Theodotus John Sumner (1820-1884), the President of the Mechanics' Institute, lived at Stony Park, in Brunswick, and was well connected and wealthy. In 1852, the same year that he married Sarah Peers, Theodotus became a partner with businessman Richard Grice (1813-1882). In 1876, Sumner’s daughter Annie married Grice’s son James and the firm became known as Grice, Sumner and Co; it was by then one of the oldest and foremost mercantile houses in the Australian colonies. The firm had large land holdings in Victoria, New South Wales, South Australia and Queensland. (6). Alice Sumner, another daughter of Theodotus, married Charles Snodgrass Ryan and they became the parents of Maie, whose husband Lord Casey was the Governor General of Australia from 1865 - 1969, and the namesake of the City of Casey. Charles Ryan was the brother of the artist, Ellis Rowan. (7) Grice senior, died in Fitzroy in 1882 and left a substantial estate valued at £320,000. Sumner's estate was a more 'modest' £194,883. (8)
The Stony Park Estate, on the corner of Glenlyon Road and Nicholson Street was sub-divided in 1923 and the new streets created were Sumner, Peers, Noel and Rupert - named for Sumner, his wife Sarah (nee Peers) and their grandsons - Noel Sumner Nash and Rupert Ryan. (9)
The Mechanics' Institute was opened on April 5, 1870 and the Weekly Times again reported on the event -Something more than ordinary gaiety was evinced by the people of Brunswick on Tuesday, on the occasion of the opening of their Mechanics' Institute and Public Library. A tea meeting on a large scale in the new hall, followed by a concert, interspersed with various addresses by gentlemen notables, was chosen as the most agreeable mode of inaugurating this valuable institution. The tea and substantial accompaniments were provided by ladies of the borough, and was done ample justice to by some 800 persons. Upon the tea and tables being cleared away, the Hon. J. MacPherson, M.L.A., in the absence of the president of the institution, Mr. T. J. Sumner, took the chair, to preside over the further and more intellectual engagements of the evening. The Orpheus Quartett party furnished the principal harmony of the evening ; and complimentary addresses to the ladies and gentlemen of the borough for their energy in raising so commodious and handsome a building were delivered by his Honour Judge Bindon, the Hon. David Moore, Mr. E. Cope, M.L.A., and other gentlemen. (10)
The Australasian also had a report which had some interesting building details, including the fact that it was planned to have another storey, which was never built -
Kelly and Beswicke, the Architects were Thomas Anthony Kelly and John Beswicke. Thomas Kelly was listed in the 1870 Sands McDougall Directory at 100 Elizabeth Street, Melbourne He was noted for his design of many Catholic Churches in the 1860s and 1870s - including - St Brigid's, Fitzroy; the church of St Peter and St Paul in South Melbourne (Emerald Hill); St Augustine's in West Melbourne; St Monica's in Footscray - where The Herald noted that - The architect is Mr. T. A Kelly, of Elizabeth street, to whose taste and skill so many churches recently erected in the colony testify. ; Sacred Heart Geelong; St Mary's in Echuca; a Sisters Of Mercy Convent and School in Kilmore and St Mary's in Sorrento. He also designed the Footscray Town Hall. (12) Thomas Kelly had married Catherine Bullen in February 1873. He died in Goulburn, NSW in 1923, aged 71 (13).
