The Falkirk Round Table was instituted c1950. The first Round Table was formed in Norwich, England in 1927. The founder, Louis Marchesi, was a member of the local Rotary Club who felt a need existed for a club where young businessmen of the town could gather on a regular basis. At their meetings they could 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 was being shown in establishing Round Tables elsewhere. A second Round Table was established in Portsmouth and subsequent growth was rapid, with 125 Tables and a membership of 4,600 by the outbreak of the Second World War in 1939. The first overseas Table was formed in Copenhagen in 1936. After 1945 the pattern of growth was rapidly re-established with Tables being 'chartered' all over the UK. Today there are about 1,000 Tables with a membership of around 13,000. Round Table now is represented in every continent of the World. From a very early stage it was agreed that Round Table would be a non-religious, non-political club and this has continued to this day. The only qualification for membership is to be male, over 18 years old and under 45.