PAST PRESIDENTS

A Big Thankyou to Rtn. Chandrashekhar Mali for designing this wonderful Wall-chart

We recognise the Past Presidents of our club

Presidents 1912 to 1935

Edgar Stanley Leverton

Presidents 1936 to 1945

Early Technlogical Marvels . . .

Presidents 1946 to 1960

President 1986 - 1987

President Bill Nimmo 1986/1987

The year 1986/87 proved to be an outstanding one in the annals of the Club. Who better to preside over our 75th Anniversary than that gifted speaker and excellent publicist Bill Nimmo? There were so many highlights in his year that it may be best to name them in chronological order. The year started with the dinner at Simpson’s in the Strand to commemorate the first interest meeting of the Club in 1911, where its fellowship was exemplified by some hilarious entertainment. There followed a most successful House Party in Salisbury and a special performance of the BBC programme ‘Any Questions’ where the audience contained various Club Members. In between Bill arranged for a most distinctive array of speakers to address the Club, from the world of music and entertainment, from broadcasting, business and charitable services and politics, not to forget the General of The Salvation Army. And he himself managed to address 24 Clubs in RIBI and even distinguished himself by speaking to various Clubs in South Africa. The club’s involvement with District and RIBI during the year rose to new heights.

But during all this time Bill’s main effort was directed towards the organisation of the Leonardo da Vinci prize being held in London at the end of May, 1987 together with the 75th Anniversary Banquet at the Mansion House on June 1st. The chairing of the Selection Committee of distinguished musicians who in the end selected Evelyn Glennie was an arduous task. And when Sir Yehudi Menuhin presented the award to Evelyn in the Barbican in front of the 8 Leonardo Clubs from all over Europe, who was to imagine that the young Scottish percussionist would soon become a world-famous artist entertaining millions? Our continental friends were royally entertained through home hospitality and a memorable river trip. The banquet, attended by the Lord Mayor and his Sheriffs and many distinguished Rotary guests including RI President Matt Caparras, and of course all the Leonardo Clubs, proved to be a glittering occasion.

During Bill’s year £25,000 was allocated for charitable purposes including donations to St. Marylebone Centre for Counselling and The Salvation Army’s Training College development. A Paul Harris Fellowship was awarded to P.P. Claude Calmon for his on-going organisation of the biennial trips of the Deaf Children to Switzerland. In a unique swan-song Claude Calmon accompanied Bill at the piano as Bill sang words written by himself to the melody, ‘Thanks for the memory’.

President 1987 - 1988

President Kurt A. Oppenheim 1987/1988

The Rotary year of 1987/88 under the presidency of Kurt Oppenheim, has been described by some as a ‘regal’ year, because of the number of royals who had association with the club. The president met both HRH the Prince of Wales and Princess Diana. The bumper occasion however was when HRH the Duke of Edinburgh came to address the club on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the granting of our charter, in the presence of many civil dignitaries and representatives of other clubs and officials in the district. The Duke acknowledged that like the president, he was once a refugee from Europe!

Speakers during the year included the Home Secretary, Douglas Hurd, the Rt. Hon. Cecil Parkinson M.P., the Lord Mayor of London and Westminster, members of the diplomatic corps, Lord Butterworth, Lord Bramhall, the Lord Lieutenant of London, Sir Colin Marshall, chief executive of British Airways, Leslie Crowther, Esther Rantzen, Bryn Williams and Hugh McNeil amongst a veritable array of distinguished people.

A most lively House Party was enjoyed at Stratford on Avon and a Vocational Dinner in the House of Lords. Wonderful though as these social events were, much greater satisfaction arose from the ‘Dreamflight’ project, organised by Howard Sylvester and Geoffrey Bradley when through the generosity of British Airways and club members, 300 children suffering from a terminal illness were taken to Disney World in Orlando, Florida, USA for the outing of a lifetime. Another fulfilling charitable project was the third sponsored holiday for 12 profoundly deaf children from Oak Lodge school to Switzerland.

