A BRIEF HISTORY OF INNER WHEEL

Inner Wheel began in Manchester on November 15 1923.  A meeting of wives of Rotarians was convened at a bath house (chosen for the best of reasons – it was free) to establish a `Ladies’ Rotary Club’.  Rotary International would not countenance such a name so at a second meeting on January 10 1924, the name ‘Inner Wheel’ was adopted, which is why we celebrate `World Inner Wheel Day’ each January 10.

 Clubs sprang up all over Great Britain and Ireland so the ‘Association of Inner Wheel Clubs Great Britain and Ireland’ was launched in 1934.  In 1967, International  Inner Wheel came into being, with the first Board comprised  mainly of Scandinavian and English members.  The first Board meeting was conducted in Copenhagen in October 1967 under President Lavender Weightman.

Other countries established Inner Wheel clubs, among the first being Australia, Norway, South Africa and New Zealand.  Mrs Laura Tekla Holland, of Danish ancestry, travelled to a Rotary conference in Scandinavia with her husband.  She learnt about Inner Wheel on board ship and called a meeting of Rotary wives in Napier on her return, on November 27 1936.  The Inner Wheel Club of Napier was the result – and Inner Wheel began in New Zealand.

Napier was New Zealand’s solitary club for many years until Taumarunui formed in 1947.  The 1960’s saw clubs set up in Belfast, Christchurch South, Christchurch East, Dunedin South, Fitzroy and Turangi.  Visits by international Presidents, including Lavender Weightman encouraged expansion.   New Zealand’s first District, 298,was formed in 1971.  The1970’s saw a burgeoning of Inner Wheel, particularly in the South Island. (29 clubs were chartered between 1969 and 1976)  The first North Island District, 293, was formed in 1976 and, as in the South, expansion followed (15 clubs between 1976 and 1980).  District 293 divided in 1981 into 293 and 294,  District 297 was formed in 1982 and District 291 was split off 293 in  1989.

New Zealand has played a strong role in international affairs of Inner Wheel, way out of proportion to the country’s size.  Ruth Gallagher was the first Inner Wheel Board Member in 1973.  Since that time we have had continuous representation on the International Board and have produced two World Presidents – Alison Dowson and Beth McNeill.

By 1990, New Zealand had 2500 Inner Wheel members in 84 clubs in five Districts and the workload of the Board Member had increased markedly.  Co-ordinating the activities of all Districts was a daunting task for one person.  A presentation was made to the Nelson conference in 1984 and following this, an ad hoc committee  was formed under the chairmanship of Alison Dowson to investigate the viability of a National Council. The report  to the 1987 conference in Tauranga provoked lively debate.  The move towards a National Council proved controversial and it was not until 1990, at the Invercargill conference, that a majority of delegates voted to form a national body.  The inaugural meeting took place on the Sunday morning of the Conference - October 14 1990 at 7.00am.  After a lengthy gestation, the National Council was born.

Bibliography:            Foster, Helena, `International Inner Wheel - The First 25 Years' , Dixon & Stell Ltd, Great Britain, 1993

                                  Blakiston, Eileen, `Inner Wheel in New Zealand' , Don Kale Printing Co. Ltd, Tauranga, NZ, 1980

                                  Wilson, Annette (Ed.), `Presidential Perspectives', National Council, Inner Wheel New Zealand, 2002