Commonwealth Club of Adelaide explained

The Commonwealth Club of Adelaide was a South Australian men's social club, whose members were mostly high-ranking officials, successful businessmen and professionals.The club never had rooms of its own, but met once a month for a catered lunch in one or other of Adelaide's large cafes (Bricknell's, Balfour's or Bishop's) or, for high-profile guest speakers, the Adelaide Town Hall.Meetings consisted mostly of talks by members or guest speakers, followed by discussions and socializing. As with most service clubs, talks and discussions were expected to be non-sectarian in religion and non-partisan in politics. The club was formed as a result of a meeting called for March 1910 at the Adelaide Town Hall by S. H. Skipper, a popular Adelaide barrister, and son of journalist Spencer Skipper.[1]

Famous figures who addressed the Club include Oscar Asche, Lord Baden-Powell, Colin Bednall, Lord Bruce, W. W. Campbell (of Lick Observatory), Noël Coward, Alfred Deakin, Anthony Eden, Andrew Fisher, Bert Hinkler, William Morris Hughes, Sir Harry Lauder, Douglas Mawson, Field-Marshal Lord Montgomery, Sir Ross Smith and Sir Keith Smith, G. S. Titheradge, Sir Archibald Weigall, G. H. Wilkins.

History

Club year
April–
President Secretary Members Notes
1910
1911 Skipper 224 [2]
1912 Skipper 286 [3]
1913 Skipper306 [4]
1914 Downer Skipper 484 [5]
1915 Skipper 588 Guests inc. 60 members of BAAS[6]
1916 Skipper 568
1917 Wilkinson Skipper Skipper enlisted with AIF in July[7]
1918 594
1919 Reed 592 [8]
1920 Skipper 676 [9]
1921 750 [10]
1922 788 [11]
1923 929
1924 Skipper Harvey 913 [12]
1925 Skipper Harvey 934 [13]
1926 Harvey 922 [14]
1927 Harvey 970 [15]
1928 1,014 [16]
1929 Andrews 1,058 [17]
1930 Andrews 1,017 [18]
1931 Andrews 1,004 [19]
1932 Andrews 965 nett loss £27/8/8[20]
1933 Andrews [21]
1934 Andrews 929 [22]
1935 Andrews [23]
1936 Andrews 975 [24]
1937 Andrews 1,000+ [25]
1938 Andrews 956 net loss £6/1/5[26]
1939 Andrews [27]
1940 Andrews 1018 [28]
1941 Andrews [29]
1942 Sir Andrews
1943 Andrews [30]
1944 Andrews 1,222 [31]
1945 Andrews 1,138 [32]
1946 Andrews 1,125 [33]
1947 Andrews 1104 [34]
1948 1155 Andrews resigned[35]
1949 [36] 1218 [37]
1950 Milne[38] [39]
1951 [40]
1952 1,195 [41]
1953 1,106 [42]
1954 Meeting 10 May not reported
1955
1956
1957
1958
1959
1960

