THE 90th annual meeting of Northamptonshire Chamber was held on the exact day, October 10, as the first meeting in 1917.
Chief executive officer and secretary of the branch Paul Griffiths gave members a short history of the organisation and how the ethics on which it is was founded are just as relevant to businesses today.
He said: "If the men who founded the Chambe
r 90 years ago could come back and spend time looking at the current Chamber I think they would be proud to see how we have built on their foundations.
"The same things are happening now as then; the first annual report mentioned moving things from rail to canals to make transport easier, the only difference now is that it is the roads that are gridlocked."
The Chamber was formed by boot and shoe manufacturers in response to concerns over exports during the First World War.
By the first annual meeting membership had risen to 125, though it was noted only 111 had paid their subscription. Today there are 1,337 members.
The original objectives – to promote and protect home and foreign trade, collect and distribute trade statistics, advance education and promote, support or oppose legislative or other measures affecting business – are still adhered to.
Mr Griffiths said: "It is great to see what was started 90 years ago is still relevant to businesses in Northamptonshire."
This was underlined in the comments from Chamber members.
Milan Shah, of Virani Food Products, Wellingborough, said: "We are international traders, just as were the founder members of the Chamber. Anything that brings businesses together as a community is a good thing."
Bartley Finnegann, of Allied Irish Bank, added: "I think it is an important forum for local businesses. Chamber members represent all business sectors, not just the professionals, and its prime function is not networking but supporting businesses."
Mr Griffiths said: "We will continue to improve the Chamber profile, improve our customer service regime and support new initiatives like the Young Chamber, being launched in November, which will link businesses to schools.
"We are also developing the Business Alliance Group, talking to the major employers in the county and getting them more involved."
