Saturday, 9 August 2025
Royal Automobile Club of Australia, Sydney
Her Excellency the Honourable Margaret Bezaley AC KC

On a dark and stormy night, three men walked into a bar, one was called Henry (or Harrie as he was better known), the other two undoubtedly also had first names, but I’ll simply refer to them by their initials, as not much is known about them. We do know that W. E. Fisher was a typewriter salesman. As for H. A. Jones, he becomes a central player in this story.

Henry (or Harrie), for his part, was more publicity centric than the other two, which is not surprising given that he was a theatre manager initially, according to an obituary from 1936, “managing Cooper and Bailey’s circus […] and a proprietor of various side shows. […] For 27 years he controlled the destinies of the Palace Theatre, and for some time was acting manager of the Tivoli. Nor did he confine his business activities to the theatre. He introduced the first gramophones to Sydney and was one of the first in the field of photography. He laid the overland telegraph from Ulladulla to Bateman’s Bay.”^[1] 

Much of Harrie’s story, however, postdated the night that these three unlikely fellow travellers walked into the bar. The year was 1903; the bar was the Hotel Australia on Castlereagh Street.^[2]

But fellow travellers they were, with a common love of the motor car. Given that it was only 3 years previously that the first imported four-wheeled car had arrived in Sydney—W. J. C. ‘Billy’ Elliott’s 3.5 horsepower De Dion, an apt description of the three might be ‘early adopters’.

The “strange, malodorous vehicles” in the words of an early reporter, were still a rare and unexpected sight on Sydney’s streets, “plugging along […] amid clouds of smoke and the cachinnation of experimental machinery.”^[3] They startled horses and scattered pedestrians… they also, perhaps understandably, worried the authorities.

Hence the Hotel Australia meeting.

As Harrie Skinner later recalled, he’d parked his car— a 4.5 horsepower De Dion—on George Street, and upon return was accosted by a transit officer claiming he was in breach of the law, the implication being that his unattended car might start up on its own and cause damage to people or property.

Harrie remonstrated that this was impossible, showing the plug that he removed and carried in his pocket whenever leaving his car, and without which the engine wouldn’t start. The Transit Officer knew nothing of such things, and it was only after a lengthy visit to the Traffic Department that the matter was cleared up.

Nevertheless, it put in Harrie’s mind that, in his words, “the time was not far away when laws would be introduced, or legislation, to hamper us [drivers].”^[4]

Voicing his fears to his friend and fellow car-owner W. E. Fisher (the typewriter salesman), it was decided a circular be distributed calling for all car-owners to attend the Hotel Australia.^[5]

Apart from Harrie Skinner and W. E. Fisher, only H. A. Jones turned up, perhaps because of the rain, and the meeting was postponed.^[6] A week or two later, on the 20^th of March, they convened again, this time with a larger more “enthusiastic” quorum—including at least 7 “well known owners”—and the Automobile Club of Australia was formed “to protect the interests of motorists”,^[7] with Fisher appointed Secretary pro tem.^[8]

By October, the new Club held its first general meeting, where H. A. Jones was elected first President, Harrie Skinner Third Vice President, and W. E. Fisher Honorary Secretary.^[9]

By December a constitution had been instituted, and the Club’s colours—red, blue and gold—chosen.^[10]

From the outset, the Club’s aims were more than advocacy—although there was plenty of that^[11]—it was also the hub of a growing and thriving community, with social activities, charity parades, and regular meet ups.

Its standing and prestige were such that, in 1919, King George V approved the conferral of ‘Royal’ to the Club’s name.^[12]

It was also growing in size,^[13] and in 1927, the foundation stone for its new home, the building we gather in tonight, was laid by Lord Stonehaven, Australia’s 8^th Governor-General.^[14]

However, it was Governor, Sir Dudley de Chair, who had the privilege of officially opening this building. At that ceremony, on the 23^rd of March 1928, Sir Dudley spoke of the rapid growth of the Club over the preceding 25 years: from an inaugural group of 20—although it was probably closer to 30^[15]—membership had ballooned more than 100-fold to 2,300.^[16] 

Sir Dudley was gifted a gold pen by the then-RACA President Sir Samuel Hordern, with which he then inscribed the first signature in the Club’s new visitor’s book.^[17]

In reflecting on history and tradition, it is as important to look to the future as it is to the past, particularly when it comes to this Club, founded as it was by early adopters coming together in innovative and relevant ways to meet the needs of the time.

