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History

The first Round Table was formed in Norwich, England in 1927. The founder Louis Marchesi was a young member of the Rotary Club who felt the need existed for a club where the young men of the town could gather on a regular basis. At their meetings they could exchange ideas, learn from the experiences of their colleagues and play a collective part in the civic life of Norwich. Within a year membership of this first Round Table was up to 85 and interest was being shown to establish Round Tables elsewhere. From an early stage it was established that the Round Table would be a non-religious, non political club and this has continued to this day.

A second Round Table was established in Portsmouth and subsequent growth was rapid. There were 125 Tables with a Membership of 4600 by the outbreak of the Second World War. The first International Table was established in Copenhagen in 1936, proving that The Round Table had International appeal. Today there are about 1000 Tables with a membership of around 13000 and is present throughout the globe, with representation in every Continent.

Name and Badge

Round Table owes nothing to Arthurian legend, deriving it's title and maxim from a speech made to the British Industry's Fair in 1927, by the then Prince of Wales - "The young business and professional men of this country must get together round the table, ADOPT methods that have proved so sound in the past, ADAPT them to the changing needs of the times and wherever possible, IMPROVE them.

ADOPT, ADAPT, IMPROVE

are key facets of the organization and are often seen on Round Table literature and Regalia. The design of the Round Table is an adoption of the table which hangs in Winchester Great Hall. Although this is claimed to be the Round Table of the mythical court of King Arthur, it is in fact only a representation made in the 13th century.