BRITISH CLUB BANGKOK HISTORY 1903 to 2021

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 Jun: Ralph Gibbins, of Tilleke & Gibbins, bowled out eight of their players, 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. Feb: Malcolm went on to work for the Borneo Company, retiring as General 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. {GC Minutes, 16.06.1960 & Nigel Overy CBE, Outpost, May 2006}.

Oct 31: Amphur Bangrak became one of the districts within the new Phra Nakhon Changwat [province]. {Southeast Asian Studies, March 1999}.

1917 Siam declared war on the German and the Austro-Hungarian empires, and the Siamese Expeditionary Force (also known as Siamese Jul 17: Volunteer Corps) was sent to Europe under the command of Major General Phraya Pichai Charnyarit. {Siam in WWI}.

Aug 8: Siam commanded that all letters and telegrams to and from Foreign countries are subject to an official censor. {Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser, 08.08.1917}.

{no date} The Committee of the Bangkok Lawn Tennis Club were listed as Marston F. Buszard, Club committee member and Legal Adviser at the Ministry of Justice; William Lennart Hansen Grut, Manager of the Siam Electricity Company; S.H. Hendrick, Club committee member and General Manager of Siam Forest Company; G.E. Hewitt, Club Member and Assistant with the Bombay Burmah Trading Corporation; with Club Member and Assistant with the Borneo Company, A.R. Malcolm as Honorary Secretary & Treasurer. {The Directory and Chronicle for China, Japan, Corea, Indo-China, Straits Settlements, Malay States, Siam, Netherlands India, Borneo, the Philippines, etc 1918 – researched by Eric Lars Decker, Europainstitut, Universität Basel}.

1918 Under a cloak of secrecy accidentally broken by the official censor, Sep 5- HMS Whiting, a C-class destroyer, docked at the British Legation. A 15: reading room was provided at the Legation, and a number of football matches were arranged.

One match was in aid of the Thai Red Cross against the Royal Siamese Navy, played at Suan Kularb College in Bangkok. The Ships Log notes that 40 men were on leave to attend the match. The match was a draw, and it was reported that 5,181 people attended the match raising 1,554.30 Ticals. After Bangkok, HMS Whiting sailed to Singapore where, over the next month, a number of men were reported sick, including the captain, Lt. Fred Wissler RN, with “Spanish influenza”.

8 British Club Bangkok Timeline

Although first detected in Siam in July 1918, more outbreaks of influenza broke out in the October, which eventually infected approximately 2.5 million people (27.8% of the population) and 81,370 people died. It has been suggested, and reported as such, that the football match could have been a ’super-spreader event’. {Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser, 13.09.1918, www.naval-history.net & Emergence of Influenza Pandemic in Bangkok in 1918: Historical Review}.

1919 Land Deed 2668 (Bangkok Lawn Tennis Club) was sold to the British Jan 14: Club Bangkok under mortgage to Siam Electricity Company. Eight grass courts with a wooden clubhouse. {Chanote 2668}

Feb 15: The “Our Day” 1918 War Loan 1,000,000 Tical Lottery organised by the British (Siam) War Aid Association, and authorised by the Royal Siam Government, was drawn. The Winner of the 145,000 Tical first prize was Dr. Nuan from Banglampoo Lang Amphur [District], Bangkok. The organisers were Fred Kempton, of Kempton & Co, and Club Member Hamilton Price Manager, Bombay Burmah Trading Corporation. Tickets available from the British Club Bangkok , the Royal Bangkok Sports Club, the Bangkok United Club and all, trading banks. {Straits Times, 24.02.1919}.

Jun 25: A Committee was established to erect a War Memorial at the British Legation. {British Embassy Bangkok History website & Straits Times, 25.06.1919}.

Jun 26: A Court Final Judgement no. 266 gave the British Club Bangkok the legal use of a small khlong on its eastern boundary with the land on Chanote 2661 (2021: AIA driveway and carpark). This khlong ran parallel to “Silom Soi 16” and linked the Club with Khlong Silom. Each day by opening of a sluice gate it provided water for the eight tennis courts – see also 1949. {Chanote 2668}.

1920 Land Deed 2669 was redeemed from Chartered Bank of India, Jan 12: Australia, and China. {Chanote 2669}.

1921 The British War Memorial, Mar 15: designed by Edward Healey in Siam, was being carved in Scotland by Sir James Taggart KBE. Edward Healey was well known for his buildings at Chulalongkorn University and the Devavesm Palace (2021: The Bank of Thailand Museum).

Sir James, Lord Provost of Aberdeen, from 1914 to 1919, owned a large Granite Works in Aberdeen, now part of Robertson Granite. {Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser, 15.03.1921}.

9 British Club Bangkok Timeline

Dec 22: Alfred Charles William Harmsworth, 1st Viscount Northcliffe was a guest at a dinner in his honour at the British Club Bangkok . He wrote a column on British business in Siam in a number of local and international newspaper. {Malaya Tribute, 22.12.1921}.

1922 The British War Memorial, now complete, was shipped from Aberdeen Jan 30: in the United Kingdom to Siam. {Malaya Tribute, 31.01.1922}.

Jun 26: A new building opened for the Bangkok Library Association, commissioned by Dr. Thomas Heywood Hays in remembrance of his wife, Jennie Neilson Hays who had died of cholera in 1920. The building, at 195 Suriwongse Road, was designed by Mario Tamagno and the association was renamed the Neilson Hays Library. {Neilson Hays Library}.

1923 The British War Memorial Jan 10: was unveiled at the Ploenchit gate end of the driveway to the new British Legation, situated on the corner of Ploenchit and Wireless Roads. The Memorial contains the names of 25 men of British descent who went to fight in the Great War but did not return. The Service led by the Reverend R.J. Hitchcock and attended by H.B.M. Minister Robert Greg with His Serene Highness Colonel Prince Amoradat Kritakara and Major-General Phya Pijaijarnrit representing His Majesty King Vajiravudh of Siam (see 2019). {The Straits Times, 19.01.1923}.

1924 The Natural History Society of Siam hosted a farewell dinner at the Nov 24: British Club Bangkok for its President Dr. Malcolm A. Smith, and Mrs Smith, on their leaving Siam. {The Straits Times, 16.12.1926}.

1925 In preparation for visitors to (no date) the 1926 Siamese Kingdom Exhibition in Lumpini Park, which never opened, the Siamese Tramways Company opened a tram line from Chareon Krung Road, along Silom Road and Rajdamri Road to the water gate (‘Pratunam’) at Khlong Saen Saep.

It was accessible from the British Club Bangkok via ‘British Club Road’ to Silom Road (now Soi 18).

10 British Club Bangkok Timeline

The service ran from 6am to midnight, from Bangrak Intersection to either Yotse or Pratunam Pier. It connected with other Tramways or railways at Bangrak and Sala Daeng. {2Bangkok website}.

1926 The British Association of Siam and the British Club Bangkok host a Mar 2: Farewell Dinner for H.B.M. Minister, Robert Greg. {The Straits Times, 12.03.1926}.

Sep 22: The British Legation at Wireless Road is officially opened, and the newly arrived Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary, H.E. Sydney P. P. Waterlow CBE, moved into the Residence. His wife, Helen, would follow him at the end of October. The site was already home to the Queen Victoria statue and the British War Memorial (see 2019). {Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser, 27.10.1926}.

1927 Royal State Railways of Siam printed a Guide to Bangkok, written by Erik Seidenfaden, which showed the British Club Bangkok adjacent to the Italian Legation – although all the tramways were missing. {Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University Digital Library}

Feb 4: Land Deed 2669 was mortgaged to Hong Kong & Shanghai Bank. {Chanote 2669}.

Feb 20: Land Deed 2668 was redeemed from Siam Electricity Company and mortgaged to Hong Kong & Shanghai Bank. {Chanote 2668}.

Oct 12: The British Club Bangkok became a founder member of the Lawn Tennis Association of Siam under His Majesty’s Patronage . {LTAT website}.

11 British Club Bangkok Timeline

1928 The British Club Bangkok hosted a Supper & Dance on the occasion Feb 10: of an Official Visit to Siam of the Governor of the Straits Settlements and British High Commissioner in Malaya, H.E. Sir Hugh C. Clifford GCMG GBE, and his wife Lady Elizabeth. {Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser, 17.02.1928}.

March The British Club Bangkok provided Tiffin for Captain Geoffrey Hopwood RN and Officers of HMS Hermes (95), an aircraft carrier visiting Siam. {Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser, 22.03.1928}.

1929 The British Club Bangkok hosted a dinner lead by H.B.M. Minister, May 31: Charles J. F. R. Wingfield CMG with guest speaker, Lt-Colonel Frederick J. M. Stratton DSO OBE DL TD FRS PRAS, Professor of Astrophysics and Director of the Solar Physics Observatory at the University of Cambridge, together with members of the British Eclipse Expedition to Pattani. {Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser, 11.06.1929}.

1930 On the eve of his departure from Siam, Sir Edward Cook CSI CIE, Apr 25: Advisor to the Siamese Finance Ministry, was entertained at a private dinner at the British Club Bangkok thrown by his friends. {The Straits Times, 01.05.1930}.

Nov 7: An afternoon reception was held at the British Club Bangkok for Air Marshal Sir William Geoffrey Hanson Salmond KCB KCMG DSO on the occasion of an RAF visit to Siam. Sir Geoffrey, as he preferred to be known, was Air Officer Commanding India. He was accompanied by H.B.M. Minister, Cecil F. J. Dormer MVO and Colonel John F. Turner. {The Straits Times, 14.11.1930}.

Nov 30: The Bangkok St Andrew's Society [a social group for Scottish people, founded in 1890] had decided against holding the 1930 Saint Andrew’s annual ball, so the St. Andrew’s Pipe Band hosted a private dinner at the British Club Bangkok. {Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser, 11.12.1930}.

1931 Eskell Andrews, New Zealand Davis Cup player, beat Malayan player Apr 11: David Kleinman in an Exhibition match at the British Club Bangkok . He also played a set against Nai Sanoh Varnangkula, the 21-year-old Siamese Tennis champion. {The Straits Times, 13.04.1931}.

Jul 7: Samuel Brighouse (pictured), senior partner at Tilleke & Gibbins since 1911, celebrated his fiftieth birthday with a party held at noon at the British Club Bangkok followed by a dinner in the evening at the Club. {The Straits Times, 15.07.1931}.

Mr. Brighouse had been the Honorary Secretary of the Club in 1908-1909 and acted as legal counsel for the Club – see 1915.

Nov 5: Sixty Members of the British Association of Siam dined at the British Club Bangkok with guest speaker Mr. R.B. Jackson, Operations Manager of the Aerial Transport Company. {Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser, 21.11.1931}.

12 British Club Bangkok Timeline

Dec 31: The United Club, from whose Membership the British Club Bangkok was founded in 1903, closed its doors. It was founded in 1886 and situated on Khlong Phadung Krung Kasem at the junction of Si Phraya Road and Chareon Krung Road. {Straits Times 17.10.1931}.

1932 The Siamese coup d'état led to a new Government which dispensed Jun 24: with the hundreds of Foreign advisors that the previous governments had employed. Over the next few years this led to a massive drop in British nationals employed with the Royal Thai Government in Thailand as contracts ceased, and thus a massive drop in membership of the British Club Bangkok . {Richard Hempson OBE, Hon. Sec. Outpost, May 1986}.

1933 The Chiang Mai (no date) Gymkhana Club, founded in 1898, gave ‘Visiting Member’ rights to British Club Bangkok members. {CGC Rules & bylaws, Rule 13, 1933}.

1934 The British Association of Siam held its annual dinner at the British Jan 7: Club Bangkok , with guest of honour Cecil Dormer MVO, H.B.M. Minister present and Lady Mary Dormer. {Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser, 15.01.1934}.

Aug 9: Three hundred British residents gathered at the British Club Bangkok to welcome Sir Josiah Crosby KCMG KBE CIE as H.B.M. Minister. {Malaya Tribute, 11.08.1934}.

Sir Josiah had been a Club member from 1907 to 1914 and 1919 to 1926 and was instrumental in the Club obtaining its Clubhouse land as a trustee of the Club. {Chanote 2669}. The picture, Sir Josiah Crosby by Walter Stoneman, 1931 is owned by the National Portrait gallery, London. 1935 The British Club Bangkok hosted the Eighth Siamese Tennis Jan 20: Championships organised by the Lawn Tennis Association of Siam under His Majesty’s Patronage. {Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser, 03.01.1935}.

Mar 10: The British Club Bangkok hosted tiffin for sailors from HMS Kent (54) and HMS Falmouth (L34) during the Royal Naval visit to Siam of Admiral Sir Frederic Charles Dreyer, KCB. {The Straits Times, 11.03.1935}.

Mar 29: The British Association of Siam held its Annual General Meeting at the British Club Bangkok , with guest of honour Sir Josiah Crosby KCMG KBE CIE, H.B.M. Minister. {Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser, 16.04.1935}.

13 British Club Bangkok Timeline

May 4: The British Association of Siam and the British Club Bangkok arrange a joint Silver Jubilee Ball in honour of H.M. King George V at the Royal Bangkok Sports Club. {Malaya Tribute, 04.04.1935}.

Sep 3: The British Legion in Siam organised a gathering of some Fifty British and German ex-servicemen to celebrate peace. After an afternoon at the cinema, the British Legion held a Lancashire hotpot Supper & Sing- Song at the British Club Bangkok . {Malaya Tribute, 04.09.1935}.

1936 The British Club Bangkok provided Afternoon Tea for Captain R.S. Jan 17: Benson RN and Officers of HMS Duncan (D99) and fellow destroyer HMS Daring (H16), visiting Siam. {Malaya Tribute, 24.01.1936}.

Jul: A revised edition of the Rule Book of the British Club Bangkok was produced. {GC Minutes 14.01.1947}. Sadly, this was lost sometime after 2000.

(no date) The loss of British nationals employed with the Royal Siamese Government had led to a massive drop in membership and use of the Club, thus the Committee of the British Club Bangkok took drastic action to survive: • Membership was opened to all males of British descent. • Debenture Fees were abolished, and the Subscription reduced to 5 Ticals per month. • No share certificate was issued so new Members could not vote. • At this point the Club had: eight tennis courts, a croquet or bowling lawn, three billiard tables, along with a card room and a men's bar, to which ladies were not admitted. • One of the Billiards Tables was sold to the Chiang Mai Gymkhana Club, and the 600 Ticals used to open a ‘Ladies Bar’. {Richard Hempson OBE, Hon. Sec. Outpost, May 1986 & CMGC Minutes}.

1937 The British May 12: Club Bangkok members listened to the BBC radio broadcast live in the Clubhouse of the coronation of Their Majesties George VI and his wife Elizabeth as king and queen of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth taking place at Westminster Abbey. {Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser, 12.05.1937}.

(no date) The lack of voting rights to new Members was causing severe problems with recruitment so the Committee of the British Club Bangkok decided to convert the Club from a Debenture Club to a Members Club. Accordingly, the committee wrote to all Debenture holders worldwide: Existing Debenture holders were offered two Ticals per share (1 GBP = 11 Tical). Most, but not all, were redeemed. {Richard Hempson OBE, Hon. Sec. Outpost, May 1986}.

Oct 30: The British Legion in Siam give an Honorary Membership, at a dinner held at the British Club Bangkok , to Dr. Otto Schwend, a German WWI soldier, for saving the life of Lieutenant Colonel Maxwell Earle DSO, Commanding Officer of the 1st Battalion, Grenadier Guards at the First Battle of Ypres on 29 th October 1914.

14 British Club Bangkok Timeline

In attendance at the dinner were Sir Josiah Crosby KCMG KBE CIE, H.B.M. Minister, Mr. Wilhelm Thomas, the German Minister to Thailand and about 100 servicemen from both sides. {The Straits Times, 31.10.1937; “The Menin Crossroads”; & German Embassy, Bangkok}.

1938 The British Association of Siam and the British Club Bangkok May 24: celebrated Empire Day with a Tennis Tournament at the Club against English educated Siamese. {Malaya Tribute, 25.05.1938}.

1939 The British Club Bangkok Open Tennis Tournament ended up with Jan 24: a British wipe-out by the Siamese team. In attendance and giving out the prizes was Sir Josiah Crosby KCMG KBE CIE, H.B.M. Minister. {Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser, 27.01.1939}.

Feb 19: The Conference of the Eight District of Rotary International, was held at the British Club Bangkok over two days, is opened by H.E. Chao Phya Sridharmadhibes, Siamese Minister of Foreign Affairs . One of the guests of honour was Kao Ling-po, Chinese Consul General to Singapore. {Sunday Tribute, 19.03.1939; Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser, 21.02.1939}.

Mar 11- The British Club Bangkok provided Tiffin for HMS Kent (54) and 12: HMS Falmouth (L34) visiting Siam over two lunchtimes, and a Cocktail Dance was held on the Sunday evening for the officers. HMS Falmouth was flying the flag of Vice-Admiral Sir Percy Noble KCB CVO Commander-in-Chief, Royal Navy China Station. {Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser, 16.03.1939, Morning Tribute 11.03.1939}.

Mar 24: Although re-elected Chairman for 1939-1940, Mr. William Streatfeild was announced as leaving Siam for Europe on the Rawalpindi steamer. {Malay Tribune 23.03.1939, Chanote 2669 paperwork}.

Jun 3: Mr. A.J. Williams was elected Chairman, replacing Mr. Streatfeild, for the rest of 1939-1940 and received official registration on this date. {Chanote 2669 paperwork}.

Jun 23: Siam renamed to Thailand . {End of Empire}

Sep 3: The United Kingdom declares war on Nazi Germany. Many younger members of the British Club Bangkok return home and enlist, and many ‘on leave’ are unable to return to Bangkok. {Richard Hempson OBE, Hon. Sec. Outpost, May 1986}.

Sep 22: The British Legation informed the British in Thailand that they render better service for the time representing Imperial interests in Thailand than by offering their services in the homeland. {The Straits Times, 23.09.1939}.

Members of the British Association of Thailand were given free use of the British Club Bangkok until further notice. {The Straits Times, 23.09.1939}.

15 British Club Bangkok Timeline

1940 The Annual General Meeting of the British Club Bangkok was held Feb 26: and Mr William Streatfeild becomes Chairman again. {Directory for Bangkok & Thailand 1940}.

Apr 8: After the Nazi invasion of Denmark, the British Club Bangkok gave ‘Visiting Membership’ to citizens from all ‘friendly’ European countries. {Richard Hempson, Hon. Sec. Outpost, May 1986 & Gregers Møller Report 17.12.2006}.

1941 The Annual General Meeting of the British Club Bangkok was held Feb 24: and Mr William Streatfeild was elected Chairman for the fourth time. {Directory for Bangkok & Thailand 1941}.

Oct 16: The British Minister, Sir Josiah Crosby KCMG KBE CIE, decried a Japanese Report that he was engaged in a “new diplomatic offense” with British demands to use Thai railways and harbours to jointly defend the Thai-Malay border … “This report can only be a deliberate invention and there is no truth in it whatever” he was quoted as saying. {Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser, 17.10.1939}.

Oct 17- The Danish community played a revue at the British Club Bangkok , 18: which over two evenings made a profit of over 5,000 Ticals, which were given to 'War Charities'. {Gregers Møller Report 17.12.2006}.

Dec 3: The British Legation issued a notice advising British women and children and non-essential male residents to leave but they could not go through Malaya or Burma except in transit. {Burma Star Association}.

Dec 6: The Bangkok St Andrew's Society Show, and a Charity Bazaar, both planned for December 13 th were brought forward and held in the afternoon at the British Club Bangkok. {Burma Star Association}.

Late evening Sir Josiah Crosby KCMG KBE CIE, the British Minister, was attending a large party in the grounds of the British Club Bangkok when was informed that the RAF had seen a large Japanese Fleet off the coast of Siam and Malaya. He did not immediately share this information according to some sources. {Richard Hempson OBE, Hon. Sec. Outpost, May 1986}.

Dec 7: At 7pm, Sir Josiah Crosby KCMG KBE CIE, the British Minister, visited H.E. Direk Jayanama, the Thai Minister of Foreign Affairs, to inform him of the RAF sighting of the Japanese fleet. {“Siam and World War II”}.

Dec 8: The Japanese Army invaded southern Thailand and Samut Prakarn and declare war on the USA and British Empire. At noon, a ceasefire is announced, and the Japanese Army agreed not to enter Bangkok until formal negotiations were concluded. Thailand enters into a ‘free movement’ treaty. {“Siam and World War II”}

At 2pm, Sir Josiah Crosby KCMG KBE CIE, the British Minister, again, visited H.E. Direk Jayanama, the Thai Minister of Foreign Affairs. {Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser, 10.12.1941}.

