Club History

 

 

THIRTIES

1930 Dr Mabel Ramsay pioneered the formation of the Plymouth Soroptimist Club, after a brief few months as a Venture Club. There were 34 members including Nancy Lady Astor, the first woman to take her seat in the House of Commons.  The Club prospered with members predominantly from the professions but we did have a Timber Merchant and a Quarry Owner too!  

FORTIES  

1941 Plymouth was blitzed and the Club records and meeting place were destroyed. The Club limped along as attendance dropped and meeting were only held monthly. In 1943/44, 3 members petitioned the Chief Constable with the Clubs views about the lack of women in the Police Force. Shortly afterwards 5 policewomen were appointed. We were supported with food parcels by a number of American Clubs including Spokane.  

FIFTIES AND SIXTIES  

We emerged from the effects of war. Membership and Activities expanded. We supported a child with leprosy and delivered over 30 Christmas parcels to the needy and elderly each year. By 1958 we had several “out of town” members and became The Plymouth and District Soroptimist Club, meeting twice monthly once more, with membership increasing to 45.  The City of Plymouth Coat of Arms was added to the President’s Insignia.

SEVENTIES  

Membership was now about 50. A boat named” Soroptimist” was purchased and maintained for YWCA girls to use at The Drakes Island Adventure Centre from 197 1-76. Many visits were made to and from our Friendship Links of Spokane, Rotterdam, New Plymouth and Brest. Programmes of Action were vigorously pursued.  

EIGHTIES  

To celebrate our 40th anniversary in 1980 and the 40th anniversary of the 1st circumnavigation of the World, the Club presented the City of Plymouth with a Royal Doulton seated figure of Sir Francis Drake. An American Soroptimist visiting our Barbican noticed that those listed as sailing in the Mayflower in 1620 were all men! We persuaded the City to list the women too, and financed the project.  

NINETIES  

The Club insignia was refurbished in 1991, when the bars bearing the names of all our Presidents were made into an attractive chain. Throughout this decade the club has supporting Ion Majorescu High School  in Guirgui, Romania; providing books for their English library, teaching material for English courses and hospitality for their English teachers undertaking study in Plymouth.  Our past president's daughter also taught there in her gap year.

We have actively supported local sick children by contributing to the charity Cancer and Leukaemia in Childhood and the Children's Hospice Southwest; we have supported women by raising money for a dedicated Breast Care Unit at Derriford Hospital,  the Regional Osteoporosis Research Fund and the Women's Dependency Unit for Substance Abuse.

MILLENNIUM

We celebrated our 70th Anniversary in 2000 with a wonderful 3-day Friendship weekend.  It had a grand International feel with greetings from around the world.  The display of the Limbs for Life Quilt, and visitors from France, America and Sweden.

As part of our International Goodwill activities we launched Club 2000 in support of the Residential Club in London.  The first draw took place in February 2001 and is held monthly.

We have also purchased a computer and appropriate software for the Child Development Centre in Plymouth for young children with severe developmental problems and communication difficulties.  This will enable the children to develop their communication skills.