The
name Greenford is first mentioned in a Saxon charter of 845AD. It was
known as Grenan Forda. In the Domesday survey, about 200 years later,
the population contained 27 people and one Frenchman. The Abbey of
Westminster held land in Greenford before the Norman Conquest and the
manor remained in the hands of the Abbey until the Dissolution during
Henry VIII's reign. | The
conception of the Rotary Club of Greenford took place at 6p.m. on
Thursday 6th February 1947, when the first meeting of the Formation
Committee took place. The meeting was Chaired by Rotarian Tom Bolton of
the Rotary Club of Harrow and the Secretary being Rotarian Harold
Vincent of the Rotary Club of Ealing. Meetings were held over the next
year and eventually sufficient members were nominated to hold the
inaugural meeting. This took place at the Oldfield Hotel, Greenford on
Thursday 8th January 1948, under the Chairmanship of Rotarian Mark
Stanford, M.C., B.E.M., R.I.R, who was also Chairman of District 13.
Over 100 were expected to attend and as food restrictions were still in
force (!) we were not allowed to have a full dinner. Instead, a Running
Buffet was arranged and about 150 attended. This then was the beginning of the Club's activities and from then on we were known as the Interim Rotary Club of Greenford. All our meetings, activities, and general conduct, were under the scrutiny of the District Formation Committee. It was up to us "to show our mettle and keep our noses clean", as it was always possible that we might not have made the grade, (in the eyes of Rotary International) and no Charter would have been granted. This is a very testing time for an Interim Club, but we managed it and our Charter was granted and dated April 22nd 1948. It was not actually presented until September 23rd 1948, but taking the analogy that we were born on the 22nd April 1948 and christened 23rd September 1948, you will understand why we celebrated our 60th Anniversary the evening of April 2008. |
