Imperial Service Club - Joining RACA

Joining RACA

The Union Club merger was rejected the following week. RACA’s President at the time, Basil Clifton, later recalled that the Union club had a problem because “at that time some nurses were members of the Imperial Club but the Union Club did not accept lady members. So the Imperial Club approached me and, after due discussion with the RACA Council, we decided that we would go ahead with a merger.”

The Imperial Service Club was incorporated within RACA in 1986. At RACA’s annual general meeting of February 1987, a special resolution was passed that the name of the club be changed to Royal Automobile Club of Australia incorporating Imperial Service Club. The ISC was allowed to devolve its assets into RACA as a subsidiary company, ISC Holdings Pty Ltd. The voluntary liquidation of this company was begun in 1991, the first distribution of $1,700,000 being noted in the RACA President’s Report of that year.

RACA’s 100th year saw the opening of the newly refurbished ISC Lounge on the third floor of the Macquarie Street Clubhouse. From there the Imperial Service Club continues its activities, as it moves forward towards its own centenary.

With thanks to ISC members past and present, including Colonel John S Haynes, Brig John A Gilchrist, Major-General AC Murchison, Gordon Maitland and Max Wallis.