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Towards the end of the first World War, the clubs in Britain were
organised into 6 districts. Of these, number 6 covered
Scotland where there were just 4 clubs,
Edinburgh,
Glasgow, Aberdeen and Perth . This soon became renumbered as
District 7, and in the mid 20s there was a further revision.
This time the numbering went from North to South with Scotland
allocated 1 and 2, and South Wales receiving 14, and Ireland 15 and
16. During the twenties, several clubs were chartered in
Scotland, among them Dundee, Dunfermline, Dumfries and Kirkcaldy,
Inverness and Montrose..
Although Scotland had been given two numbers, the clubs agreed that
there would be only one district organisation. As more and
more clubs were chartered, this became impractical and in 1951, the
two Districts 1 and 2 were established as separate entities, in 1961
becoming 101 and 102. In general, District 101 covered
the area to the North of the Firth of Forth, leaving the South to
District 102.
A further sub-division in 1972 created a third Scottish district,
123. All of these had a zero added in 1990 making 1010, 1020,
1230. The new district 123 took in Glasgow, much of the
area to the immediate East of Glasgow, the West coast as far as Oban
and the South West but not including Dumfries and Galloway which
remained in 1020.
Over the years, Edinburgh and the clubs now in 1020 have produced
several notable Rotarians. Among them have been British Rotary
Presidents, R.W.Pentland, Alex Wilkie, Tom Stephenson, John Kenny
and Gordon McInally. Wilkie, Kenny and McInally also served as Ri
Directors while
John Kenny was President of RI 2009-2010.
Although District 1020 and its predecessors do not boast the oldest
club in Scotland ....... this is
Glasgow,
now in D1230...
Scotland was chosen for the first Convention to be held outside
North America.
Edinburgh in 1921, was selected for this honour.
Edinburgh, which was Scotland’s second club, was the home club of
the 1920/1 British Rotary’s President, Alexander Wilkie, and was
also the home of Paul Harris’s wife, Jean. Details of this
Convention appear elsewhere, as do a history of the
Edinburgh
club , of
Paul Harris’s visits to the city, and of
Jean Harris.
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