Sydney Savage Club is, or was, a social club in Sydney, Australia, associated with the London

Savage Club The Savage Club, founded in 1857, is a gentlemen's club in London, named after the poet, Richard Savage. Members are drawn from the fields of art, drama, law, literature, music or science. History The founding meeting of the Savage Club took ...

, named after the poet, Richard Savage, and was formed to bring together literary men connected with literature, the arts, sport or science.

History

The first iteration of the Sydney club was founded in the 1880s as a meeting-place for artists and writers. Its meetings were called "corroborees". The club disbanded sometime in the 19th-century. The concept of the Savage Club was introduced to Sydney in 1930 by H. L. S Havyatt, a New Zealander, who organised receptions in Australia for the "kiwi" aviator

Francis Chichester Sir Francis Charles Chichester KBE (17 September 1901 – 26 August 1972) was a British businessman, pioneering aviator and solo sailor. He was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II for becoming the first person to sail single-handed around the world ...

who had flown solo from Britain, narrowly beaten to the record by

Bert Hinkler Herbert John Louis Hinkler (8 December 1892 – 7 January 1933), better known as Bert Hinkler, was a pioneer Australian aviator (dubbed "Australian Lone Eagle") and inventor. He designed and built early aircraft before being the first person ...

. The Sydney Savage Club was formed, or re-formed, in 1934 under rules adopted from the London Club, and sponsored by the Kindred Clubs Association of New Zealand, where Savage Clubs were numerous. Havyatt was appointed chairman of the ways and means committee, with joint secretaries E. A. Richards and C. H. Dickinson. The first club meeting elected Havyatt as Chief Savage and E. A. Richards secretary.

Joe Collins Joseph Edward Collins (born Joseph Edward Kollonige; December 3, 1922 – August 30, 1989) was an American Major League Baseball player born in Scranton, Pennsylvania. On September 25, he began his major league career playing for the New Yor ...

was elected Chief Savage in 1936. Other members were Alfred Hill, violinist Lloyd Davies,

Harry Julius Henry George "Harry" Julius (15 November 1885 – 29 June 1938) was an Australian commercial artist who had a long association with Sydney Ure Smith. History Julius was born in Sydney. While quite young he enlisted with volunteers and served in t ...

, and Charles Bryant. James Brunton Gibb was Chief Savage in 1937. Lindley Evans was president in 1954. The Sydney Savage Club was a strong supporter of Australian literature. In 1965 "Inky" Stephensen was given a standing ovation by an audience of Sydney Savages after a his long tirade against what he saw as the Australian pursuit of mediocrity.

Other cities

Savage Clubs were formed in other Australian cities: *The

Adelaide Adelaide ( ) is the list of Australian capital cities, capital city of South Australia, the state's largest city and the list of cities in Australia by population, fifth-most populous city in Australia. "Adelaide" may refer to either Greater A ...

club was founded in 1883. Members in 1885 included

Harry Congreve Evans Henry Congreve Evans (10 December 1860 – 9 January 1899), generally known as "Harry Evans" or "Harry Congreve Evans", was a journalist, editor and newspaper proprietor of South Australia. Biography The Rev. Ephraim Evans (1825 – 6 April ...

and

Alfred T. Chandler Alfred Thomas "Alf" Chandler (3 June 1852 – 17 October 1941) was a journalist, editor and newspaper proprietor in Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia. He was prominent in the Western Australian secession movement. History Chandler ...

. *The

Melbourne Savage Club Melbourne Savage Club is a private Australian gentlemen's club founded in 1894 and named after the poet, Richard Savage. Bohemian in spirit, the club was to bring together literary men, and those immediately connected or sympathising with li ...

club was founded in 1894. *The

Perth Perth is the list of Australian capital cities, capital and largest city of the Australian states and territories of Australia, state of Western Australia. It is the list of cities in Australia by population, fourth most populous city in Aust ...

club was founded in 1896. Dr. Harvey E. Astles (past president of the Melbourne club) was its first president.''The West Australian'' 15 August 1896
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References

{{reflist Cultural organisations based in Australia 1934 establishments in Australia Organizations established in 1934 Organisations based in Sydney