Sir Josiah Crosby KCMG KBE CIE called a meeting for 6pm at the British Club Bangkok but advised that people stay put as Thailand is not at war with Britain. {Burma Star Association}.

The British Club Bangkok burned the entire archive to stop it getting into Japanese hands. {Gregers Møller Report 17.12.2006}.

16 British Club Bangkok Timeline

Mid evening, Japanese troops enter Bangkok welcomed by local Japanese residents. The British Legation was surrounded, and the British Club Bangkok grounds commandeered by the Japanese Army. Most members were interned although it is recorded that 26 British citizens did escape captivity. {Richard Hempson OBE, Hon. Sec. Outpost, May 1986; Burma Star Association; The Straits Times, 14.12.1941}.

The British Club Bangkok was no more.

The Swiss Consulate became responsible for British Citizens in Siam . {Morning Tribune, 19.10.1946}.

Dec 9:

Dec 11: The Royal Thai Government declared a ‘State of War’ throughout the country to maintain order. The Imperial Japanese Army takes over British Banks. {Morning Tribute, 11.12.1941}.

1942 The Swiss Consulate informed the UK Foreign Office that the British Jan 16: Minister Sir Josiah Crosby KCMG KBE CIE, and Legation staff are safe and well. {The Straits Times, 16.01.1942}

Jan 25: The Thai government declared war on the United States and the British Empire. {Politico}

Aug 4: British Minister Sir Josiah Crosby KCMG KBE CIE, and Consul & First Secretary Richard Whittington, British Club Bangkok Honorary Secretary 1935-1936, were amongst 101 British and Allied diplomats who leave Bangkok on the Exchange Boat ‘Tatua Maru.’ This was part of a wider Far East exchange scheme. 182 British Nationals remained detained. {Syonan Shimbun, 04.08.1942}

Richard Whittington would return to Siam in 1947 as a Counsellor for four years, then, after a spell back in London, he was appointed in 1957 as British Ambassador to Thailand. {The Straits Times, 20.04.1957}.

Aug 27: Some 1,800 British and Allied nationals from the Far East were exchanged against 1,800 Japanese and Thai nationals from the British Empire, at Lourenço Marques, Mozambique. {Hansard, 22.07.1942}

1945 Brigadier Victor Jacques CBE DSO MC & Bar, pre-war lawyer with Jan: Tilleke & Gibbon, working for the Special Operations Executive under codename “Hector”, flew into Bangkok to aid the Free Thai Movement. {Studies in Intelligence}.

17 British Club Bangkok Timeline

Aug 15: The surrender of Japan was announced on National Radio by Japanese Emperor Hirohito. {Operation Bibber, Christopher Chant}.

Sep 2: The surrender was formally signed. {Operation Bibber, Christopher Chant}.

Sep 3: Operation Bibber was the Allied plan for the liberation of Thailand in the light of Japan surrender developed by the Joint Planning Staff of Admiral the Lord Louis Mountbatten’s South-East Asia Command.

Advance elements of Operation Bibber arrived in Bangkok, the 7 th Indian Infantry Division, the 207 th Military Mission and RAF No.s 20 and 211 Squadrons. Major General Geoffrey Evans CBE DSO & Two Bars is named General Officer Commanding Allied Land Forces in Thailand. {Operation Bibber, Christopher Chant}.

Sep 7: Thailand renamed to Siam . {End of Empire}.

Oct 5: 1st Battalion Queen's Royal Regiment arrived. {Surrey History Centre}.

The newly renamed Royal Siamese Government allocated the British Club Bangkok premises, in part, to the reconstituted YMCA of Bangkok and it was used in part by the HQALFS (the Headquarters of Allied Land Forces in Siam) based at Chulalongkorn University. {Temporary Working Group Minutes 02.05.1946}.

{no date} The British War Office issued a plan of Bangkok which identifies the current ‘Soi 18’ as ‘Teto Road’ and the Club as building 325. {British Library}.

1946 The Formal Agreement for the Termination of the State of War Jan 1: between Siam and Great Britain and India (The Anglo Thai Treaty) was signed. {United Nations Treaty Series}.

Jan 10: Hugh Rudolph Bird was appointed British Charge d’Affaires in Bangkok. Mr. Bird had been Honorary Secretary of the British Club Bangkok from 1924 to 1925. {The Evening Star (NZ), 11.01.1946}.

Jan 26: HQALFS (the Headquarters of Allied Land Forces in Siam) renamed HQBTS (the Headquarters of British Troops in Siam) under the command of Major General Gerald Brunskill CB DSO as the Indian 7 th Division leaves. {Operation Bibber, Christopher Chant}.

18 British Club Bangkok Timeline

May 2: A group of 35 members of the British community in Siam met at Tanam Si Phraya (2021: Royal Orchid Sheraton), the local office of the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation. This meeting voted unanimously for the re-establishment of the "old' British Club Bangkok , as a member club, and elected a small Working Party of Brigadier Victor H. Jacques CBE DSO MC & Bar (chairman), Robert W. Fothergill, E. Raymond Davy, C. Letts, and John H. Donofield to undertake this. {General Meeting Minutes 02.05.1946}.

May 3: A Working Party meeting was held at Tanam Si Phraya to outline the then position, that both the Club's Land Chanotes were mortgaged to the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation, still owing 47,000 Ticals with interest accrued only to 07.12.1941. In addition, a further 24,000 Ticals would be required just to get one or possibly two rooms of the old Clubhouse up and running. {Working Party minutes 03.05.1946}.

May 27: A further Working Party meeting was held at Tanam Si Phraya. Brigadier Victor Jacques CBE DSO MC & Bar had contacted the British Minister, Geoffrey Thompson, with a view of asking the Royal Thai Government to make necessary repairs to the Club. It was agreed that a minimum of 60 members would be required to financially restart the British Club Bangkok . {Working Party Minutes 27.05.1946}.

May 29: A second open meeting was held at Tanam Si Phraya to outline to 29 members of the British community in attendance, the work conducted by the Working Party and to outline the proposed re-opening plan. {General Meeting Minutes 29.05.1946}.

Jun 14: A third open meeting was held to officially reconstitute British Club Bangkok - 60 "Gentlemen of British Descent " signed up as members paying a 400 Ticals joining fee and a subscription of 40 Ticals per month. First Post-War Chairman elected was Brigadier Victor Jacques CBE DSO MC & Bar (pictured), and the General Committee were Mr. G.B. Adams, Mr. J.J. French, Mr. Ian L. McEwan, Mr. L.B. Short and Mr. C. Letts. {General Meeting Minutes 14.06.1946}.

Aug: To assist the General Committee with administration, Mrs. Tisseman was appointed as Paid Secretary to the Club. {GC Minutes Summary 01.11.1946}.

Aug: The Headquarters of British Troops in Siam was returned the British Club Bangkok grounds to the Club. {GC Minutes Summary 01.11.1946}.

There was a story told by Charles Mabbatt, who became Chairman in 1947, about this day: “I arrived at the empty Club one morning, and whilst inspecting the upstairs was accosted by a Japanese Officer with sword drawn, who wanted to know what I was doing on Japanese property. I explained my mission and he said: "I must accompany him to see his Commander". I was taken to Nares Road where I was told to wait, shortly afterwards the Officer accompanied by another came out into the middle of the road and formally presented me with the "front door key" of the Club. We bowed ourselves apart .” It is highly unlikely to be true but worth a beer or two upon each telling. {The original source - Ploenchit Fair history – has been deleted but the story was reported in ‘Past Participle’, Outpost, March 2010}.

19 British Club Bangkok Timeline

Sep: The Servants’ Quarters re-opened as staff were recruited. Mr. Cheng Kim Lee returned as Butler (see 1915). {GC Minutes Summary 01.11.1946}.

Sep 10: At 5.30pm, the Clubhouse re-opened for service on Tuesdays and Fridays with seven staff [Butler, one Bar Boy, one Coolie, a Gardener and three Watchmen, two of whom were on night duty]. All members needed to pre-buy coupons for bar purchases. {GC Minutes Summary 01.11.1946}.

Sep 25: The 1st Battalion Queen's Royal Regiment left Siam for Penang, Malaya. {Surrey History Centre}.

Oct 29: Only one detachment is left in Siam as a further 1,500 British troops leave. {The Singapore Free Press, 01.11.1946}

Oct 30: Major General Gerald Brunskill CB DSO, General Officer Commanding British Troops in Siam, left Bangkok. {The Singapore Free Press, 01.11.1946}.

Oct 31: The last Japanese troops left Siam. {The Singapore Free Press, 01.11.1946}

Nov 1: The General Committee gave all remaining British Military officers Honorary Membership of Club. {GC Minutes 01.11.1946}.

Nov 24: The Bowling Alley (between the back lawn and the Servants Quarters) re-opened. {GC Minutes 29.11.1946}.

Dec 6: At least two (of the eight) tennis courts were scheduled to re-open. {GC Minutes 29.11.1946}.

Dec 26: As a number of members were due to take leave, the General Committee set the Absent fee at 5 Ticals/month for new members, and 1 Tical/month for pre-War members; Rules for Visiting Membership were agreed for British men on short-term contracts. {GC Minutes 26.12.1946}.

Dec 31: The British Club Bangkok New Year’s Eve Ball attracted 200 Members and their families and reportedly drank the Club dry of Whisky. {GC Minutes 14.01.1947}.

The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Mortgage of the Club stood at 45,3660.21 Ticals. {GC Minutes 14.01.1947}.

{no date} The British Chamber of Commerce Thailand was founded with its first meeting held at the British Club Bangkok. At its inception there were 17 founding British members and three associate members. Committee meeting were held monthly at the Club until 1964. {BCCT history}.

20 British Club Bangkok Timeline

1947 It is recorded that the only set of Club Rules is July 1936 thus it is Jan 14: agreed to draft a new set for an Extraordinary General Meeting to be held at the end of February. {GC Minutes 14.01.1947}. Sadly, the July 1936 Rule Book went missing sometime after the year 2000.

Feb 24 HMS Alacrity (F60), a modified Black Swan-class sloop, became the & 25: first post-war ship to be hosted at the British Club Bangkok , providing tiffin to petty officers and ratings both lunchtimes. As the event was to be a ‘British community’ event not merely a Club event, the Sailors Entertainment Fund was founded. {GC Minutes 18.02.1947}.

Two flags were presented by the Ship’s company to the Club. {GC Minutes 11.04.1947}. Sadly, these were lost.

Feb 27: An Extraordinary General Meeting was called to look at Constitutional Rule changes and to elect a new Committee: • Absent Membership was revised to be 5 Ticals pcm of absence to maximum of 60 Ticals. • Country Membership was introduced at 60 Ticals to join and 5 Ticals/month. • Ladies Privileges was introduced as a means by which unmarried ladies could use the Club. • The opening rules of the Club were revised to read that " The Club is owned by its Ordinary and Country Members for the benefit of all in the British community in Thailand, present and future ". • Membership was extended to all 'British Commonwealth subjects' as it was felt "undesirable that a British Club should exclude any subjects of the British Commonwealth from becoming members". {EGM Minutes 27.02.1947}.

In 1948, this meeting was described as the ‘Annual General Meeting for 1947’. {AGM Minutes 31.03.1948}.

Mar 7: It was agreed that now the British Club Bangkok was formally active with an elected General Committee, the rules and General Committee should be registered with the authorities. Victor Jacques of Tilleke & Gibbins to undertake this work. {GC Minutes 07.03.1947}.

Mar 20: H.M. King George XI approved the upgrading of the British Legation at Wireless Road to be the British Embassy thus the current British Minister Geoffrey Thompson is appointed as the first British Ambassador to Thailand. {Indian Daily Mail, 21.03.1946}.

Jun 7 & The Petty Officers and ratings of HMS Alert (K647), a Bay-class frigate, 8: enjoyed Tiffin at the British Club Bangkok , both lunchtimes. {GC Minutes 07.07.1947}.

Jul 2: The British Club Bangkok received a first payment of £1,749 2s 6d [69,970 Ticals] from the Royal Siamese Government as part of War rehabilitation negotiated between the Club and the Government directly. This was external to any rehabilitation made by the British Embassy under the Anglo-Thai Treaty. {GC Minutes 22.09.1947}.

21 British Club Bangkok Timeline

By year-end, a total of 135,077.60 Ticals were received. {AGM Minutes 31.03.1948}.

Jul 7: The General Committee approved that Lodge St. John (No. 1072) became the first post-war non-member group to use the British Club Bangkok on a monthly basis. {GC Minutes 07.07.1947}.

Jul 10: The Amphur Bangrak office took ownership, from the Club, of the pavement outside and to the left of the main Suriwongse Road Gate. An area of 7 Wah (28m²) was surrendered. {Chanote 2669}.

Sep 1: Two of the last pieces of the War rehabilitations arrived in the form of two reconditioned Billiards Tables, complete with scoreboard, manufactured by Messrs W. Jelks & Son of Holloway, London.

Imported by Messrs Barrow, Brown & Company, the Siamese Ministry of the Interior paid out £528 5s 6d for their transport and installation in the Club's new Billiards Room on the ground floor (2021 usage: The Churchill Bar). {GC Minutes 22.10.1947}.

Oct 14: An Extraordinary General Meeting of the British Club Bangkok revised the Country membership rules to accommodate Ordinary Members who moved out Bangkok sometime after joining and wanted now to become Country Members. {EGM Minutes 14.10.1947}.

Nov 30: The Chairman, Charles Mabbatt, reported that Club life had returned to some normality: • The Club was open 4pm to 8pm each weekday and on Saturday and Sunday daytimes. • A member of the committee was present two ‘Club Nights’ a week to take suggestions from members. • The tennis courts were fully functional (outside of the monsoon) with a Dek (ball-boy) available for 3 Ticals a session. • The Bowling Alley was equally available but at the reduced price of 2.50 Ticals per session. • Billiards could be played at a cost of 2 Ticals per hour. • Monthly movie nights, on the back lawn, showed the latest films brought up from the British High Commission in Singapore • The year ended, as is now a tradition, with a large Christmas Ball on the back lawn. {GC Minutes 30.11.1947}.

22 British Club Bangkok Timeline

1948 The Lawn Tennis Association of Siam under His Majesty’s Patronage Jan 9 to ran the 1948 Siam Tennis Championship at the British Club Mar 4: Bangkok . Four of the eight Courts were made available (numbers 1- 4, approximately where the current courts are) and as a consequence Suriwongse Gate was closed to Members. {GC Minutes 02.02.1948}.

Feb 2: The British Club Bangkok received a Tennis trophy from Lodge St. John. It would be known as the ‘St. John Challenge Cup’ and be for the Mixed Doubles Handicap Tennis Tournament. This was a token of appreciation for the Club allowing the Lodge to meet regularly in the Club. {GC Minutes 02.02.1948}

Feb 5: The General Committee decided to award, at Chinese New Year, on- going staff with one month’s salary as a bonus. An appeal was made to members to donate. {GC Minutes 02.02.1948}.

Mar 4: His Highness Prince Dhani Nivat attended the Siam Tennis Championship Men’s Doubles Final on 4 th March and presented the Cup. {GC Minutes 18.03.1948}.

Mar 18: It is reported to the General Committee that the St. John Challenge Cup had been stolen from the home of one of the winners. The winners agreed to replace it with a similar cup, duly engraved. {GC Minutes 18.03.1948}.

Apr 7: The first eight British Club Bangkok Ladies Privileges were granted more than a year after members agreed this provision at the Extraordinary General Meeting held on 27.02.1947. {GC Minutes 07.04.1948}.

Apr 26: The General Committee announced the ‘Last Man Standing’ rule, by where the Club remained open after its usual closing time if a member was present – it was further clarified in September (see 2014). { GC Minutes 26.04.1948, clarified in GC Minutes 21.09.1948}

Apr: The officers and crew of HMS Hart (F58), a modified Black Swan-class sloop, were hosted at the British Club Bangkok over two lunchtimes under the Sailors Entertainment Fund. {AGM Minutes 31.03.1948}.

Jun 14: An Extraordinary General Meeting was called to look at Constitutional Rule changes: • The Joining Fees were lowered to 100 Ticals (Ordinary) and 25 Ticals (Country). • An Instalment-payment category was introduced called ‘Non- Voting Membership’ whereby the Joining Fee was paid over four quarters. • Guest Rules were introduced to allow each Member to bring to the Club up to two guests at any one time but the same guest only twice a year.

23 British Club Bangkok Timeline

• Country Members who stay temporarily in Bangkok over 30 days in any month to pay the Ordinary subscription rate. • Officers of the Mercantile Marine and Merchant Air Services to be allowed visiting rights. {EGM Minutes 14.06.1948}.

Oct 18: The British Club Bangkok was connected to the telephone network for the first time: The Thai Post and Telegraph Department issued the Club with the number of 3-0247 (0-2234-0247 is still the Club’s number). {GC Minutes 18.10.1948}.

Dec 11: The British Chamber of Commerce co-organised a ‘UN Appeal for Children’ Charity Affair, with Commonwealth, American, Dutch, and Scandinavian supporters, held in the grounds of the British Club Bangkok . The event was opened by Lady Thompson, the British Ambassador's wife. {BCCT website, GC Minutes 29.11.1948}.

Dec: Mrs. Sequeria replaced Mrs. Tisseman as Paid Secretary to the Club. {GC Minutes 21.03.1949}.

1949 Mr. Abdul Majid Yacoob Nana was appointed as the first Permanent Jan 25: Assistant Secretary of the British Club Bangkok . {GC Minutes 25.01.1949}.

Feb 1: Mr. Nana started work as Permanent Assistant Secretary. {GC Minutes 21.03.1949}.

Mar 21: With Mr. Nana fully in role, the services of the Paid Secretary, Mrs. Sequeria, were deemed not needed and she was asked to stop work at the month end. {GC Minutes 21.03.1949}.

Mar 23: The final ‘piece’ of the agreed War rehabilitations included games equipment, crockery, cutlery, and cooking utensils were noted as received. {AGM Minutes 21.03.1949}.

Apr 4: It was agreed that the ‘No. 2 Boy’ (second barman) would act as marker for Members playing billiards as long as there were not more than ten Members in the Clubhouse, otherwise he must be on bar duty. {GC Minutes 05.04.1949}.

The Bangkok Bowling Club requested permission to rent Tennis Courts 7 & 8 (where the Silom Wing is now) to erect their own bowling alley and bar. This was not progressed. {GC Minutes 05.04.1949}.

It was noted that the Chairman, Charles Mabbatt, had donated a Cup for the Singles Snooker Championship. {GC Minutes 05.04.1949}.

May 11: Siam renamed to Thailand . {thai-or.com}

May 30: The British Club Bangkok received two new Tennis trophies: ‘The Turner Bowl’ a competition for married couples within the Club; and ‘The Streatfeild Cup’ from William Streatfeild, chairman 1938-1941, prior to his departure for the United Kingdom, as an inter-firm men's doubles competition. {GC Minutes 31.05.1949}.

24 British Club Bangkok Timeline

Jun 1: It was found that Mrs. Sequeria, Paid Secretary, was still turning up for work, doing the same role, and getting paid. The General Committee decided finally to give her formal notice. {GC Minutes 31.05.1949}

Oct to All eight tennis courts were flooded as the sluice gate connecting the Dec: Club, via a small Khlong, with Khlong Silom had been removed. Repeated requests for its restoration to the Amphur Bangrak office went ignored. The Club thus went out to tender for a local contractor to provide ‘Bunding’ along the Club’s boundaries to prevent such flooding. { GC Minutes 30.01.1950 & AGM Minutes 23.03.1950}

Nov: The Officers and ratings of HMS Alert (K647), a Bay-class frigate, enjoyed tiffin at the British Club Bangkok , with half the company attending each of two lunchtimes. {Malay Tribune 21.11.1949, AGM Minutes 20.03.1950}.

1950 The General Committee accepted a bid of 11,800 Ticals from Karn Jan 30: Chang Company to do the bunding. {GC Minutes 30.01.1950}

Mar 21: Notification was received that the British Club Bangkok must have its Land Chanotes registered under Land Concerning Aliens (No.2) Act which had just come into effect. { GC Minutes 30.03.1950}

April Mr. Jules Jean Mottet, a 65-year-old Swiss national, was appointed as 12: Permanent Assistant Secretary replacing Mr. Nana whose work was deemed as unsatisfactory. { GC Minutes 12.04.1950 & GC Minutes 11.05.1950}.

May 11: The Chom Swee Hong Restaurant offered to provide lunches for Members on a regular basis, as the Club was without kitchens. The offer was western meals at 10 to 12 Ticals each, with a minimum of 15 each day. A survey of the 137 Club Members, however, lacked any enthusiasm with only one positive reply. { GC Minutes 11.05.1950 & GC Minutes 07.06.1950}.

