1952-53

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The information on this page is from the Club’s publication “A History of the Rotary Club of Brunswick” Golden Jubilee 2nd edition, 2003:

In August 1952, the Rotary Club of Melbourne asked then District Governor of District No. 23, Harold J Ralph of the Rotary Club of Hobart, to arrange for the formation of a Rotary Club in the suburbs of Brunswick-Coburg. He in turn contacted the President of the Rotary Club of Essendon, Bob Morgan, and after a meeting with his Directors of the Rotary Club, accepted.

Harry Windbush, the immediate Past President of the Rotary Club of Essendon, was asked to be the Governor’s Special Representative to form the Rotary Club of Brunswick-Coburg.

The first get together of the selected 23 to be members was a social evening held at Prestige Hosiery Mills on 2 October 1952, and the first inaugural meeting was held at Prestige on Thursday 9 October 1952. (Joining fee and Annual Subscription was 12 pounds 12 shillings).

The selected Charter Members were:

Norm BalfeDavid Laidlaw
Alan BellWill Moulding*
Len CheffersBill Nutt
Harry ChuckGurn Parker
Bert CoppinHarry Parsons
Denzil DonKen Ratten
Orm DickinsonGeorge Rawling
Alan DyasonSid Sewell
Jack GarrettWen Shore
Harry HarkerPeter Sykes
Bob HatrickBren Walker
Perc Johnston

* 2009 update: Will Moulding remains a current member of the Rotary Club of Brunswick. He is a Past President of the Club (1971-72) and is a Five Sapphire Paul Harris Fellow.

The Officers selected were:

President: Gurn Parker
Vice President: Denzil Don
Honorary Secretary: Bob Hatrick
Honorary Treasurer: Harry Harker
Directors: Peter Sykes, Harry Chuck
Sergeant-at-Arms: David Laidlaw

From 16 October onwards, the meetings were held at the Brunswick-Coburg Boys Club, at the corner of Cozens and Cameron Streets, Moreland, every Thursday at 12:45pm.

For the first three meetings, the caterer was Watson’s Catering Service. From then on, the caterer was MW & GV Rosier. The cost of the meal was 6 shillings.

Early in November 1952, the Rotary Club of Melbourne extended an invitation to all the members and their wives of the Provisional Rotary Club of Brunswick-Coburg to attend a reception in the Melbourne Town Hall on 19 November, to meet the then President of Rotary International, who was visiting Australia from America. This was HJ (Bruss) Brunnier and his wife Anne (he had been a Member of Rotary for 44 years). This was quite an experience for the Members of so young a club.

On 20 November, District Governor Harold Ralph paid an official visit to our Club.

Just prior to Christmas, we were informed tha tthe Charter of our Club has been granted by Rotary International on 15 December 1952.

It was then arranged by the District Governor, the Governor’s Special Representative, the President of the Rotary Club of Essendon and the President of the Provisional Rotary Club of Brunswick-Coburg that the presentation of the Charter be held in the Coburg Town Hall on Wednesday, 4th February 1953. The Chairman for the occasion was Bob Morgan, the President of the Rotary Club of Essendon.

Programme for 4 February 1953

  • Roll Call and Welcome to visiting Rotarians, Ladies and Guests by the Chairman
  • Greetings and Apologies by the Honorary Secretary of the Brunswick-Coburg Club, Bob Hatrick
  • Report and introduction of Charter Members by the Governor’s Special Representative, Harry Windbush
  • Induction of Charter Members by the President of the Rotary Club of Essendon, Bob Morgan
  • Address and Presentation of Charter by the District Governor, Harold Ralph
  • Acceptance and Acknowledgement of Charter by the President of our Club, Gurn Parker
  • A toast to visiting Rotarians, Ladies and Guests was proposed by Peter Sykes
  • Response by Rotarian Frank Ayre of the Rotary Club of Melbourne
  • A toast to our Sponsor Club, the Rotary Club of Essendon, by Vice President Denzil Don
  • The response by Rotarian Eric Stinton of the Rotary Club of Essendon
  • The Presentation of gifts to the Rotary Club of Brunswick-Coburg by representatives of donating Clubs
  • Acceptance and Acknowledgement of gifts by Club President Gurn Parker.

Their Worships the Mayor of Coburg, M Keady JP and the Mayor of Brunswick, A J Roberts JP, and their wives were guests of our Club.

The entertainment was excellent. The artists were Peggy Shea and Nelson Eddy, the accompanist was Eric Fox. The cost of the entertainment was 16 pounds and our Musical Director and song leader was Norm Balfe.

The cost of the four course dinner was 11 shillings per head. The first person inducted into our Club was Jack Dyason as an Additional Active Member on 18 June 1953.

The first Changeover Night was held at “Ascot House” at 50 Fenton Avenue, Ascot Vale, on Tuesday 23 June 1953. The cost per head was one pound, six shillings.

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