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James Wheeler Davidson –
the Marco Polo of Rotary
As we plunge headlong into the challenges of 2006, it’s good to look back on 2005 and consider things of historical significance that may have slipped our attention in the excitement of Rotary’s Centenary Year . . .
James Wheeler Davidson, one of the “founding fathers” of Rotary “down under” was an amazing achiever for our organisation and justly earned the title of “the Marco Polo of Rotary”.
In 1921, the R.I. Board approved a request by the newly-formed Canadian Advisory Committee to extend Rotary to Australia and New Zealand. The committee found two Rotarians willing to undertake the chartering expedition. Thirty-seven Canadian clubs contributed $2,902 and R.I. $2,000 to cover about half the costs of sending two Honorary Commissioners – Calgarian, Jim Davidson and Halifax barrister, Lieutenant Colonel James Layton Ralston – to Australia and New Zealand.
Together, they chartered Rotary clubs in Melbourne, Sydney, Wellington and Auckland from April to July, 1921.
Upon his return, Jim Davidson served as a District Governor (1923-1924), during which time he chartered an additional five Rotary clubs in his District.
In 1928, Paul Harris asked Jim Davidson to extend and solidify Rotary clubs from Athens to Indonesia. Davidson began the nine-month trip with his wife Lillian and daughter Marjory in August, 1928.
With letters of introduction from British Rotarians, Royalty and from French and Dutch colonial ministers, they headed along the Orient Express. Despite car accidents and injuries, fever and near-fatal bites, language barriers, cultural differences and unfamiliar religions, the family pressed on. Moral and literal support from his wife was often necessary to keep the mission intact.
They overcame indifference, resistive attitudes and closed doors and, ultimately, Davidson chartered 23 Rotary clubs in 12 countries.
With the exception of Paul Harris and Chesley Perry, who devoted their lives to Rotary after it commenced in 1905, there is no individual Rotarian who had a greater impact on the extension of Rotary to the rest of the world than James Wheeler Davidson.
Paul Harris acknowledged Davidson as the “Marco Polo” of Rotary. He served as third vice-president of Rotary in 1926 and was perhaps the best example of Service Above Self in his Rotary time (1914-1933).
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Perth Rotarian David Reed, right, hands over his cheque for
$10,000 to Rotarian Ric Purvis, under the watchful eye of Sergeant at Arms Ray Della-Polina. |
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Gold fine a bonus for Perth Club:
Being hit with a $A10,000 fine would make most Rotarians cringe in horror, but not so mining businessman David Reed of
the Rotary Club of Perth, W.A.
The club’s Sergeant at Arms Ray Della-Polina slugged David Reed a couple of bucks because the gold price had broken the $400 an ounce barrier. This fired up gold miner Reed who told the meeting that he would pay a fine of $10,000 if the gold price continued to climb and broke the $500 an ounce mark!
At a meeting in December, Reed (boss of Reed Resources) presented his cheque
for $10,000 to Perth club president, telling members he was happy to honour his promise as the gold price was good for the economy, good for Australia, and good for his company. The fine is believed to be a record for Rotary in Australia.
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At the Rotary Club of Holroyd, N.S.W., cheque presentation in Orange, N.S.W., were, from left, Paula Browne of Centacare, President Sofai O’Donoughue, Jenny Drinkwater of Lifeline, and Allan Ezzy, Mayor of the City of Holroyd and a past president of the Rotary Club of Holroyd. |
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One of the great fellowship events for Lower Blue Mountains members, partners and friends at Parkes was a cray fishing competition.
The most successful cray fisher was Carolyn Fitzpatrick, of Glenbrook, N.S.W., when the Rotary Club of Lower Blue Mountains, N.S.W., shared fellowship with the Rotary Club of Parkes, N.S.W. |
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