Page 4 - 2025 JCH Student Handbook

4

The History of Janet Clarke Hall
Janet Clarke Hall was among the first tertiary education institutions in the world to offer equality of
access to women. Founded before Federation, the College takes architectural and cultural
influence from the colleges of the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge in the UK, but a strong
progressive impulse has always been in play.

At the initiative of Dr Alexander Leeper, Trinity College’s first Warden, Janet Clarke Hall began as
the women’s hostel of Trinity College in 1886. Affectionately termed ‘Hostiles’ by the Trinity men, the
earliest women to seek residence were placed in a variety of accommodation around Royal
Parade. The current building was constructed in 1890 with the support of Janet, Lady Clarke and Sir
William Clarke. Lady Clarke was a prominent society leader in Melbourne and a well-known
philanthropist. She was a strong believer in women’s rights to receive a full education, equal to men.
In 1961 Janet Clarke Hall formally separated from Trinity through an Act of Parliament to become
an affiliated college of the University of Melbourne in its own right.

JCH alumni have long occupied a diverse range of high-profile positions in academia, business,
politics, law, social leadership, and many other sectors. The College Council, with significant student
input, has focused our strategic planning on the quality of our educational and collegiate life. We
are committed to maintaining our current small size; to enhancing our shared spaces through
development of a new Estate Master Plan; and to growing our already significant scholarship
offerings to meet our bold ambition of becoming Australia’s first need-blind residential college by
2035, meeting 100% of each student’s demonstrated financial need.

4
Janet Clarke Hall Student Handbook 2025