OUR HISTORY - past and present
A brief history of the Rotary Club of Cambridge together with some records which might be of interest to the wider audience
Here is a complete list of all members of the club since it was founded in 1922
From time to time the club grants Paul Harris Fellowships and the Roger Asbury Award
The brief history of the club
Founded in 1905 on the ideas of Paul Harris, a Chicago lawyer, Rotary was originally confined to the U.S.A. It soon spread to the U.K. clubs being established in Belfast 1911, London 1912, and Manchester 1913.
The idea was infectious and Rotary came to Cambridge in 1922, only four years after the end of the Great War, as it was then known.
E.S.Peck, a pharmaceutical chemist, who became our first President, along with C.B. Bowes, a bookseller, set up a small committee with the object of forming a club. This led to 31 men being invited to become founder members.
The first meeting took place on the 20th June 1922 and our Charter; Rotary International Club 1416 is dated 28th September 1922.
This pioneer group consisted of men from diverse trades and professions, one of the strengths of Rotary being the belief that all occupations are worthy of respect and have a contribution to make. The spread continued, with our Club encouraging the founding of Cambridge South 1966, Cambridge Rutherford 1983, and Cambridge Sawston 1987.
Harnessing the skills and enthusiasm of individuals in our Club has resulted in many successful achievements, some being worldwide, and others at local level. In 1928, the Club supported the formation of The Cambridge Preservation Society, and the Club was the inspiration behind the establishment of the Cambridge Folk Museum in 1934. Support was also given to the Y.M.C.A and members were active in the support of their Boy's Club until its demise in 1962.
After W.W.2 the pace of change accelerated and the world became much more inclusive. So has Cambridge Rotary. The Club has become dual gender and our first lady president was appointed in 2002.
Changes in technology have made it much easier to communicate, with the result that more recent projects have included support for disaster relief via Shelter Boxes, a Rotary inspired charity. Our own Club has organised and transported caravans to provide help to families made homeless by earthquakes in Italy in 1980 and later Greece and Turkey 1999.
At a local level, activities have included practical and physical support for educational projects concerned with drugs and their effects, mock interviews to help young people to improve their presentation techniques, courses to promote leadership and team building, and inter school tournaments in conjunction with the university to develop design and practical skills.
The Club has also sponsored concerts and events to raise money for local charities. The list is endless and will continue to be so.
In the words of a Club member, echoed by one of our lady presidents, we must continue to adopt, adapt and improve.
With help, perhaps yours, we shall.
'What We Do' Main Pages:
Our annual opportunity for Young Photographers to show off their skills, with Local, District and National stages.
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We have been awarded a Bronze Certificate, in recognition of donations to Shelterbox of £2,000 in 2023-4
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We are supporting this successful and worthwhile cause, currently with £500 of investment in multiple small enterprises
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Several of our Local entrants had success at District and National level last year. We are running our competitions again this year
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Our popular event for school choirs and their families & friends raised over £15,000 for local children's charities. The 2024 Concert will be on Friday 13 December at West Road Concert Hall - details coming soon
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We organise two-day breaks at a National Trust site in N Norfolk for young people aged 12-15 who probably won't get any other holiday
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Combating AMR was the focus of our 2023-24 President's Charity, Antibiotic Research UK. We raised nearly £6000 in support
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Our Junior Competition entrant has gone on to win at National Level. Our Intermediate Team won third prize in their group
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Past President John Martin uses his building skills to help the locals create a community centre for this deprived settlement in The Gambia, only a few miles from the luxurious tourist resorts on the coast
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We raised funds supporting Ukrainians both in Ukraine and in Cambridge & East Anglia from several events in 2022
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The East Anglian District and National Rotary Magazines feature the wide range of charitable and fellowship activities that Rotary Clubs enjoy
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We and our colleagues in the three other Cambridge clubs celebrated 100 years of Rotary service in 2022
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We are part of a worldwide movement of 46,000 Rotary clubs with a total of 1.4 million members. We enjoy a range of informal fellowship events while supporting local and international charities
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Cambridge Aid does great work in support of Cambridge residents in need. In 2019-21 we raised over £12,500 and we continue to support them
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RYLA offers an intensive 7-day course for 18-26 year-olds, helping them to develop as future leaders
moreA sample of our members' varied interests and significant contributions to the local community
moreA brief history of the Rotary Club of Cambridge together with some records which might be of interest to the wider audience
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