Happy 70th Birthday MG Car Club Sydney!

In late 1946 a young chap by the name of Dick Cobden bought an MGTC, taking it racing in January 1947. Like many young men at the time he travelled to the ‘mother country’, and as an MG enthusiast he visited the MG factory at Abingdon in the UK in 1949. We don’t know who he met whilst he was there, but he clearly came away impressed by the MG Car Club UK, which was then in its 19th year, closely associated with the MG Car Company and with premises at Abingdon.

Upon returning to Australia Dick Cobden met up with a fellow enthusiast, Douglas Williams. Douglas was from the family that owned P&R Williams, which imported and distributed MGs in NSW as well as sold them to the public. Together these two men decided to set up an arm of the MG Car Club in Australia.

The MG Car Club NSW was formed as the very first MG Car Club in Australia. The first AGM was held in February 1950, with Clive Cadden elected as the first president. Unfortunately, we have not been able to locate a copy of the minutes of this first AGM, but believe that it was held at P&R Williams premises in Wentworth Ave, Sydney.

In the early days, all applications for membership were sent to the parent club in the UK for validation, and part of the annual subscription was also remitted to the UK club. While now much more independent, the MG Car Club NSW still maintains a close association with the MG Car Club in the UK, and along with other MG Car Clubs around the world will help them celebrate their 90th Anniversary this year with a combined anniversary run on the 11th of October.

The MG Car Club has always had the aim to further the interests of the owners of MG cars through social and sporting activities, and we would like to think that the MG Car Club is key factor in our members’ enjoyment of these wonderful cars.

Happy 70th birthday to the MG Car Club NSW! Congratulations from the MG Car Club Sydney Board of Directors.

Story thanks to John Clarke

Editor’s Note

We would appreciate hearing from any founding members, descendants or anybody with stories, documents or photos relating to the earlier life of the club. Please send any information to [email protected].

Thank you!
Hilary Wren, Editor Opposite Lock