Rotary Club of Barbados - RCOB

Our Story

The development of the Tourist Industry and Manufacturing in Barbados during the early sixties was the impetus for the birth of a Rotary Club.
At that time many visitors were Rotarians who were members of various clubs especially in the United States and they often queried whether there were any Rotary Clubs on the island at which they could attend in order to keep up their attendance and maintain their membership in their respective clubs.
In July 1961 Paul Foster, then manager of the Barbados Tourist Board (now the Barbados Tourism Authority) and Canadian, Tom McLaughlin, Manager of the Barbados Development Board (now Barbados Industrial Development Corporation) (BIDC) discussed that they both received inquires about Rotary Clubs regularly.
The idea was further discussed with Canadian Roy Wells, the new Manager of The Bank of Nova Scotia. The Bank had started operations in Barbados in 1956 and Wells shared the same sentiments expressed by Foster and McLaughlin.
On September 22, 1961, an initial meeting was held and received with such enthusiasm that another meeting was called six days later for further discussion aimed at finalizing action for the formation of a club and to appoint officers. By the first official meeting in January 1962 there was a total of 23 paid up members.
Having satisfied the requirements of Rotary International, a Charter was presented on March 7, 1962 and the Rotary Club of Barbados came into being with eminent Barrister-at-Law, J.E. Theodore Brancker, one of the founder members as the Charter President and was re-elected for the full term 1962-63 in July 1962.