How did the Globetrotters club start?

Norman Ford is the founder of the Globetrotters Club, which started back in 1945. He lived in Texas, but was British-born.

By the start of WW2, and at the tender age of 18, he had already caught the travel bug, having cycled around the UK and youth hostelled in Ireland and Switzerland. Whilst on leave in the UK, in 1944, Norman together with a friend bought an old sailing boat, intending to sail around the world in it.

However, the boat needed a fair amount of work on it, so, to fund the repairs, Norman wrote a piece for the Daily Mirror newspaper describing the planned round the world trip and asked for two other crewmen to help sail the yacht and finance the trip..In the ensuing two weeks, he received over 200 enquiries.

As only two people were actually needed, Norman enrolled the rest to form the Globetrotters Club. Globe was started and the membership listing compiled, and we havenant looked back since!

The following articles first appeared in the fiftieth anniversary issue of Globe. They tell the story of the club and the experiences of some long standing members.

• 30 Years a Wanderer.
• 45 Years a GT.
• 50th Anniversary
• A Globetrotters Memoirs
• An Adventurous Young Couple, John and Jakki Becker, Tell their story.
• Globetrotters History 1970-1980, Bryan Hanson tells the story of the 70s.
• Memories of the 60’s
• Only the Brave.
• Some tips for your holiday, by Gordon Cooper president of the club for many years.
• The Foundation of the Globetrotters Club
• The Globetrotter
• The Origins of the Club ,The Early Years, Malcolm Keir Turns Back the Clock