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Rostrum was formed on 21st July, 1923 by Sidney Wicks, a senior journalist with the Manchester Guardian.

After the first meeting under a yew tree at Greendale Farm near Manchester, meetings were held on Wednesday evenings in the Y.M.C.A. In 1924 a young Australian Engineer, Alan Crook, who was doing special training in Manchester, joined Rostrum. The second Rostrum Club in the UK was not started until 1951 and by that time there were nearly 100 Rostrum Clubs in Australia.

Alan Crook returned to Australia in 1925 and with the help of Robert Swainson and Stuart McPhee, formed a Rostrum Club in Sydney on 21st July 1930. Alan Crook was the first President and Robert Swainson the Critic. Like the Manchester Club, this was a dinner club. In November 1931, Luncheon Club No.1 was formed, Alan Crook again being the first President. No.2 Luncheon Club was formed in July 1932, No.3 in July 1933 and No.4 Club in July 1934. The original club was given the name of Foundation Club.

In May 1934, Alan Crook went to Melbourne for a holiday and formed a Rostrum Club which, together with the five Sydney Clubs, became the first Dais. Fred Seamons was the first President and held this office for 15 years. A second Rostrum club was formed in Melbourne in July 1935 and the Victorians then formed their own Dais. Rostrum commenced in South Australia in March 1936, in Brisbane in April 1937, in Tasmania in 1947 and in Western Australia on 21st May 1948.

An Australian Rostrum Council was established on 5th January 1938 with Fred Seamons the President for the first eight years while Alan Crook served as Secretary of the Australian Rostrum Council for 27 years until his death on 9th August 1965. With the formation of Rostrum clubs in Canberra in 1953 and 1958, a separate Dais was formed in the A.C.T.

Until 1978, Rostrum in Australia was restricted to men but in that year, the constitution was changed to allow the entry of women. Within a few months there were female members in all states except Western Australia, which admitted women in 1986.

Today, there are about 180 Clubs in Australia with about 3000 members. There are four Clubs in Manchester, England, and one Club in Wellington, New Zealand.