Our History

A brief history of Aberdeen St. Fittick


After having reached the momentous decision to form a Rotary Club in the Harbour / Torry / Tullos areas of Aberdeen the District Extension Officer, Alf Hyland, began to gather prospective members from that catchment area.

 

For the first two months, whilst the club began to form, it met in the Imperial Hotel, Aberdeen with the very original steering committee consisting of James Anderson, Bill Doig, John McKay, Bill McKay, Jack Young and Norris Whyte.

 

The club then moved to the Amatola Hotel where they continued to meet every Wednesday lunch time for the next six years in the bar (of course). The Inaugural Meeting was held at the Amatola on Wednesday 8th November 1967 and was attended by 35 founder members with 26 other Rotary Clubs being represented.

 

The meeting was chaired by the District Governor J.L. Hunter Scott.

 

Five months later on the 16th February 1968 the new Aberdeen St. Fittick Rotary Club 33 members strong was chartered, again presided over by J. L. Hunter Scott with members from 16 other clubs being in attendance.

 

The club continued to flourish with the Amatola Hotel as its home until 1973 when the Queen’s Hotel was honoured with its presence until 1981 at which time the club moved to grace the Treetops Hotel with its plaque on the wall and whilst there it celebrated its 25th Anniversary.

 

The club was delighted that many of the founder members were in attendance that evening, Friday 19th March 1993 when the membership stood at a very healthy 55 with 1 Honorary member.

 

Mervyn Donald was in the chair and many tales of the previous 25 years were recalled many of them factual but some with some embellishment.

 

It was at the Queen’s Hotel that the club, always looking for something to celebrate, decided that a 30th Anniversary was well worth celebrating so that is what they did on Wednesday 25th March 1998. At this celebration the main speaker was that very well known Broadcaster, Author and Journalist, Jack Webster and in the chair was Alastair Robertson and fun and fellowship was plentiful.

 

After some years the club, in its wisdom combined with a change of policy on the part of the Treetops Hotel, moved its home back to the Queen’s where it thrived until the Queen’s was bought over by Malmaison.

 

After forty years why should another celebration opportunity be missed? so under the watchful eye of David Alton, in the chair and the leading toast presented by Norman Esslemont, the Club enjoyed an excellent meal at the Douglas Hotel.

 

After departing from the Queen’s Hotel the club moved to Curl Aberdeen where it very happily remains up to now and very ably catered for by an outside caterer.

'What We Do' Main Pages:

Club information

more  

A brief history of Aberdeen St. Fittick

more  

Find out more about what Rotary is and does.

more  

The origins of our club name

more  

News and updated on recent club activities

more  

Many hands make light work!

more  

Our activities in the local community

more  

Our activities helping communities overseas.

more  

Our activities helping young people in our local communities.

more  

Our activities helping the not so young in our local communities.

more