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Forty years and still shining

More than sixty members and associates of Morwell Lapidary Club celebrated the club’s Fortieth Anniversary on Sunday 12 October at Tyers Hall.

By Latrobe City Council - 23rd October 2003 - Back to News

The milestone was celebrated with an afternoon tea and guests were welcomed by Morwell Lapidary Club President, Trevor Pickering.

The Morwell Lapidary Club was created by Messrs Bert and Col Jephcott in 1963. The gentlemen started the club by gathering together a group of local citizens interested in lapidary and created, what is now, the oldest surviving lapidary club in country Victoria.

Latrobe City Councillor Bruce Lougheed attended the anniversary celebrations and along with lifetime Morwell Lapidary Club members, Ray Billingsley and Trevor Pickering, and President of Victoria Gem Clubs Association, Ralph Smith, cut an anniversary cake to mark the occasion.

Councillor Lougheed said that the club had deservedly become very well known and supported in Latrobe City and he congratulated everyone involved on reaching the milestone.

"There is a wealth of history in Latrobe City, and the Morwell Lapidary Club is testament to this. It is a club that has prided itself on creating and restoring lapidary art for forty years, with great success," Cr Lougheed said.

A showcase of lapidary art was also on display for the celebration, with precious gemstones, baroque jewellery, cut and polished slabbed rocks, mineral collecting, silversmithing, sphere making and carving all presented on the day by club members.

Source: www.gippsland.com

Published by: news@gippsland.com

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