The Long Haired, Semi Long Haired All Breed Cat Club

Club History

The early days of The Club

The inaugural meeting of The Long Haired Cat Club - the forerunner of our The Long Haired & Semi Long Haired Cat Club - took place at the YWCA in Great Russell Street, London on December 4th 1969, although The Club was officially formed a few weeks earlier on 14th August 1969

The officers appointed at that first meeting were Mr. De Ferry (chairman) Mrs Cordell (Treasurer) and Mrs. Jean Crockart (secretary) The committee appointed were Mrs. Dollimore, Mrs. De Ferry, Mrs Fisher, Mrs. King, Miss Page, Mrs Ruffle, Mrs Smart and Mrs. Silverman. Membership fees of 10 shillings (£0.50) per annum were agreed with a joining fee of an additional 10 shillings. It was also agreed that Mrs. Barron became Honorary President in recognition of the fact that she was the prime instigator in the forming of The Club.

At a subsequent meeting in January 1970 The Club's rosette colours of purple and gold were agreed (still the same today) and it was proposed that Mrs. Pond, Mrs. Brunton and Mrs. Spiers were appointed Vice Presidents. At the July meeting that same year Mrs. Dollimore was appointed Cup Secretary. By the end of the first year The Club had over 150 members which had increased to 180 by March 1971.

The Club's first "conference" was held in September 1971 at The Zoological Society of London (London Zoo). The hire of the hall cost £30 for the day. It was later recorded that the conference made a loss of £8.25.

The first show was held at Chelsea Town Hall on October 11th 1972. Mrs. Pond and Mrs. Johnson were appointed joint show managers. Entry fees in those days seem to have been somewhat different from what we know today.

Open classes £0.40 for members (£0.45 for non members)) Side classes £0.35 (£0.40) Club Classes £0.30, Penning - single £0.25 or double £0.50. Exhibition pens £1.50, Catalogues £0.20. Entry to show hall £0.25. A quick calculation would seem to indicate that you could enter a cat in an open class, three side classes, have a catalogue and entry pass and still have change for a cup of tea out of £2.50. Oh where have those days gone! The profit on that first show was about £250.

By this time our present day patrons, Mr Wickham-Ruffle & Mr. John Strang were on the committee. Because he had been in office for five years Mr. De Ferry had to stand down as chairman and Mr. Wickham-Ruffle was appointed chair in 1974.

The Club seems to have continued doing well for a number of years and by 1978 Mr Wickham-Ruffle is still chairman, Mr. Strang is now secretary and a Miss Bench treasurer.

The Club's finances were quite healthy with over £2,500 in the bank. Membership seems to have peaked at about 300 and then fluctuated around 200 to 250.

Reading through the old committee minutes they seem to have been concerned then, as we are now, with similar matters. The show, how to keep membership numbers at a constant level, trophies, the GCCF etc etc.

The Club's name was changed to The Long Haired & Semi Long Haired Cat Club in 1992/3 following the formation of the 'new' semi long hair section by the GCCF.

In 2017 The Club again changed its name to The Long Haired, Semi Long Haired and All Breed Cat Club.

Past Chairmen
The following people have been chairman of The Club since it's inauguration.

1969-1974 Mr. De Ferry

1974-1979 Mr. Wickham-Ruffle

1979-1980 Mr. John Strang

1980-1985 Mr. Wickham-Ruffle

1985-1988 Mrs. Jean Clare

1988-1992 Mrs. Coral Allam

1992-1996 Mr. Ken Langford

1996-2002 Mrs. Pat Sandford

2002-2005 Mrs. Joyce Green

2005-2008 Mr. Geoffrey Tarr