Posted by Bruce JAMES
From the club's archives - the following was prepared by PDG Bruce James and presented on 3rd June 2011.
 
The Melville Rotary Club was Chartered on 6th November 1959, having been formed by the Fremantle Rotary Club. Having formed the Cockburn Rotary Club in 1969, the Melville Rotary Club then formed the Applecross Rotary Club in 1971 with the idea that about half of their Members would transfer to the new Applecross Rotary Club.
 
Tom Cook was the Secretary of the Melville Rotary Club for the 1970-71 Rotary year and was elected to be the Foundation President of the New Applecross Rotary Club on 2nd June 1971. He held these two positions at the same time until 30th June 1971.
The Inauguration Meeting of those persons who had been approached to become Applecross Rotarians was held on Tuesday 13th May 1971 at a luncheon at the Sir Loin Restaurant at 35 Ardross Street Applecross. This restaurant became the weekly Club Meeting venue on a Tuesday with a 12.10 pm Fellowship preceding the Luncheon Meeting at 12.30 pm. Later on, the weekly Tuesday Luncheon Meeting was held in the Golden Host Room on the second floor of the Booragoon Hotel at Garden City. Since about 1988, the weekly Club Meetings have been Breakfast Meetings at the South of Perth Yacht Club at 7.30 am on Tuesdays.
 
The Club gained its Charter at the Charter Luncheon on 2nd June 1971 with a total membership of 32 Members of which 24 had transferred from the Melville Rotary Club. Seven of these Ex-Melville Rotary Club Members were themselves Foundation Members of the Melville Rotary Club since its Charter Celebration on 17th August 1959.
 
The Foundation Members of the Applecross Rotary Club were:
A. Original Foundation Members of the Melville Rotary Club who transferred to the Applecross Club:
  • Jack Bennett Peter Brackley
  • Colin Day Les Donley
  • Allan Eddy Len Hearn*
  • Fred Sharpe Dennis Smith
*(previously a Foundation Member of the Victoria Park Club in 1948)

B. Ordinary Members of the Melville Club who were not Foundation Members of that Club:
  • Bruce Bertie; Peter Ellis
  • John Boulton; Ev Facius
  • John Bromwell; Vince Heales
  • Allan Bennett; Charles Jenkin
  • Allan Cary; Harold Luxton
  • Ken Collins; Dave Piggford
  • Tom Cook; Warren Saunders
  • Frank Cruthers; Doug Shaw
C. Members who joined the Applecross Club at its Inaugural Meeting on 13th May 1971:
  • Lloyd Bassett; Peter Gardner
  • John Cook; Ken Hurst
  • Tom Cox; Ian McCullough
  • Merv Dillon; Don Steel
In the year following the Charter Date of 2nd June 1971, the following Members joined the Club:
  • Tony Adams; Albert Lynch
  • Neville Brownrigg; George Smith
  • Alan Bunnett; Jim Wiggins
  • Bruce James; Don Wignall
Click here to download the Applecross Advocate Vol. 1  No. 1