BRITISH CLUB BANGKOK HISTORY 1903 to 2021
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BRITISH CLUB BANGKOK HISTORY 1903 to 2021 Paul Cheesman Honorary Secretary & Club Historian This edition last updated on 30.06.2021 British Club Bangkok Timeline INDEX Pages 3 to 144 Club Timeline Pages 145 & 146 Chairmen Pages 147 & 148 Honorary Secretaries Pages 149 & 150 Honorary Treasurers Editorial Notes: • The 1903-1941 records of the British Club Bangkok were lost – recorded as destroyed on 08.12.1941 – when Siam entered World War II. • All pre-WWII timeline entries come from newspaper cuttings, the Land Chanotes (which were mortgaged to a bank at the start of the war) and other researched sources. • Entries from 1946 to the modern era come from the General Committee and General Meeting minutes, many of which are intact and other researched sources. • From 1974 records also exist of most editions of the Club magazine. • A number of dates are left as month only as it is difficult to determine the exact date that an event or change occurred. • In order to aid visualisation of the location of various past facilities and outlets, the current use is listed. If you have a contribution: • Any interesting facts, stories or pictures should be sent to [email protected] . • Please provide as much documentary evidence as possible. DISCLAIMER The Officer’s Honours List and the Timeline were researched and written by Paul Cheesman, Honorary Secretary & Club Historian, of the British Club Bangkok. Our thanks go to the sources quoted. All information and pictures were taken from open sources and no infringement of copyright is intended. Any correspondence should be directed to The British Club Bangkok, 189 Suriwongse Road, Bangkok 10500 Thailand 2 British Club Bangkok Timeline 1903 The British Club Bangkok was founded by some disaffected senior Apr 24: British members of the United Club. {Straits Times 17.10.1931}. A Committee was set up to set-out rules, and find premises: • Ordinary Member is open only to British subjects by purchase of a debenture, each debenture being 100 Ticals (1 GBP = 13 Tical). Members had to be diplomats or senior businessmen. • New Members thereafter by buying a new debenture having gained approval of all other debenture holders. • There was a monthly subscription of 15 Ticals. • Honorary Membership was for other residents of Siam, elected by Debenture holders, who pay only the subscription. • A Committee of nine men was elected, eight British and one Australian. Membership application was by vote of existing debenture holders. • Ladies belonging to families of Members may use rooms so designated by the committee. {Twentieth Century Impressions of Siam}. The First Committee consisted of: • W.E. Adam , of the Borneo Company. • John Stewart Black , Judicial Adviser to the Ministry of Justice. • James Walker Edie , Manager of the Borneo Company. • The Hon. Robert Abercromby Forbes-Sempill , of the Bombay Burmah Trading Corporation and Honorary Secretary. • Ronald Worthy Giblin , an Australian and Director of the Royal Survey Department of Siam • Walter Armstrong Graham , Director of the Land Records Department • Thomas Jones , Agent for the Chartered Bank of India, Australia, and China. • Herbert George Maud , Manager of the Bombay Burmah Trading Corporation. • Walter James Franklin Williamson , Acting Financial Adviser to the Siamese Government and Honorary Treasurer. {Twentieth Century Impressions of Siam}. James Walker Edie Ronald Worthy Giblin Walter James Franklin Williamson 3 British Club Bangkok Timeline Jul 6: The British Club Bangkok opened its first Clubhouse (a rented two- storey wooden house) at 396 Suriwongse Road {approximately the present-day junction of Suriwongse Road with Mahaset Road} in Bangkok’s Bangrak Amphur [District]. Local administration comes under the Krasuang Nakornbarn [Ministry of the Capital]. Sadly, the Chanote of this land is currently sealed by the Crown Property Bureau. {Twentieth Century Impressions of Siam}. Location: courtesy of the 1904 Traveller's Guide to Bangkok & Siam by J. Antonio Original Clubhouse: courtesy of a postcard given to Charles Stewart in 1977. {British Club News, July 1978}. 1904 The British Club Bangkok played the United Club at cricket. Although Ralph Gibbins, of Tilleke & Gibbins, bowled out eight of their players, Jun: the Club still lost by 30 runs. {Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser, 29.06.1904} 4 British Club Bangkok Timeline 1907 Mr. A.R. Malcolm was elected as Bar Secretary for the Club. Mr. Malcolm went on to work for the Borneo Company, retiring as General Feb: Manager in 1931. This position is not recorded again. {The Directory and Chronicle for China, Japan, Corea, Indo-China, Straits Settlements, Malay States, Siam, Netherlands India, Borneo, the Philippines, etc 1908} {no date} The Bangkok Lawn Tennis Club was founded at 187 Suriwongse Road on land owned by the Siam Electricity Company. Their