Notes and References

  1. News: Commonwealth Club in Adelaide . . LXXV . 19,763 . South Australia . 16 March 1910 . 27 February 2022 . 7 . National Library of Australia.
  2. News: Commonwealth Club . . LXXVI . 20,083 . South Australia . 25 March 1911 . 28 February 2022 . 15 . National Library of Australia.
  3. News: Commonwealth Club . . XLVI . 12769 . South Australia . 29 March 1912 . 28 February 2022 . 1 . National Library of Australia.
  4. News: The Commonwealth Club . . LXXVIII . 20,788 . South Australia . 27 June 1913 . 27 February 2022 . 6 . National Library of Australia.
  5. News: Going Ahead . . 5 . 1241 . South Australia . 14 March 1914 . 28 February 2022 . 3 . National Library of Australia.
  6. News: The Commonwealth Club . . LVII . 17,600 . South Australia . 13 March 1915 . 28 February 2022 . 19 . National Library of Australia.
  7. News: Commonwealth Club . . LV . 16,391 . South Australia . 26 March 1918 . 28 February 2022 . 4 . National Library of Australia.
  8. News: Commonwealth Club . . LXXXIV . 22,621 . South Australia . 10 May 1919 . 28 February 2022 . 8 . National Library of Australia.
  9. News: Commonwealth Club . . LXXXV . 22,912 . South Australia . 15 April 1920 . 28 February 2022 . 10 . National Library of Australia.
  10. News: Commonwealth Club . . XII . 3454 . South Australia . 14 April 1921 . 28 February 2022 . 5 . National Library of Australia.
  11. News: Commonwealth Club . . LXXXVII . 25,377 . South Australia . 28 April 1922 . 28 February 2022 . 9 . National Library of Australia.
  12. News: Commonwealth Club . . LXXXIX . 26,003 . South Australia . 30 April 1924 . 28 February 2022 . 2 . National Library of Australia.
  13. News: Commonwealth Club . . IV . 542 . South Australia . 20 April 1925 . 27 February 2022 . 9 . National Library of Australia.
  14. News: Commonwealth Club . . XCI . 26,228 . South Australia . 1 May 1926 . 28 February 2022 . 11 . National Library of Australia.
  15. News: Commonwealth Club . . XCII . 26,739 . South Australia . 29 April 1927 . 28 February 2022 . 13 . National Library of Australia.
  16. News: The Commonwealth Club . . South Australia . 28 April 1928 . 28 February 2022 . 10 . National Library of Australia.
  17. News: Commonwealth Club . . South Australia . 1 May 1929 . 28 February 2022 . 21 . National Library of Australia.
  18. News: Commonwealth Club . . South Australia . 30 April 1930 . 28 February 2022 . 7 . National Library of Australia.
  19. News: Commonwealth Club Comes Of Age . . South Australia . 1 May 1931 . 28 February 2022 . 22 . National Library of Australia.
  20. News: Commonwealth Club . . South Australia . 29 April 1932 . 28 February 2022 . 22 . National Library of Australia.
  21. News: Personal . . South Australia . 25 April 1933 . 28 February 2022 . 6 . National Library of Australia.
  22. News: Commonwealth Club's Annual Meeting . . South Australia . 1 May 1934 . 28 February 2022 . 17 . National Library of Australia.
  23. News: Silver Jubilee of Commonwealth Club . . South Australia . 16 April 1935 . 28 February 2022 . 11 . National Library of Australia.
  24. News: Commonwealth Club Annual Meeting . . South Australia . 28 April 1936 . 28 February 2022 . 16 . National Library of Australia.
  25. News: Commonwealth Club Elects New President . . South Australia . 28 April 1937 . 28 February 2022 . 7 . National Library of Australia.
  26. News: Commonwealth Club Meeting . . South Australia . 5 May 1938 . 28 February 2022 . 27 . National Library of Australia.
  27. News: Commonwealth Club Officers . . South Australia . 12 May 1939 . 28 February 2022 . 29 . National Library of Australia.
  28. News: Commonwealth Club's New President . . South Australia . 30 April 1940 . 28 February 2022 . 10 . National Library of Australia.
  29. News: Commonwealth Club Annual Meeting . . South Australia . 22 April 1941 . 28 February 2022 . 15 . National Library of Australia.
  30. News: Commonwealth Club Officers Elected . . LXXXV . 26377 . South Australia . 20 April 1943 . 28 February 2022 . 4 . National Library of Australia.
  31. News: D. G. Bradman President of Commonwealth Club . . LXXXVI . 26695 . South Australia . 25 April 1944 . 28 February 2022 . 5 . National Library of Australia.
  32. News: New President of Commonwealth Club . . LXXXVII . 27006 . South Australia . 24 April 1945 . 28 February 2022 . 4 . National Library of Australia.
  33. News: Commonwealth Club . . South Australia . 30 April 1946 . 28 February 2022 . 6 . National Library of Australia.
  34. News: Bradman on Club Committee . . 48 . 7,404 . South Australia . 28 April 1947 . 28 February 2022 . 3 . National Library of Australia.
  35. News: Commonwealth Club changes . . 91 . 28147 . South Australia . 23 December 1948 . 28 February 2022 . 2 . National Library of Australia.
  36. News: Personality . . 53 . 8,130 . South Australia . 26 August 1949 . 28 February 2022 . 5 . National Library of Australia. caricature by Lionel Coventry
  37. News: Commonwealth Club's Annual Meeting . . South Australia . 30 April 1949 . 28 February 2022 . 10 . National Library of Australia.
  38. News: Many Invited to Meet Archbishop . . 93 . 28,713 . South Australia . 19 October 1950 . 28 February 2022 . 5 . National Library of Australia.
  39. News: Commonwealth Club President . . 92 . 28,565 . South Australia . 29 April 1950 . 28 February 2022 . 2 . National Library of Australia.
  40. News: Commonwealth Club Officers Elected . . 93 . 28,877 . South Australia . 1 May 1951 . 28 February 2022 . 4 . National Library of Australia.
  41. News: Commonwealth Club Annual Meeting . . 94 . 29,189 . South Australia . 1 May 1952 . 28 February 2022 . 6 . National Library of Australia.
  42. News: Club's Luncheons Run at Loss . . 95 . 29,503 . South Australia . 5 May 1953 . 28 February 2022 . 5 . National Library of Australia.