Street view of Hobart Workers Club in 1870 taken from a Lantern Slide.
Hobart Working Men’s Club Committee and Officers 1899-1900
Back row: W. Jones, R. Salter, B. Johnston, J. Foster, C. Anderson, W. Maher, G. Fleming Front row: H. McCambridge, Trustee, W. Stride, Chairman, J. Buchanan, Vice President, S. Benjamin, President, J. Conner, Secretary, P. Dwan, Vice Chairman
“A meeting to establish a Working Men’s Club was held in the Berea Schoolroom at the conclusion of the prayer meeting, Wednesday, 31st August, 1864.” There were over a 100 people present, and Mr. Chas Crosby was nominated to chair the meeting. The committee was duly elected as follows: Messrs’ Edward Rout, Leather seller Henry Higgins, Drayman W.R. Giblin, Solicitor J. Blowfield, Shoemaker Chas. Crosby, Merchant Alfred Marshall, Saddler H.R. Bastow, Architect Frederick Marshall, Plasterer Henry Dobson, Clerk Robert Stabb, Shingler John P. Jun, Draper John Buchanan, Painter Smith, Fisherman Frederick Padden, Carpenter John Markby, Wheelwright.The membership book was opened and 65 men gave their names. “The Doxology was then sung and the meeting separated.”
Surely an echo from the past of that historic meeting and even more so the way in which these minutes were found. Traditional “fairy-tale-like” opening of a disused area under the foot of the stairs leading to the cabaret, where thousands of feet had traversed little knowing that a fortune in club history was beneath them in an old one-inch thick oak chest, all tightly bound with iron straps. Inside the chest, old musty, dusty files, books of banking, minutes, etc., aged with the passage of years, but with the finest copperplate freehand writing, a gift from the days past.
One surely can visualise the types of men these were by their debates and minute book, and how, as we are now ourselves doing, they communed with one another, and I have no doubt, connived as well for the progress of this club which, one hundred years ago in the year 1867, and on the gift of William Guesdon, Esq. transferred their premises “… that house in Barrack Street, formerly the Wellington Inn” which was only one room (and also their birthplace) to the premises at 213 Liverpool Street, where we are to this day, a seedling of a centum of years now fully mature. Our club benefactor Mr. William A. Guesdon, who made these premises available, will always have the thanks of every working man who becomes a member, for our birthright of equality for all human beings certainly predominates within its lofty portals.
The then Governor of Tasmania, Sir Thomas Browne, laid the foundation stone and Capt. Davie supplied the Second Rifles Band to play on the occasion which was attended by M.P.s and their wives, and the Lord Mayor. During the early history we find the names of Abbott, Crosby, Giblin, Gourlay and Dobson appearing regularly. Mr. Giblin held the Chairmanship from 1867 to 1873 and again from 1876. Mr. P. O. Fysh was Vice-President, H. Dobson, Treasurer and A. B. Walker, Secretary. Mr Giblin by this time was entitled Hon. W. R. Giblin, M. H. R. During this era, a most imaginative one, a library was formed and totalled 1,284 volumes, Dr. Croucher donating many of the books.
Also a skittles coach was appointed to develop and foster the game. Billiards was very popular and a basis for future Club and State championships. An interesting motion on the opening of this present club was one which reads “that the subscription be three pence per week, and that an entrance fee of one shilling be paid, and that strangers be admitted on the payment of one penny.” This was eventually amended to read “and that an entrance fee of six pence be paid.” An account was read for re-clothing a billiards table, (new) cost then Four Pounds, Rates 8 Pounds, 6 shillings and 7 pence, and the final general business gives the figures of 503 accounts toward Penny Banks by Club Members.