Aug 28: The Bangrak station of the Thailand National Police Department was involved when a messenger, from the Club to the Hong Kong & Shanghai Bank in Tanam Si Phraya, arrived at the at the bank without the parcel. Whilst all cheques issuers were notified and cheques subsequently re-issued, 3,530 Ticals in cash was never recovered. {GC Minutes 11.10.1950}.

Oct 11: The British Club Bangkok was suffering at least two power outages each week due to inconsistent supply from the Thailand Electricity Corporation. It had been mooted back in 1949 to install our own generator but it was found that the Club had a ‘four-line’ wiring set- up which prevented this. After a year of some re-wiring a 2.5 KW generator was installed. {GC Minutes 21.03.1949 & GC Minutes 11.10.1950}.

Oct 15: The Malay Police Band, on a tour of Thailand, gave a morning performance at the Club. {GC Minutes 11.10.1950 & AGM Minutes 20.02.1951}.

25 British Club Bangkok Timeline

{no date} Amphur Bangrak was a mixture of rural land and large houses, many with lakes. The area just north of the newly opened Bangkok Christian Hospital was still a banana plantation. This was owned by Luang Patpongpanich, a Hainanese merchant originally named Tun Phu, who took the name Poon Pat upon settling in Siam.

He died in 1950, at the age of 69, and his son Udom Patponsiri cut a 12m wide road between Silom and Suriwongse Roads through his family’s plantation and build shophouses to attract local merchants – and so was born Patpong Soi 1. {Patpong Museum}.

1951 At the Annual General Meeting, a small rule change was made to Feb 20: ensure that candidates for the General Committee have been an ordinary or country Member for at least a year. {AGM Minutes 20.02.1951}.

At the same meeting, it was agreed that the General Committee should review selling the present premises and moving to somewhere “nearer to the centre of town ”. {AGM Minutes 20.02.1951}. Six months later the General Committee noted that such a review was not being “in the best interests of the Club”. {GC Minutes 16.08.1947}

May 1: The Revenue Code Amendment Act (No. 8), B.E. 2494 came into effect imposing a Hotel & Restaurant Tax on all hotels, restaurants, and, unbeknown to anyone, clubs. {Revenue Code Amendment Act (No. 8), B.E. 2494}

May 6: The Club is registered with the Security Police. {Sor Kor 3}.

Jun 14: Lodge St. John (No. 1072) requested to have exclusively a room at the British Club Bangkok so they can install permanent fixtures and furniture. After along debate the General Committee felt unable to meet the request. {GC Minutes 14.06.1947}.

Sep 13: The General Committee agreed to permanently open the back exit of the Club down “British Club Road” (Soi 18) to allow Members to access through Silom Road at any time. A guard will be on duty at the gate at all times that the Club is due to be open. {GC Minutes 13.09.1947 & GC Minutes 11.10.1951}.

Nov 5: The Chief Officer at Amphur Bangrak (Nai Amphur) informed the British Club Bangkok that it had not paid Restaurant Tax under the Revenue Code Amendment Act (No. 8), B.E. 2494. A letter was sent apologising for any misunderstanding and suggesting that we are not a restaurant under the law and, in fact, have no restaurant facilities. {GC Minutes 08.11.1951}. An assessment of 20,000 Ticals back tax is made ahead of a full audit and loaned to the Club by D. Couper-Johnston & Co. {GC Minutes 10.01.1952}.

Dec 6: Chairman Charles Mabbatt informed the General Committee that, following advice from the Nai Amphur, and with support from H.E. Sir Geoffrey Wallinger KCMG, the British Ambassador, the British Club Bangkok has written to the Finance Minister, H.E. Phra Manuphand Vimolsastr, to apply for exemption to the Revenue Code on the grounds that we are not open to the public. {GC Minutes 06.12.1951}.

26 British Club Bangkok Timeline

Victor Jacques, the first post-WWII Chairman, became an Honorary Member of the Club in light of his invaluable and distinguished service. {GC Minutes 06.12.1951}. Mr. Jacques and his wife Dora, returned to the UK in 1955 where Mr. Jacques soon passed away. {GC Minutes 22.11.1955}.

1952 The British Club Bangkok played host to around 400 Jan 15 ratings of four Royal Navy Algerine-class & 16: minesweepers, from the Sixth Minesweeping Squadron, over these two lunchtimes: HMS Jaseur (J428), HMS Maenad (J335), HMS Magicienne (J436) & HMS Michael (J444). The Churchill Bar still displays one of the badges given on this day. {GC Minutes 07.02.1952}.

Feb 7: The General Committee observed a minute’s silence for the death of H.M. King George XI. {GC Minutes 07.02.1952}.

Mr. John D.H. Hedley DSO, a former Major in the 4th Battalion Burma Rifles, donated two logs from Sandakan in the Crown Colony of North Borneo to the Club, from which eight bowls were made for the Bowling Alley. Mr. Hedley was working with the Bombay Burmah Trading Corporation at the time, having originally joined the Corporation and the Club in 1930. {GC Minutes 07.02.1952 & Frank Earle correspondence, 04.04.2021}.

Feb 21: The election of the 1952-53 General Committee at the Annual General Meeting had three candidates tie for tenth place, so it was agreed to withdraw the tenth position and run with a GC of nine persons. {AGM Minutes 21.02.1952}.

It was noted that The Horne Cup for men’s singles tennis had been donated to the Club during the past year. {AGM Minutes 21.02.1952}.

Feb 28: The General Committee, taking note of comments at the AGM agreed to create a Club Improvement Plan . {GC Minutes 28.02.1952}.

Mar 17: A letter is received from H.E. Boribhand Yuthakit, the new Finance Minister, which granted the British Club Bangkok exemption from the Hotel & Restaurant Tax (see 1989) . The General Committee write to all members to remind them of the absolute need for all guests to be signed in on both occasions that they may visit. {GC Minutes 10.04.1952}.

May 15: Chiangmai Gymkhana Club re-instated the pre-WWII reciprocal rights for British Club Members (see 1933). {GC Minutes 15.05.1952}.

Mr. Robert Fothergill, Honorary Secretary in 1941, donated a cup for an inter-firm men's snooker competition. {GC Minutes 15.05.1952}.

27 British Club Bangkok Timeline

Jul 17: The General Committee accepted to post to Members the Club Improvement Plan and call an Extraordinary General Meeting for its approval. At a cost of 77,580 Ticals: • The Bar to be completely refurbished [2021: the octagonal section of The Verandah – (see 2005)]. • The Bar to be extended onto the Patio to form a ’Palm Court’ [2021: the windowed section of The Verandah - see 1990]. • The Ladies Bar to become a ‘Snack Bar’ [2021: Membership/Billiards Rooms – (see 2007)]. {GC Minutes 17.07.1952}.

Aug 14: The Bangkok St. Andrew's Society received permission to hold their monthly Reel Club within the Club each month, with those Society members who were not British Club Members being signed in as guests. {GC Minutes 14.06.1952}.

Aug 21: An Extraordinary General Meeting of the British Club Bangkok was held: • It was agreed to amend the Membership rules to replace “British Commonwealth subjects” with "citizens of the United Kingdom and such other persons, who are of British descent, as the committee may decide”. • It was agreed to increase the ‘same guest’ frequency from “twice in any calendar month.” to “twice in any calendar month, but not more than six times in any calendar year”. • The Club Improvement Plan was debated, and the proposal voted down by 31 votes to 10, an amendment, however, to limit General Committee expenditure to 50,000 Ticals and do only the Bar and not the Patio or Snack Bar was passed by 39 votes to two. {EGM Minutes 21.08.1952}

Nov 13: A full valuation of the Club undertaken by Siam Architects and valued 4,605,400 Ticals. {GC Minutes 13.11.1952}.

Nov 21 163 Members and ratings of HMS Alert (K647), a Bay-class frigate, & 22: enjoyed Tiffin at the British Club Bangkok , both lunchtimes. {GC Minutes 15.10.1952}.

Dec 23: The Club held its first (post-War) Children’s Christmas Party which was deemed success with 45 children in attendance. {GC Minutes 15.01.1953 & AGM Minutes 25.02.1954}.

The British Naval {no date} Association in Siam was founded by a group of serving and former members of HM Naval forces from the Commonwealth. Its purpose was to provide social activities and comradeship for naval personnel in Bangkok; support crews of visiting ships; and hold an annual Trafalgar Dinner for Bangkok based serving Naval officers of all nationalities. It was supported by the Naval Attaché at the British Embassy. {BNAIB 1955 Constitution and 1985 BNAIB Briefing}.

28 British Club Bangkok Timeline

1953 Once ‘The Bar’ was renovated as per the Extraordinary General Jan 15: Meeting of 21.08.1952, the General Committee agreed a sum of 24,270 Ticals would be spent on decorating all other Clubhouse rooms and the ‘Ladies Bar’ (2021: The Membership Office & Games Room) was renamed ‘The Front Bar’. {GC Minutes 15.01.1953}.

Jun 2: The General Committee on behalf of the Club’s membership sent a telegram to H.M. Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace expressing ‘loyalty, affection, and best wishes’ on the occasion of her coronation. An acknowledgement was received through the British Embassy. {GC Minutes 18.06.1953}.

Jun 29 The British Club Bangkok was host again to 380 ratings from the & 30: Sixth Minesweeping Squadron, over these two lunchtimes. It was not recorded if it was any of the same ships as in 1953. {GC Minutes 16.07.1953}.

That being said, HMS Lysander (J379), an Algerine- class minesweeper, was in service in the Far East with the Sixth Minesweeping Squadron and as her badge is in the Churchill Bar, it is highly likely she visited Bangkok on this occasion. She was decommissioned in 1957. {Royal Navy Research Archive}.

Jul 11: The Club showed the colour film “A Queen is Crowned”, a documentary of the Royal Coronation with narration by Laurence Olivier. {GC Minutes 16.07.1953}

The film was purchased for loan to the British community, which gained the Club a commendation from H.M. Principal Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and Deputy Prime Minister, Anthony Eden. {AGM Minutes 08.04.1954}.

Aug 13: The General Committee appointed a Rules Sub-Committee to complete a ‘Constitutional Review’ with a view to streamlining the patchwork of amendments made since 1947. {GC Minutes 13.08.1953}.

Oct 23 HMS Alert (K647), a Bay-class frigate, was again in town, and & 24: Members and ratings enjoyed Tiffin over two lunchtimes at the Club. {GC Minutes 17.09.1953 & AGM Minutes 25.03.1954}.

Nov 19: The British Naval Association in Bangkok was granted leave to use the Club "as their home" and deposit and display their trophies in the Club. {GC Minutes 19.11.1953}.

Dec 10: Recorded in the Minutes on this date, is the earliest known copy of the “Constitution and Rules of the British Club” . {GC Minutes 10.12.1953}.

1954 British Overseas Airways Corporation flight 781, de Havilland Comet Jan 10: 1, on the last leg of its journey from Singapore to London, took off from Rome Ciampino Airport and suffered a mid-air explosion, later found to be caused by structural failure, and crashed into the sea off Elba Island in the Tyrrhenian Sea, off the coast of Italy. {johnwheater.net/Comet}.

29 British Club Bangkok Timeline

One of the 35 dead was Mr. J.P. Hill, a Club Member, who worked for BOAC in Bangkok and was travelling home on leave after a trip to Singapore. {GC Minutes 19.11.1953 & GC Minutes 04.02.1954}.

Feb 25 An Extraordinary General Meeting of the British Club Bangkok was held directly after the Annual General Meeting to agree a set of 72 amendments to the Club’s Constitution to incorporate past agreed changes not processed. These were all agreed. {EGM Minutes 25.02.1954}.

An additional major change was to redefine Country Membership as being 20 miles from the Club. {EGM Minutes 25.02.1954}.

In the Calling Notice, it was noted that the Guest Rules had become confused over the years with changes made in 1947, 1948 and 1952. Thus, it was restated that any guest, who were themselves eligible for membership, were now only permitted to use the club twice a year. {AGM Calling Notice for 25.02.1954}.

Mar 18: The General Committee agreed to bestow an Honorary Membership upon the British Ambassador to Thailand and thus Berkeley Everard Foley Gage became the first incumbent to take up the honour. {GC Minutes 18.03.1954).

The chairman, Charles Mabbatt, donated a cup for an annual Ladies Singles tennis competition. {GC Minutes 18.03.1954).

Apr 8: An Extraordinary General Meeting of the Club was held to expel a member for “ conduct injurious to the well-being of the Club ”. It transpired that a Mr. Joe H. Elliott and his guest, who was, in fact, his brother, both being exceeding drunk, were making over loud noises in the Billiards Room, and when confronted by a Committee member became extremely hostile, insulting in the most offensive language and threatening to use physical force. After a debate, a secret ballot agreed the expulsion by 75 votes to 17 with two abstentions. {EGM Minutes 08.04.1954 & Nigel Overy CBE, Outpost, June 2006}.

Apr 14: The increase in membership over the past year had increased the staff workload, so No.1 Boy (‘head waiter’) was promoted to Assistant Butler, on a salary of 800 Ticals per month. {GC Minutes 14.04.1954).

Sep 16: The General Committee agreed to standardise uniforms for all our staff: serving staff received long-sleeved white shirts with long white trousers, whilst all non-serving staff had khaki shirts with khaki shorts. {GC Minutes 16.09.1954).

1955 It was announced that Jules Jean Mottet, the Permanent Assistant Feb 28 Secretary would retire on 30th April and return to his native Switzerland. {AGM Minutes 28.02.1955).

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Mar 8 & The British Club Bangkok was host to over 400 9: Royal Navy ratings over two lunchtimes: in town are our regular visitor HMS Alert (K647), a Bay-class frigate this time with HMS Opossum (U33) and HMS Modeste (U42) both modified Black Swan-class sloops. The badge from HMS Opossum is still displayed in the Churchill Bar. {GC Minutes 07.03.1955}.

Apr 15: Without any apparent warning, Mr. Jules Jean Mottet, the Permanent Assistant Secretary dies, just two weeks prior to his retirement. He was buried in the Bangkok Protestant Cemetery and the funeral paid for by the Club. {GC Minutes 21.04.1955}. His retirement Fund was passed to his widow. {GC Minutes 12.05.1955}.

May 1: Mrs. Barbara Havers started as Permanent Assistant Secretary. {GC Minutes 07.03.1955}.

May 27: A “Receiving Set” is installed so that Members can listen to the UK General Election results. {GC Minutes 12.05.1955}.

Jun 22 The British Club Bangkok & 23: was host to 310 ratings over two lunchtimes: in town were four ships from the commonwealth: HMNZS Kaniere (F426), a Loch-class frigate, HMAS Tobruk (D37), a Battle-class destroyer with HMAS Arunta (D130) and HMAS Warramunga (D123), both Tribal-class destroyers. {GC Minutes 13.07.1955 & AGM Minutes 28.02.1956}. Two badges survive in the Churchill Bar.

Jul 15 ARC Almirante Padilla (F11), a frigate of the Columbian Navy visited to 20: Bangkok as a guest of the British Naval Attaché. The Club extended use of its facilities to their Officers whilst onshore. {GC Minutes 13.07.1955 & Colombia Reports 12.08.2013}.

Oct 20: A “Receiving Set” is permanently installed in the Rotunda Lounge [2021: the 1910 Sports Bar] for Members use. {GC Minutes 20.10.1955}.

Nov: Four ships of the Royal Pakistan Navy visited Bangkok as a guest of the British Naval Attaché. The Club extended use of its facilities to their Officers whilst onshore. {GC Minutes 20.10.1955}. These are recorded as HMPS Sindh (F52), a Black Swan-class sloop, HMPS Tippu Sultan (D49) and HMPS Tughril (1951), both O-class destroyers, and HMPS Taimur (1954), a C-class Destroyer. {"Lest I Forget" by Khwaja Sayeed Shahabuddin).

1956 Mrs. Jean Pegg was appointed as Permanent Assistant Secretary upon Jan 19: the resignation of Mrs. Havers. {GC Minutes 19.01.1956}.

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Jan 20: The British Club Bangkok was host to 75 ratings from our regular visitor HMS Alert (K647), a Bay-class frigate. {GC Minutes 19.01.1956}.

Feb 14: The British Club Bangkok was host to officers & ratings from HMS Newfoundland (59), a Crown Colony- class light cruiser and HMS Comus (D20), a C-class destroyer. {Australian War Museum}. Both the ships’ badges are in the Churchill Bar .

May 17: The Evans Cup for tennis, to be competed for annually between the Club and O.E.S.A. [The Old England Students Association under Royal Patronage], was donated by Mr. J. M. Evans, General Manager of the Shell Company of Thailand. {GC Minutes 17.05.1956}.

May 20: A Mr. Shakespear Hart was the only applicant for the post of Head Gardiner and was duly appointed. {GC Minutes 17.05.1956}. Sadly, he died just after taking office. {GC Minutes 21.06.1956}.

Jun 21: The General Committee agreed to replace the wooden front gate on Suriwongse Road with a Wrought Iron gate. {GC Minutes 21.06.1956}.

Aug 1: Mrs. F. Martin replaced Mrs. Pegg as Permanent Assistant Secretary. {GC Minutes 21.06.1956}.

Aug: Mr. H. “Hammy” Hamilton donated a Cup for an Annual Billiards Handicap Challenge. {GC Minutes 13.09.1956}.

Sep 13: The General Committee agreed to place ‘speed humps’ on the main drive to slow down the speed of cars; also, to remove the physical bar from the ‘Front Bar’, redecorate it and turn into a Lounge & Reading Room. {GC Minutes 13.09.1956}.

Oct 8 to Australian Naval ships engaged in the SEATO (Southeast Asia Treaty 12: Organization) exercise ‘Albatross’ visited Bangkok as guests of the Australian Armed Services Attaché, Wing Commander Jack R. Kinninmont. The Club extended use of its facilities to their Officers and Petty Officers whilst onshore. {AGM Minutes 26.02.1957}.

The Australian Naval ships involved in Exercise Albatross were HMAS Anzac (D59), a Battle-class destroyer; HMAS Melbourne (R21), a Majestic-class light aircraft carrier; and HMAS Tobruk (D37), a Battle- class destroyer; but it is not known which of these ships, or possibly all, attended the Club. The Club has the badges of HMAS Anzac and HMAS Tobruk from their minuted visits in 1955 and 1957.

Oct 18: Mrs. Kay Madar became Permanent Assistant Secretary upon Mrs. Martin move to the Crown Colony of North Borneo.

1957 The British Club Bangkok was host to 35 ratings from HMS Aurochs Feb 10: (P426), an Amphion-class submarine which docked in Bangkok. {GC Minutes 17.01.1957}.

Feb 26: The Annual General Meeting debated a motion that “ That a swimming pool, at this juncture be built at the British Club”. The motion is defeated 48 votes to 24. {AGM Minutes 26.02.1957}.

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Jun: The Darts Cup was instigated for an Annual tournament against OESA [The Old England Students Association under Royal Patronage]. {GC Minutes 20.06.1957 & AGM Minutes 25.02.1958}.

Jun 20: The Kirrage Cup for the individual Bowls Champion of the year was donated to the Club by Peter Kirrage, chairman 1950 & 1954-55. {GC Minutes 20.06.1957}.

Aug 22: The General Committee agreed for the first time to invite the Australian Ambassador, Mr John Keith Waller, to become an Honorary Member. {GC Minutes 22.08.1957}.

Sep 19: Past Honorary Secretary of the British Club Bangkok , Mr Richard Whittington, accepted an Honorary Membership of the Club upon his appointment as British Ambassador. {GC Minutes 19.09.1957}.

A letter was noted requesting payment for the design of a Swimming Pool at the Club. As this design request was unauthorised the bill was refused. {GC Minutes 19.09.1957}.

Oct 17: The Mabbatt & Fothergill Cup for the Inter-Interest Bowls Competition was donated to the Club by the chairman, Charles Mabbatt and Robert Fothergill, Committee member & Honorary Secretary in 1941. {GC Minutes 17.10.1957}.

Mr. John H. Donofield, Committee member, presented a cup for a Volunteer Snooker Singles Competition. {GC Minutes 17.10.1957}.

Dec 8: The British Club Bangkok was host to 72 officers and ratings from HMAS Anzac (D59), a Battle-class destroyer. The ship’s badge can be found in the Churchill Bar. {GC Minutes 12.12.1957}.

1958 The British Club Bangkok was host to ratings from Jan 28 its regular Navy visitor HMS Alert (K647), a Bay- to 30: class frigate and her accompanying vessel HMS Cheviot (D90), a C-class destroyer. As the numbers expected were higher than usual, three lunchtimes were allocated. {GC Minutes 16.01.1958}.

