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.
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 yearApril– President Secretary Members Notes1910 — 1911 Skipper 224 1912 Skipper 286 1913 Skipper 306 1914 Downer Skipper 484 1915 Skipper 588 Guests inc. 60 members of BAAS1916 Skipper 568 1917 Wilkinson Skipper Skipper enlisted with AIF in July1918 594 1919 Reed 592 1920 Skipper 676 1921 750 1922 788 1923 929 1924 Skipper Harvey 913 1925 Skipper Harvey 934 1926 Harvey 922 1927 J. B. Hughes Harvey 970 1928 1,014 1929 Andrews 1,058 1930 Andrews 1,017 1931 Andrews 1,004 1932 Andrews 965 nett loss £27/8/81933 Andrews 1934 Andrews 929 1935 Andrews 1936 Andrews 975 1937 Andrews 1,000+ 1938 Andrews 956 net loss £6/1/51939 Andrews 1940 Andrews 1018 1941 Andrews 1942 Sir Andrews 1943 Andrews 1944 Andrews 1,222 1945 Andrews 1,138 1946 Andrews 1,125 1947 Andrews 1104 1948 1155 Andrews resigned1949 caricature by Lionel Coventry 1218 1950 Milne 1951 1952 1,195 1953 1,106 1954 Meeting 10 May not reported1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960
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