100 years of Rotary in Wales

Mr William Ashcombe Chamen - Founder President.

Rotary Cardiff celebrates the 100 years of its Charter on Wednesday 1st November 2017.  The dinner will take place where Rotary held its first ever meeting in Wales.  Formerly the Park Hotel, now Jury’s Inn Hotel, Park Place, Cardiff.  7pm for 7.30 pm.  Tickets cost £30 and available from evanthomas242@btinternet.com.

Prior to the event a church service will be held at 6pm at United Reform Church, Windsor Place, Cardiff.  All are welcome.  

Over a year before the end of the Great War of 1914 to 1918 – shortly before the defining Battle of Passchendaele - a group of Cardiff business leaders decided to form a Rotary Club.  When they met, Rotary had been an international organisation for 12 years.

Although some doubts were expressed about the appropriateness of starting such a club during wartime, the proposal was agreed to form a Rotary Club in Cardiff, in affiliation with the British Association of Rotary Clubs.

It was to become the 17th Rotary Club in Britain but the first in Wales. The first formal luncheon was held at the Park Hotel, Cardiff with electrical engineer, Mr William Ashcombe Chamen, (pictured) as the founder president.

 A few months later, early in 1918, several members attended the inaugural meeting of the Rotary Club of Llanelli. By 1919 the Rotary Club of Swansea had been formed. So began a centenary of Rotary service in Wales