Origins

The first Round Table was formed in Norwich in 1927. The founder, Louis Marchesi, was a young Rotarian who felt a need existed for a club where the young business men of the town could gather on a regular basis to 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 Round Table had grown to 85 and interest had been shown in establishing Round Tables elsewhere.


Round Table owes nothing to Arthurian Legend, deriving both its title and its maxim from a speech made to the British Industries 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". The design of the Round Table emblem is, however, an adaptation of the table which hangs in the great hall, Winchester and which


is claimed to be the Round Table of the court of King Arthur.

Round Table has used the motto of Adopt, Adapt and improve to make it an organisation which is still relevant in the 21st century.