Description

Admin History:

The Inner Wheel Club of Hull was formed in 1938, the first President being Mrs Philip Priestman.

The first Inner Wheel Club was founded in Manchester in 1924 by the wives of Rotarians who had until then been working voluntarily in the background, supporting the activities of the Rotary Club. The Association of Inner Wheel Clubs was officially founded ten years later in 1934. Inner Wheel Clubs are community service organisations whose Objectives are to promote friendship, the idea of personal service and international understanding.

Activities in Hull began with a knitting circle and a charity fund and they soon diversified into other charitable deeds and fundraising events. In 1945 Rosemont House in Pearson Park was purchased, renovated and opened as a home for the aged in 1947. Other improvements were made and an extension was added in 1963. The House was later sold to the Cheshire Foundation and closed some time later.

The Hull Inner Wheel Club was originally part of Inner Wheel/Rotary District 4, which included most of Yorkshire. However, in 1985 a new district was formed from some of the clubs in District 4 and District 22. Since then the Hull Inner Wheel Club has been part of District 127 (which covers South Yorkshire, Humberside and most of Lincolnshire).

The Hull Inner Wheel Club hosted the District 4 rally in 1964, and also hosted the District 127 Rally in 1986. Their Charter Day is celebrated annually. The event is often held at Jacksons' ballroom, which is also the venue for many of their meetings.

There is a second Hull Inner Wheel Club called Hull Kingston which meets in Skidby and was chartered in 1982, for which we do not hold any records.

Description:

The collection comprises minutes, annual reports and accounts, correspondence, publications and historical material, as well as photographs and news cuttings.

Because the club has been part of two different districts, the Minutes, Accounts and Annual Reports and Correspondence have been arranged according to district membership at the time they were created. Historical material and photographs were produced over a longer period so remain in a single series which reflects that they contain material pertaining to both districts.

The minutes include regular committee meetings (held monthly) and luncheon meetings (which were monthly from 1945 onwards), as well as Annual General Meetings from 1940. There are two series of minutes, one covering the period 1938-1984 when the Hull Club was part of District 4, and one covering 1984-1989 when it became part of District 127. The minutes include the inaugural meeting held on 8 April 1938, annual Charter Day luncheons and other seasonal luncheons.

There are annual reports and accounts as well as reports for Inner Wheel Association conferences and international conferences. Most of the Annual Reports, financial accounts and conference reports are at C DSIW/2. However the filing system that was in use means that for the period 1974-1980 and from 1987-1988, Annual Reports (and accounts and conference reports) were filed with Minutes rather than separately, so are found at C DSIW/1/1-2. For 1947-66, 1981-1986 and 1990 the annual reports are at C DSIW/2. There are no Annual Reports for the years before 1947, 1967-1973, or for 1989.

The correspondence is arranged according to district membership at the time it was written and covers various subjects including a District 4 Rally held in Hull in 1964 and the founding of District 127. It also includes district newsletters and some correspondence discussing national Inner Wheel issues such as new Association headquarters.

There are various items documenting the history of the Inner Wheel Club of Hull, in addition to two published books on the International Inner Wheel. These include a history of Rosemont House home for the aged, which was founded by the Hull Inner Wheel Club and Rotary Club. There is also a comprehensive list of past presidents of the Hull Inner Wheel Club and several accounts written by past members of the Hull Inner Wheel Club's history. Other historical material includes event programmes for Charter Day luncheons and district rallies.

The bulk of the collection consists of photographs and cuttings albums kept by members of the Hull Inner Wheel Club and later presented to the club. Many Inner Wheel events are depicted including Charter Day luncheons, especially for the 40th and 60th anniversaries. and a trip abroad to Amsterdam. Two of the photograph albums contain photographs of Presidents of the Hull Inner Wheel Club and some committee members for the period 1960-1998. There is also film footage of the 21st Anniversary Charter Day Lunch, which is available to view on DVD.