Preston Angling Club

There was to be no rest for our members for as hard as they worked to raise money for projects, they worked harder to complete those projects. Although we were not to know it then, the next ten years would prove to be the busiest and hardest in terms of work ever undertaken by our club. With a healthy bank balance once more, we set about working on the final stage of renovations to extend our hall to the rear lane and enclose our toilets as part of the main building. A new committee room, kitchen and a bar to go with our liquor license. In 1986 we engaged a builder to keep our voluntary labour on the right track.

As our plans had fully been approved, work began in ernst. Foundations for the sides and back wall were dug by hand and a large slab poured over the total area. During construction we had many problems to deal with and we thank Alan Smith who eventually took over the builder's role and took the project through to completion. Tod Boots and Ken Ely handled the administration with Mal Simmonds, Perc Gravenall and Arthur Shoesmith Plastering, etc. A sum of money left to us by the late Tommy Tomic was wisely used to fit our modern kitchen. Those of our members who worked very hard on all stages of our hall, wether as tradesmen or labourers, you are congratulated for a magnificent job. We thank you.

We had an official hall opening on June 18th 1988 in the form of a dinner dance and Mrs Molly McCann, wife of our late President Cliff, officially opened the hall.

The Preston Angling Club became incorporated in October 1987. Our constitution brought in line with the rules of incorporation that allowed no room for error due to the cost of any subsequent changes. Our current constitution and rule book was first printed in 1991.

One of the major changes to the club, a decision that shook us right down to our foundation members, rest their souls, was to admit women to our club as members. That honour went to Helen Warne. It must be noted however, that our roof did not fall in nor any male members resign, in fact nothing changed. We have three ladies on our current membership of 170 members. It is interesting to note we have quite a few junior girls who really enjoy their fishing.

After some discussion prompted by Les Chadwick regarding some type of recognition for continuous service to the club, Alec Goodfellow and Arthur Nixon came up with the idea of striking a twenty five year and fifty year medallion in recognition of continuous years service. We thank Arthur Nixon and Alec Goodfellow for creating our solid silver twenty five year and nine carot gold fifty year medallions. They were made as a badge or to be worn around the neck on a matching chain. The size of a ten cent coin, they have a beautiful fish over the letters P.A.C. "25" or "50". We have to date presented forty of the twenty five year medallions and four fifty year medallions. All members presented, wear them with pride and the twenty five year recipients look forward to getting their gold. We have a number of members coming up for their gold around the year 2000. Charlie Ely (now deceased) was our first to gain gold, followed by George Letchfors, Jack O'Loughlin and Ron Holliday (ron now also deceased).

Charlie Ely

The club's first two
Recipients of the
50 year
Gold Medallion

George Letchford