A “Twin Cities” Club Friendship in Two Countries Continues for Almost a Century
Over the past century, the Rotary Club of Philadelphia and the Rotary Club of Nottingham, England maintained a friendship that continues through today. On July 16, 2020, 1 p.m., members of the Rotary Club of Philadelphia will conduct a joint virtual meeting with members of the Rotary Club of Nottingham, England.
The two "twin" clubs have a long and storied history which dates back from the first Rotary International Convention in England in 1921, through World War II, and up to the present day. Among the more notable collaborations, the Rotary Club of Philadelphia bought two “Rolling Kitchens” for the Nottingham club to use in disaster areas during World War II.
The early period and beginning of the relationship
In the spring of 1921, the first Rotary International convention outside the United States was held in Edinburgh, Scotland, with a large number of Philadelphia Rotarians in attendance. Sixty-three years were to pass before the second convention would be held in the United Kingdom, that one in Birmingham England in 1984. The Edinburgh meeting afforded opportunities for Philadelphians to meet Rotarians from Great Britain and Ireland and France and was a great step forward for Rotary.
“From the heart of England your fellow Rotarians send this message of sincere appreciation. Deep gratitude is felt in the Rotary Club of Nottingham for the wonderful gesture of goodwill expressed by members of the Rotary Club of Philadelphia in offering to take care of our children for the duration of the war. Circumstances that proved insuperable denied us the pleasure of availing ourselves of such generous hospitality.
Your magnificent gift of dollars to provide two Mobile Feeding Units for the relief and sustenance of those in dire distress will remain as an outstanding feature of the real friendship between us.”
—Rotary Club of Nottingham, 1940
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During the course of the convention, Philadelphia Rotarians were especially entertained by the Nottingham England delegates. The bond which drew them together was the similar manufacturing industries of the two cities, and ever since that time the cities have had close and cordial relations. In recognition of its adoption by the Philadelphia club, the Nottingham club presented a beautiful bronze emblem mounted on a handsome wooden base as a symbol of friendship. The Philadelphia Club reciprocated with what was then a novel lectern -the first of its kind to be built so far as is known- designed to stand on the head table of the presiding officer and to accommodate his notes, a clock, and a reading light.
From Edinburgh, the Rotarians visited the London Rotary Club, held in the historic old guild hall and received from the London club a gavel and it’s presentation box made from wood from the tree that grew on the residence property of William Penn at Jordans, England. Philadelphia’s first president, Glenn Mead, spoke movingly in accepting the gift.
World War II and post-war period
The advent of the war in Europe changed the whole atmosphere of Rotary International, emphasizing the service facet as a challenge to Rotarians in America, which was at first not directly involved. For example, the Philadelphia club offered to “adopt” for the duration of the war, children from Nottingham, England, to free their parents from the fear of injury to them from German bombs or the havoc of an invasion. The Philadelphians were earnest in their offer but the hazards of the ocean crossing made it advisable to abandon the project.
Nottingham Club Mobile Feeding Unit
A thank you message was received from the Nottingham Club in 1940, “From the heart of England your fellow Rotarians send this message of sincere appreciation. Deep gratitude is felt in the Rotary Club of Nottingham for the wonderful gesture of goodwill expressed by members of the Rotary Club of Philadelphia in offering to take care of our children for the duration of the war. Circumstances that proved insuperable denied us the pleasure of availing ourselves of such generous hospitality.”
The Philadelphia Club bought two “Rolling Kitchens” for the Nottingham club to use in disaster areas. “Your magnificent gift of dollars to provide two Mobile Feeding Units for the relief and sustenance of those in dire distress will remain as an outstanding feature of the real friendship between us,” said a 1940 message from the Rotary Club of Nottingham.
In this country, a mobile canteen was donated to the Salvation Army for use in the service of men and women in the U. S. Armed Forces. Due to the complexities of the war, Rotary in Japan was discontinued, as it had been in Italy and Germany.
In 1949, the Nottingham club in England, held a special luncheon commemorating its anniversary. On October 10, its sister club, Philadelphia, realizing that rationing was still a very necessary part of life in England, had the pleasure of providing a complete, bounteous luncheon, frozen or otherwise preserved, and flown from Philadelphia to Nottingham to assist in their celebration.
The Rotary Centennial celebration to today
The Centennial Rotary International Convention was held in Birmingham England from June 21 to June 24, 2009. More than 20,000 Rotarians from over 150 countries came to the city including about 10 Philadelphia club Rotarians.
Prior to the convention, Rotary members Joan Batory and Kirsty Halliday (an Edinburgh Scotland native) began researching the Nottingham club with the intent of meeting them at the Birmingham convention. We located the club and began planning our meeting.
During the convention, our group met with about 12 Nottingham members at a small hotel in Meriden near to Birmingham. The first meeting was extremely cordial, like old friends reconnecting. That meeting resulted in our members attending a dinner hosted by our sister club where the entertainment was a handbell choir. We parted ways with the pledge that we would meet again online.
We fulfilled that pledge within a year, we arranged a joint meeting online. The Philadelphia club sent chocolate TastyKakes, a Philadelphia specialty, to the Nottingham club for their dessert at their dinner meeting. The meeting went very well, and everyone enjoyed it. We then held two additional online meetings. At this juncture, we would like to renew our friendship with our sister (twin) club and plan another joint meeting so that all of our members can meet our brothers and sisters in Rotary.
Excerpt from the History of the Rotary Club of Philadelphia edited November 14, 1985 by George A. Koehler, Past Rotary Club of Philadelphia President (1960-61).
Updated history from the Centennial Celebration to today prepared by Joan Batory, Past Rotary Club of Philadelphia President (2004-05) and Past Rotary International District 7450 Governor (2010-11).