Between 1910 and 1912 there were 6 clubs in Britain.

Dublin was started by Stuart Morrow in 1911, an Irish sometime member of the San Francisco Club. Belfast was also started by Morrow with help from Dublin. These were private ventures. London was started in 1911 by an extension committee from Chicago under American Harvey Wheeler of Boston and Canadian Arthur Bigelow, both from the Initial Services Company which had offices in London. This club was affiliated to the IARC. The Irish clubs were not at first and Chicago and Paul Harris knew nothing about them for over a year!!

They then encouraged Morrow to start other clubs including Manchester which was already in existence in 1911 founded by a colleague of Wheelers called Sayer Smith. Glasgow is another Morrow Club from this time and Edinburgh is slightly later in 1912.

The British Association of Rotary Clubs was founded in 1914. At no time during this period did Harris come to Britain. How far he knew what was going on is a matter of conjecture but he did sign charters. He did plan to visit the UK in 1921 for the International convention in Edinburgh but because of ill health he was unable to do so and his first visit was in 1928 some 30 years after his last visit. (see freighter)

Also see ../../memorial/restless/index.htm

Also see: ../../ireland-uk