MORWELL LAPIDARY CLUB

 

A BRIEF HISTORY

At 2:00 pm, on Sunday 7th April 1963, there was a gathering of interested people held at the offices of "Jephcott's the Jewellers", 205-207 Princes Highway Morwell.

The reason for the gathering was a common interest of those present in forming a local Gemological group. This gathering was the preliminary meeting held prior to the inaugural meeting of the Latrobe Valley branch of the Gemological Association of Australia - the forerunner to the Club now known as The Morwell Lapidary Club Inc.

The inaugural meeting of the proposed Latrobe Valley branch of the Gemological Society was set to be held at 7:30 pm, Wednesday 17th April 1963. That meeting was subsequently held, and so our Club came into being.

From the 9 people who were the original members of our Club, our membership has grown and fluctuated over the years, and our current membership now stands at 69 members. The Club continued to be known as the Latrobe Valley branch of the Gemological Societyuntil February 1969, when the members voted to sever the ties with the Gemological Society, and the Club became known as the Morwell Lapidary Club.

Finally after many years of having no settled place for holding meetings and no Clubrooms, and following an extensive search for suitable premises, the Club was given the opportunity to lease the old 'Billiard Room' situated behind the main hall in Tyers. The offer was taken up by the Club, and on the 5th December 1970, a combined Christmas Party & Official opening of the Clubrooms was held at the venue. The Clubrooms at Tyers became 'home' for our Club and still are to this day.

Whilst our membership does fluctuate, we still have a core number of 35-40 'working members', and we participate in annual exhibitions with the other Gippsland Gem Clubs, organise and enjoy regular field trips, and co-host a very successful annual Gemstones & Collectables Exhibition with the Gippsland Antique Bottles & Collectables Club. We have a strong affiliation with many other Clubs, and share many field trips and gatherings with not only the Gippsland Clubs, but also Melbourne based Clubs.

Our Club is alive and well, and we will celebrate 50 years in existence in 2013.