The inaugural meeting took place on 12 February 1948 at 177 Moor Lane, Chessington to agree to the formation of the Society and there were several subsequent meetings held at almost fortnightly intervals to determine the rules etc.

The Annual Subscription was set at 5/- per annum. It would seem that the first dance was arranged as early as 11 March with “Jock and his Blue Kittens” providing the music!  However, it did not seem too long into the history of the Society that the name changed to its current title of the Surbiton and District Caledonian Society.

Dancing formed the main thrust of the Society’s activity but it was made up of both ballroom and Scottish country dancing with mixed dance evenings being arranged. Eventually, the Scottish country dancing came to predominate and has been the mainstay of the Society ever since.

It has been difficult to determine the various venues that the Society has used for its regular dance evenings as the minutes are rather shy of revealing such fascinating detail. However, as the 18th AGM of 1966 mentions St Mark’s church hall as the venue, one can only assume that by then the Society had settled into what has become a more or less permanent home – for the present!

We celebrated the 50th anniversary in the 1997/1998 season with dancing to a band in Claygate Village.

Changes are underway for a new church hall to be constructed close to the existing rather sad looking building that we currently use. Alas, as yet no firm date is known for when this will all take place and we await the possibility of utilising a brand new hall with keen anticipation.

With regular Thursday evening meetings at which we manage, usually, to dance a dozen well known and not quite so well known Scottish country dances and our Burns Supper our Society has thrived over the years. We are always welcoming new members and offer a friendly evening of fun, pleasure and healthy exercise.

Click here to see a list of the Club's officers since 1949.