The badge from the Cheviot is in the Churchill Bar.

Apr 10: The Band of HM Royal Marines (Far East Station) conducted by Band Sergeant R.J. West played on the back lawn. Their programme of some sixteen tunes started with the Overture to the ‘Caliph of Baghdad’ by François-Adrien Boieldieu, included ‘Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring’ with a Trumpet solo by Jack Lee, the song ‘Oklahoma’ by Rodgers and Hammerstein and concluded with Elgar’s ‘Pomp and Circumstance No.4’. {GC Minutes 20.03.1958 & copy of Programme}.

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Apr 17: For the first time, an Application Form was created for all applicants for membership, together with a card for collecting General Committee member signatures. In addition, that candidates would be posted on the Club notice board for four weeks between committee meeting ahead of election to ensure all members were aware of who was applying . {GC Minutes 17.04.1958}.

May: 20 The British Club Bangkok was host to officers and ratings from HMS & 21: Cardigan Bay (K630), a Bay-class anti-aircraft frigate, for tiffin across two lunchtimes. {GC Minutes 17.04.1958 & AGM Minutes 24.02.1959}.

May 22: The General Committee agreed that the post of Chaplain of Christ Church should be offered Honorary Membership each appointment. Thus, the first holder was the Reverend Edgar James Pulman. {GC Minutes 22.05.1958}.

Jun 19: A full decoration was made of the Permanent Assistant Secretary’s Office [2021: The Alcove]. {GC Minutes 19.06.1958}.

Oct 24: The General Committee ordered sets of playing cards, to the Club’s design from manufacturers in the UK. {GC Minutes 24.10.1958}.

Dec 20: An uneventful second half of the year was concluded by the usual Annual Dance, which was catered by the Trocadero Hotel in Suriwongse Road. 432 Members, spouses and guests attended. {GC Minutes 21.08.1958 & GC Minutes 05.02.1959}.

1959 The 1958 Annual General Meeting requested that a Club Feb 2: tie be created. The General Committee planned to use the Edward Crown as its logo, but this was scuppered when the Heralds College in the United Kingdom indicated that the Lord Chamberlain was unlikely to give permission. {AGM Minutes 24.02.1959}

Mar 15: The play ‘The White Sheep of the Family’, by Lawrence du Garde Peach and Ian Hay, was staged at the Club by Lt. Col. Peter Drake-Wilkes. {GC Minutes 05.02.1959}.

Jun 9: The General Committee decided to build a wall from the Suriwongse Gate along the Road to the corner with the Chinese School (which in 2021 is the AIA site. This cost 29,000 Ticals. {GC Minutes 09.06.1959}. Aug 20: The General Committee sought to provide fresh Oysters from Australia’s Seas Food Products of Sydney courtesy of Qantas and local customs agent American Transpack. The price was set at 35 Ticals a dozen and by September the Club was ordering a 100 dozen per fortnight. {GC Minutes 20.08.1959 & GC Minutes 24.09.1959}.

Sep 24: Mr. A.H.J. O’Connell donated a cup for an annual open volunteer singles snooker tournament. {GC Minutes 24.09.1959}.

Oct 19 The British Club Bangkok was host to 114 officers and ratings from & 20: HMS Cossack (R57), a C-class destroyer, for tiffin across two lunchtimes. {GC Minutes 29.10.1959}.

Oct 29: Works on a new car parking area by the Suriwongse Gate came unstuck … instead of 20,000 Ticals estimate the bill was 30,000 Ticals and went ahead without authority of the General Committee.

34 British Club Bangkok Timeline

A new set of limits was enacted: Individual GC members in charge of a section could spend up to 250 Ticals, and the House & Works Sub- Committee up to 1,000 Ticals, without authority but all other expenditure must be signed off at a GC meeting. {GC Minutes 29.10.1959}.

Nov 29: It was reported to the General Committee that a recent stock check had revealed that some 10 cases of large Singha Beer had been stolen. There was no evidence as to the thieves, but the Night Watchmen were replaced. {GC Minutes 29.11.1959}.

1960 The Club ceased ordering fresh Oysters from Australia. {GC Minutes 24.01.1960}. Jan 24: Feb 25: The Thepanom was adopted as the logo for the Club and ties, made by T.M. Lewin of Jermyn Street, London, purporting this were made available for sale at the Annual General Meeting.

The tie had Thepanom in a pattern and underneath was alternately B.C.B. (British Club Bangkok) and ส.อ.n. (สโมสร อังกฤษ กรุงเทพมหานคร [ Samosorn Angkrit Krungthep]). {GC Minutes 24.01.1960 & AGM Minutes 25.02.1960}.

T.M. Lewin has reported that it no longer has any records of this design.

Apr 10 The British Club Bangkok was host to ratings from its regular Navy & 11: visitor HMS Alert (K647), a Bay-class frigate, flying the flag of Vice- Admiral Sir Gerald Gladstone CBE KCB, the outgoing Commander-in- chief, Far East Fleet. {AGM Minutes 23.02.1961}.

May 19: The General Committee decided that the Sailors Entertainment Fund, founded in 1947, was no longer gaining any support from the British community so, instead of funding a lunch for officers and ratings, the Club would extend use of our facilities to members of H.M. Forces. {GC Minutes 19.05.1960}.

Jul 31: The Club’s Butler, Mr Cheng Kim Lee, retired after 41 years’ service (1915-1941, 1946-1960). The General Committee awarded him an immediate 30,000 Ticals payment and six months later paid him a further 30,000 Ticals from a Subscription Fund which was set up for him. Advertisements for this fund had been placed in The London Times, The Daily Telegraph, and the (Bangkok) Weekly Times to seek support of past members. {GC Minutes 16.06.1960}.

As a result of his retirement the No. 1 Boy, Yee Daeng, was promoted to Butler. {GC Minutes 22.09.1960}.

Sep 16 The British Club Bangkok extended the use of the Club to the crew -20: of HMCyS Mahasena, a River class frigate and HMCyS Parakrama, an Algerine-class minesweeper, both from the Royal Ceylon Navy. { AGM Minutes 23.02.1961}.

Sep 22: The Club was severely flooded as Changwat Phra Nakhon had started to fill in Khlong Silom,

35 British Club Bangkok Timeline

laying a Typhoon drain inside it. This prevented the Club’s Soi Khlong from draining (see 1949). The House & Works Sub-Committee was asked for urgent solutions. {GC Minutes 22.09.1960}. By December, a temporary link had been made to the Suriwongse Road sewer. {GC Minutes 22.09.1960}.

Oct 5 & The regular Navy visitor HMS Alert (K647), a Bay-class frigate, was in 6: town but this time flying the flag of Admiral Sir John David Luce, KCB, DSO & Bar, OBE, the incoming Commander-in-chief, Far East Fleet. Crew were extended the use of facilities. { AGM Minutes 23.02.1961}.

Oct 21: The Bangkok Naval Association, in order to commemorate the 155th Anniversary of the Battle of Trafalgar, held its first Trafalgar Dinner at the Club. {GC Minutes 18.08.1960}.

Nov 25 The British Club Bangkok extended to the crew of HMNZS Rotoiti & 26: (F625), a Loch-class frigate, use of the Club facilities during their visit. {AGM Minutes 23.02.1961}.

1961 The British Club Bangkok extended to the crew of HMAS Voyager Jan 24- (D04), a Daring-class destroyer and HMAS Quickmatch (F04), an anti- 28: submarine frigate, use of the Club facilities during their visit. { AGM Minutes 23.02.1961}.

Feb 23: The Annual General Meeting debated a scheme to empower the General Committee to spend up to 450,000 Ticals, of which 250,000 Ticals may be borrowed to: • Provide a restaurant and a suitable kitchen by moving the Billiards upstairs and using that room [2021: The Churchill Bar] • To air-condition The Rotunda Lounge as a Bar for Men Only [2021: the 1910 Sports Bar] • To extend the Bowling Alley facilities The proposal was rejected with no vote taken. { AGM Minutes 23.02.1961}.

Charles S.I. Mabbatt CBE stood down as the Chairman of the Club having served twelve terms (1947-50, 1951-54, 1955-61). He refused an Honorary Membership of the Club initially until 1972, He and his wife Violet, who were born in the same year (1906), also passed away in the same year (1985) and are buried in the Bangkok Protestant Cemetery.

Mar 2: The inaugural tournament for the Davidson & Elliot Cup for snooker against the Shell Sports Club. The Cup was donated by messrs A.M. Davidson & F.B. Elliott. { AGM Minutes 23.02.1961}.

Apr 20- The British Club Bangkok extended to the crew 24: of HMS Carysfort (D25), a Daring-class destroyer, use of the Club facilities during their visit. {hmscarysfort.co.uk}.

The badge is on display in the Churchill Bar.

Apr 23: The Band of the 3rd East Anglian Regiment (16 th /44 th Foot) performed a lunch hour concert at the Club. {GC Minutes 20.04.1961}.

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Apr 29: The Bangkok St. George's Society [a social group for English people, founded 1959] held its first official function at the Club. {GC Minutes 05.04.1961}.

May 30: Mr. Frank Young donated the Youngs Bowling Trophy. { GC Minutes 12.07.1961}.

Jul 26: After decades of use the Staff Quarters, adjacent to the Neilson Hays Library had been deemed “ a deplorable state of affairs ” thus 26,400 Ticals was spent to refurbish, extend, and add new toilets facilities to the Quarters. {GC Minutes 20.04.1961}. These were completed in June. {GC Minutes 26.07.1961}.

Sep 20- The British Club Bangkok extended to the crew 23: of HMAS Quiberon (F03), a Q-class frigate, and HMS Cassandra (D10, a C-class destroyer, use of the Club facilities during their visit. {Port Authority of Thailand, Annual Report 1961}.

The badge of HMAS Quiberon is on display in the Churchill Bar.

Sep 21: The General Committee decided to create a list of ‘approved meetings’ whereby non-member groups, such as the Oxford & Cambridge Society and the Bangkok Naval Association, may use the Club without their repeatedly having to request General Committee permission on each occasion. { GC Minutes 21.09.1961}.

Dec: The first ever Pantomime to held at the Club was produced by Mrs. Dorothy Mattacks. Sadly, there is no record of what it was. { AGM Minutes 27.02.1962}.

1962 In preparation for the Annual General Meeting, it was proposed that Feb 7: the Club create a membership category for those who are not the citizens of the United Kingdom and such other persons who are of British descent. In a similar vein it was proposed that British ladies married to non-British men should be able to obtain ‘Ladies’ Privileges. After debate, these were not carried forward. { GC Minutes 07.02.1962}.

Feb 27: Club Chairman, Mr John H.W. Marshall donated a Cricket Trophy for a cricket competition of “the British Club versus the RBSC (Royal Bangkok Sports Club)”. Sadly, the Club lost the first match. {AGM 27.02.1962}.

Mar 21- The British Club Bangkok 23: extended to the crews of HMCS Assiniboine (DDE235), HMCS Ottawa (DDE229) and HMCS Margaree (DDE 230) all St. Laurent-class destroyers, use of the Club facilities during their visit. {Crowsnest, Summer 1962 & Maritime Museum of British Columbia}.

The badges of HMCS Margaree and HMCS Ottawa are on display in the Churchill Bar.

Apr 7: The Bar was re-opened at noon, after a full refit costing 90,000 Ticals. A new ‘bar’ was installed and all the Naval badges re-gilted. { GC Minutes 12.02.1962 & GC Minutes 22.03.1962}.

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Apr 18: It was agreed to commence Singha draught beer in The Bar at weekends and make it daily if popular. { GC Minutes 18.04.1962}.

It was also agreed, from feedback at the Annual General Meeting, that candidates for election to the General Committee should have their names displayed on the notice board two weeks ahead of the meeting but this would not preclude nominations from the floor. { GC Minutes 18.04.1962}.

Jun 19: The General Committee decided to spend some 63,100 Ticals on repairing the Bowling Alley (along the back lawn/car park border) and especially levelling the floor which had warped. { GC Minutes 19.06.1962}.

Jun: The Royal Thai Government directs the Department of Civil Works, within the Ministry of Interior, to close the Silom tram line ending 37 years of service (see 1925). {2Bangkok}

Jul 19: The General Committee decided to allow members of the Voluntary Service Overseas organisation, to have use of the Club’s facilities whilst in Bangkok. { GC Minutes 19.07.1962}.

Aug 23: The General Committee agreed to allow officers and men from the Golden Arrow (SWB 8) Detachment from the 19 Signals Regiment to have use of the Club’s facilities whilst in Bangkok. { GC Minutes 23.08.1962}.

At the same meeting, the General Committee considered a proposal to build a Squash Court at the Club to increase the number of sports played - this was deferred to the Finance Sub-Committee. { GC Minutes 23.08.1962}.

Dec The General Committee decided to add the post of Canadian 17: Ambassador to the list of dignitaries offered Honorary Membership, despite his being resident in Kuala Lumpur: H.E. Charles Eustace McGaughey was the first recipient.

{no date} The British Club Bangkok extended to the crew of HMS Tiger (C20), a conventional cruiser, use of the Club facilities during their visit. The ship’s home- grown Band ‘The Federals’ appeared on Thai Television. {vintagehofner}.

The badge of HMS Tiger is on display in the Churchill Bar.

1963 The Chairman, John Donofield. announced to the Annual General Feb 26: Meeting that the General Committee were close to selling the Club and making an offer on a property on South Sathorn Road, ‘Frankfield’, currently home of the Borneo Company General Manager. Mr. Donofield continued that his matter had been raised at previous Annual General Meetings and would, of course, be subject to Members’ agreement at an Extraordinary General Meeting called for that purpose (see 1964). {AGM Minutes 26.02.1963}.

Mar 16: The St. Patrick's Society Bangkok [a social group for Irish people, founded in 1962] holds its first major event at the Club. {AGM Minutes 03.02.1964}.

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Apr 30: The Club's Butler, Khun Yee Daeng, retired due to ill health and Boy No. 1 (Khun Sumeth Sumethrataniya) became Butler. {GC Minutes 16.05.1963}.

Jun 20: The Reverend John Edmond Ironside becomes the first Vicar appointed to Christ Church, and becomes an Honorary Member. {GC Minutes 20.06.1963}.

Sep 12: An Extraordinary General Meeting agreed that the existing pre-paid coupon system was to be replaced by a credit 'chit' system. Members to sign a chit after each purchase, and the total amount outstanding since last payment became due on 20th each month and payable by month end. Non-Members would deposit cash ahead of an event to which they were invited. The constitution was amended accordingly. {EGM Minutes 12.09.1963}.

The same meeting agreed that a board containing all past Chairman's names should be created as well as similar boards for the Bangkok St. Andrew's Society, the Bangkok St. George's Society, and the St. Patrick's Society Bangkok. (see 1965). {EGM Minutes 12.09.1963}.

Oct 16: The General Committee agreed a ‘cash-at-end of visit system’ for officers and men from the Golden Arrow (SWB 8) Detachment (see 1952), as they were frequent visitors. { GC Minutes 16.10.1963}.

1964 The General Committee agreed to allow officers and men from Jan 14: Operation Crown, to have use of the Club’s facilities whilst in Bangkok. {GC Minutes 14.01.1964}. Operation Crown was part of the American's Special Logistic Aid to Thailand (SLAT) whereby Britain would construct an airfield at Loeng Nok Tha, near Mukdahan in Thailand. {The History of Operation Crown}.

Jan 28: It was noted that the offer to buy our site, and our possible relocation to South Sathorn Road, had not occurred as negotiations on both fronts had been unsuccessful but new moves were afoot. { GC Minutes 28.01.1964}.

Feb 18: The General Committee bestowed an Honorary Membership on Mr. John H. Donofield OBE for his service to the Club, the last two years as its Chairman. { GC Minutes 18.02.1964}.

May 12: As consequence of the Land Code, B.E. 2497, the British Club Bangkok , as landowner, was liable for land tax. Sadly, the Club had not paid this in eleven years so the sum of 36,213.50 Ticals was duly paid. { GC Minutes 12.05.1964}.

The General Committee sets up a Golf Sub-Committee to run golf matches in which the Club participates (see 1969). {GC Minutes 12.05.1964}.

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Jun 11: The Chairman recorded that the Club should start an application to buy ‘Frankfield’ to see what the legal processes were. There was now interest from United Malayan Banking in our site. It was noted that the Club would need to raise from the sale of the Club in excess of 22 Million Ticals to buy and develop ‘Frankfield’. The Chairman will seek legal advice. { GC Minutes 11.06.1964}.

Mr. John Fisher, counsellor at the British Embassy supplied the Club with a list of chairmen from 1912 to 1947, found at the Embassy. { GC Minutes 11.06.1964}.

Jun 23: A Special General Committee meeting was called to discuss the legal advice on the possible sale and move of the Club against a desire expressed by many to remain and develop the present site. On the move issue, Phrya Pridi, the Club’s lawyer, had noted that if a foreign ‘Association’ wanted to move, or to buy more than one Rai of land, it would need permission of the Ministry of the Interior. On the remain issue, we could legally lease out part of the Club land to free up funds for redeveloping the remaining site but would be liable to taxation at 15% of income. The vote was seven to two with one abstention to keep the existing site but in any case, an Extraordinary General Meeting will thus be called for members to decide. {SGC Minutes 23.06.1964}.

Jul 3: The British Club Bangkok extended to the crew of HMNZS Royalist (C89), an improved Dido-class light cruiser, use of the Club facilities during their visit. { GC Minutes 11.06.1964}.

Aug 11- The British Club Bangkok extended to the crews 16: of HMS Loch Killisport (K628), a Loch-class frigate, and HMS Manxman (M70), an Abdiel-class minelayer, use of the Club facilities during their visit. { Naval History}.

The badge of HMS Manxman is on display in the Churchill Bar.

Oct 27: An Extraordinary Meeting of the British Club Bangkok was called to approve the leasing to the Anglo-Thai Corporation, for 25 years, of about one Rai of land along the club’s boundary with Suriwongse Road. It was believed that the down payment and lease income would allow the remainder of the Club to be redeveloped. This would be one of two meetings needed to pass the resolution, however there was no debate recorded nor did the meeting declare any vote. {EGM Minutes 27.10.1964}. Nov 12: The General Committee noted that Anglo-Thai Corporation had withdrawn its offer. { GC Minutes 12.11.1964}.

Nov 30: A further Extraordinary Meeting of the British Club Bangkok was called to allow the General Committee to negotiate a lease or leases with the Anglo-Thai Corporation and Mercantile Bank for about one Rai of land along the club’s boundary with Suriwongse Road. A vigorous debate is recorded, and, on several occasions, the meeting was called ‘out of order’ as Anglo-Thai Corporation had withdrawn their offer. Finally, the motion was carried by 30 votes to 6 with three abstentions. {EGM Minutes 30.11.1964}.

40 British Club Bangkok Timeline

1965 The General Committee approved that SEATO (Southeast Asia Treaty Jan 27: Organization) could entertain soldiers at the Club on this date. { GC Minutes 12.01.1965}.

Feb 10: The General Committee approved that pilots and cabin crew from BOAC (British Overseas Airways Corporation) could use the Club on stop-overs from this date, at a rate of 600 Ticals per month paid by BOAC. (see 2002). { GC Minutes 10.02.1965 & GC Minutes 02.03.1965}.

Feb 15: The British Club Bangkok hosted a party for twelve Petty Officers of HMAS Derwent (DE49), a River-class destroyer escort, at the request of Commander Rothesay 'Ross' Swan, its Commanding Officer, a past Club Member and past Naval Member of the Military Planning Office in SEATO (Southeast Asia Treaty Organization) HQ in Bangkok. Commander Swan also held a dinner party at the Club for his friends. { GC Minutes 12.01.1965}.

Commander Swan retired in 1983 with the rank of Rear-Admiral. {navy.gov.au}.

The badge of HMAS Derwent is on display in the Churchill Bar.

Mar 5: HMS London (D16), a County-class destroyer, docked in Bangkok, and were honoured by a visit by Their Majesties King Bhumibol and Queen Sirikit. {Imperial War Museum}. The British Club Bangkok extended use of the Club facilities to the crew. The badge of HMS London is on display in the Churchill Bar.

Sadly, one crew member, Able Seaman Brian Charles Dade, aged 25, died during this tour of duty, and was buried at Bangkok Protestant Cemetery. {Bangkok Protestant Cemetery database}.

Apr 7: The General Committee noted that Mercantile Bank had withdrawn its offer, it was therefore decided to seek financing to develop facilities on the existing Club footprint. { GC Minutes 07.04.1965}.

