The Rotary Club of Burslem was born under The Leverton Plan and sponsored by The Rotary Club of Stoke-on-Trent. The Purpose of the plan was to enable large Clubs such as Stoke-on-Trent to create Daughter Clubs, thus enabling others to join in with Rotary Work.

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On the 2nd September 1955, the District Extension Officer, Rotarian J Bowman and Rotarian C Bellamy (Extension Officer – Stoke) contacted Arthur Tennant, the Manager of District Bank, Burslem and several other business and professional men of Burslem. After several informal meetings it was agreed that there was sufficient interest to justify the establishment of a Rotary club in Burslem.