And in this, I congratulate David^[18] and the Directors for embracing this foundational and pioneering spirit, of embarking on an attempt, in David’s words, of a ‘hairpin turn’ to enhance membership numbers and ensure financial sustainability; in thinking of new ways to grow engagement and connect community, and of new ways to utilise this beautiful building.

Today, as in its early years, the success of this Club, will come down to the enthusiasm and support of its members.

And to all here tonight, I thank you for your part in continuing the long and storied legacy of this extraordinary institution.

To the Royal Automobile Club of Australia!

[1] ‘Harry Skinner Goes Quietly to Rest: Theatrical Celebrity’s Full Life’, Truth, 8 November 1936, p.17

[2] Jez Ford (ed.) Royal Automobile Club of Australia: 100 Years, Stroudgate, 2003, p. 50.

[3] ‘The Motor in Australia: Story of Rapid Growth’, Daily Telegraph, 13 April 1922, p.17, available here

[4] Harrie Skinner, quoted in ‘Founded Royal Auto Club’, Evening News, 20 July 1923, p. 4; available here

[5] Bede Carroll, ‘How the Automobile Club Was Formed’, Sunday Times, 9 November 1919, p.11, available here

[6] ibid

[7] ‘Motoring’, The Australian Star, 26 March 1903, p.6, available here

[8] Jez Ford (ed.) Royal Automobile Club of Australia: 100 Years, Stroudgate, 2003, p. 51

[9] The exact date was 28 October 1903: ‘Automobile Club’, Evening News, 29 October 1903, p.2, available here; Jez Ford (ed.) Royal Automobile Club of Australia: 100 Years, Stroudgate, 2003, p. 51

[10] Jez Ford (ed.) Royal Automobile Club of Australia: 100 Years, Stroudgate, 2003, p. 51

[11] For instance, resisting the imposition of a 6 miles/hour speed limit in Parramatta and the proposed Inflammable Liquids Act of 1904, as well as providing input into the Motor Traffic Act of 1909, which included the requirement for driver’s licences, with Harrie Skinner and another Club member becoming the State’s first two driving testers. The Act also finally overturned the ‘offence’ provoking the Club’s formation—leaving a car unattended, although it came a little too late for one Augustus Gordon, who was fined the week before the legislation passed for leaving his car parked on Castlereagh Street for “upwards of 25 minutes”: Jez Ford (ed.) Royal Automobile Club of Australia: 100 Years, Stroudgate, 2003, pp.80, 82

[12] Jez Ford (ed.) Royal Automobile Club of Australia: 100 Years, Stroudgate, 2003, p.108

[13] “The Club met initially in a city hotel, then from 1906 to 1908 in a room over a garage at 109 Elizabeth Street and from 1908 until 1914 in the basement of Challis House in Martin Place. With increasing membership, the Club bought its own 3-storied premises at 132 Phillip Street in 1914, but during World War I motoring virtually ceased and expansion was delayed until 1919, when the Club became the Royal Automobile Club and acquired 134 Phillip Street as sleeping accommodation for country members. In 1922-1923 a new site was purchased at 89-91 Macquarie Street ”: NSW State Heritage Register website entry, available here. See also: Jez Ford (ed.) Royal Automobile Club of Australia: 100 Years, Stroudgate, 2003, pp.91-93.

[14] On 17 May 1927: ‘Automobile Club’s New Home’, Daily Telegraph, 18 May 1927, p.11, available here

[15] Jez Ford (ed.) Royal Automobile Club of Australia: 100 Years, Stroudgate, 2003, p.53

[16] ‘New R.A.C.A. Home’, Sunday Times, 25 March 1928, p. 22; available here

[17] ‘All Motorists are Law-Breakers!’, Daily Telegraph, 24 March 1928, p. 13; available here.

[18] Mr David Moloney, President, Royal Automobile Club of Australia