BEGINNINGS

The January 2015  issue marks the start of the 50th year of publication of our Review. Strictly speaking, the anniversary of the public meeting which led to the establishment of our Society doesn’t occur until October, 2015, but now seems a good time to reflect on the beginnings of our Society.

Back in 1965, there was only one metropolitan orchid club, the Orchid Club of SA, which began in 1939, and which met on the first Thursday of the month at the TPI hall, on South Tce. Adelaide.

For some years, Mr Clarrie Scott, a commercial orchid vendor of Black Forest (principally cymbidiums) and OCSA member, had a dream of forming a suburban orchid club independent from the State body, and had aired this viewpoint for a number of years previously. In this, he had a number of supporters who were not members of OCSA, and others who were, but who would welcome an additional opportunity to exhibit their plants later in each month.

Consequently, Mr Scott called a public meeting for Oct. 29th 1965, at the TPI Building, South Tce. Adelaide, where a Committee was elected, and it was resolved to form the South Australian Orchidaceous Society, to meet monthly on the third Wednesday each month at the Congregational Church hall at Hindmarsh, and to commence operation from January 1966. Mr Scott was nominated as the first President.

At this meeting in January, the Committee was ratified, approx. 30 people signed up and paid their subscription of one pound, and our Society was under way, with the objective to promote the culture and information pertaining to orchids to its members and to the public of SA. Sadly, only two of those inaugural members, Trevor Jacob and Harold Luckhurst, are still with us, and both were subsequently made life members for their work for the Society.