Adelaide Daily Herald/1921/Friend of the worker

Friend of the worker

Mr. Murphy's Career,

Picturesque figure.

From the early eighties one of the most striking and versatile figures in the public life of Melbourne for many years was Mr. W. E. Murphy (writes the Melbourne "Herald."

Old residents in different trails of life have varying recollections of his many sided personality; but the impression that lingers most to-day is that of a tall, robust man in a top hat smoking a cigar.

The recent death of this interesting public man has revived the grateful memories of those who were associated with the establishment of the Melbourne Working Men's College. The decision of the college council to vote the amount necessary to defray the funeral expenses is an expression that has a much deeper significance than that of a mere financial consideration. For, with Mr. Francis Ormonde, Mr. Murphy shared the honor of being the prime agent in the foundation of the college.

It was in the year 1881 that Francis Ormonde first mooted the idea of a technical college for the working classes. He backed the notion with a promised gift of £5,000 conditional on a similar amount being raised from other sources. But the date fixed to limit the period during which public subscription might be raised according to the terms of Francis Ormonde's benefactions had actually been passed without yielding any hope of an adequate public response, when Mr. Murphy, then secretary of the Trades Hall, having succeeded in inducing the donor to extend the time, plunged into the campaign with all the energy and ardor of his genuine Irish nature.

With such success did Mr. Murphy canvass the workers for financial aid that he was ultimately able to go to Francis Ormonde with a sum well above the stipulated £5000, and the great public benefactor was so gratified that he immediately doubled the amount of his gift. Thus it came about that by 1887 the first portion of the college was open to students.

But Mr. Murphy was a notable public figure in many other ways. After having been a cabinetmaker in Liverpool, and a quartermaster in the British Army. Mr. Murphy left Ireland in the middle of one of the many stormy phases of that troubled country's history to come to Australia. He landed in Melbourne while the mining boom was at its height.

"What surprised me," he used say in after years, "was the glitter and bustle of the city; and, above all, the 'help yourself 'way in which they used to serve grog in the hotels."

It was not long before Mr. Murphy began to take an intense interest in the working-class political campaign, and he was one of the founders of the eight hour movement. Indeed, with his enthusiasm and a pronounced literary gift, he was able to produce a three-volume history of the movement, and a copy of the work may be seen at the Public Library. With Trenwith and Hancock he was one of the famous trio in the maritime strike. In subsequent years he became an auctioneer and a member of the Chamber of Commerce; but the bank disaster left its traces on his affairs, and he then turned to newspaper writing as a means of livelihood—first in Western Australia and afterwards in Sydney. At one stage of his career he developed political aspirations, but was defeated for the North Melbourne seat in the State Parliament.

In his last years he was caretaker of the college which he helped so greatly to found.