John Beswicke is listed in Sands McDougall in 1875 at Harcourt Street Hawthorn. He designed hundreds of buildings including the Hawthorn Town Hall; Australian Buildings at the corner of Elizabeth and Flinders Lane; the Kronheimer Wing at the Austin Hospital; the Queen's House at 360 Collins Street and many private houses including his own, Rotha in Harcourt Street. Beswicke was also in partnership for a time with Ralph Wilson with whom he designed the Presbyterian Church in Alma Road, St Kilda; Essendon Town Hall and the Malvern Town Hall. (14) He married Mary Hannah Parsons in 1877 and died in April 1925 aged 78. (15)
The Victoria Government Statistical Registers provides the following information about the Brunswick Mechanics Institute - in 1874 they had 1,450 volumes and the opening hours were 7.00pm to 10.00pm; 1877 - 1,750 volumes, same opening hours; 1880 - 3,000 volumes, same hours; 1884 - 2,000 volumes, same hours; 1887 - 3,000 volumes same hours. Three years later in 1890, the collection was 2,749 volumes, the opening hours were 10.00am to 5.00pm, 7.00pm to 10.00 pm and there were 41,000 visits that year. In 1894 - 3,150 volumes, same opening hours and 57,000 visits. (16) It is possible that the extra statistics provided to the Government about visits were due to the new Librarian, Arthur Goding, who was employed in 1889. Mr Goding, then living at 12 Duckett Street Brunswick, retired in 1919 and he died in June 1926 aged 84. (17)
In 1912 the Library had 3,736 volume and 45 members, not including life members. (18) The Coburg Leader of February 16, 1912 published this unfavourable report on the Institution, and supported the idea that the Council should take over the building -
The Brunswick Mechanics' Institute is unquestionably not an evidence of the progress of the municipality. It is conservative in its very being, and represents the ideals of a past age when free libraries as they are known to day did not exist. In many up country townships similar establishments to the Brunswick Mechanics Institute are to be found. The so called "free liberry " turns out to be a small portion of the library room shut off from the rest and furnished with very ancient copies of illustrated papers. When the visitor unwittingly seeks to look at the contents of the larger quarter where the books are ranged on shelves and more up to-date journals and magazines are to be read, he is repelled by the notice "For subscribers only" or by the warning voice of the librarian. It is under these circumstances that the name of "Free" or "Public Library " becomes a misnomer. The places are merely institutions for the convenience of those ratepayers who subscribe to their funds and the free library or public reading room is merely retained in order to save the situation in the event of Government making inconvenient inquiries. Cr. Hickford carried a motion at the Brunswick council the other night that the council wait upon the Minister of Education and request to be informed whether Government will lend assistance towards the erection of a technical school provided the council acquires possession of the property. Crs Fleming and Methven both opposed any such transfer protesting that the institute was private property and as such would be free from any interference by the municipal council. It would be beyond all question a benefit to the community the throwing open the library to the public and letting them share in what was always intended to be for the public good. People talk largely on keeping our boys off the streets yet what sort of attractions do the miniature rooms with the out of date periodicals offer? Were the resolution moved and carried by Cr Hickford to become law the council would have to take over the ground on which the institute stands and without a doubt there is room for a row of shops which should certainly be easily let on advantageous terms. Altogether the idea is one that commends to all reasonable people and it is to be hoped the public will not let the matter drop. Once the council assumed control of the Mechanics' Institute the rest would be easy. (19)
The Council did not take over control then and two years later, the Brunswick and Coburg Leader reported that there were still only 45 subscribers and that The place is rapidly falling to pieces through senile decay, sadly neglected, and altogether the institution presents an appearance of desolation which is beyond description. (20)
In 1915, the Brunswick Mechanics Institute and Free Library Bill was passed by the Victorian Parliament and the new committee of management was to consist of four members of the Brunswick Council and four members of the Institute. The local member Mr Jewell was happy with this bill as he noted -I am very pleased that the Government has seen fit to bring in this Bill. The Institute has been established since 1868, and in later years it has become rather neglected. It is not a free library, because people have to pay so much a week for taking out books. For many years the Council contributed certain sums to the institute, but they did not care to provide very much, because they had no control over the funds. If the Bill is passed, it will be a great boon to the people of Brunswick, because the library will be free to every young man and woman in the district who cares to take books or to pass time in the institute reading the periodicals. (21)
- Annie Ruth in 1855, married James Grice.
- Egbert Peers 1856, died in 1899 in Scotland.
- Alice Elfrida in 1858, married Dr Charles Ryan.
- Ethel Stone in 1861, married James Traill.
- Kate Omerod, in 1862, married James Osborne.
- Maud Mary in 1864, married Albert Nash. They owned Ballarto in Cranbourne.
- Winifred in 1868, married Andrew Chirnside. They lived at Edrington in Berwick.