Records show the existence of a Photographic Society in Chelmsford for many years prior to the advent of our club. However, there is no known link between that organisation and ours.
The initial meeting of our club took place in the Borough Library on the 22nd January 1952 for the purpose of forming a club. 74 members of the public attended.64 applications were received and it was resolved that preparations would be made by a working committee for the inaugural meeting.
The first Annual General Meeting was held on 22nd April 1952. The constitution and rules were adopted and four principal officers were elected. The club was titled "The Chelmsford and District Camera Club".
During the intervening three months two meetings were held; one a print criticism evening assisted by two members of the Maldon Club and the other to select entries for the East Anglian Federation exhibition. Although our entries were all rejected, our members were enthusiastic enough to fill the coach which took them to Great Yarmouth for the exhibition in May.
Our first exhibition was staged as part of the Coronation Celebrations in June 1953. It was sponsored by the Chelmsford Borough Council and open to all Essex photographers.
According to the records the last committee held under name of The Chelmsford and District Camera Club was on 14th June 1967. The first committee meeting to be held under the present name of "Chelmsford Camera Club" was on 15th August 1967.
May 11th - 18th 2002 saw the staging of our Golden Jubilee exhibition which was held in conjunction with the Chelmsford Cathedral Festival of Music and Arts. The venue was in the foyer of The Central Baptist Church in Victoria Road South where we displayed 105 prints dating from 1953 to 2002. We also displayed a computer presentation of 64 scanned slides and digital photographs.