George M. HitchcockPrint Page

The G. M Hitchcock Art Gallery commemorates George. M. Hitchcock. The Gallery was officially opened by the Chief Secretary, Mr John Murray on the 24th May 1915. 

In Geelong George Hitchcock became a town councillor in 1875 and a justice of the peace in 1891. He was also active in the Chamber of Commerce and in 1890-1912 chairman of the council of the Gordon Institute of Technology.  He died at Geelong on 8 May 1912 and the Art Gallery was named in his honour.

The ceremony of unveiling the foundation stone of the G. M. Hitchcock Memorial Art Gallery, fronting Johnstone Park, on a site adjoining the Town Hall in Little Malop-street, was carried out on Saturday afternoon in the presence of a representative gathering of citizens. The gallery is Geelong`s tribute to the late Mr.G.M. Hitchcock, who for a very long period associated himself with the advancement of the place, and gave liberally towards all deserving movements. 

Mr. King, hon.secretary, announced that the following record was placed under the cavity in the stone, together with coins of the realm, daily newspapers etc : -  ''This is to place on record that on Saturday, the twenty-eighth day of February, one thousand nine hundred and fourteen, the Honourable Premier of Victoria, W. A. Watt, Esq, M.L.A., publicly unveiled the foundation stone of the G.M. Hitchcock Memorial Art Gallery, erected by public subscription to the memory of the late George Michelmore Hitchcock.J.P., who for over 50 years exerted such an influence for the betterment of the people in all walks of life that by general consent he was termed "The Grand Old Man of Geelong."  The erection of this building as a permanent memorial of his long career of civic usefulness and philanthropic activity was decided upon at a public meeting held in the Town Hall, Geelong, on the fifth day of June, one thousand nine hundred and twelve. 
Excerpt from Geelong Advertiser (Vic.), 2 March 1914. 

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