first Honorary Secretary & Treasurer was Norman Prentice, an assistant at the Borneo Company. {The Directory for Bangkok & Siam, 1908} 1908 The British Club Bangkok had a membership of 90 (85 ordinary and Aug: 5 honorary). The committee considers the Clubhouse too small, so a search is made for a larger building. {Twentieth Century Impressions of Siam} 1909 The Bangkok Lawn Tennis Club Feb 27: was visited by H.R.H. Crown Prince Vajiravudh who presented the Club with a Championship Bowl, which was won by J.R. Andre. (see 1914) {The Straits Times, 05.03.1909 & 27.02.1914}. Mrs. Louise Paget, wife of the British Minister, presented the Bangkok Lawn Tennis Club with a Challenge trophy for Ladies open singles. {The Straits Times, 05.03.1909} Picture donated by Richard W. Wood in 1976. 1910 The British Club Bangkok opened a new Clubhouse at 189 Apr 23: Suriwongse Road, (two-storey brick house). The architect is not known as there is no foundation stone. Land is leased from the Danish owned Siam Electricity Company under its General Manager William Lennart Hansen Grut. There is a single storey 7-bedroom staff house to the rear and a toilet block to the side. {Chanote 2669}. Second Clubhouse: courtesy of a postcard dated 1912. 5 British Club Bangkok Timeline Plan of Clubhouse with staff house: courtesy of Chanote 2669. 1911 Norman Maxwell, Club Member and Chief of the Statistical Office at {no date} the Customs & Excise Department, became the Honorary Secretary & Treasurer of the Bangkok Lawn Tennis Club. {Directory of Bangkok & Siam 1912}. 1912 The Bangkok Lawn Tennis Club hosted and won a tournament between {Jan 1} the Club and players from six cricket teams from Singapore and the Federated Malay States. {Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser, 09.01.1912}. {no date} The Bangkok Lawn Tennis Club created the ‘Championship of Siam’ tournament. {The Straits Times, 26.01.1912}. {no date} S.H. Cole, Asst. Legal Adviser at the Ministry of Justice, became the Honorary Secretary & Treasurer of the Bangkok Lawn Tennis Club. {The Directory and Chronicle for China, Japan, Corea, Indo-China, Straits Settlements, Malay States, Siam, Netherlands India, Borneo, the Philippines, etc 1913}. 1913 A contract was signed between the British Club Bangkok and the Siam Electricity Company (as Bangkok Lawn Tennis Club) to allow the latter Feb 12: access along the road to the east of the plot [2021: Silom Soi 18). {Chanote 2669}. Jun 20: The caretaker of the Bangkok Lawn Tennis Club was sentenced to one year in prison, and fined 77 Ticals, for the theft of 21 dozen tennis balls, worth 77 Ticals. {The Straits Times, 20.06.1913}. 6 British Club Bangkok Timeline 1914 A Land Title Deed was created for plot 2669 (Clubhouse land) and Jan 16: ownership gifted to Mr. Josiah Crosby and Mr. William Nunn, trustees of the British Club Bangkok , from Phra Bat Somdet Phra Jlao Pan Din Siam (H.M. King Rama VI). {Chanote 2669}. A Land Title Deed was created for plot 2668 (Poolside land) with ownership by Siam Electricity Company for use as the Bangkok Lawn Tennis Club. {Chanote 2669}. Feb 18: S.H. Cole, the Honorary Secretary & Treasurer of the Bangkok Lawn Tennis Club, won the King’s Bowl for the third year running (see 1909) and thus enabled him to keep the trophy. {The Straits Times, 27.02.1914}. May 29: A Siamese Government decree gave all clubs and societies three months to formally register in their Amphur. {The Straits Times, 17.06.1914}. Jul: The Bangkok Library Association purchased the plot of land at 195 Suriwongse Road and erected a library building – its first permanent home since leaving the Protestant Union Chapel in Chareon Krung Road in 1900. {Bangkok Legacies} {no date} The road connecting Silom Road and Suriwongse Road (2021: Silom Soi 18) became known as ‘British Club Road’ with the offices of Syme & co, and the homes of five foreigners. This included Mrs H. Gittins, whose husband, Henry, was the Southern Line controller of the Royal State Railways of Siam and a committee member 1906, 1908 & 1909. {Directory of Bangkok & Siam 1914}. 1915 The Clubhouse Land Title Deed was mortgaged to Chartered Bank of Jun 1: India, Australia, and China. {Chanote 2669}. 7 British Club Bangkok Timeline Jun 2: Lieutenant the Hon. Robert Forbes-Semphill, the first Honorary Secretary of the British Club Bangkok , was killed in action (aged 45) in France. He was buried in Le Touret Military Cemetery in Richebourg- L’Avoue, France, and commemorated on the British War Memorial in the Club grounds. {British War Memorial & Findagrave.com}. Jun 1 4: The ownership of the Clubhouse Land Title Deed was transferred from Mr. Josiah Crosby and Mr. William Nunn to the British Club Bangkok , legal work undertaken by Samuel Brighouse of Tilleke & Gibbon. Mr. Gibbon had been Honorary Secretary of the Club 1908-1909. {Chanote 2669 & paperwork}. (no date) Mr Cheng Kim Lee first employed as the Club – he finally retired as Butler in 1960.