NOSTALGIA: Club's founding members

The group was formed as a daughter club of the Rotary Club of Northampton, whose members also attended the first meeting, along with other Rotarians from other clubs.

Over the next few months a number of other men also expressed an interest in Rotary and in May 1947 the club was formally chartered with 27 members.

Many of the members were involved with the local authority as councillors and officers and, in the beginning, each member represented a profession.

Members from the early days include Monty Knight, who founded the opticians known as Anstee and Proctor at the top of Sheaf Street; Gordon Mackaness, who owned the Maple Leaf Garage in Braunston Road; Harry Trinder, a toy shop owner in High Street; Lol Butcher of the Goldern Padlock hardware shop; and barber Fred Warne.

Nowadays there is often more than one person from any profession and the club admits female members.

Over the years Daventry Rotary Club has supported local, national and international charities and good causes.