Royal Commonwealth Society : Sydney Branch

Creator unknown

Royal Commonwealth Society

<p style='text-align: justify;'> The Society’s first overseas branch was established in Christchurch, New Zealand in 1913. Later that year it was decided to organise a Tasmanian branch, based in Hobart. World War then interrupted the expansion of branches until 1921 when it was decided to form a New South Wales branch. The new branch acquired premises in Bligh Street, Sydney thanks to the generosity of H.R. (later Sir Hugh) Denison, chairman and managing director of Associated Newspapers Limited in Sydney, and a breeder of racehorses. Branches were also opened in Victoria, South Australia and Queensland. By1922 membership of the Australian branches totalled nearly 1,600, and in 1934 a Junior Empire Society was formed in Victoria to encourage younger people to join. </p><p style='text-align: justify;'> The photograph is taken from a collection of lantern slides commissioned by the Society to commemorate the opening of its new headquarters building in 1936. Many of the photographs were published in its journal United Empire </p><p style='text-align: justify;'>See Janus record <a target='_blank' class='externalLink' href='https://janus.lib.cam.ac.uk/db/node.xsp?id=EAD%2FGBR%2F0115%2FRCS%2FII'>here</a></p>