1955-56

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

District Governor: Frank Ayre (Rotary Club of Melbourne)
President: George Hemingway
Secretary: Bob Hatrick
Treasurer: Geoff Sutcliffe

At the official visit to our Club of the District Governor, Frank Ayre, he suggested that the Brunswick-Coburg Club form a Rotary Club of Coburg. After serious consideration a letter was sent to Frank Ayre stating that the time was not yet ready for us to form a Club as we were too young a Club. A further contact was made by Frank Ayre suggesting that a Club be formed during his year in office. Our Directors held a meeting on 18 January 1956 and it was decided to reiterate what had been stated previously, and that it would be considered at a future date.

Later on it was decided that Alan Dyason be the Governor’s Special Representative to consider the formation of the Coburg Rotary Club. On 18 May 1956 a preliminary meeting was held at the Coburg Town Hall. On 31 May an Organisation meeting was held, and on 6 June the first meeting of the Provisional Rotary Club of Coburg was held at the Burnswick & Coburg Boys’ Club; this consisted of 22 members, 7 of which transferred from Brunswick. Their Charter was presented on 8 August 1956 by the then District Governor, Bill Birch, in the Coburg Town Hall.

Unfortunately, in the first year of their formation they lost the President (December) Harry Chuck, (who was one of the seven that transferred from Brunswick), their Vice President and Secretary. This as one can imagine was quite a shock to their Club. The Brunswick Club at this stage had only 30 members.

A barbecue picnic, arranged by our Club, was held on 12 February at the Morning Star Boys’ Home at Mornington.

On 12 March, Jim O’Meara (member) was appointed Trustee of the Helping Hand Society (Coburg Branch).

Our Sportsman’s Day Project, along with monies in hand, entitled them to obtain fifteen thousand pounds from the Government, which enabled them to accept a tender of twenty three thousand seven hundred pounds for the building of a new centre.

A letter was sent from our Club to Rotary International Past President, Sir Angus Mitchell, expressing our delight on his Knighthood.

Club members were rostered to assist at a Carnival held for ten days to aid the Brunswick-Coburg Boys’ Club.

Several tons of firewood and five tons of briquettes were distributed to elderly citizens in Brunswick.

A film was received from the Rotary Club of Oaklands, California, showing their project operating for “Safe Road Crossings for Children”. This was seen by George Hemingway when he and his wife visited America.

A Barbecue Picnic was held on Sunday 12 February at the Morning Star Boys’ Home at Mornington. Quite a few members of our Club and families along with the boys had a very enjoyable day.

A visit was made to the “Upper Yarra Dam” for members of our Club to take a number of Asian students to view the site, and dinner was arranged by the M.M.B.W. for 40 who attended.

DONATIONS

• Brunswick-Coburg Boys’ Club Fifteen pounds fifteen shillings
• Rotary Apprenticeship Scholarship Fund Fifty pounds
• Mrs Ken Ratten, Vice President of Help
  the Children Fund Five pounds five shillings
• Brunswick Creche Two hundred pounds
• Y.M.C.A. Fund Ten pounds ten shillings
• Brunswick kindergarten One hundred and fifty two pounds
• 3DB Appeal Thirty pounds
• Victorian Overseas Foundation Fifty pounds
• Brunswick & Coburg Boys’ Club Fifty pounds
• Brunswick kindergarten Fifty pounds
• Crippled Childrens’ Appeal Twenty five pounds
• Brunswick Creche Twenty five pounds
• Mount Royal Chapel Twenty five pounds
• Morning Star Training Farm Twenty five pounds
• Chaplin Fund Brunswick Technical School Twenty five pounds
• Blind Babies Appeal Ten pounds
• Delgany School for the Deaf Ten pounds
• Melbourne City Mission (Brunswick Branch) Ten pounds
• Old Age Welfare Ten pounds
• Mayoress of Brunswick Charity Five pounds
• Gulf Force Association 2/21 Battalion (towards cost of fare to Australia of an Ambonese girl who assisted the Prisoners of War) Twenty five pounds

INDUCTIONS

• Mal Quinn 7 July 1955
• Ken Wheeler 22 March 1956
• Mick Hudson 19 June 1956
• Peter Peppard 19 June 1956

RESIGNATIONS

• Orm Dickinson 29 June 1956
• Gurn Parker 13 February 1956
• Bren Walker 20 December 1955
• Lindsay White 7 June 1956

These members joined the Coburg Club – 7 June 1956:

• Harry Chuck
• Jack Garrett
• Harry Parsons
• Edgar Worrall
• Jim Reid
• Len Brown
• Ken Wheeler

PRESIDENT’S CHANGEOVER NIGHT

This was held at “Roselyn Court” on 21 June 1956 at 33 Raleigh Street, Essendon.