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History
An inaugural meeting to establish a United Services Club for Upper Canada was held at York, U.C. on Monday October 7, 1833 by a number of military and naval officers. They believed there were about 400 officers in the Province who would decidedly support the club. The governor gave his sanction to it. Dr. William (Tiger) Dunlop and Colonel Light presided at the meeting.
The history of the Royal London Military Institute (RLMI) dates back to 1927. In November of that year, the London Garrison Officers' Association was formed with Lt.Col. E. H. Chesham, VD, as President, with the express aim of "centralizing all collective activities of the London Garrison in one organization so as to give continuity of policy and direction." The membership of the Association included all officers of the permanent and non-permanent Militia, and its executive was not composed solely of serving service personnel.
In October 1933, a request was made to N.D.H.Q. to re-organize the Association into Military Institute M.D.1, with membership to include not only the Association officers but also officers from other centres in the District. The actual changeover took place on 9 November 1933 with the granting of the Letters Patent, the first President of Military Institute M.D. 1 being Lt.Col W. T. Lawless, DSO.
Both the London Garrison Officers' Association and Military Institute M.D. 1 supported such activities as the annual Garrison Ball and dinner and evening meetings at which prominent speakers spoke on topics of military significance.
When the Second World War began, the Institute gradually ceased to function. However, in 1942, Col J. B. Ware, DSO, VD, who had been President from 1937 to 1939, undertook to try to put some life into the organization. In this, he was successful, although there was considerable difficulty throughout the war years in obtaining speakers. By 1949, the function of the Institute had undergone some change, and control had become transferred from serving officers to retired officers. It was decided that it should be a tri-service organization with members open to all serving and retired officers of the Navy, Army and Air Force. Its name was changed to the London Defence Forces Institute, the President being Lt.Col. J. M. Pocock, OBE, ED.
In 1950, a further change of name became necessary in order to conform to provisions of Canadian Army Policy Letter No. 60 (DMT). Accordingly, a Constitution was drawn up for the London United Services Institute, membership being open to all officers and ex-officers of the permanent or Reserve Naval, Military and Air Forces resident in Western Ontario. The first President of the L.U.S.I. was LCDR T. F. Owen, RCN(R) who was called to special duty soon after his appointment. CDR. F. R. K. Naftel, RCN, succeeded him in October 1950.
In 1999, the name was changed to the Royal London Military Institute when permission to use the Royal prefix was granted.
