blackwood was kindly provided by Monash University Archives.

If the school community has any other stories to contribute, or donate (especially Sandringham Technical School yearbooks), please do not hesitate to get in contact with Jeremy de Korte (Teacher-Librarian/School Archives).