INDEPENDENT.CO.UK - July 28 - Dating Agencies have been around longer than most people would probably imagine. We’d need to go all the way back to the 16th century. The first agency was run by Parish Vicars, who would put together lists of candidates who they believed were compatible for marriage. People were matched with others, in the same class as themselves. In 1825, a London-based agency opened its doors to business. It was used as a last resort for men, who were looking for a good wife. The ‘first wave’ of what we recognise as a modern dating agency came post-World War II in form of ‘dating clubs’. People would join, have their photograph taken, and give information about themselves and the type of partner they were looking to meet. The club would then be pro-active in matching them to a suitable partner, based on the information. It wasn’t until the late 1960s, when personal ads became part of the growing culture in the UK.