The Sports Club | Gwulo: Old Hong Kong

The Sports Club

Primary tabs

Submitted by lovenut on Mon, 2015-03-09 23:35

Formed in 1928 , membership to be half Chinese and half non Chinese, the club was very popular as an alternative to the Hong Kong Club.   It had a box at the Jockey Club at happy Valley and Shatin.  Somehow it seems to have faded away and,at its final venue in Whyndam St,  turned into a restaurant.  Memories of its hey day andstories of its demise would I am sure interest many old hands.   DR Bob Duncan ex Chairman 1986.

Forum: 
General
  • Log in or register to post comments

Submitted by David on Tue, 2015-03-10 21:05.

Their website has this overview of the club's history:

In the 1920's the Chinese merchants, share brokers and professionals socialized at the Chinesee Club, likewise the non-Chinese at the Hong Kong Club.  When the Hon. Mr. W.T. Southorn C.M.G. was administering the Government during the absence of the Governor, he decided that the two groups should meet and socialize together to foster friendship.  He called together the prominent members of both clubs to establish a new club.  The common interest amongst them was horse racing and he decided that the new club should promote horse racing and other sports and hence the name "The sports Club". The new club was located at King's Building at Connaught Road Central, half way between the Chinese Club and the Hong Kong Club. The articles stipulated that half the membership should be Chinese and the other half non-Chinese. Because of the lack of non-Chinese members, this restriction was lifted in 1989. Like all clubs in those days, ladies were not admitted but were restricted to the Ladies Room on the 1st floor of King's Building whereas the men's section occupied the whole 2nd floor. The Club was temporary located when King's Building and adjoining buildings were demolished to build the Union House(later renamed Swire House now 11 Chater Road). The Club was rehoused on the top floor of Union House in 1958.Subsequently the Landlord H.K. Land Co. Ltd. decided the Sports Club and the Chinese Restaurant opposite the Club was unhygienic and asked the Club to move. However, they gave the Club $160000 as compensation. The share broker members led by Mr. Micky Mok Ying Kee and Mr. Robert Kwan Chiu Yin invested the money and in no time the original $160000 became $1,800,000. With this sum of money, the Club purchased the existing premises and moved there in 1973.

Ever since the establishment of the Club, it has provided a "The Sports Club Challege Cup" for horse racing. In 1978, the Cup was changed to "The Sports Club Diamond Jubilee Challenge Cup" to commemorate 50 years of the existence of the Club.

Copied from: http://www.thesportsclub.com.hk/?page_no=2&lang=1&show_case=