Jul: Khun Prajong Ratanaphian and his wife, Khun Wichitra Rattanaphien opened Silom Commercial College on the site adjacent to the Silom Gate (see 2005). { RBAC correspondence, 09.03.2021}.

May 4- The British Club Bangkok extended to the crews of 8: HMS Loch Fada (K390), a Loch-class frigate, use of the Club facilities during their visit. { Naval History}.

The badge of HMS Loch Fada is on display in the Churchill Bar.

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May 23- HMS Plymouth (F126), a Rothesay-class frigate, and 25: HMAS Parramatta (DE46), a River-class destroyer escort, completed their part in SEATO’s exercise ‘Seahorse’ to dock at Khlong Toey to participate in a Commonwealth Day tour. {axfordsabode.org.uk & navy.gov.au}. The British Club Bangkok extended use of the Club facilities to their crews.

The badge of HMS Plymouth is on display in the Churchill Bar.

May 24: The General Committee decided to hold a referendum amongst members to clarify which new facilities the members would prefer amongst the choices were: • Swimming Pool • 2 Squash Courts (location not mentioned) • 2 Hard Tennis Courts (Courts 3 & 4) • Relaying all 4 Grass Courts (1 to 4) • Air-Conditioning and Furnishing the Rotunda Lounge {GC Minutes 24.05.1965}.

Jun 7: The result of the referendum (83 replies) was an overwhelming win for a Swimming Pool. {GC Minutes 07.06.1965}.

Jun: The first Club Chairman's Board was erected with most Chairmen names from 1912 to 1940 then Chairmen names from 1946, together with boards for the Chieftains of the Bangkok St. Andrew's Society, Presidents of the Bangkok St. George's Society, and Presidents of the St. Patrick's Society Bangkok (see 1985, 2001 and 2018). { GC Minutes 07.06.1965}.

Jun 21: An Extraordinary General Meeting of the British Club Bangkok was held: • To increase subscriptions to 250 Ticals per month and introduce a lower level of 100 Ticals per month for unmarried Members, and those Members whose families did not join them in Thailand. Similar value changes for Non-Voting Members (see 1948). • To withdraw the permissions already granted for the General Committee to sell the Club. • To borrow the sum of 750,000 Ticals for installing or improving such additional amenities as Members may require in accordance with the referendum taken.

After long debates, and numerous questions, all three resolutions were carried individually by 43 votes to two. A ratification meeting to be held soonest. {EGM Minutes 21.06.1965}.

Jul 27: An Extraordinary General Meeting was held to ratify the decision of the meeting held on 21 st June 1965. The Chairman, Jack Delacour, reminded members that a two- thirds majority was needed to carry the resolution. After debate, the motion was carried by 33 votes to one. {EGM Minutes 27.07.1965}.

42 British Club Bangkok Timeline

Sep 10: The first ever 'New Member Night' was held prior to the Committee meeting. It was decided afterward that instead of interviews with all of the Committee, applicants to be interviewed by the Chairman or Vice-Chairman, the Honorary Secretary and four other Committee members, ahead of election. { GC Minutes 10.09.1965}.

The General Committee noted that the Chartered Bank of India, Australia, and China had agreed to loan the Club 750,000 Ticals against simple deposit of unencumbered title deeds and assignment of fire insurance to finance the new facilities. The Bank would accept repayment over a maximum period of ten years. The Committee noted that the deeds were still mortgaged to the Hong Kong & Shanghai Bank. { GC Minutes 10.09.1965}.

It was noted that AIA (American International Assurance) was to build the first of their ‘Decho Road’ Buildings on the corner of Suriwongse and Decho Roads, and formally requested of the Club that it lease to them, for three years, the two Tennis courts adjacent to Suriwongse Road (1965 courts 1 & 2; 2021 courts 2 & 3) for temporary parking. In return AIA would provide floodlighting for the courts and replace the grass courts with hard courts. The Chairman was authorised to seek a detailed proposal from them. { GC Minutes 10.09.1965}.

Dec 27: Land Deeds 2668 and 2669 were redeemed from the Hong Kong & Shanghai Bank upon completion of the mortgages. {Chanotes 2668 & 2669}.

1966 The General Committee noted that a contract had been signed to build Jan 6: the Swimming Pool, changing rooms, a kitchen and an outside bar and one Squash Court for 1,170,000 Baht, although it was noted that the Municipality had yet to give the Club permission. {GC Minutes 06.01.1966}.

Jan 20: The Municipality informed the Club that to get permission the Changing Rooms and Bar needed to be extended by 1.5m per storey. The Club’s Architect, Police Colonel Kasem, made the changes. { GC Minutes 20.01.1966}.

Mar 15: The General Committee agreed to fill in the back Khlong of the Club using the earth excavated from the Swimming Pool project. It was proposed that, as a compromise to leasing tennis courts 1 & 2, that the Club would then resurface and cover the Khlong to use as car parking for AIA. { GC Minutes 15.03.1966}.

Mar 26: Three drivers of Club Members, were arrested in the car park for gambling. After this a police officer was to be employed, at 40 Baht a time, each Saturday to stand duty in the car park. { GC Minutes 31.03.1966, GC Minutes 28.04.1966, GC Minutes 26.08.1967}.

Apr 14: Boy No. 4 (Khun Pairoj Bhurandaraj) had been hospitalised and the General Committee agreed to pay the bill of 4,324 Baht. It was agreed that some form of health insurance for servants would be taken out. {GC Minutes 14.04.1966 & GC Minutes 28.04.1966}.

43 British Club Bangkok Timeline

Jun 8: As the building of the Swimming Pool progressed, Bangkok Waterworks gave authority for new pipes to be laid connecting the pool to the Suriwongse Road water and sewer pipes. { GC Minutes 08.06.1966}.

Jun 8: The General Committee resolved that the back courts (courts 7 & 8) would be raised with earth filling and utilised as a recreation area for the Swimming Pool on the understanding that the remaining four tennis courts be improved at the earliest opportunity. { GC Minutes 08.06.1966}.

Jul 28: Upon return from leave, the Vice-Chairman, Dacre F.A. Raikes, discovered that the Squash Court has been built some two feet too narrow. It is recorded that this was due to the Architect using the ’American’ Standard for Squash Courts not then ‘British’ standard. { GC Minutes 28.07.1966}.

Aug 12: Main swimming pool ‘soft opened’ and the Pool Bar and a changing room block, and a Children’s Paddling Pool, located under awnings in front of the changing rooms, opened at the same time. The following was noted: • A Pool Supervisory had been recruited together with four extra ‘boys’, two girl coolies and a male coolie. • Guests were banned from using poolside whilst remaining twice a year for the rest of the Club. {GC Minutes 28.07.1966 & GC Minutes 30.08.1966}.

Aug 30: Requests for reciprocation from the Penang Club and the Executive Club, Cape Town were declined due to the different eligibility rules for their Membership. { GC Minutes 30.08.1966}.

Sep 1: The additional parking for AIA (American International Assurance) staff was finally ready – 20 cars per weekday. {GC Minutes 30.08.1966}.

Sep 3: The Swimming Pool was officially opened by the British Chargé d’Affaires, presumed to be, Ronald Scrivener CMG. { GC Minutes 30.08.1966 & Diplomatic Service List 1966}. Sep 13: The Poolside Kitchen was completed and ready to start service. { GC Minutes 13.09.1966}.

Sep 22: All the Club servants were x-rayed for health reasons. {GC Minutes 13.09.1966}.

44 British Club Bangkok Timeline

Oct 20: The Squash Court (later Court 1) was opened, and Mr. Don Johnston presented to the Club, a Trophy for the Annual Club Squash Championship (see 2021). {GC Minutes 20.10.1966}.

Oct 20: Mrs. Kay Madar, Permanent Assistant Secretary, left the Club after ten years’ service. The General Committee felt the time was now right to appoint a Manager for the Club thus Mrs. Delacour and Mrs. Asbee were asked to takeover temporarily until a Manager was appointed. {GC Minutes 20.10.1966}.

Nov 29: The car parking arrangement with AIA was abandoned as it had not used. { GC Minutes 29.11.1966}.

1967 The General Committee agreed to allow guests to use the swimming Jan 17: pool during weekdays. A rate of 10 Baht per adult and 5 Baht per child was to be paid the Pool Bar upon arrival. { GC Minutes 17.01.1967}.

Feb 27: The newly General Committee decided that, in addition to the Finance Sub-Committee, it now needed eight other sub-committees to run the various activities of the Club: a. Swimming Pool b. Bar & Snacks c. House & Grounds d. Squash & Tennis e. Billiards & Bowls f. Golf g. Entertainment h. Cinema & Bridge. { GC Minutes 27.01.1967}.

Mar 9: The Club appointed its first Manager, Mr. W. Hynes. { GC Minutes 09.03.1967}.

Mar 27: Mr. Sam G. Boyd donated a cup to the Club for the golf championship under Stableford Rules. { GC Minutes 27.03.1967}.

Jun 24: A strike was threatened by boys, coolies and cooks due to non- payment of overtime dues. An investigation revealed that staff were not paid the overtime for ‘functions’ held by outside groups until that group actually settles its account, often months later. The General Committee resolved to make payment in the normal wages cycle {GC Minutes 26.06.1967}.

Jun 26: The Manila Club, The Philippines, became the first international Reciprocal club. {GC Minutes 26.06.1967}.

Jul 10: Mr. Hynes resigned and Mrs V. Asbee was appointed as acting Club Manager. { GC Minutes 10.07.1967}.

Jul 14- The British Club Bangkok extended to the crew and 20: marines on board of HMS Bulwark (R08), a 22,000 tonne Centaur-class light fleet aircraft carrier, use of the Club facilities during their exercises with the Thai Marine Corp. However, as the numbers were so large (HMS Bulwark had a capacity of 1,200), each group was limited to 40 in number. {GC Minutes 26.06.1967 & Navy Command Secretariat}. The badge of HMS Bulwark is on display in the Churchill Bar.

Aug 26: The Narai Hotel was now under construction, but their workmen were constantly trespassing on Club lawns south of the Swimming Pool. The General Committee resolved to have the Land Department remark our boundaries (see 1971). {GC Minutes 26.08.1967}.

45 British Club Bangkok Timeline

Sep 18: Members were circulated for their priorities in Club redevelopment, with the following results: 1. Hard tennis courts 2. Extra squash court 3. Air-conditioning for The Bar {GC Minutes 18.09.1967}.

Nov 27: Since the opening of the Swimming Pool there had been logged numerous incidents of bottle throwing by the children at the Chinese School along the border. After repeated failure by their headmaster and the owner to act, the Bangrak Police were now handling this matter. {GC Minutes 09.03.1967, GC Minutes 27.03.1967, GC Minutes 24.04.1967, GC Minutes 06.06.1967, GC Minutes 27.11.1967}.

1968 The British Club Retiral Gratuities Fund was founded to create a fund Jan 1: and regularise payments to staff who leave or retire (see 2019). {GC Minutes 07.12.1967}.

Jan 26: Mr. H.A. Traugott started as General Manager. {GC Minutes 22.01.1968}.

Feb 5: The General Committee agreed to invite the New Zealand Ambassador to become an Honorary Member and thus all core ambassadors would enjoy that privilege. H.E. Ian Stewart became the first postholder. {GC Minutes 05.02.1968}.

Feb 15- The British Club Bangkok extended to the crew of 19: HMNZS Waikato (F55), a Leander Batch 2TA frigate, use of the Club facilities during their visit. {GC Minutes 09.02.1968}.

The badge of HMNZS Waikato is on display in the Churchill Bar Feb 19: The land markers were restored to the southern boundary of the Club, with the Narai Hotel. The hotel agreed to replace the fence it removed and to lay a permanent way along “Silom 18”. {GC Minutes 19.02.1968}.

However, the road built stopped 12 feet from the Silom Gate and was about 12 inches higher than the Club car park. It was agreed thus to build a ramp to access this road and install a new gate with a Guard Box. {GC Minutes 18.03.1968}.

Mar 19- The British Club Bangkok extended to the crew of 23: HMS Onslaught (S14), an Oberon-class submarine, use of the Club facilities during their visit. {GC Minutes 05.03.1968}.

The badge of HMS Onslaught is on display in the Churchill Bar.

Mar 27: Vice-chairman, L.J. MacMahon, donated to the Club a cup to be played in conjunction with the Sam Boyd Cup for the golf championship under Stableford Rules. {GC Minutes 27.03.1968}.

May 31: The Butler (Khun Sumeth Sumethrataniya) resigned, and no replacement was sought. {GC Minutes 03.06.1968}.

46 British Club Bangkok Timeline

Jun 20- The British Club Bangkok extended to the crew of HMS Cachalot 24 (S06), a Porpoise-class submarine, use of the Club facilities during their visit. {GC Minutes 17.06.1968}.

Jul 15- The British Club Bangkok extended to the crews of 19: HMNZS Otago (F111), a Rothesay-class (Type 12M) frigate, HMS Defender (D14), a Daring-class destroyer and HMS Puma (F34), a Leopard-class, anti-aircraft frigate, use of the Club facilities during their visit. {GC Minutes 01.07.1968}.

The badge of HMNZS Otago is on display in the Churchill Bar.

Aug 16- The British Club Bangkok extended to the crews of HMS Manxman 20 (M70), an Abdiel-class minelayer, on a second visit (see 1964), with HMS Dartington (M1203), HMS Houghton (M1211) and HMS Maxton (M1165), all Ton-class minesweepers, use of the Club facilities during their visit. {GC Minutes 29.07.1968}.

The badge of HMS Manxman is on display in the Churchill Bar.

Nov 4: The Manager had installed a Post Office franking machine to ease the mailing problems of two or three circulars per week. {GC Minutes 04.11.1968}.

The General Committee agreed to a trial of three “fruit machines”. {GC Minutes 04.11.1968}. This was abandoned by new year. {GC Minutes 06.01.1969}.

1969 A replacement draught beer, Krathing Thong (Golden Bull)], brewed Jan 26: by Thai Amarit Brewery, was introduced for service in the Pool Bar. {GC Minutes 06.01.1969}.

Mar 1- The British Club Bangkok extended to the crews of 5: HMS Dainty (D108) and HMAS Duchess (D154), both Daring-class destroyers and HMAS Derwent (DE49), a River-class destroyer escort, on its second visit (see 1965), use of the Club facilities during their stay. {GC Minutes 24.02.1969}. The badges of HMS Dainty and HMAS Derwent are on display in the Churchill Bar.

Mar 10: The General Committee approved the By-Laws for the British Club Golf Section. {GC Minutes 10.03.1969}. John Robinson and Mike Phelan of The Dunlop Thailand Co. Ltd donated the ‘Dunlop Cup’ to the new section.

Apr 2-7: The British Club Bangkok extended to the crews of HMS Ajax (F114), a Leander-class frigate and HMNZS Blackpool (F77), a Whitby- class anti-submarine frigate, use of the Club facilities during their visit. {GC Minutes 10.03.1969}.

47 British Club Bangkok Timeline

Apr 30: The Annual General Meeting had given feedback that Membership should be widened to include those in the British Community who were not UK citizens. Unfortunately, a General Committee attempt at adopting a resolution to put to Members, went round in circles such

that the Chairman, Godfrey Sommerfield, had minuted “ If Moses had been a Committee the Israelites would still be in Egypt ”. {GC Minutes 30.04.1969}.

May 29: The British Women’s Group held its founding meeting at the British Club. 57 ladies gathered, adopted a constitution, and elected a temporary committee under Mrs. Lily Milne. Lady Pritchard, the British Ambassador’s wife, became the first Honorary President. {Outpost, August 2009}.

Jun 2: The first of two Extraordinary General Meetings of the British Club Bangkok required to change Membership rules was held to consider: that “ citizens of the United Kingdom and such other persons, who are of British descent, as the committee may decide ” be changed to "citizens of the United Kingdom; also, for other such persons of the British community in Thailand whom the Committee in their sole discretion shall decide .” A second resolution to similarly change ‘Ladies Privileges’ was also put.

After deliberation, these was carried by 21 votes to 18 and 22 votes to 18, respectively. {EGM Minutes 02.06.1969}.

Jun 30: The second of two Extraordinary General Meetings of the Club required to change Membership rules was held but, although the voting is not recorded the main resolution was minuted as lost. {EGM Minutes 30.06.1969}.

Aug 6: The British Club Golf Society (Ladies Section) was formally founded under the captaincy of Wendy Burrows. They were affiliated to the English Ladies Golf Union and held their first competition at the RTAF Golf Course at Don Mueang on 19.08.1969 when 23 of their 30 members played. {Bangkok Post 20.08.1969 & Outpost, October 1990}.

{no date} Unilever Exports sponsor the inaugural Astral Cup, a 36 hole stroke play open to the British Club Golf Society (Ladies Section) only. {British Club News, April 1979}.

Sep 1: The Bar was re-opened after a short break to install fully air- conditioning. {GC Minutes 14.07.1969 & GC Minutes 08.09.1969}. At this stage ‘The Bar’ was only the octagon section of, what is in 2021 is, The Verandah.

48 British Club Bangkok Timeline

Sep 29: A quotation had been received for a second Squash Court at 131,000 Baht. {GC Minutes 29.09.1969}. A contract was subsequently signed. {GC Minutes 03.11.1969}.

1970 The contractor for the second Squash Court, having done no work at Feb 25: all onsite, despite numerous reminders, withdrew from the contract. {GC Minutes 25.02.1970}.

Mar 30: A Putting Green was set up on the land just after the swimming pool. {GC Minutes 30.03.1970}.

Apr 14: Various reports of ‘guests’ of staff staying ‘overnight’ in the Staff Quarters reached the General Committee. It was decided to post a notice and have GC members do spot checks. Feedback minuted was that the GC members could not always identify who was staff! {GC Minutes 14.04.1970}.

May 25: The General Committee agreed that Staff Retirement age would be 60 but could be extended by express permission of the GC. {GC Minutes 25.05.1968}.

Jun 15: The Club removed the single flagpole from the apex of the Clubhouse. Centre front and, at the cost of 3,200 Baht, replaced them with two flagpoles at the external corners of the portico to fly the Thai flag and the Union Flag from 8am to 6pm each day. {GC Minutes 27.04.1970 & GC Minutes 15.06.1970}.

Aug 3: A tall fence between the Club and the Chinese School was now completed. {GC Minutes 03.08.1968}.

Aug 17: A new contract was signed for 145,000 Baht to build the second Squash Court, work to start in September. {GC Minutes 17.08.1968}.

Sep 4- The British Club Bangkok extended to the crew of 8: HMAS Hobart (D39), a Perth-class guided missile destroyer, use of the Club facilities during their visit. {Navy.gov.au}. Of course, the Captain needed no invitation, being none other than Rothesay 'Ross' Swan, a past Club Member (see 1965). The badge of HMAS Hobart is on display in the Churchill Bar.

Sep 28: The two post-WWII Billiards tables were moved upstairs to the ‘rest room’ (2021: Silom Room/ Offices), whose ‘sleeping chairs’ were temporarily moved to the Cinema Room (2021: Suriwongse Room); the Front Bar became the new ‘Reading Room’ (2021: Membership, Games Room). {GC Minutes 28.09.1970}.

This was to allow a Dining Room to be fitted out in the old Billiards room. In addition, the Rotunda Lounge (2021: the 1910 Sports Bar) became the Club Office, and the old Office had its side wall knocked down to form part of The Bar, then fitted out and air-conditioned and the door from the Office into the corridor was sealed off. It is thought that at this juncture the Balcony alongside the Cinema Room was filled in to become a storeroom. {GC Minutes 13.07.1970}.

49 British Club Bangkok Timeline

Nov 30: An Extraordinary General Meeting was called to debate one major change and then 17 other minor amendments. • The major change, to allow Members to be “ citizens of the United Kingdom and such other persons of the British Community in Thailand, whom the committee in their sole discretion may decide ” was heavily defeated. • The minor changes were agreed including fixing the date of the Annual General Meeting and the financial year, introducing a deposit (500 Baht) for all members, giving the Committee authority to restrict guests from time to time, and finally making the Absent Fee an advance payment. {EGM Minutes 30.11.1968}.

1971 It is noted by the General Committee that Mr. W.M. Gilmore visited Jan 4: the club on this evening. Mr. Gilmore had been a Club Member from 1908 to 1932 and was, in fact, Honorary Secretary from 1920 to 1922. {GC Minutes 11.01.1971}.

Jan 18: The General Committee noted that with two of the three upstairs rooms now ‘occupied’ (one as the Club Office, one as Billiards Room) the scope for income from functions was greatly reduced. {GC Minutes 18.01.1971}.

Jan 22: Squash Court 2 was formally opened by Godfrey Sommerfield, Club Chairman (see 2017). {GC Minutes 11.01.1971}.

