Club History
Silas Street clubhouse - 1984
Over the years the Club has regularly participated in community events such as the annual Craft Show at Claremont Showgrounds, the Empty Bowls fundraising event and the City of Melville Art Trail and many art exhibitions in Atwell Gallery. In 2018 the Club celebrated its 42nd anniversary with a spectacular retrospective exhibition featuring work by early members and a reunion of many of the original members.
Architect’s impression of new Karlup ceramics facility
In 2017 it became evident that the Club sheds had been erroneously located on the adjacent block and would need to be moved. So, after many years in these limited facilities with no running water or air-conditioning and inadequate space for larger gatherings and workshops, lobbying of the City of Melville began with the aim of creating a new, purpose-built, ceramics studio on the Atwell House site. The projection was that construction of the new studio facility would be complete before the end of 2021 but this happened in August 2022 to great celebrations. It will certainly be the start of a new era for the South of the River Potters’ Club and the Atwell Gallery Arts Precinct. More here.
The South of the River Potters’ Club was established in 1974 and initially occupied premises in the Richmond Shopping Centre on Canning Highway, East Fremantle. The first AGM was held on January 29th, 1975 and the Treasurer reported that the Club had $41 in the bank. An electric kiln was purchased for $200 and by April it had been installed and plans were underway for the Club’s first Mother’s Day Sale which raised $525 in sales.
After several years in the little shop front on Canning Highway the Club moved to new premises at 12 Silas Street where it became a local landmark for many years. The facilities were expanded with the addition of a new kiln shed and new kilns and a large workroom which was the focus of many workshops and exhibitions. The Club shop was open on weekends and business was good, particularly at the annual Mother’s Day and Christmas sales.
Barb Wilkie, Pat Zuvella, Ron Milton, Daph Hart, Coral Denovan, Flora Johnson, Henne Hegge, Sue Siddall
At its high point the Club had a membership of 100 with a waiting list, a reflection of the popularity of pottery in the ‘70s and ‘80s.
After 22 years the Club had to leave Silas Street and temporarily relocated to a factory unit in O’Connor. Negotiations were started with the Melville Community Arts Association with the aim of finding the SORPC a permanent home at the Atwell House arts centre on Canning Highway in Alfred Cove. Despite some resistance from within the Atwell community, the potters were allowed to establish themselves in the work shed and kiln room that they have occupied since that time.