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History of Rotary District 1210
The District comprises of the majority of the
English Counties of Shropshire (16 clubs), Staffordshire (24 clubs),
and part of the West Midlands. (15 clubs) The majority of Shropshire is
rural, the West Midlands is industrial and Staffordshire has a large
urban area - the Potteries, and the
rural areas of the Staffordshire Moorlands and Cannock Chase. Ludlow is our most southerly club and Leek the
club furthest North
Following the formation of the Birmingham Club in
1913 the clubs in the area began to increase and in 1923 were
designated District 6.
Three District Chairman, who were later to become
Presidents of BARC/RIBI were from Clubs currently in District 1210
including Tom Warren (Wolverhampton) who was to become President of R.I. 1945 –
1946.
In 1986 Noel Fryer, (Blackfriars) having served
time as RIBI Treasurer became President of RIBI and went on to be a
Director of R.I. and its Treasurer. The current Honorary Editor of
Rotary Today (RIBI’s national magazine) John Pike is a member of a
District 1210 club (Sedgley & Wombourne).
The honour of being the oldest club in the
District, both formed by the Rotary Club of Birmingham, is contested
by the Rotary Clubs of Wolverhampton, (Charter date 25th
May 1922) and Walsall (Charter date 1st June 1922.)
although Walsall
has a lower Reg. No. 61 compared to Wolverhampton’s No.77.
The Rotary Club of Dudley was also chartered in
1922. (No. 89)
Whitchurch, was formed by the Rotary Club of
Chester (District 1180) and two appeared to have sponsored
themselves (Stafford & Stone & District), The others have their
origins with the first clubs including 3 not in our District. (Royal
Leamington Spa, Lichfield, & Nuneaton (1060) and Oswestry (1180
The District had a number change in 1957 and the
District 6 became 106.
In 1974 with the growth of the number of Clubs in
District 106 it was decided to ‘split’ the District. Generally the
District’s Southern Clubs remained in District 106 whilst the 37
Northern clubs formed a new District - 121
With the advent of computer technology R.I.
decided to add a zero (0) to all District Numbers and District 1210
was ‘born’.
In the years 2003 – 2007 saw the largest number of
clubs in the District (59) but since that date we have dropped to 55
Clubs with membership ranging from 11 to 63 with an average
membership of 31 (Dec. 2009)
We have clubs meeting Sunday to Friday. We have
for clubs meeting for Breakfast twelve meeting for Lunch with the
remainder (38) meeting between 6pm and 8pm. Some clubs do have
varied meeting times.
Keith W. Higgins
Past District Governor (RGHF Member)
6th February 2010
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