Feb 1: The General Committee accepted an invitation from Khun Burapha Attakorn, of the Royal Bangkok Sports Club, who proposed an Annual Thai team/British Club squash fixture. Air Chief Marshall Dawee Chullasapya, head of the 1970 Asian Games committee, donated the Cup. {GC Minutes 01.02.1971}.

Feb 3- The British Club Bangkok extended to the crew of HMAS Perth 7: (D38), a Perth-class guided missile destroyer, use of the Club facilities during their visit. {Navy.gov.au}.

Feb 15: The Manager, Mr Traugott, reported that five staff had Tuberculosis. All others, having been x-rayed, were clear. {GC Minutes 15.02.1971}.

Apr 1: The General Committee agreed that, upon the resignation of the two Night Watchmen, that they would be replaced by uniform guards from an external security company. Manpower won the contract at 2,100 Baht per month. {GC Minutes 29.03.1971}.

May 4: The Club land external to the Suriwongse wall, i.e. the footpath on Suriwongse Road, was surrendered to Amphur Bangrak. {Chanote 2668}.

Jul 1: All Club staff resident in the Servants Quarters (adjacent to Neilson Hays Library) had been given notice to move to external accommodation and this building was demolished. {GC Minutes 28.06.1971}.

50 British Club Bangkok Timeline

Aug 9: The Manager, Mr. Traugott, reported that finally, in conjunction with the Land Department, all boundary markers were now in place. {GC Minutes 09.08.1971}. The Club had had incursions, or attempted incursions, onto its land over several years from the Narai Hotel, a resident in Soi Prachoom and the Neilson Hays Library {26.06.1967, 05.02.1968, 14.07.1969 & 14.06.1971}.

Aug 30: The General Committee agreed to demolish the Bowling Alley after a write out to all Members garnered no support to use it and replace it with a small Staff Restroom thus freeing up much of the lawn {GC Minutes 30.08.1971}.

Nov: The inaugural annual Swimming Competition against the Bangkok Aquatic Club was held playing for a cup donated by Lady de la Mare, wife of the British Ambassador, H.E. Sir Arthur de la Mare KCMG KCVO. {GC Minutes 13.09.1972}.

Nov 22: The air-conditioned ‘Dining Room' was opened, in what was previously the Billiards Room, at a cost of 250,000 Baht. (2021: The Churchill Bar). {GC Minutes 15.11.1971 & GC Minutes 24.02.1972}.

Dec 21: The Royal Thai Government merged the changwats [provinces] of Phra Nakhon and Thonburi to form “Krung Thep and Thon Buri Metropolis”. {National Executive Council Order No. 24}.

The Provincial Administration was now handled by the “Metropolitan City Municipality” . {National Executive Council Order Number 25}. Amphur Bangrak remained the local unit.

1972 The Royal Yacht Britannia sailed Feb 9: into Bangkok under escort of HMS Cleopatra (F28), a Leander-class frigate and HMAS Swan (DE50), a River-class destroyer escort, to convey H.M. Queen Elizabeth II, H.R.H. Prince Philip, The Duke of Edinburgh, and H.R.H. Princess Anne on a Royal Tour of Thailand.

The British Club Bangkok extended to the various crews use of the Club facilities during their visit. {Bangkok Chronicles}.

The badges of HMS Cleopatra and HMAS Swan are on display in the Churchill Bar, as is a cap from a sailor on board HMY Britannia.

Feb 16: The Land Department issued two substitute Chanotes for the Club land. {Chanotes 2668 & 2669}.

Feb 24: Charles C.I. Mabbatt CBE finally accepts an Honorary Membership of the Club for his service to the Club (See 1961). {GC Minutes 24.02.1972}.

Apr 24: The Honorary Treasurer, Mr. A.M. Fletcher, sought an emergency meeting of the General Committee as the Club’s debt of 750,000 Baht was becoming unserviceable. This debt was 350,000 Baht still owed on the Swimming Pool loan of 750,000 Baht (see 1965) and 300,000 Baht taken of our 500,000 Baht overdraft facility. {GC Minutes 27.03.1972 & GC Minutes 24.04.1972}. Sadly, rhe minutes of this meeting are not to hand.

51 British Club Bangkok Timeline

Jun 2- The British Club Bangkok extended to the crews of HMS Diomede 6: (F16), a Leander-class frigate, and HMS Lowestoft (F103), a Rothesay class anti-submarine frigate, use of the Club facilities during their visit. {GC Minutes 22.05.1972}.

Jun 16: An Extraordinary General Meeting was called for the General Committee to explain the financial situation and two immediate measures were approved: • To increase monthly subscriptions from 125 Baht for all Members to 150 Baht for single members and 200 Baht for a married member: carried by 48 votes to 30. • To increase the entrance fee from 600 Baht to 1,200.00 Baht with the provision that should a member leave the country within one year of joining, 600 Baht would be refunded: carried by 45 votes to 25. • That the title deeds of the Club, presently deposited with the Chartered Bank as security for the fixed loan, shall not be pledged to secure all overdrafts, loans and credits advanced to the Club, until all other financial avenues as are available, are explored by the Committee (see 2019): carried by 31 votes to 15 (proxies not used). {GC Minutes 08.05.1972, GC Minutes 19.06.1972 & EGM Minutes 16.06.1972}.

Jul 5: General Committee Member John Price was awarded 6,000 Baht to buy equipment for his newly constituted Cricket Section. {GC Minutes 05.07.1972}.

Aug 26- The Club was able to hire a Colour TV in order that Members could Sep 11: watch the Munich Summer Olympics on Thai TV3, the only local colour channel. {GC Minutes 02.08.1972}.

Oct 25: The General Committee agreed to relax the guest rule and allow guests to use the swimming pool at weekends. {GC Minutes 24.07.1972}.

Dec 14: “Krung Thep and Thon Buri Metropolis” was renamed “Krung Thep Maha Nakhon” (in its abbreviated form) and the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) was created.

Amphur Bangrak became Khet Bangrak, with the Club within the Kwaeng (sub-district) of Suriyawong. {National Executive Council Order Number 335}.

1973 Members of the General Committee took turns to patrol both gates of Jan 21: the Club to ensure that all entrants were Members or family thereof. It was agreed to repeat this several times a month. {GC Minutes 21.01.1973}.

Mar 4-8 The British Club Bangkok extended to the crew of HMS Antrim (D18), a County-class destroyer, use of the Club facilities during their visit. {GC Minutes 28.03.1973}.

Jun 12: The General Committee authorised the laying of a concrete slab, close to the Narai Hotel wall, to act as the base for a single cricket net. {GC Minutes 12.06.1973}.

52 British Club Bangkok Timeline

Jun 26: A bonded brick wall, about 2m high with barbed wire along the top was erected from the Silom Gate Guardhouse, around the eastern edge of the Club to the Suriwongse Wall. {GC Minutes 26.06.1973}.

Jul 1-4: The British Club Bangkok extended to the crew of HMS Chichester (F59), a Hong Kong guard ship, use of the Club facilities during their visit. {GC Minutes 10.07.1973 & ’Cats & Cathedrals’}.

Jul 18: A group from the New Zealand Test Cricket Squad, en route from playing in England, used visiting Membership at the Club. {GC Minutes 24.07.1973}.

Aug: The Para Handy Plate was donated by Bill Sim for the Annual Club Squash Championship First Round Losers. {British Club Newsletter, December 1974}.

Sep 19: The General Committee bestow an Honorary Membership on Geoffrey Sommerfield OBE for his service to the club, including four terms as Chairman over two periods. {GC Minutes 19.09.1973}.

Nov 1- The British Club Bangkok extended to the crew of HMAS Yarra 4: (DE45), a River-class destroyer escort, use of the Club facilities during their visit. {GC Minutes 21.08.1973}.

1974 With a huge rise in the cost of living in Thailand during 1973, staff at Jan 8: the Club were threatening to strike over poor renumeration: matters raised included low basic salaries, non-adherence to Labour Law overtime rates, low support of medical costs and need for a larger annual bonus. An immediate pay rise of 150 Baht per month across the board was given and the remaining items put to the Finance Sub- Committee to negotiate. {GC Minutes 08.01.1974}.

Jan 22: The state of the Club’s annual finances was reported. Although borrowings in 1973 had been reduced by 118,000 Baht, there was only a nominal surplus of 7,000 Baht. A number of increases to subscriptions were proposed. {GC Minutes 22.01.1974}.

Jan 24- The British Club Bangkok extended to the crew of HMAS Parramatta 29: (DE 46), River-class destroyer escort, use of the Club facilities during their visit. {GC Minutes 08.01.1974 & Navy News, 15.03.1974}.

Feb 4: From press stories, Australian Prime Minister, Gough Whitlam, instructed Australian diplomats in Bangkok to resign from the Club on the grounds that it was practicing racial discrimination. {The Straits Times 06.02.1974 & New Nation 05.02.1974}.

The story seemed to originate from when a Third Secretary at the Australian Embassy, who was not of British descent, was allegedly refused Membership in 1971, although the Club has no records of this (see 2001). The rules were changed in 1975. {Nigel Overy CBE, Outpost, November 2006 & Roy Fordham, Outpost, March 2007}.

53 British Club Bangkok Timeline

Three Australian Trade Commissioners did resign, but two new Australian Embassy staff also joined later in the year (see 1978).

Feb 27: The Annual General Meeting debated long and hard but eventually agreed to heavily increase monthly subscriptions: Married Gentlemen from 200 Baht to 250 Baht, Single Gentlemen from 150 Baht to 200 Baht, Ladies Privileges from 75 Baht to 100 Baht and Upcountry members from 50 Baht to 75 Baht. {AGM Minutes 27.02.1974}. Apr 25- The British Club Bangkok extended to the crew of 29: HMAS Vendetta (D08), a Daring-class destroyer, use of the Club facilities during their visit. {GC Minutes 19.03.1974}.

The badge of HMAS Vendetta is on display in the Churchill Bar.

Mar 5: In light of feedback from the AGM that the ‘hike’ in subscriptions would cause Membership to fall away, a Special Membership Sub-Committee was set-up to review the whole membership structure, including widening the scope of nationalities. {AGM Minutes 27.02.1974, GC Minutes 05.03.1974 & British Club Newsletter, May 1974}.

May 1: After years of a weekly bulletin mailed out to members, it was agreed to produce a monthly newsletter. The first edition of 'British Club Newsletter' was produced, edited in the main by Lt. Col. John Davis, and financed by advertising from the Hong Kong & Shanghai Banking Corportion. {GC Minutes 19.03.1974 & British Club Newsletter, May 1974}. All editions are archived on the Club website.

May 14: The General Committee agreed to allow film crew for the ‘Bond-9’ movie [later named ‘The Man with the Golden Gun’] to park in the Club, 6pm to 6am, for a fixed fee of 10,000 Baht. All British film crew could purchase temporary membership status. {GC Minutes 14.05.1974}.

Jul 1: The British Club Golf Society decided to adopt the USGA (United States Golf Association) handicap system. {British Club Newsletter, August 1974}. This landed them in hot water a few months later with the English Ladies Golf Union who virtually accused them of cheating! {British Club Newsletter, February 1975}. (See also 2005).

Jul 5-7: The British Club Bangkok extended to the crews of HMS Scylla (F71) and HMS Danae (F47), both Leander-class frigates, and HMS Londonderry (F108) a Rothesay class anti-submarine frigate, use of the Club facilities during their visit. The Club also arranged a soccer match using the Port of Thailand Authority’s ground. It is not reported, however, what the scores of the two matches were. {British Club Newsletter August 1974 & Naval Association of Bangkok AGM 1975}.

Jul 31: This date was the start of the year for the Bill Hay Cup, a trophy donated by immediate past Vice-Chairman William Hay. The winner is the player with the highest six stableford scores over a July-July year, for handicap 19 players and above. {British Club Newsletter, April 1974}.

54 British Club Bangkok Timeline

Aug 6: Staff unrest had still not been resolved when it was reported to the General Committee that payment of overtime was taking around five weeks to process. The General Committee set management a target of five days for such payment. {GC Minutes 06.08.1974}.

Nov 4- The British Club Bangkok extended to the crew of HMNZS Taranaki 6: (F148), a modified Rothesay-class frigate, use of the Club facilities during their visit. {British Club Newsletter October 1974}.

Oct 1: Notice was given to the Club from the Chartered Finance Company that the main overdraft interest was to increase from 8½% to 12% upon the change of Manager - the previous Manager, Club Member Mr. Littlejohn had been moved to Phuket. {GC Minutes 01.10.1974}.

1975 The first of two Extraordinary General Meetings required was called, Jan 27: following the report of the Special Membership Sub-Committee (see 1974). The motions were: • Change Membership to " male citizens of the UK, Australia, Canada and New Zealand and male persons of British descent ": carried by 61 votes to 14. • Create an Associate Membership for other nationalities (limited to 25 persons and by invitation only): carried by simple majority for this first vote. • Extend Ladies Privileges to core nationality ladies married to persons not eligible for membership: carried by simple majority for this first vote. {EGM Minutes 27.01.1975}.

Jan 31- The British Club Bangkok extended to the crews of HMS Blake (C99), Feb 3 a Tiger-class light cruiser, HMS Diomede (F16), a Leander-class frigate, and HMS Lowestoft (F103), a Rothesay class anti-submarine frigate, both on their second visit, together with RFA Stromness (A344), a Ness-class combat stores ship, and HMAS Swan (DE50), a River-class destroyer escort, on her third visit, use of the Club facilities during their visit. They were accompanied by HMS Warspite, a Valiant- class nuclear submarine. Each section also created a sports fixture in readiness of their arrival. {GC Minutes 21.01.1975, Grey Funnel Line & Naval Association of Bangkok AGM 1976}.

Sadly, few people actually turned up, leading to an apology from Commander P.J. F. Moore, the Naval Attaché. {GC Minutes 18.02.1975}.

Feb 17: Khun Manit Tannakesa was selected from 25 applicants, and appointed Assistant to the Manager. {GC Minutes 04.02.1975 & GC Minutes 18.02.1975}.

Feb 27: The second of the two Extraordinary General Meetings needed to pass for the Membership motions was held: Two of the resolutions gained the necessary two-thirds majority to amend the constitution, but the “Associate Membership” resolution did not. {GC Minutes 05.03.1975}.

March The British Club Bangkok extended to the crew of HMS Achilles (F12) 1-15: a Leander-class frigate, use of the Club facilities during their visit. {Naval Association of Bangkok, AGM 1976}.

55 British Club Bangkok Timeline

Apr 1: The ‘British Club Newsletter’ was relaunched with a colour cover as ‘British Club News’, edited in the main by Lt. Col. John Davis. {GC Minutes 19.03.1974}. All editions are archived on the Club website.

Apr 24- The British Club Bangkok extended to the crew of HMS Mermaid 29: (F76), a light frigate originally built for the Ghana Navy, use of the Club facilities during their visit. {GC Minutes 15.04.1975}.

May 5: The Tennis Section introduced a League system, with the first Cricket Match League from 5 th May to 30 th June 1975, to “avoid embarrassment due to poor performance” and “to raise the standard of match play within the club”. {British Club News, May 1975}.

May 9: The first recorded marriage between two staff members was on this day: Khun Veera Suntisuddi, from the Poolside Bar, wed Khun Sunida Saengduen, an office clerk. The Club gave them a gift. {British Club News, June 1975}.

May: The thoroughfare through the Club (Silom Soi 18) was experimentally closed each Saturday and Sunday between the front lawn and the swimming pool for safety reason. All traffic would now have to pass in front of the Clubhouse in both directions. {British Club News, May 1975}.

May 23- The British Club Bangkok extended to the crew of HMAS Otway 27: (S59), an Oberon-class submarine, use of the Club facilities during their visit. {GC Minutes 15.04.1975}.

Jun 13- The British Club Bangkok extended to the crew of HMAS Derwent 15: (DE49), a River-class destroyer escort, on its third visit, use of the Club facilities during their visit. {GC Minutes 27.05.1975 & British Club News, July 1975}.

The ship’s plaque is on display in the Churchill Bar.

Jun 30: Khun Manit Tannakesa, Assistant to the Manager, resigned. {GC Minutes 24.06.1975}.

Aug 22: The General Committee put a ban on the bringing of weapons onto the Club premises. {GC Minutes 22.07.1975 & British Club News, August 1975}.

56 British Club Bangkok Timeline

Sep 7: The Annual Family Swimming Gala had a more poignant feel in this year as the Club’s children, and occasional parent, were playing not only for the individual prizes over eight different styles of swimming but also for the inaugural Wyn Lapping Memorial Shield presented by her husband Alistair. {British Club News, October 1975}. Mrs. Edwina Lapping, was not only active in the British Women’s Group and the English Ladies Golf Union but also the key organiser of the Club’s monthly and annual swimming galas. She passed away on 11.09.1974. {British Club News, October 1974}.

Oct: 6- The British Club Bangkok extended to the crew of HMS Chichester 10 (F59), a Salisbury-class aircraft direction frigate, use of the Club facilities during their visit. {British Club News, August 1974 & Naval Association of Bangkok AGM 1976}.

Oct 13- The British Club Bangkok extended to the crew of HMAS Brisbane 17: (D41), a Perth-class guided missile destroyers, use of the Club facilities during their visit. {GC Minutes 02.10.1975}.

1976 Mr H.A. Traugott resigned as Club Manager after eight years’ service. Jan 15: and was replaced by Club Member Lt. Col. John F. Davis, temporarily pending his retirement from the Amy. {GC Minutes 06.01.1976 & Annual Report, 1976}

Jan 25: The first round was played of the inaugural Thai Glass-Gestetner Trophy, a Annual Eclectic tournament. {British Club News, December 1975 & British Club News, January 1976}.

Feb 24: The Annual General Meeting agreed to the setting up of a ‘Long-Range Planning Committee’ to set up a list of all works for facilities that Members wanted, then create a priority plan for their implementation. {AGM Minutes 24.02.1976}.

Mar 4: The General Committee decided to abolish the role of Honorary Secretary with the Manager taking over the responsibilities. {GC Minutes 04.03.1976}.

Mar 14: At the annual Tennis Championship, a number of the trophies were renamed or re-presented: Fleming Kinnaird donated the Kinnaird Cup for the Ladies Single Championship winner. {British Club News, April 1976}. In 1975, Colleen Perry had won the Ladies Singles Cup three times in a row and got to keep the Cup. {British Club Newsletter, March 1975}.

The immediate past Chairman, Lt. Col. Hugh Docherty OBE, donated a Plate for the Ladies Doubles competition and the Men’s Doubles Cup was referred to as ‘The Spink Cup’ for the first time. {British Club News, April 1976}.

57 British Club Bangkok Timeline

Mar 30: Thailand mow had four local channels transmitting television in colour (TV3, Channel 4, TV5 and Channel 7) so the club rented a colour TV, at an expensive 700 Baht per month, for use in the Cinema Room. {GC Minutes 30.03.1976}.

Apr: The St David's Society in Bangkok {Cymdeithas Dewi Sant Bangkok} [a social group for Welsh people] was founded, with Eric G. Howells as its first Bard. {British Club News, May 1976}.

Apr 25: The Telephone Organization of Thailand upgraded all five and six digit telephone numbers in Bangkok to new seven digit numbers with 02 now being the Bangkok area code. The Club’s number of 3-0247 became (02) 234 0247. {The New York Times, 29.05.1976 & British Club News, May 1976}.

Jun 25- The British Club Bangkok extended to the crew of HMAS Derwent 28 (DE49), a River-class destroyer escort, on its fourt h visit, use of the Club facilities during their visit. {GC Minutes 11.05.1976}.

Jul 31- The British Club Bangkok extended to the crew of HMAS Parramatta Aug 3: (DE46), a River-class destroyer escort, use of the Club facilities during its second visit. {GC Minutes 06.07.1976}.

Oct 5: Mr Richard W. Wood MC donated from his late father, Mr. William W. Wood, a picture of the Bangkok Lawn Tennis Club (see 1909). This picture is on the wall of The Verandah. {GC Minutes 05.10.1976}.

Nov 16: The General Committee had received appropriate letters of liability from four airlines, whose cabin crew can now use the Club as ‘visiting members’: These were British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Qantas and Tradewinds Airlines. {GC Minutes 16.11.1976}.

1977 The General Committee agreed to allow British Missionaries use of Club Jan 18: as Temporary non-fee-paying members. {GC Minutes 18.10.1977}.