Fifteen new members were inducted during the year. A group went to Wuerzburg for the Leonardo da Vinci prize-giving event. Vocational visits were made to the City Financial institutions, the British Library and Scotland Yard. Ted Beeton had a wonderful garden party in his home in the Cotswolds and an enjoyable dinner – dance was held in the Portman Hotel. The year was a full and outstanding one for the club.

President 1988 - 1989

President 1988 - 1989

 President Brian Somers 1988/1989

In July, 1988 the reins of office were taken over by President Brian Somers, who took as his twin themes for the year ‘Have fun with Rotary’ and ‘Integration and Information’. The President Brian Somers was amazed and truly delighted when he walked into the traditional ‘Full House’ of members and their ladies on his first day’ luncheon meeting and discovered a party of former Hendon Round Tabler’s also there to greet him. Their banner ‘Succeed with Somers’ festooned across the wall was certainly a most unusual sight in the Cafe Royal. Brian, a former Chairman of Hendon Round Table was stopped in his tracks!

Brian’s second slogan ‘Information and Integration’ was particularly aimed at new members in order that as quickly as possible they should understand the full ideals of Rotary and be integrated within our Club. His first applied to everybody with particular emphasis on joining in all the many and varied activities. Shortly after the beginning of the new year a memorable visit by 22 members to our Contact Club in Italy, Florence was superbly organised by P.P. Fred Goldsmith.

Myrna Somers viewed this as the highlight of the social year and was a trip never to be forgotten!

Other activities during the year included a vocational theme dinner at the City Livery Club, a vocational visit to London City airport, a group visit to the District Conference in Eastbourne and the RIBI Conference in Bournemouth, a lively House Party at the Carlton Hotel in Bournemouth, organised by P.P. Douglas Smee and Ted Beeton, and a visit from the Rotary Club of Amsterdam in April. There were also the usual ‘Youth Makes Music’ and ‘Youth Speaks’ events; as well as participation in the Soho Festival.

The Vocational Service month of October brought us another highlight. P.P. Arthur Thompson addressed us on this subject in a manner that will long be remembered. It was an inspiring address, but tinged with sadness as Arthur was leaving our Club to continue his Salvation Army work in New Zealand. P.P. Arthur was made an Honorary Member of the R.C. of London on that day as was our other retiring distinguished member Albert Kunz. Secretaries Day at Christmas was again a great success with over 200 attending and a large sum raised for Club charities.

During the year our very warm relationship with District was cemented and the District Governor Denis Green supported or visited our Club on no less than five occasions. Brian encouraged our members to participate in all District affairs and was rewarded by seven of our members being represented on various District Committees. Some club members were honoured – P.P. Ray Bell with a Paul Harris Fellowship; Sir Sigmund Sternberg with a Paul Harris Fellowship and the highest decoration of the German Democratic Republic, the Gold Star of International Friendship and also admission by H.M. the Queen as an Associate Officer Brother of the Order of St. John. Three distinguished members passed on to higher service – Walter Sichel after 57 years as a member of the club, Ted Darlow and Ernest Ascher. The lives of many members had been greatly enriched by each of them.

A dazzling collection of speakers throughout the year chosen by Bob Graham, brought variety and inspiration to the weekly meetings. They included Sam Wanamaker, trustee of the Globe Theatre, Harold Ellis, Professor of Surgery at Westminster Hospital, Ms. O’Caithain of the Milk Marketing Board, Captain Collins of HMS Belfast, Lord Chorley of the National Trust, Charles Stuart of Brymon Airways, Evelyn Glennie, Terence Spratt of Safeway, Sir Campbell Fraser of Scottish TV, Colonel Blashford Snell of Operation Raleigh, Dr. Bailey of BUPA and the High Commissioners of Nigeria and New Zealand as well as the Ambassador of Pakistan. There were also the visits from Denis Green, the District Governor, and Roy Whitby, President of RIBI.

Another highlight was the Induction of the Polish Ambassador Dr. Zbigniew Gertych and this prefaced the Rotary Club of Warsaw being established as the first Rotary Club to be re-formed in Eastern Europe, since before the Second World War.

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