REGISTERED BY AUSTRALIA POST - PUBLICATION No. VBH 6369
DECEMBER 2008
An unexpected discovery
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Up to now, little was known about the first president of the Swiss Club, in fact, not even his full name was known. Despite extensive research by the ‘History Book Task Force’ at the time of compiling the history book, nothing could be found other than his initials and name: M.L.W. Grasset. Thanks to fellow member Beryl Black, this mystery has been resolved quite unexpectedly. Beryl, who knew a Grasset family living in Switzerland with connections to Australia, noticed hanging on a wall in the club restaurant a membership certificate from the year 1900, signed by the president M.L.W. Grasset. Beryl got curious and after contacting the family in Switzerland and researching its family tree, it was found that M.L.W. Grasset stands for Marc Louis William Grasset, and he was indeed the first president of the Swiss Club of Victoria! Not only do we know now what the initials stand for, From the first president to the current president: Beryl Black presenting what he looked like and that he was born in Geneva M. Louis W. Grasset’s William Tell to Rolf Huber in 1851, but we even have something very special that Club history and decided to present it to the Club as a gift. This valuable belonged to him. artwork will now befittingly adorn the walls of the Swiss Club as a Michelle Grasset, M.L.W.’s grand-daughter, many years reminder of the Club’s distant past. The Club is very grateful to Beryl ago gave Beryl something that was handed down to her Black for this most generous gift! by her grand-father: a framed image of William Tell. The image is not a painting or photography, but a very finely woven grey and silver textile. Back to seven again… Beryl realised that this is in fact a piece of In the September issue of the ‘Edelweiss’ he was introduced as a new editorial contributor and in this issue as a new member of the SCV committee! At the Half-Yearly General Meeting held on Wednesday, 17 September, Damian Schaller was elected as the seventh member of the committee. Great to see the committee at full-strength again! Read more about Damian on page 20.
M. Louis W. Grasset with his Australian wife Hannah Burville
From l. to r: Derrick Wildi, Gerda Probst, Barbara Kündig, Patrick Rychner, Oliver Altermatt, Damian Schaller and Rolf Huber
89 Flinders Lane • Melbourne 3000 • Victoria • Australia • w w w.s w i s s .o r g.au/s w i s sc lu bv i c
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