Item 41 - Centenary Handbook of the Hobart Chamber of Commerce

The Hobart Chamber of Commerce was established in 1851, following a meeting of merchants and other business men held on 3 February 1851. Henry Hopkins, a well known Hobart merchant, presided over the meeting, which proposed that merchants, shipowners, ship masters, traders and manufacturers of Hobart Town should form themselves into an association to be styled the Hobart Town Chamber of Commerce to protect and promote their common commercial interests. There were to be 12 directors with a chairman, deputy chairman and secretary who were to meet every month and two general meetings were to be held every year. In 1856 the Chamber was granted the privilege of nominating three of the Wardens of the Marine Board.