Our Story - How we began over 100 years ago

In 1922, the Adelaide Lyceum Club was founded with similar aspirations as the London Lyceum. Driven by Dr Helen Mayo, along with a group of friends and colleagues, the concept of the Lyceum Club was introduced and eagerly adopted by fifty-five educated and professional South Australian women. Over the next few months, the group rapidly expanded, with the foundation members providing the backbone of a club that is still thriving 100 years later.

At the time, however, The Critic facetiously reported:

‘There are so many brainy women in Adelaide now that they feel the absolute necessity of forming a club, where brain will meet brain, and a community of kindred spirits can foregather away from life’s piffle.’

Originally intended for educated women only and to be non-political and non-sectarian, the Adelaide Lyceum was soon underway. It was officially inaugurated on 17 July 1922, with the first meeting held at the May Club, Netter Building, Gresham Street, Adelaide.

In 2022, the Lyceum Club Adelaide celebrated their Centenary. A book was published: ‘One Hundred Years of Women’s Voices’.