History of the Club

Rotary Club of Perth Scotland History


Rotary is a worldwide network of inspired men and women who translate their passions into relevant social causes, to change lives in communities.

Made up of over 1.2 million Rotary members - known as Rotarians - in 34,000 Rotary clubs in 200 countries and geographical areas around the world, Rotary International forms a global network of business, professional and community leaders who volunteer their time and talents to serve communities locally and around the world - and form strong, lasting friendships in the process. 

Rotary clubs, like the Rotary Club of Perth, are based within local communities, with their members meeting on a regular basis to enjoy friendship, networking, and to plan projects that will benefit the lives of others.

Rotary clubs depend on the skills, expertise and dedication of their members, who work hard to change the lives of people in communities both at home and abroad.

Rotary Club of Perth History from 1917 

Rotary came to Perth in 1917, when two Edinburgh Rotarians, Dr. Thomas Stevenson and Mr. Alexander Wilkie visited the town at the suggestion of Mr. Alexander Ross of the Perth Commercial School. Other businessmen, including Francis Norie-Miller (later Sir Francis) of General Accident, were approached, with the result that a meeting was held in the Grand Hotel, Kinnoull Street.

At the meeting it was decided to form a Club, with Francis Norie-Miller as the first President and Harry Douglas as Secretary and Treasurer. The Club's Charter was presented on the 12th October 1917, when the Perth Club became Number 16:Rotary International in Great Britain & Ireland (R.I.B.I.)

It is a duty of Rotary Clubs to extend the movement, in 1917 Scotland had three Clubs, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Perth.

Since then the Perth Rotary Club has fostered the formation of Clubs in Dundee, Crieff and Blairgowrie. In Perth itself the Club has also given birth to two daughter Clubs, the Rotary Club of Perth St. John's in 1976 (now closed)], and the Rotary Club of Perth Kinnoull which received its Charter on 30th May 1992.

 

Rotary Club of Perth Now – Service above Self

Looking back over 100 years, it was people who by their actions decided whether institutions, including Rotary, should wither or flourish.

Current members of the Rotary Club of Perth, can only take credit for the past 100 years to the extent of their individual memberships. Rotary is concerned with interpreting the ideal of service, in life and work, and provides the means whereby individuals can help each other, and perhaps more importantly, others throughout the world who are less fortunate than themselves.

Service can take many forms and develop in many different ways through the efforts and the skills of individual members; but it is Rotary which gives the opportunity, and that is the most important legacy left by our members over the past 94 years - the Rotary Club of Perth.

There are currently around 70 members, men and women, of the Rotary Club of Perth with backgrounds in all walks of life.  Some are long-standing members serving the community over decades; others are new to the Club and to the Rotary Fellowship bringing their own experiences and energy to serve in their own way. 

The Club welcomes new members at any time.  If the idea interests you, then please do get in touch and one of our members will get in touch and introduce you to what we do. 

 
  Club Members - 1917
Back Row: Dugald Walker, A.W.Brown, W.E.Thomson, Walter Stewart,
David Anderson, A.B.Lunan.
Third Row: J.S.Donald, T.Teal, Martin Bates, A.Duff, John Buchan, Roger Hall, J.McIntyre-Cathles, W.McCracken.
Second Row: Robert Campbell, John Forbes, Francis Norie-Miller,
Alexander (Alex) Ross, Mayhew Allan, J.McKinlay.
Front Row: Thomas Hunter, Frank Eastman, Thomas Love.
 
 

 

 

 

 Club Members -2017

Perth Rotary Members 2017

 

 

History of the Club sub-pages:

ADJ and family

Why I joined Rotary - AJD

more Alistair J Duffy tells why he joined Rotary

Amanda Frenz from Lindsays solicitors and Ray Faherty from Oakbank Financial Services

Amanda Frenz Why I joined Rotary

more Amanda explains why she joined Rotary as a business member

David, Sara, Shelagh and Bev at the District Conference 2025

Conference of Rotarians

more The Rotary District of which we are a part holds an annual conference

Celebration of Hamish Milne's 50th Anniversary with guest Gordon McInally, Past President Rotary International (2023-24)

Hamish Milne 50th Anniversary with Rotary

more A special lunch celebration for Hamish Milne's 50th anniversary with guest Gordon McInally

New Members' Induction

Five New Members in One Day

more Five Local and International Members join us

New Business members

Business Associate Membership

more Business membership of the Rotary Club of Perth

Rotary Club of Perth Centenary Logo

The Rotary Club of Perth Centenary

more The Rotary Club of Perth was founded in 1917

History of Rotary and our Paul Harris Fellows

more History of the Paul Harris Fellows and Rotary Club of Perth members

Club Presidents before 2019

more Past Presidents