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HISTORY OF OUR CLUB

Its 2020-2021 - Our 50th Anniversary year

50 years ago Strathfield Rotary Club was born.  On 19th April 1971, at a formal dinner held at Macquarie University, the official charter was presented to the President Bill Boyce, Vice President Don Killip, Secretary Bill Veitch, Treasurer Brian Cullen-Ward and the Board.

During the first year there were 12 members inducted, 3 resignations and sadly one member (Leo Langley) passed away. There new members inducted post Charter Night including Roger Vince who is still an active member and our Club historian.

Meetings for the first two years were held at the Strathfield Recreation Club. This was followed by many moves and finally in 2003, to Strathfield Golf Club. Charter President Bill Boyce, was the first recipient of Paul Harris Fellow on 21st August 1980. (For the full story of how our Club began click here).

Extract from DG Harry Pickett's Charter Night address at Macquarie University:

“Tonight’s ceremony marks an auspicious occasion for the community of Strathfield. Leading business and professional men of this community have banded together to form a Rotary Club accepting the constitution and by-laws of Rotary International and agreeing to further the object of Rotary. This new Rotary Club of Strathfield formed by men who accept Rotary’s philosophy of ‘Service above Self’ and who will exemplify high ethical standards in business and professional life, aided by the friendship and fellowship of Rotary will add to the wellbeing and way of life of the community"

Almost 50 years ago on 19 April 1971 the Charter for the Rotary Club Strathfield was presented by the then District Governor Harry Picket (left) representing Rotary International at the investiture of our Charter President Bill Boyce.

The first 25 years of the Rotary Club of Strathfield was compiled into a history by PP Maurie Moroney and produced as a written document. Some of us still have copies. Lesley Smallwood who did the design and layout of the original document has provided me with a series of PDF files which were provided weekly in the enews from 25 April 2012 . Following Maurie's document PP Roger Vince and his committee developed a follow up yearly histories for the 40th Anniversary. These I set out in pdf documents. All these are now being include below as time permits.

The history begins in our Charter year 1971 with our Charter President Bill Boyce

• comments by the 1991-1992 Secretary Shane Smallwood;

• the Charter from Rotary International;

• our first program (Bulletin) page1 and Page 2

• about our Charter year and see a list of our Charter members

• 1972-1973  our 2nd year. Peter Roach was President

• 1973-1974  our 3rd year. Clarrie Edwards was President; and

• two photographs of the Change over from Peter Roach to new President Clarrie Edwards

• 1974-1975  our 4th year. Maurie Moroney was President

• 1976-1977  our 6th year. Merv Perry was President

• 1977-1978  our 7th year.  Bob Taylor was President

• 1978-1979 our 8th year Peter Foss  was President and the year Ross Brown was inducted.

• 1979-80 our 9th year. Lew Wilson  was president. It was first year of the ANZAC day breakfast and also the first time the Club conducted debates

• 1980-81 our 10th year. Dr Brian Hennell was president. This was a year that sustainable things happened. The year that the first Probus Club was chartered in Strathfield under Director PP George Hallworth; and the Rotaract Club of Strathfield  was chartered under Director PP Bob Templeman. Raymond McCluskie was inducted.

• 1982-83 our 12th year was David Croft AM. This was the year of our first District Governor PP Bob Taylor. There is a photo of Margaret and David, another Peter Pan set; the photo could have been taken last week. As you know David also went on to be District Governor in 2000-01. (E_news 11 07 2012 (Click).

• 1983-84  our 13th year was Bob Templeman. In Bob's year he introduced "Cash-a -Can" and we all had fun.

• 1984-85 our 14th year was Harley Tarrant. Harley's year was a ground breaking year for accommodating change; the Rotary sing-a-long, an anachronism of days of past, was banned. Also if you look closely you will see a photograph of a bearded Rotarian who eventually became the managing editor of the Strathfield Rotary Club's e-news. Harley went on to be District Governor in 2006-07. Harley was the also the CEO of the South Pacific Office of Rotary International. We knew him as "Mr Rotary"