1896

Geelong Gallery was established in 1896 by prominent Geelong citizens and business leaders, who advocated for Geelong’s growth. They were known as the Geelong Progress League and their first meeting was held on 16 January 1896.

Founding committee members included:

Hon Sidney Austin MLC (1846–1906)
Neil Leslie Campbell (1859–1939)
Marcell Conran (1855–1935)
Joseph Henry Grey (1846–1935)
William Gurr MLA (1848–1912)
George M Hitchcock (1831–1912)
Charles Rashleigh (1835–1921)
Henry Speed (1865–1942)
James W Sayer (1847–1914)
Charles Shannon (1841–1922)
Thacker, Birkwood Cope (1858–1901)
Edward Alexander Vidler (1863–1942) 
Walter Withers (1854–1914)

Their proposal for a Gallery for Geelong was presented to Mayor Horace Frank Richardson on Monday 20 January 1896, at 4.00pm, in the Mayor’s room of the Town Hall.