125 stories for 125 years

Harry Shillinglaw

Harry Shillinglaw held the dual role of registrar of the Pharmacy Board of Victoria and secretary of the Pharmaceutical Society of Victoria 1877 to 1912.

Born in London in 1838, Harry had arrived in Victoria with his father and brothers in 1852. He studied law for a short time before working as a bank clerk.

In the 1860s he travelled to New Zealand, was part of Angus McMillan’s Alpine Expedition to remote Gippsland and had various jobs in several colonies. Although he was not a pharmacist, his knowledge of government departments and methods enabled him to do much to promote pharmacy and he developed an unrivalled knowledge of pharmaceutical law and politics.

Harry was instrumental in finding a site for the college in 1882. By his own account he haunted parliament for a week or two, campaigning for the grant of land for pharmacy. The Minister eventually agreed to grant the land at the desired site in Bowen Street near the Medical Society’s hall.

After two months, however, Harry discovered the application had been pigeon-holed. He inspected the site and discovered a small back street facing the wall of the Melbourne Gaol, which did not leave a favourable impression. As he was about to leave, he met two old friends – William Davidson, the Inspector General of Public Works, and Mr Marsdon, the Government Architect – who told him that the County Court building at 360 Swanston Street was to be demolished. Harry sought the Minister’s approval. This was obtained and he contacted as many members of the council of the society as possible for their endorsement. In 1882, the Swanston Street building was purchased from the government for £400 by the society and classes began there in 1884.

Harry had drafted a visionary scheme for a pharmacy college that would cater for students of pharmacy and all those who required pharmaceutical studies, including students of medicine, dentistry, veterinary science and other allied professions. A combined college would make it more viable and, hopefully, would attract the financial support of the government. He worked tirelessly for pharmacy in Victoria and Australia for more than four decades. He took on the role of registrar of the college in addition to his many other duties.

Source: Bomford, J, Victorian College of Pharmacy: 125 years of history, 1881–2006, 2006.