Club History

Rostrum Club 42, the City Sunrise Club, held its first meeting as a “Provisional
Club” on 10th April 1986 in the Room with a View Restaurant at the Esplanade
Hotel, Perth. Over twenty men attended the first meeting and that number grew
in the succeeding weeks. After a probationary period in which the Probationary
Club demonstrated it could maintain an average attendance of 20, it was
elevated to full Club status on 4 September 1986 by the then National President
of Rostrum, Freeman Harold Luxton. This meeting was attended by over 25
members, including State President of WA Rostrum, Freeman David Price who
was one of the foundation members.

The Club celebrated its 1000th meeting on 18 June 2006 by holding a brunch
meeting at the City West Function Centre to which a number of former members
including several foundation members attended.

The Club has met in a number of venues in Perth over the years. After two years
at the Room With A View, the club has moved successively to George’s on the
Terrace in 1989, the Karrakatta Club in 1992, the Mount St Inn in 1994, Café
David in 1997 and Montana’s Bar and Grille in 1999 (which became Aaron’s Hotel in
2003).

It is interesting that, in 1986 Rostrum was a men only organisation. The change
to the constitution which admitted women to Rostrum was not made until 1987.
This saw the gradual change of the club’s membership to include members of
both genders.

Club 42 is very proud to still have two foundation members as active members.
They are Freeman David Carlson and Speaker Fred Uloth who have also had
life membership of the Club bestowed upon them. The four other life members
are Speaker Alan Dickson, Speaker Rob Gates, Speaker Eric Alcock and Speaker Ken Evans.

Rostrum clubs understand that many people join, stay for two or three years and
then move on. The main contribution of Rostrum Clubs to the community is to
give people the opportunity to develop their speaking skills and the ability to
participate in and chair meetings.

Rostrum Club 42 has trained hundreds of men and women who have joined,
learned and left. They then apply their skills in their employment and their
community.