Jan 27: The first of two Extraordinary General Meetings required was called to approve the following constitutional changes: • Increases entrance fees and monthly subscriptions. • The introduction of Associate Membership by invitation (for nationalities other than Australian, British, Canadian and New Zealander). • A new Rule giving the Committee the authority to raise overdrafts, mortgages and arrange loans for the benefit of the Club with the approval of Members. • Allow Ladies to be introduced as Visiting Members. • Allow Ladies with Ladies Privileges and wives of Members to introduce guests.

In addition it was agreed to adopt a new Thai language constitution to comply with the Civil & Commercial Code and file this with the Registrar of Associations. All motions were passed without voting numbers being recorded. {EGM Minutes 27.01.1977 & British Club News, April 1977}.

58 British Club Bangkok Timeline

Jan 28: The General Committee bestowed upon Lt. Col. (Retd.) Hugh Docherty OBE an Honorary Membership for his service to the Club, including four years as chairman. {GC Minutes 18.10.1977}.

Jan 31- The British Club Bangkok extended to the crew of HMAS Vendetta Feb 3: (D08), a Daring-class destroyer, on her second visit, use of the Club facilities during their visit. {GC Minutes 18.01.1977}. The ship’s badge is on display in the Churchill Bar.

Feb: The Suriwongse Road becomes a one-way street from the junction of Naret Road to Chareon Krung Road. {British Club News, March 1977}.

Feb 10: An Extraordinary General Meeting was called to discuss and approve the Long-Range Plan of the Club. Amongst other projects, it was agreed: • The building of a new Office and Store complex. • Conversion of the existing Office to a Reading Room and Library, and the Reading Room into a Billiard Room. • Renewal of the mains supply wiring system and construction of a new Mechanical and Storeroom on the first-floor rear balcony. {EGM Minutes 10.02.1977}.

Feb 28: The second of two Extraordinary General Meetings required to approve the constitutional changes from the February 10 th EGM were all passed by 177 votes to a handful: having passed the two-thirds threshold they became part of the constitution. {EGM Minutes 28.02.1977}.

Members attending the Annual General Meeting, also held on this evening, agreed to allow the General Committee to borrow funds up to 2 million Baht, in addition to existing overdraft facilities, to progress the Long-Range Plan of the Club. {AGM Minutes 28.02.1977& British Club News, April 1977}.

Mar 1: The “bar” was moved the front of the Clubhouse to what was the “Reading Room” to allow the rear location to be fully refitted, and air- conditioning was installed. {GC Minutes 22.03.1977}.

Apr 20- The British Club Bangkok extended to the crew of RFA Lyness 26: (A339), a Ness-class combat stores ship, use of the Club facilities during their visit. {GC Minutes 22.03.1977}.

Jun 3: The Bar re-opened after three months of refurbishment including a new floor. The Reading Room was re-opened, and the temporary air- conditioning, installed whilst the temporary bar. was kept {GC Minutes 23.05.1977 & British Club News June 1977}.

Jun 14: Khun Pravit Purananda (the Thailand Manager for British Airways) became first Associate and first Thai member of the Club. Khun Pravit was educated at Cheltenham College, and worked initially for the British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC) which became British Airways in 1974. {GC Minutes 14.06.1977}.

59 British Club Bangkok Timeline

Jul: The inaugural Club Squash Handicap Championship was held, designed to complement the Don Johnson Cup in the annual calendar. {BC News, September 1977}. This Championship was renamed after Tom Annas, along serving Squash player who passed away in 2014. {Outpost, November 2014}.

Jul 3: The Australian Junior Tour Group from the Lawn Tennis Professionals Association of Australia played a series of Exhibition Matches on this morning then battled against members of the Club. There was no record kept of the scores! {British Club News, September 1977}.

Aug 5-9 The British Club Bangkok extended to the crew of HMAS Stuart (DE48), a River-class destroyer escort, use of the Club facilities during their visit. {GC Minutes 19.07.1977 & British Club News, September 1977}.

The badge of HMS Stuart is on display in the Churchill Bar.

Aug 14: The Golf Section played the inaugural tournament of the Davidson Cup, donated by James Davidson, between the Captains team and the immediate Past Captains team. {British Club News, September 1977}.

Aug 29: The General Committee agreed that effective from this date, all books of coupons, sold to non-members who are authorised to use the Club, would be surcharged by 10 Baht. Thus a standard coupon book with coupons worth 90 Baht would now cost 100 Baht. GC Minutes 05.07.1977 & British Club News, September 1977}.

Sep 4: The British Club Bangkok celebrated the Silver Jubilee of the accession to the throne of H.M. Queen Elizabeth II, by holding a ‘Jubilee Family Day’. {British Club News, September 1977}.

Nov 24: The Royal Automobile Club became the first UK Reciprocal Club. {GC Minutes 24.11.1977}.

Dec: The newly created Thailand Squash Racket Association organised the first Thailand Squash League with ten teams: four from the British Club Bangkok, four from the Royal Bangkok Sports Club, and two from Vajiravudh College. {British Club News, November 1977 & British Club News, January 1978}.

1978 For reasons not explained, but possibly related to 1974, Club members who were employed by the newly created Australian Department of

60 British Club Bangkok Timeline

Feb 8: Trade and Resources were ordered by the department to resign from the Club. Ironically on the same day as their Ambassador to Thailand, H.E. Gordon Albert Jockel, accepted the customary Honorary Membership of the Club. {GC Minutes 21.03.1978}. Five Australian Embassy staff members did resign over the next few months, but five new Australia Embassy staff also joined.

Feb 27: Members at the Annual General Meeting agreed, in accordance with new rule allowing the committee “ to raise overdrafts and arrange loans ” (see 1977) to seek to borrow two million Baht for redevelopment. {AGM Minutes 27.02.1978}.

Mar 3- The British Club Bangkok extended to the crews of HMAS Derwent 8: (DE49), a River-class destroyer escort, on its fifth visit, HMS Cleopatra (F28), a Leander-class frigate, on its second visit with HMS Rhyl (F129), a Rothesay-class anti-submarine frigate, and RFA Grey Rover (A269), a Rover class small fleet tanker, use of the Club facilities during their visit. {GC Minutes 24.01.1978}. HMS Cleopatra’s badge is on display in the Churchill Bar.

Mar: The magazine noted a visit by Geoffrey Boycott, the England Cricketer “at the end of March” but no contains other details. {British Club News, April 1978}.

May- To allow for Jun a refitting of the Dining Room, lunches were served in the Reading Room. In turn, all periodicals are now upstairs in the Cinema Room. {British Club News, May 1978}.

Jul: The newsletter acknowledged that the picture in The Bar of the old Clubhouse had been a gift from Club Member Charles Stewart whose stamp agent in 1977 had found a picture postcard of the Clubhouse dated 28.05.1909. {British Club News, July 1978}.

Jul 7: A Cocktail Party was held to celebrate the 75 th Anniversary of the opening of the first Clubhouse, at the other end of Suriwongse Road (see 1903) but had to be rapidly moved to inside the Clubhouse as the heavens opened! {GC Minutes 30.05.1978 & British Club News August 1978}.

Sep 8: The General Committee agreed to set up a ‘Ladies Advisory Committee’ to advise and assist with Club affairs and entertainment. {GC Minutes 08.09 .1978}.

Dec 8: A short one-storey extension to the Clubhouse, which contained a bakery and stores, was opened at a cost of 223,000 Baht (four right windows and door of 2021 building). {GC Minutes 12.12.1978}.

Dec 12: The Club Manager, Lt. Col. (Retd) John F. Davis, gave notice that he would resign sometime early in the new year, and be holidaying in the UK for a month before finally leaving. {GC Minutes 12.12.1978}

61 British Club Bangkok Timeline

1979 A new logo was introduced for both British Club News and Jan 1: the Annual Report {British Club News January 1979} and Joe Prem becomes British Club News editor. {British Club News February 1979}.

Jan 20- The British Club Bangkok extended to the crews of HMS Monkton 24: (P1055) and HMS Beachampton (P1007), both converted Hong Kong Patrol craft, use of the Club facilities during their visit. {GC Minutes 02.01.1979}.

Feb 6: H.E. Sunthorn Hongladarom accepted the General Committee’s invitation to be an Honorary Member of the Club. Khun Sunthorn had had a distinguished career both in Government (as a Minister of Economics then Minister of Finance then Deputy Prime Minister) and as an ambassador to Malaya, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America, and had been the General Secretary of SEATO (Southeast Asia Treaty Organization) until 1977. {GC Minutes 06.02.1979}.

Feb 18: Whilst on leave in the UK, the Club Manager wrote to say that due to the illness of his mother, he will not be returning to Thailand thus his resignation should have immediate effect. {GC Minutes 08.03.1979}.

Lt. Col. (Retd) John F. Davis went on to become the Financial Controller at The Hurlingham Club in London (See 2012). {Correspondence, Hurlingham Club}.

Feb 19: Khun Noi Lersinpakdi was appointed Assistant to the Manager. {GC Minutes 06.02.1979}

Feb 26: The Registrar of Associations informed the Club that it needed a ‘dissolution clause’ in the constitution in case the Club was to close.

This was agreed at the Annual General Meeting on this date. In addition changes were made to the Ladies Privileges such that they would be ‘up-country and go absent. {AGM Minutes 26.02.1979}.

Mar 5: For the duration of the management interregnum, the acting role of Honorary Secretary was reactivated for the purpose of minutes and correspondence. Mr. Frank R. Devlin took the role. {GC Minutes 06.03.1979}.

May 1: Mr. Rupert F. Russell-Cobb was appointed Club Manager. {GC Minutes 24.04.1979}.

Jun 5: The General Committee bestowed an Honorary Membership upon Alistair Greenlees on the occasion of his leaving Thailand: he had been a member for 25 years. {GC Minutes 05.06.1979}. He returned to Thailand sometime later and died in Bangkok in 2004. {BCCT Obituaries}.

Jul 1: Khun Pongsak Saichavee, sous-chef at the Hyatt Rama Hotel, was appointed the Club’s first Executive Chef. {British Club News July 1979}. The Hyatt Rama was the precursor of the Holiday Inn Silom .

62 British Club Bangkok Timeline

Sep 1: The new ground-floor Ladies’ toilets, with showers, the Gentlemen’s toilets and Gentlemen’s bath/shower rooms were opened in the clubhouse. The Ladies was on the left from the reception and the Gents on the right (See 2003). {British Club News July 1979}.

Nov 20: The General Committee acknowledged receipt of a gift from Club Member Charles Stewart of a postcard dated 18.03.1909 which has been from the Club to Mr R.W. Giblin announcing the sale of newspapers and periodicals. Ronald Worthy Giblin FRGS was a founding member of the Club, an Australian and Director of the Royal Survey Department of Siam. {GC Minutes 20.11.1979, cardcow.com & British Club News January 1980}.

Nov 28: An Extraordinary General Meetings was called to agree two matters: • A request from the General Committee, supported by the Squash Section, that an additional sum of 400,000 Baht be borrowed for the construction of a third Squash Court. This was on the condition that court income became Club income and not section income. This was carried by 43 votes to 14. • A request by the auditors to put back the Financial Year End to 20 th January and the AGM to March each year, with all necessary constitutional changes that required, was carried by 38 votes to one. {EGM Minutes 28.11.1979}.

Dec 13: The Cinema Room was now air-conditioned, with electrics placed in the balcony storeroom, and became the Suriwongse Room. {GC Minutes 13.12.1979}.

Dec 31: The 1979 year-end Membership of the Club broke the ‘500 barrier’ for the first time in its history. {British Club News January 1980}.

For clarity: Honorary : Australian, British, Canadian and New Zealand Ambassadors, Vicar of Christ Church plus selected Members. Ordinary : Males from Australia, Britain, Canada, and New Zealand. Up-Country : ‘Ordinary’ Members living at least 20 miles from the Club Non-Voting : a 12-month instalment Membership for males from Australia, Britain, Canada, and New Zealand. Associate : Males from other countries by invitation only. Ladies Privilege : was a facility whereby British women could use the Club.

1980 The General Committee was abandoned as too few people turned up Jan 8: – this also caused the New Members Night to be non-productive as insufficient signatures could be secured. {GC Minutes 22.01.1980}.

63 British Club Bangkok Timeline

Mar 1: The monthly magazine is upgraded to ‘look & feel’ like a magazine and entitled ‘Outpost’. {Outpost, March 1980}. John Walker takes over as Outpost editor. {Outpost, April 1980}. Most copies are available to view on the Club’s website.

Mar 25: An Extraordinary General Meeting was called for a number of constitutional changes: • To correct an error made at the EGM held on 28.11.1979 whereby the Financial Year End was moved to January 20 th . It transpired that the auditors wanted it to remain on 20 th December with the AGM moved back one month to allow an extra month for audit: this was carried by 27 votes to 18. • To increase entrance fees & monthly subscriptions: this was carried unanimously. • To create a monthly subscription of 50 Baht for each child of a member over 15 and under 21 years of age. Children aged over 21, wishing to use the Club facilities, shall apply for Membership in their own right and pay the appropriate deposit and subscriptions but no entrance fee: this was carried unanimously. • To give the General Committee authority to discipline members who do not pay their accounts: this was carried unanimously. {EGM Minutes 25.03.1980}.

Apr 22: The General Committee agreed that for the period of the Club Manager being on leave for four weeks, that the role of Honorary Secretary would be reactivated for the purpose of minutes and correspondence. Mr. Alasdair Johnstone took the role. {GC Minutes 22.04.1980}.

Jun 5: The British Club Bangkok added materials to the 75th Anniversary Time Capsule of the Louis T. Leonowens (Thailand) Limited, buried on this day under the miniature of the ‘Giant swing’ at the Oriental Hotel and to be opened in 2055. {GC Minutes 27.05.1980}.

Aug 19: After a burglary at the Club was traced back to some Security guards, the Security company personnel were replaced by off-duty Police Officers from Bangrak Police station. {GC Minutes 19.08.1980}.

Sep 1: Khun Adisak Asavakovit was appointed Assistant Manager. Khun Adisak . {Outpost, September 1980}.

Nov 8: Further to its meeting on 19.08.1980, it was agreed that the Police would continue to guard the Club from 10pm to 6am, but British Club guards would do the day shifts. {GC Minutes 18.11.1980}.

Dec: The Society of Engineers (later renamed SPET – the Society of Professional Engineers in Thailand) had their annual dinner at the Club. {GC Minutes 16.12.1980}.

64 British Club Bangkok Timeline

Dec: In an interesting tale, Khun Adisak Asavakovit, Assistant Manager, was playing the General Manager, Rupert Russell-Cobb, at tennis and won the first game without the General Manager getting a point – a call was then heard across the net of “ You’re still on probation, aren’t you? ” and Mr Cobb won the set 6-4! {Outpost, January 1981}.

1981 The Squash Section hosted the first inaugural British Club Open Jan: Championship with 35 entries from Members and guests. The winners ‘Rod Carter Shield’ was donated by Club Member Rod Carter. {Outpost, February 1981}. Jan 28: The Billiards Room was moved from the first floor to the old Reading Room on the ground floor (2021: Membership, Games Room). The vacated room was renamed the Silom Room. {Outpost, January 1981}.

In honour of their 75 th Jubilee in 1980, Louis T. Leonowens (Thailand) Limited donated a Cup for a Volunteer Snooker Doubles championship. {GC Minutes 16.12.1980}.

Feb 14: The Thai Sala at the poolside was officially opened by H.E. Peter Tripp CMG, the British Ambassador, with a St. Valentine's Day BBQ (from 1986 this was called the Silom Sala – see also 2017). {GC Minutes 20.01.1981 & Outpost, March 1981}.

Feb 16: An Extraordinary General Meeting was called, convened on the back lawn, to adopt 42 constitutional changes, which would in essence: • Remove the necessity to be resident in Thailand for membership: carried 36 votes to 3. • Change the method of nomination and election of candidates for membership: carried by a majority. • Enhance the qualification to stand for election to the General Committee: carried by a majority. • Rename ‘Visiting Member’ as ‘Temporary Member’: carried by a majority. • Remove from the general body of the rules of all mention of the subscriptions and fees and have the AGM adopt a schedule of subscriptions and fees (‘Scale of Fees’} as a separate rule: carried by a majority. • Limit each Member to three guests only in one day, unless with prior approval: carried by a majority. {EGM Minutes 16.02.1981}.

Mar 23: An Extraordinary General Meeting was called ahead of the AGM to ratify the non-Thailand residency clause and was carried 57 votes to 5. {EGM Minutes 23.03.1981}.

Apr 1: Norman Musgrave took over as Outpost editor. {Outpost, April 1981}.

Apr 11: Squash Court 3 was opened with a demonstration match and a BBQ (see 2017). {GC Minutes 07.04.1981}.

65 British Club Bangkok Timeline

May 1: A ‘Happy Hour’ with bar snacks was instigated in The Bar. {GC Minutes 07.04.1981}.

Jul 21: The Singapore Town Club invited Members of the British Club Bangkok to a Balut tournament in Singapore (see 2007). The Club declined. {GC Minutes 21.07.1981}.

The General Committee agreed to allow Mount Cook Airlines crews to use the Club on the same basis as BA/Qantas crews. {GC Minutes 21.07.1981}.

Jul 31: A Royal Wedding Ball was held to celebrate the wedding of H.R.H. Charles, the Prince of Wales to Lady Diana Spencer. 250 Members and their guests were treated to a four-course meal and music by ‘Ading Dila’. Guests included Honorary Member, H.E. Sunthorn Hongladarom, the British Ambassador, H.E. Herbert Staples CMG, and the Australian Ambassador, H.E. Richard Gate. {Outpost, June 1981}.

Sep 1: The General Committee meeting was abandoned as too few people turned up. {GC Minutes 18.09.1981}.

Sep 21: An Extraordinary General Meeting was called to: • Increase Joining Fees by 50%: carried 84 votes to 15. • Increase subscriptions by 25%: carried by a large majority. • Set the Deposit at 2,000 Baht: carried unanimously. • Set the Absent List Fee at 1,000 Baht: carried 65 votes for 41. • Ensure GC Ballot Papers have no more than 10 names recorded and are unsigned: defeated 73 votes to 37. {EGM Minutes 21.09.1981}. Oct 1: Major Kenneth C. Ywin MC was appointed Club Manager, following Mr. Russell-Cobb’s decision to leave. {GC Minutes 06.10.1981}.

1982 The General Committee acknowledged the generosity of Leslie Collins Feb 2: Junior in his donating a trophy in his father’s honour to inaugurate a competition for Snooker Doubles. {GC Minutes 02.02.1982 & Outpost, February 1982}.

Feb 16: The General Committee sought management support in implementing a daily check on fresh meat, fish and poultry being received by the Club and designated GC members only would sign cheques for this produce. This was in response to 82 kg of beef being missing from the January inventory check. {GC Minutes 16.02.1982}.

Feb 25: The Communications Authority of Thailand introduced ‘postcodes’ for the whole country and thus the Club is within 10500. {Thailand Post}.

Mar 2: In the morning, the Chairman, Charles Stewart, suspended the Club Manager, Major Kenneth C. Ywin, after several accounting irregulates had come to light. In the evening, following a full investigation by the General Committee into inventory losses, and accounting malpractice, Major Ywin and Khun Adisak, the Assistant Manager, together with the store clerk and the storekeeper were dismissed from the Club. {GC Minutes 02.03.1982}.

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Mar 6: At a special meeting of the General Committee, Mr. Bob L. Vlietstra, a Club Member and a senior manager at the Royal Bangkok Sport Club, was appointed Committee Advisor, to help rebuild the management and staff structure and accountability. {GC Minutes 06.03.1982}.

Mar 29: The Standard Chartered Bank agreed to double the Club’s Overdraft Facility to 600,000 Baht in order that a project to raise by 70cm the heights of the two main tennis courts could go ahead. {GC Minutes 13.04.1982}.

May 1: Ian Hill took over as Outpost editor. {Outpost, May 1982}.

Apr 4: The British Club Bangkok Cricket team travelled to Chiang Mai to play the against the Chiang Mai Gymkhana Club. This would become an annual tournament (see 1983). {Lannacricket.org}.

May 24: Dr. Adisak Kamhanti was appointed Assistant Manager. {GC Minutes 18.05.1982 & Outpost, October 1982}.

Jun 1: Gulf Air was added to the list of airlines whose aircrew could use the Club as ‘Temporary Members’ (see 1976). {GC Minutes 01.06.1982}.

Jul 30: After a spate of petty and serious thefts from the Club and from Members, uniformed security guards were employed 24/7 by the Club. Inter-Asian Enterprises won the first contract. {GC Minutes 03.08.1982}.

Aug 9: NBC, the US TV producer, filmed in The Bar and at poolside for their movie ‘Love Is Forever’ (aka ‘Comeback’) starring Michael Landon, Edward Woodward and Priscilla Presley. The movie was based upon the true story of Australian journalist, Thai resident, past Club member and alleged spy John Everingham and his daring rescue of his Laotian wife from communist Laos. {GC Minutes 17.08.1982}.

