The Bread and Cheese Club was a Melbourne-based Australian art and literary society and publisher. It was founded in June 1938 with the purpose of fostering “Mateship, Art and Letters”. Its membership was all male. It promoted Australian writers and published about 40 books, as well as a magazine. The person principally involved in founding and running the organisation was book collector J. K. Moir, the club's “Knight Grand Cheese” from its foundation until 1952. Following Moir's death in 1958 the club went into a decline and eventually closed in 1988.
Publications
Bohemia, subtitled "the all-Australian literary magazine", was published from 1939 to 1967. Other publications, mainly of poetry and personal tributes issued in the 1940s, include:
Allan, J. Alex (1940), Revolution Anon. (1940). Catalogue: Australian art and literature exhibition, sponsored by the Bread and Cheese Club Anon. (1942), John Shaw Neilson: a memorial Anon. (1946), Exhibition by fellows of the Bread and Cheese Club Art Group: at the Myer Gallery, from 2 July until 13 July 1946 Anon. (1947), An English wreath for Gordon's grave Anon. (1955), Miles Franklin: a tribute, by some of her friends Archer, A. Lee (1941). Tom Collins (Joseph Furphy) as I knew him Barrett, Charles (1942), Art of the Australian Aboriginal Brogden, Stanley (1941), Tribute Brogden, Stanley (1942), The Australian freelance (Several editions published) Challman, Oscar (1967), Tributes in verse Cobb, Victor E. (1940), The etched work of Victor Cobb Croll, Robert Henderson (1946), An autobituary Dalziel, Kathleen (1941), "Known and not held" Doorly, Gerald S. (1943), The songs of the "Morning" (Words by John D. Morrison) Fleay, David (1947), Gliders of the gum trees: the most beautiful and enchanting Australian marsupials Grahame, Jim (1940), Call of the bush Gross, Alan (1948), Attainment: being a critical study of the literature of federation: with bibliography Lapthorne, Alice M. (1946), Mildura calling (Foreword by Bernard Cronin) Law, Marjorie J. (1945), Rain songs Malloch, Harry (1940), A brief history of the Bread and Cheese Club Malloch, H. W. (ed). (1943), Fellows all: The chronicles of the Bread and Cheese Club Malloch, H. W. (1951), Brief character sketch of John Kinmont Moir Mawdesley, Christina (1944), The corroboree tree and twelve shorter poems of Melbourne's early days of settlement Mountford, C. P. (1951). Art of Albert Namatjira O'Leary, Patrick I. (1939), The bread and cheese book: A selection of verses Pitts, Judith (1943), Cold hearthstone Swan, Robert A. (1946), Argonauts returned, and other poems (Foreword by R. H. Croll) Tierney, T. V. (1942), Nerangi Mundowie. (Lines written on viewing etching by Victor Cobb) Wannan, William (1943), The corporal's story West, Harvey (1945), Belsen Wye, W. J. (1941), Bush minstrelsy
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