The Charter Night of the Rotary Club of Essendon was held on 21st May 1935 in the supper room of the Essendon Town Hall. The cost per member was 3/6. The guests included the Mayor & Mayoress of Essendon, Cr and Mrs G.A.Mitchell, supported by Cr W.T. Divers and representatives of the Rotary Clubs of Melbourne, Geelong, Sale and Dandenong.

The meeting was opened by Walter Rose of the Rotary Club of Melbourne and a short address on “the Ethics of Rotary” was delivered by District Governor Angus Mitchell before he officially presented the Charter to President Bill Reid. Past District Governor Len Mitchell delivered an address on the “Aims and Objects of Rotary” and a musical and elocutionary program followed.

Shortly after his presidential year, Immediate past President Bill Reid lost his classification and along with Sid Newing was installed as an honorary member of the Rotary Club of Essendon. However the new members had wrongly interpreted who honorary membership could be given to and so Bill Reid & Sidney Newing had to leave the club they had helped found. Sidney Newing later rejoined the Rotary Club of Essendon in 1939 and went on to play an important part in its future.

A compelete re-enactment of the first charter night and the Council meetings leading up to the Charter was conducted in May 2010 to celebrate the Club's 75th Anniversary.