Rotary Club of Hermanus – History
Chartered Date: 25 March 1945
Charter Club: Paarl Rotary Club
Venues:
Mollergren Park (Current), Astoria Hotel, Windsor Hotel, Marine Hotel
The Club was chartered by the Paarl Rotary Club on 25 March 1948. The Charter Dinner was held on 11 June 1948 at Luyt’s Corner, Marine Hotel.
Charter Members
Officers
| Name | Title |
|---|---|
| Jacques P. de Villiers | President |
| Canon S.B. Hinchlife | Vice-President |
| J.H. Whitticombe | Director |
| A.N. Maugham-Brown | Director |
| Alex Grant | Director |
| R.E. Jones | Secretary |
| N. Carrie | Treasurer |
Members
J. Abel, J.R. Barnard, A. Van Harmelen, P.A. Beunderman, E.C. Colbeck, C.G.W. Gillespie, J.H. De Villiers, L. Gordon, P. Krige, A.J. Middleton, C.J. Prillewitz, R. Rechtman, E.G. Westcott, A.E. Wilson
Past Presidents
| Name | Year | Name | Year | Name | Year | Name | Year | Name | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P. De Villiers | 1948-49 | C. Sim | 1968-69 | F.J. Muller | 1987-88 | T. Roper | 2006-07 | J. Howard | 2022-23 |
| A. van Harmelen | 1949-50 | W.A. Flint | 1969-70 | J.L. Burman | 1988-89 | D. de Wet | 2007-08 | B. Cain | 2023 |
| A.N. Maugham-Brown | 1950-51 | B.H.M. Brown | 1970-71 | G.G. Clark | 1989-90 | J. Pretorius | 2008-09 | R. Beardsall | 2023-24 |
| A. Grant | 1951-52 | C.G.J. Theunissen | 1971-72 | K.A. Dunn | 1990-91 | J. Pretorius | 2009-10 | ||
| N. Northy | 1952-53 | D.J. de Villiers | 1972-73 | K.B.E. Maclennan-Smith | 1991-92 | C. Adams | 2010-11 | ||
| R. Rechtman | 1953-54 | J.E.D. White | 1973-74 | J.M. Philip | 1992-93 | D. Collins | 2011-12 | ||
| V. de Kock | 1954-55 | B.A. Kuyler | 1974-75 | A.C. Morrison | 1993-94 | J. Augustyn | 2012-13 | ||
| B.I. Figg | 1955-56 | M.D.A. Clark | 1975-76 | W. Coetsee | 1994-95 | F. Matthee | 2013-14 | ||
| B.I. Figg | 1956-57 | T.J. du Toit | 1976-77 | C. Anderson | 1995-96 | W. Hamman | 2014-15 | ||
| B.I. Figg | 1957-58 | G.A. Westcott | 1977-78 | R. Macintyre | 1996-97 | P. Mellowship | 2015-16 | ||
| F. Swingler | 1958-59 | F.C. Alton | 1978-79 | R. Sutton | 1997-98 | C. Adams | 2016-17 | ||
| L. Lawrence | 1959-60 | L.D. Smith | 1978-79 | G. Curtis | 1998-99 | I. Wallace | 2017-18 | ||
| A. Grant | 1960-61 | Bishop | 1979-80 | W. Riekert | 1999-2000 | A. Wright | 2018-19 | ||
| A. Grant | 1961-62 | D. Rombhurg | 1980-81 | W. Hamman | 2000-01 | I. Wallace | 2019-20 | ||
| J. Smith | 1962-63 | C.E. Rigg | 1981-82 | W. Hamman | 2001-02 | R. Beardsall | 2019-20 | ||
| J.E. Seeliger | 1963-64 | M.D.A. Clark | 1982-83 | G. Goslett | 2002-03 | A. Wright | 2019-20 | ||
| A. Stewart | 1964-65 | R. Hodgson | 1983-84 | M. Robarts | 2003-04 | J. Ross-Smith | 2020-21 | ||
| C.G.W. Gillespie | 1965-66 | D.M. Cooke | 1984-85 | G. Goslett | 2003-04 | B. Hackforth | 2020-21 | ||
| J. Christie-Smith | 1966-67 | C. Louw | 1985-86 | S. Justus | 2004-05 | L. Wilson | 2020-21 | ||
| P. Wannenburgh | 1967-68 | R. Major | 1986-87 | H. Roy | 2005-06 | A. Smit | 2021-22 |
Paul Harris Fellows and Benefactors
| Name | Level | Name | Level | Name | Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jack Abel + | PHF | Otto Krenzer | PHF | Wena de Villiers | PHF+1 |
| Colin Adams | PHF | Ray Major | PHF | Terry Troughton | PHF+1 |
| Colin Anderson | PHF | Carolyn Martin | PHF | Ian William Wallace | PHF+1 |
| Johan Augustyn + | PHF | Paddy Morrison + | PHF | Stuart J. Adendorff + | PHF+2 |
| Michael David Clark | PHF | John Philip + | PHF | Jennifer Howard | PHF+2 |
| Sheila Clark + | PHF | Johann Pretorius | PHF | Steve du Plessis | PHF+3 |
| Dawid De Villiers + | PHF | John Ross-Smith | PHF | Anthony E.T. Whitehead + | PHF+4 |
| Judy Flint | PHF | Charlie Sim + | PHF | Metcalf Fick | PHF+5 |
| William Flint + | PHF | Adriaan Smit | PHF | Jacob Steyn | PHF+8 |
| Beryl Gillespie + | PHF | L. Denbigh Smith + | PHF | Stuart J. Adendorff + | Benefactor |
