ClockAndWatchClub.com
Title
Clock and Watch Club in Melbourne Australia
Description
The Australian Antiquarian Horological Society was founded in 1975 by a group of horological enthusiasts including both amateurs and professionals. The inaugural meeting called on 5th May in that year was held in the Theatrette of the Melbourne Science Museum, which subsequently became the club's 'home' until 1979. In November of that year the regular venue for meetings was changed to the Camberwell Town Hall Theatrette. There it remained until accommodation pressures from a rapidly expanding membership and a growing array of associated facilities (particularly the Club library) finally forced the Committee to again seek more commodious quarters. Thus, in April 1997, the Society met for the firs time in its present 'home', the main Hall of Burwood Uniting Church, Hysclop Street, Burwood. The Society at present has nearly 200 members.
The AAHS Lending Library was established in 1978. Over the years, this has been built up, both through purchase and donation of books, to the extent that it now represents an extremely important resource and asset for the Society and its members. Books donated by members are suitably inscribed to acknowledge the gift.
In 1981 AAHS accepted affiliation with, and became Chapter 122 of the American-based National Association of Watch and clock Collectors (NAWCC). This link, although not entitling our individual members to many of the benefits enjoyed by fully paid-up NAWCC members (e.g.: Receipt of journal publications etc.) has nevertheless provided our club as a whole with access to some useful facilities, such as the lending library of horological films and video tapes. Through the affiliation, members of AAHS who do not hold national Association membership have, on two occasions, been granted special rights to attend major events organized under the NAWCC banner, viz. the First Regional conference held at Parramatta, N.S.W. IN November 1994, and the Second Australian Regional, held in Brisbane at the beginning of October 1999. Although full membership of NAWCC is not a pre-requisite for belonging to AAHS, our members are nevertheless encouraged to consider also subscribing to the larger organisation, in order to maximize the benefits accruing from the dual connection.
