The Modern Pickwick Club was a young men's literary and social club founded in
Adelaide
Adelaide ( ) is the capital city of South Australia, the state's largest city and the fifth-most populous city in Australia. "Adelaide" may refer to either Greater Adelaide (including the Adelaide Hills) or the Adelaide city centre. The dem ...
, South Australia, in the 1890s.
History
The club was formed in 1891 as a social club restricted, by invitation, to 30 members, all unmarried men. It was a condition of joining that the prospective member should already be known to the other 29, and members must resign immediately they marry. They met regularly at members' homes for talks and discussions as well as entertainment. It was a hard and fast rule that no refreshments would be taken at the member's house, but after the meeting all would adjourn to the nearest hostelry.
It was not a Dickens society, though it held occasional Dickens nights, rather it was the spirit of
Samuel Pickwick
Samuel Pickwick is a fictional character and the main protagonist in ''The Pickwick Papers'' (1836), the first novel by author Charles Dickens. One of the author's most famous and loved creations, Pickwick is a retired successful businessman an ...
that they invoked — riotous good fellowship. They produced plays, and competed in debating, tennis tournaments and cricket matches.
"The nights were divided between debate, and music, and elocution. It was a good training ground, and the atmosphere was clean and wholesome."
[ An annual match was held between past and present members. Every year shooting, fishing and walking trips were organised. Their annual ball, held at the North Adelaide Institute, was considered the highlight of the season and eagerly awaited. Meetings were held every Saturday night, except during WWI, when they were held monthly.
]
Members
Founding members include: James Wardlaw Gordon (died 29 August 1922) (secretary), Benjamin H. Gillman (Chairman), P. A. von Bertouch W. H. Porter, H. S. Brondel, Douglas Malcolm, B. H. Kelsey, and R. H. Kelsey.
Later chairmen were Arthur E. H. Evans, William Russell Hambidge and William Newman Twiss. Francis Charles Siekmann (died 1940) was an energetic secretary. Newspapermen Berkeley Conigrave, Roland Harcus Kelsey, Norman Malcolm
Norman Malcolm (; 11 June 1911 – 4 August 1990) was an American philosopher.
Biography
Malcolm was born in Selden, Kansas. He studied philosophy with O. K. Bouwsma at the University of Nebraska, then enrolled as a graduate student at Ha ...
, William Cormack Calder, Ernest Whitington
Ernest Whitington (1873 – 13 April 1934), known to his friends as "Ern", was a journalist in South Australia, who as "Rufus" wrote the popular ''Out among the People'' column in the ''Register'' and '' The Advertiser'' when those two newspapers ...
, Rodney Cockburn
Rodney Cockburn (21 October 1877 – 28 September 1932) was a South Australian journalist, author of a popular reference book on South Australian place names.
History
Cockburn was born in Kent Town, South Australia, a son of George (c. 1835 †...
and James Chamberlain were all members, as were lawyers George McEwin, Angas Parsons
Sir Herbert Angas Parsons, KBE, KC (23 May 1872 – 2 November 1945), generally known as Sir Angas Parsons, was a Cornish Australian lawyer, politician and judge.
Early life and education
Parsons was born in North Adelaide on 23 May 1872, ...
and Mellis Napier
Sir Thomas John Mellis Napier (24 October 1882 – 22 March 1976) was an Australian judge and academic administrator. He was a judge of the Supreme Court of South Australia between 28 February 1924 and 28 February 1967, Chief Justice of South ...
, Edgar Layton Bean, and Crown Solicitor Howard Alison Shierlaw. Romilly Harry was a later chairman. Stanley H. Skipper and J. S. Hardy were later members.
Members who died in WWIG. C. Ligertwood
Sir George Coutts Ligertwood (1888–1967), commonly referred to as G. C. Ligertwood, was a Judge of the Supreme Court of South Australia (12 July 1945–14 October 1958).
Early life and education
Ligertwood was born on 15 October 1888, ...
, Tpr. Horace George Annells, and Gnr. Leopold von Bertouch, also Major Victor Marra Newland, Lieuts. Edward Vincent Clark, L. H. (Lloyd Hayes?) Burgess, J. H. Vaughan, Sgt. W. Henderson, Cpl. Henry Mortimer Muirhead, Ptes. J. Hunter, P. F. Lucas, and H. Stephenson, and Dvr. J. C. Martin[
Other members were: R. F. Richardson, who was elected a life member,
Harold Wilkinson, one (perhaps Robert) Northey,][
Others of the legal fraternity who were once members, include ]John Howard Vaughan
John Howard Vaughan CBE (14 November 1879 – 21 August 1955), known as Howard, was an Australian politician. He was a member of the South Australian Legislative Council from 1912 to 1918, representing the United Labor Party (1912-1917) a ...
, Spencer Toler Toler-Rowley, Rudolph Paul Albrecht von Bertouch, Percy Emerson Johnstone, and Edward Warner Benham.
The medical profession was represented by Frank Magarey and Edward Ernest Moule, later of Wagin, Western Australia
Wagin is a town and Shire of Wagin, shire in the Wheatbelt (Western Australia), Wheatbelt region of Western Australia, approximately south-east of Perth on the Great Southern Highway between Narrogin, Western Australia, Narrogin and Katanni ...
.[
From time to time newspapers reported on doings of the club — 1923, 1929, and 1935,]
See also
*''The Pickwick Papers
''The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club'' (also known as ''The Pickwick Papers'') was Charles Dickens's first novel. Because of his success with '' Sketches by Boz'' published in 1836, Dickens was asked by the publisher Chapman & Hall to ...
''
References
{{Reflist
1891 establishments in Australia
Clubs and societies in South Australia
Gentlemen's clubs in Australia