| Iris Gillespie | PHF | Goutche Smuts + | PHF | Ian William Wallace | Benefactor |
| Wynand Hamman | PHF | Anton van Biljon | PHF | Anthony E.T. Whitehead + | Benefactor |
| Sherry Justus | PHF | Ann Elizabeth Wright | PHF |
(+ indicates deceased)
Key Milestones
The Club was founded in 1945 shortly before the end of the Second World War, although the Charter was only granted in March 1948. Initially, meetings were held at the Windsor Hotel and later the Marine Hotel before moving to the Astoria Hotel in 1958. In 1992 the club moved into its permanent home, Mollergren Park, which remains its venue today.
The Club has been active in community service since its founding. Early projects included building a sea wall along the Eastcliff coastline, the construction of tennis courts, and providing furniture for the Hermanus Hospital. Later projects expanded to include the establishment of the Hermanus Library, assistance in building the Hermanus High School hostel, and various medical equipment donations.
During the 1960s and 1970s the Club continued to grow, taking on projects such as building old age homes, assisting schools in Stanford, and sponsoring numerous bursaries for underprivileged students. In the 1980s the focus shifted towards greater community development, including aid to Zwelihle schools, medical services, and support for local organisations such as SANCA and Child Welfare.
The 1990s brought renewed energy, with major projects such as the Hermanus Waldorf School, the establishment of the Rotary Anns, and the continued development of Mollergren Park. More recently, projects have included support for HIV/AIDS education, youth exchange programmes, and extensive local community development initiatives.
Conferences
The Club has hosted four District Conferences (1951, 1971, 1977, 1994), two Mini Conferences (1988, 1994) and the International Golfing Fellowship of Rotary (1978).
Interact Club
The Interact Club at Hermanus High was first formed in 1989. After a few quiet years it was revived in 1997 by Lizette Louw and remains active today, giving young people opportunities for leadership and service.
Group Study Exchange Tours
Over the decades, the Club has hosted Group Study Exchange teams from Israel, Australia, the UK, Canada, Germany, Nigeria, and Sweden, fostering international goodwill and friendship.
Fellowship Exchange Tours
Since 1990 the Club has hosted tours from Missouri (USA), Worcestershire/Gloucester, Derbyshire, Devon, and Austria. In return, members have toured Austria, the UK, Australia, and New Zealand, strengthening Rotary’s global fellowship.
Benefactors
Major benefactors include H.R. Hill, Rehna (Tiny) Cloete, and A.B. Mollergren, whose generous support and contributions have had a lasting impact on the Club’s ability to serve the Hermanus community.
Youth Exchange Program
The first incoming student arrived in 1970, and since then the Club has participated in numerous exchanges with students from Australia, the USA, New Zealand, Denmark, Brazil, and beyond. These exchanges have enriched the lives of both incoming and outgoing students and their host families.
The Club Today
Today the Hermanus Rotary Club has 36 members and 3 honorary members. Its membership includes local residents, overseas members, and a satellite group in Greyton. The Club continues to focus on education, health, and community development projects, while also fostering international understanding through Rotary’s global programmes.
Hermanus Rotary Welfare and Development Trust NPC
The Trust provides grants and mentoring support for local businesses, working in partnership with the Grootbos Foundation and Rotary mentors. This initiative helps to create sustainable opportunities and uplift the Hermanus community.
(History of the Rotary Club of Hermanus 1948–1998 written by Past President Bill Flint in 1998, with updates thereafter.)
