Bruce Cattenach of Fairfield did talk shop with Howard Bressington (also of Fairfield) and Howard sometimes passed the time of day with Carl Dawson of Carramar, who occasionally exchanged visits with Ron Bidwell of Fairfield. Howard Bressington also fraternised with Tome Hughes of Blacktown.
Eventually, Bruce Cattenach's suggestions that some sort of price stabilisation should be practiced, resulted in a meeting at Bruce's home.

This meeting was attended by Bruce Cattenach, Bruce Ruston, Carl Dawson, John Clifton, Howard Bressington, and Tome Hughes.

They all attended a second meeting at Bruce's home a couple of weeks later with Ron Bidwell an interested participant. Barry Russell, John Craig and Ken Miller are others whose names come to mind in remembering ensuing meetings.

6th March 1967... This ever growing group attended a meeting at Howard Blessington's place with the inclusion of Ray Boyd of Merrylands and Peter Elmore, an employee of Westside Signs (Howard's firm)

Bruce Cattenach was elected Chairman for the night. After some debate, the title 'Signpact Signwriters' Association' was adopted, which later was abbreviated to 'Signwriters Association' by Mr A.H Kington (the solicitor who drew up the articles of association).

Bruce Ruston moved, that the night be declared the Associations 'Inaugural Meeting', Tom Hughes seconded the motion which was carried unanimously!
 
The First working committee President,Vice President,Secretary,Treasurer, 3 Committee members.
 then elected and comprised the following...Bruce Cattenach, Tom Hughes, Howard Blessington, Bruce Ruston, Carl Dawson, Ray Boyd   (Ray dropped out in July 1967), John Clifton
 
Invitations were mailed to all writers in the Sydney Metropolitan area as listed in the 'Pink Pages' inviting them to our first official meeting which was held in the Parramata East Progress Association Hall, North Parramata.
More than 40 writers attended, some accompanied by their wives.

Two representatives of the Master Printers Association offered the opinion that we would never get our Association of the ground- 'It has been tried before by Dave Claney and others'- and that we would be better served by being members of the M.P.A.
After the meeting, Lorna Dawson, Shirley Bressington and Dolly Bidwell provided supper.
 
The First Price List recommended and hourly rate charge out of $3.00, this price list prompted by Max Picard visiting Australia from New Zealand, who forwarded us the NZSDA Newsletters and price list, the format of which was adopted by NSW.
In October 1967 a Signwriter from Melbourne breezed into Carl Dawson's workshop and was invited to attend our General Meeting on 5th Oct. His name- Russell Martin. Russel accepted the invitation and informed us that the Victorian Signcraftsmen's Association had been formed in 1963 and that the members might entertain some liaison with our members.

Our First Social Event was held on a Wednesday December 6th 1967 at the Westella Ballrooms, Auburn. Cost was $4.00 per head and 160 participated!

The name was changed to 'Signcraftsmen's Association' as an acceptance of the Victorian Association's description of the varied application in our industry.
 

First national magazine was produced to publicise the existence of  The Signcraftsmen's Association and to promote 'Sign Seminar Seventy Three'. The second convention was attended by Canberra and District Signwriters' Association representatives Joe Deren and Ian Hodges. This Association evolved during the previous year.

Also participating in this seminar, were 'writers from the Newcastle area - Keith Greenwood, George Bear and others who informed us 'The Master Signwriters Association' had been formed in Newcastle in 1964 growing to a membership of more than a dozen in 1965, when the 'First Annual Dinner' was held. Through lack of support, the Newcastle venture petered out in 1967 or 68 virtually overlapping the emergence of the Sydney commencement.

November: Don Prairie from Tasmania attended a National Meeting in Melbourne with a view to forming a Tasmanian Association. It was eventually decided, however, that affiliation with Victoria was the most feasible course because of lack of sufficient numbers to set up a committee.

The Sign Association of Australia is now operative in the entire eastern seaboard of Australia, with the West Australian Association operative in W.A. South Australia is the only state where the Signcraftsmen operate under the M.P.A

Members who have shown by example a professional and committed approach to the Sign Industry in their State over a long period of time. Members who have given of themselves to support  their  Association have earned the right to life membership in the State Branch to which they belong..

We hope over time that this area will grow with details about the life members and their accomplishments, we look forward to gathering information toward this end. 

Please let us know if you have any details relevant to these pages, it has been hard going finding information for some of these people especially their photos. We won't give up, so please keep checking back in.