establishment, and its most generous benefactor, hence the name of the university. By 1913, £10,111 had been spent on its establishment, of which £3,718 came from private donations (including £1,000 each from George and Ethel Swinburne), and the remainder from the government. The first director was the sculptor J. R. Tranthim-Fryer, who remained in the position until 1938.

In 1913 the institution was taken over by the State Government, and its name changed to Swinburne Technical College.