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 Adelaide Town Hall is a landmark building on King William Street in Adelaide, South Australia, Australia. The City of Adelaide Town Hall complex includes the Town Hall and the office building at 25 Pirie Street. Description and history Adelai ...

. Meetings consisted mostly of talks by members or guest speakers, followed by discussions and socializing. As with most

service club A service club or service organization is a voluntary nonprofit organization where members meet regularly to perform charitable works either by direct hands-on efforts or by raising money for other organizations. A service club is defined firstl ...

s, 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

by S. H. Skipper, a popular Adelaide barrister, and son of journalist

Spencer Skipper Spencer John Skipper (c. 1848 – September 1903) was a journalist in South Australia who wrote and drew using the pseudonym "Hugh Kalyptus". History Skipper was born in South Australia a son of solicitor and artist John Michael Skipper (18 June ...

. 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

Notes

References

{{Reflist 1910 establishments in Australia History of Adelaide Clubs and societies in South Australia