Deaf Camera Club of NSW (1961-1977)

The Deaf Camera Club of NSW was founded in April 1961, by a group of deaf photography enthusiasts to share and exchange photographic techniques and to have an annual photography competition.

The inaugural Annual General Meeting of the Deaf Camera Club was held in March 1962. Doffy Griffiths was elected as Club President and Dorothy Sankey as Secretary. During in the 1960s, the popularity of the Camera Club grew and membership increased.

For 16 years, the Deaf Camera Club organised photography excursions to dozens of scenic places around NSW. However, in the 1970s photographic technology began to change and with the development of new kinds of cameras and film, interest in the Camera Club began to decline. By March 1977, membership numbers had fallen to such an extent that the decision was made to put the Club temporarily on hold. A year or so later, when there was still not enough interest to re-establish the Camera Club, it was finally dissolved. The Club’s savings were spent to commission a painting from artist Ron Wild of the first Adult Deaf Institute at Darlington to match his three earlier paintings of Adult Deaf Centres which had already been donated to the Deaf Society by the Sydney Deaf Women’s Guild.

Presidents of the Camera Club were Doffy Griffiths 1961-1963, F. Bradley 1965, Lesley Spinks 1966-1968, Noel Pickard 1969-1970 and Agnes Hutchings 1971-1977.

Secretaries of the Club were Dorothy Sankey 1961-1965 and 1969-1975 and Noel Pickard 1966-1968 and 1976-1977.

Sources

‘Deaf Camera Club of NSW 1961-1977’, Dorothy Sankey