History of Falmouth Rotary

The Rotary Club of Falmouth was formed in 1922 with 15 founder members. 

Background:

At a meeting at the Royal Hotel on the 20th April, 1922 a proposition was put to form a Rotary Club in the town which was passed unanimously. There were 13 individuals present and together with two others not present at the meeting they became the 15 founder members. These included a bank manager, a coal merchant, a draper, an accountant, a fish merchant, a printer, a master baker, a grocer and two solicitors.

During the 1920’s the fortunes of the club fluctuated with attendances very haphazard, often only a handful arriving. An early secretary recounted that on at least one occasion he was the only member to appear and after eating a solitary lunch he drank the loyal toast and went back to work. In the late 20’s there was even talk of winding the club up. Finances were not of high order and at the end of 1929 there was only 6 shillings and 2 pence in the bank, (33 pence in today’s currency)!

Originally it seems to have been virtually a luncheon club. However in 1925 the club entertained 50 visiting Australian schoolboys to lunch and a coach trip. In 1929 the first Community Service act seems to have taken place with provision of a radio to the Poor Law Institution at a cost of £14. In 1931 the club was instrumental in forming the Falmouth Sea Scouts both  by an injection of cash and the active participation of some members. In the early days the club supported the town by planting a row of colourful May trees along the pavement on the approach to the railway station, by presenting the town with a bird bath, (now almost completely hidden in Rosehill Gardens) and the provision of a shelter in the Princess Street gardens overlooking the harbour. 

To celebrate 75 years of Rotary the club members themselves carried out several works of improvement to Budock Hospital, including the provision of a hard surfaced picnic terrace, a paddling pool and an allotment garden. Another large project undertaken by the club was to create an amenity area in Boslowick. A piece of ground was found and purchased, cleared by the members, ploughed, rotovated and laid to grass. In addition it was discovered that a community hall was required so together with the newly formed community association the necessary funds were raised to bring this about.

The club has sponsored the formation of three new Rotary Clubs in the District. The first of these was St Ives Rotary Club in 1939 just before the outbreak of war, the second was Helston Club in 1957, followed by Penryn in 1973, (sadly now no more). In October, 2011 the club celebrated the 350th Anniversary of the granting of the Royal Charter to Falmouth on the 5th October, 1661 with a celebration dinner at the Falmouth Hotel. A major part of the dinner included Iive Skype links with other Falmouths around the world including Cape Cod, Massachusetts, (from where we were addressed by the Senator of Massachusetts), Tasmania and Antigua, (from where we were addressed by High Commissioner for Antigua).