The History of Inner Wheel

The Inner Wheel Emblem

A Brief History of Inner Wheel

Rotary International was founded in Chicago Illinois by Paul Harris in 1905 and within 10 years it had spread to the British Isles. Many kinds of community service were embarked on by Rotarians which often involved the co-operation of their wives. Usually a ladies committee was set up to help on a project and then disbanded. However some groups stayed together, enjoying the friendships they had made and often initiating further service on their own account. Social events were organised and speakers invited to entertain and inform.

Thus unofficial groups of ladies with Rotary connections were meeting in various parts of the country unknown to each other, prior to 1923.

At this time in Britain there was still a marked divide between the comfortably off and the downright poor, and there was virtually no welfare or social services at all, so there was plenty of scope for voluntary work.

And so it was that, on 15 November 1923 a group of ladies, much encouraged by their Rotarian husbands, called a meeting at Herriott