Members and Yet More Members
Tom Shuttleworth, an optician, was Chairman at St. George’s. He joined us in the first 10 years of Rotary. He was not the first optician. Eric Day came to us soon after we had started, but he went abroad. Tom was a wonderful Rotarian and did a tremendous amount of work. Bob Chester came in the first year, I think; he was an ironmonger in Station Lane. He was a wonderful character, in fact the “fork handles” sketch by the two Ronnies always reminded me of Bob. You could find anything on his shelves.
Harold Rivett, the undertaker, was a few doors away. Harold was a very fine Rotarian who worked so hard. They were all wonderful people; that is why I remember them. Harold became President some years later.
One thing I failed to mention was, before our inauguration meeting, we tried to think of people who would make good Rotarians. After we had the Charter night in February, we discussed who should be called upon to join the Rotarians. Very quickly we had several new members during John Challis’s year. These members were the ones that John Challis brought forward. Harry Wilson, the builder from South Ockendon, joined. He was a real character who lived to a ripe old age of 96 and Winifred his wife was in the Inner Wheel for many years. I think that year was the year Alf Salinger formed the Chamber of Commerce. John Challis was in Rotary for about 20 years and then moved to Southend. He was President of the newly formed Inner Wheel in 1966. He and his wife both died in the same year.
The year before Challis was President, a party of us went to 13 District Conference at Margate. John Challis did not come, as he was getting quite old by then. The second President was a chap called Norman Baker. His wife was in the Inner Wheel and they came to the Conference. Baker was not in the Club for many years before he moved. We went to the Eastbourne Conference, which he attended. We had a large lively party.
The next member was Dr. Patterson of Billet Lane, Hornchurch. He was the third President. He introduced me to Rotarians; he worked very hard during the war and exhausted himself. He was a very heavy smoker, as we all were. He decided to give it up and so did I. In his year we went to many Conferences and one was at the RIBI Club at Blackpool. He was very active in the Turcoing link during 1954. We had the District 13 Conference in
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