Pictures of the shoot were displayed on the Churchill Bar wall but appear to have been lost.

Aug 14: The British Club Bangkok Squash Section had travelled all the way to Chiang Mai to play the inaugural Squash Tournament against the Chiang Mai Gymkhana Club. The event was a weekend affair of good food, sightseeing and squash which the Club lost very heavily. {Outpost September 1982}.

Aug 15: An informal Snooker Demonstration by 1981 Snooker World Champion Steve Davis took place on this afternoon. Mr. Davis was in town for the 2nd ASEAN Snooker Championships. {GC Minutes 03.08.1982}.

Sep 1: As a temporary measure, the Office was moved into the Silom Room, and the vacated Office was returned as a Reading Room. {GC Minutes 01.09.1982}.

67 British Club Bangkok Timeline

Oct 1: Mr. Bob L. Vlietstra, advisor, was appointed Club Manager. {Outpost November 1982}.

1983 The Royal Thai Government levied a 1% income tax based on gross Jan 1: turnover, excluding subscriptions and entrance fees, on all Club's and Associations effective from this date.

Fortunately, this tax would not become effective for the Club until 21.12.1983, the start of the new financial year. The Committee decided that this tax would be passed on to members. {GC Minutes 07.09.1982 & GC Minutes 19.10.1982}. Jan 20: The Golf Section, at its AGM, announced a new award – the Norman Bond Memorial trophy for the player with the most improved handicap. {Outpost, February 1984}.

Jan 22: The newly laid, and raised, grass Centre & No. 1 tennis courts were opened by five times Wimbledon Champion Bjorn Borg. This was quickly followed by a match between Björn and fellow Swedish player Joakim Nyström.

There then followed a ‘mixed doubles’ match with Mariana Borg and Mike McAllister against Annette Wellmann and Lennart Bergolin, pictured with umpire Carsten Dencker Nielsen. There is a plaque next to Centre Court commemorating this, the scoresheets and pictures are on display in the Churchill Bar and a full report with photographs are in Outpost. { Outpost, February 1983}.

Feb: The Club chairman, Mr. Scott Younger, presented to the first winner, Mr. Ian Hill, the Outpost Trophy, a new Annual Handicap Snooker Competition. { Outpost, March 1983}.

Mar 1: Khet Bangrak, the district office, gave notice to the Club of the intention of AIA (American International Assurance) to build the second of their ‘Decho Road’ Buildings, a 20-storey block, on the old Chinese School site. {GC Minutes 01.03.1983}.

Mar 11- The British Club Bangkok extended to the crews of HMS Yarnton 15: (P1096) and HMS Beachampton (P1007) on her second visit, both converted Hong Kong Patrol craft, use of the Club facilities during their visit. { Navy News, May 1983 & GC Minutes 01.03.1983}.

Apr 2- The British Club Bangkok extended to the crews of 5: HMAS Torrens (DE53) and HMAS Swan (DE50) on her fourth visit, both River-class destroyer escort, use of the Club facilities during their visit. { Outpost, April 1983}.

The badges of HMAS Torrens and HMAS Swan are on display in the Churchill Bar.

Apr 3: The British Club Bangkok Cricket team travelled to Chiang Mai for the second year and played the inaugural Dick Wood cricket cup tournament against the Chiang Mai Gymkhana Club. {Outpost, May 1983}.

May 1: David Frost took over as Outpost editor, until February 1984. {Outpost, May 1983}.

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Jun 3: The Bar was branded as 'Churchill Bar'. {GC Minutes 21.06.1983}.

Jun: The British Club Bangkok extended to the crew of HMS Avenger (F185) a Type 21 frigate, use of the Club facilities during their visit. {GC Minutes 05.07.1983}.

Sep 20: Air-conditioning was installed into the Poolside Changing Rooms and into the ‘Cold Kitchen’ in the Clubhouse. {GC Minutes 20.09.1983}.

The General Committee bestowed an Honorary Membership upon Mr Thomas Madar on the occasion that he had been a member for 33 years. {GC Minutes 20.09.1983}.

Oct 21: The Club’s first computer, an Osborne I, came into operation for accounting purposes. { GC Minutes 20.10.1983}.

Oct 27: Th first use of the Club by the Coordinating Committee of Refugee Agencies is recorded. {GC Minutes 20.10.1983}.

Dec 8: First recorded use of the Club, at the Thai Sala, by BAMBI (Bangkok Mothers & Babies International). { GC Minutes 20.10.1983}.

Dec 20: The concrete base for the new Cricket Practice Nets, aside the wall by the Clubhouse extension (2021: Workshop & Multipurpose Court), was approved. { GC Minutes 20.12.1983}.

1984 The Golf Section awarded for the first time the Rysome Bowl, a Jan 20: Greensome two-player golf tournament, presented to the Club by Jeremy Watson. { Outpost, February 1984}.

Jan 24: The General Committee noted that AIA (American International Assurance) had started works on their new building (see 1983): concern was expressed about weekend and holiday working. The Chairman, Roy Barrett, agreed to write to AIA. { GC Minutes 24.01.1984}.

Feb 7: The Silom Room was divided into a smaller ‘committee room’ with low ceiling and new Club Offices. { GC Minutes 07.02.1984}. Feb 9- The British Club Bangkok extended to the 1st Battalion, Royal New 13: Zealand Infantry Regiment use of the Club facilities during their Maori Cultural Tour of Bangkok. { Outpost, March 1984}.

Mar 20: Members at the Annual General Meeting agreed in principle to accept female members by 57 votes to 23, thus it must then go to an Extraordinary General Meeting and be supported by a two-thirds majority to become reality. {AGM Minutes 20.03.1984}.

Apr 30: Mr. Bob L. Vlietstra retired as Club Manager and Club Vice-Chairman Geoff Percival took over as acting Manager. {AGM Minutes 20.03.1984}.

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Jun 19: An Extraordinary General Meeting was called to ratify the AGM vote in favour of Female membership. The motion was supported by 71 votes to 47 but, therefore, ‘lost’ as this was not a two- thirds majority. {EGM Minutes 19.06.1984}. To quote Outpost “ There was very little debate on the subject of Ladies’ membership, but procedures relating to proxies were a contentious issue ”. {Outpost, July 1984}.

Jun 27- The British Club Bangkok extended to the crew of HMNZS Waikato 30: (F55), a Leander Batch 2TA frigate, use of the Club facilities during their second visit. {Outpost, June 1984 & GC Minutes 03.07.1984}.

The ship’s badge is on display in the Churchill Bar.

Jul 17: The Reading Room, now air-conditioned, was renamed as 'Wordsworth Lounge' (2021: 1910 Sports Bar). {GC Minutes 17.07.1984}.

Sep 28- The British Club Bangkok extended to the crews of HMAS Yarra Oct 3: (DE45) and HMAS Stuart (DE48) on its second trip, both River-class destroyer escorts, use of the Club facilities during their visit. {Outpost, December 1984 & GC Minutes 16.08.1984}.

HMAS Stuart’s badge is on display in the Churchill Bar.

Sep 30: Geoff Percival confirmed that he had been accepted a position with a major company in Thailand thus could no longer continue to act as Club Manager. {Outpost, September 1984}.

Nov 5: Mr. David Williamson, a relatively new Club Member, became Club Manager – and the youngest ever to date. {Outpost, November 1984}.

Nov 20: The General Committee was abandoned as too few people turned up. {GC Minutes 04.12.1984}.

1985 It was reported to the General Committee that the construction at AIA Jan 8: (American International Assurance) in Decho Road, was now causing a nuisance to Members at poolside. The Chairman, Roy Barrett, agreed to talk with AIA again (see 1984). { GC Minutes 08.01.1985}.

Jan 22: The General Committee agreed to seek legal advice concerning the nuisance caused by the AIA construction. { GC Minutes 20.01.1985}.

Feb 5: It was reported to the General Committee that none of the promises made by AIA, at a meeting held in January, had been done: their crane still swung over the pool, no dust sheets had been installed on the side facing the Club and their engineer had failed to turn up to view our site. { GC Minutes 05.02.1985}.

Feb 19: The General Committee replaced the Chairman’s Honour Board and asked the Loyal Societies to upgrade theirs as well (see 1965, 2002 and 2020). {GC Minutes 19.02.1985}.

Mar 12: The General Committee was abandoned as too few people turned up. {GC Minutes 19.03.1985}.

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Mar 13- The British Club Bangkok extended to the crews 19: of HMS Peacock (P239) and HMS Plover (P240), both Peacock-class patrol corvettes based in Hong Kong, use of the Club facilities during their visit. {Outpost, April 1985 & British Naval Association in Bangkok, 30.01.1985}.

The badge of HMS Plover is on display in the Churchill Bar.

Mar 19: The Annual General Meeting received a motion to ensure that a member giving a proxy vote to another Member recorded the name of the proxy holder on the Proxy form. This followed the spectacle at the 19.06.1984 EGM where proxies were seen to be handed out to Members by the General Committee as they walked into the meeting. {Outpost, July 1984}. The motion was carried by 43 votes to three. {AGM Minutes 19.03.1985).

A second motion proposed to change Non-Voting Member from four quarterly instalments to twelve monthly ones, and after fierce debate was carried 39 votes to 12. {AGM Minutes 19.03.1985).

The Annual Accounts for 1983/84 showed a loss of 632,228 Baht against a previous year surplus of 631,006. In addition, borrowing had increased by 474,264 Baht to 1,195,585 Baht and membership was the lowest in six years. {Annual Report, 1984}.

Apr 2: The General Committee bestowed an Honorary Membership upon Mr Percy Howard on the occasion that he had been a member for 40 years. {GC Minutes 02.04.1985}.

Apr 15: The Revenue Department outlined to the Club that under ruling 70/2531, the Club is liable for 7½% Business Tax as it is run as a business. The General Meeting replied that we were an Association only and thus not liable (see 1989). {GC Minutes 15.05.1985}.

May 7: It was reported to the General Committee that a letter seeking compensation from AIA (American International Assurance) had been sent but no reply received as of that meeting. {GC Minutes 07.05.1985}.

May 13: A piece of concrete ‘thrown' from the AIA building site landed aside the Children's Pool. AIA sacked two workers. {GC Minutes 21.05.1985}.

May 15: A 1.5" bolt was ‘thrown' from the AIA building site into the Swimming Pool. Dual language complaints were issued to AIA, the Bangrak Police, the BMA and Khet Bangrak office. Khet Bangrak gave AIA a verbal waring . {GC Minutes 21.05.1985}.

Jun 1- The British Club Bangkok extended to the crew of HMAS Stuart 6: (DE48), a River-class destroyer escort, use of the Club facilities during their third visit. {Outpost, July 1985}. The ship’s badge is on display in the Churchill Bar.

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Jun 18: A majority of staff signed a petition which was presented to the General Committee seeking a 50 Baht per month rise in food allowance and a fairer control over the overtime rates. The increase was agreed to with the Manager to review the overtime. {GC Minutes 18.06.1985}.

Jul 2: After the review of overtime, a letter was sent to staff announcing a 6% salary rise plus a 50 Baht increase in food allowance (to 300 Baht). It was also outlined to staff that the Club was following the Thai Labour Law on overtime rates. {GC Minutes 02.07.1985}.

Jul 4: An Extraordinary General Meeting was called to: • redefine Associate Members as those will “ actively contribute to the objects of the Club ”: carried 59 votes to one. • increase number of Associate Membership Quota to 120: carried 60 votes to five. • place a hard surface on tennis courts Centre and No.1 and raise the height of the remaining two as grass courts: carried by 47 votes to 23. • rebuild the Pool Bar to resemble the Thai Sala: carried with two votes against. • partition the refurbished Pool Bar and air-condition part of it: lost by 30 votes to 21. {EGM Minutes 04.07.1985}.

Jul 16: The General Committee was abandoned as too few people turned up. {GC Minutes 06.08.1985}.

Aug 20: The General Committee due on this date was cancelled as most GC members were on leave. {GC Minutes 03.09.1985}.

Sep 1: It was reported that yet more “missiles” had been thrown into the Club from the AlA construction site. {GC Minutes 03.09.1985}.

Sep 3: At this meeting, the Club auditor, Coopers & Lybrand, reported to the Club that it was their view that the Club was liable for the 7½% Business Tax (see 1989). The General Committee agreed to wait for a further approach from the Revenue Department on this matter. { GC Minutes 03.09.1985}.

Sep 17: The General Committee noted that the Standard Chartered Bank had offered Club a loan of 300,000 Swiss Francs [1SF=12.2Bt hence 3,660,000 Baht] at 1.125% over the average six monthly Swiss Inter- Bank Rate (thus 5.5%), to be repaid in six-monthly instalments. This was accepted unanimously. { GC Minutes 17.09.1985}.

Nov: The Squash Section created an Annual Team Competition in memory of Squash Section secretary, and Outpost editor, Harold Mercer who tragically died in September. {Outpost, November 1985}.

Dec 1: It was reported to the General Committee that “metal pieces” had been thrown into the Club from the AIA (American International Assurance) construction site and broken tiles on the roof of the new Sala being built. { GC Minutes 03.12.1985}.

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Dec 3: The General Committee took out the first instalment of 100,000 Swiss Francs [1,220,000 Baht] for repayment of existing loans and development purposes.

Also at this meeting the General Committee agreed to take legal action against AIA, seek a court injunction to cease all works. and seek compensation. {GC Minutes 03.12.1985}. Legal advice received ruled out any chance of an injunction. { GC Minutes 17.12.1985}.

1986 Anne Stuart became Outpost editor. {Outpost, January 1986}. Jan 1: Jan 15: Centre & No.1 Tennis Courts were re-opened now with a hard surface and Tennis Courts 2 & 3 were re-opened having been raised 70 cm and covered with grass. {GC Minutes 21.01.1986}.

Jan 20: The General Committee took out the second instalment of 100,000 Swiss Francs. {GC Minutes 21.01.1986}.

Feb 18: An agreement was reached between the Club, AIA and its contractor who had a signing ceremony at the club on this day. AIA would fund the raising and resurfacing of the car parking areas and access roads within the Club's premises. {Outpost, March 1986}.

Mar 9- The British Club Bangkok extended to the crews of HMS Peacock 13: (P239) on their second visit, and HMS Swallow (P242), both Peacock- class patrol corvettes based in Hong Kong, use of the Club facilities during their stay. {Outpost, March 1986}.

Mar 25: The Annual Report for 1985 showed a loss of 359,724 Baht against a previous year loss of 632,228. {Annual Report, 1985}

Apr 21: The General Committee agreed that the newly refurbished and roof- tiled Poolside Bar would be renamed the Suriwongse Sala, and the Thai Sala would become the Silom Sala. In addition, the ‘New Members Night’ was made more social affair, without the needing six GC signatures, as part of a 'New Blood' campaign to increase Club Membership {GC Minutes 21.04.1986}.

May 6: Concern was expressed that the dollar had decreased in value in the past four months, thus affecting our Swiss Franc loan. {GC Minutes 6.5.1986}.

Jun 18: The first repayment (25,000 Swiss Francs) of the Standard Chartered Loan was made as 305,000 Baht. {GC Minutes 02.06.1986}.

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Jul 25- The British Club Bangkok extended to the crew of 30 HMS Amazon (F169), the first Type 21 frigate in the Royal Navy, use of the Club facilities during their visit. {Outpost, August 1986 & British Naval Association in Bangkok, 19.06.1986}.

The badge of HMS Amazon is on display in the Churchill Bar. Aug: The British Club Bangkok extended to the crew of HMAS Hobart (D39), a Perth-class guided missile destroyer, use of the Club facilities during their second visit. {Outpost, October 1986}. The ship’s badge is on display in the Churchill Bar.

Sep 1: The General Committee expressed interest in joining with the Bangkok Pattana School in developing a piece of land on Sukhumvit Soi 39. {GC Minutes 01.09.1986}.

Oct: Outpost received its first full colour cover. Most copies of Outpost, and its two predecessor publications, are available to view on the Club’s website.

Oct 6: The Sub-Committee reviewing the Club/ Bangkok Pattana School joint venture was given a 50,000 Baht joint-budget to pursue concept drawings and land search. {GC Minutes 06.10.1986}.

Oct 21: An Extraordinary General Meeting was called to: • allow females to have Membership in their own right (first of two votes required): carried by 120 votes to 20. • allow Associate members to go absent: carried unanimously. • increase entrance fees by 33% and monthly subscriptions by 16% and abolish children's subscriptions: carried by 115 votes to 16. • debate a Member submitted motion calling for no further increases in fees and action be taken to immediate reduce Club losses: lost with only four votes in favour and the resignation of the Honorary Treasurer. {EGM Minutes 21.10.1986}.

Dec 2: A second Extraordinary General Meeting was called to confirm the vote on 21 st October to allow females to have Membership in their own right (second of two votes): this was carried by 92 votes to eight. {EGM Minutes 02.12.1986}.

Dec 15: Miss Jan Candy became the first ever female member, and this was acknowledged by the General Committee with the award of a bottle of champagne. {GC Minutes 15.12.1986}. Miss Edith Stewart was the first of those holding Ladies Privilege to convert to full Membership.

Dec 19: The second repayment of the Standard Chartered loan was made: The sum of 30,393 SF including interest, but 472,000 Baht due to the exchange rate being now 15.53 Baht/SF. {GC Minutes 05.01.1987}.

{no date} The Narai Car Parking Building was opened in Silom Soi 18. {Narai Hotel History}.

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1987 The General Committee put to the Annual General Meeting a Mar 24: simplification of the system of joining the Club, which was adopted into the rules. {AGM Minutes 24.03.1987}.

Apr 7: The Bangkok Pattana School was no longer considering a joint property venture with the Club. {GC Minutes 07.04.1987}.

Apr 16: The Standard Chartered Bank wrote to the Club to offer a Thai Baht loan to over the remaining Swiss Franc loan, repayable over 30 months. One Chanote (land deed) would need to be deposited. The General Committee unanimously agreed to this proposal. {GC Minutes 04.05.1987}.

May 1: Maren White became Outpost editor. {Outpost, May 1987}.

May: Twentieth Century Fox used the Club to film scenes for their movie “Off Limits” {also released “Saigon”) starring Gregory Hines as ‘Albaby Perkins’ and Willem Dafoe as ‘Buck McGriff’, the film was about two US cops under cover in Saigon.

In part payment MGM would redecorate the Suriwongse Room (including curtains) and refurbish the restaurant’s soft furniture. {GC Minutes 04.05.1987}.

May 25: Dr. Adisak Kamhanti resigned as Assistant Manager, for personal reasons, after just under five years’ service. {Outpost, June 1987}.

Jun 1: The General Committee agreed that concessionary Visiting Members cards can be given to Christian Outreach volunteers. {GC Minutes 01.06.1987}.

Jun 17: The Standard Chartered Bank formally underwrote the remaining 150,000 Swiss Franc loan (the exchange rate now 19.37 Baht/SF) and converted it to a 30-month Thai Baht loan of 3,000,000 Baht (see 1985). {GC Minutes 04.05.1987}.

Aug: The British Club Bangkok extended to the crews of HMS Swift (P243), and HMS Plover (P240) on it second visit, both Peacock-class patrol corvettes based in Hong Kong, use of the Club facilities during their stay. {British Naval Association in Bangkok, 1987 Report}.

The badge of HMS Plover is on display in the Churchill Bar.

Aug: The British Club Bangkok extended to the crews of HMNZS Canterbury (F421) and HMNZS Southland (F104), both Leander-class frigates, with HMAS Onslow (SSG 60), an Oberon-class submarine, use of the Club facilities during their visit. Several Rugby matches were placed by the club against the crews. {Outpost, October 1987 & Outpost, December 1987}.

Some of the mounted Club Badges, including that from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, were stolen by the crew of HMAS Onslow during this visit. {Outpost, January 2016}.

There is tale told that late one evening a CPO from HMAS Onslow took two Members plus one girlfriend, down inside the submarine. {Terry Adams correspondence, 19.03.2021}.

75 British Club Bangkok Timeline

Sep 1: Khun Surapol Ekwanapol was appointed Assistant Manager (Food & Beverage). {GC Minutes 07.08.1987 & Outpost, October 1987}.

Oct 5: Temporary Concessionary Membership was extended to low-paid workers (which was defined as earning up to 4,000 Baht a month) working in humanitarian non-profit making organisations with a strong connection to Australia, Canada, New Zealand, or the UK. {GC Minutes 05.10.1987}.

1988 A PABX telephone system was installed across the Club, together with Feb 15: a payphone at reception. {GC Minutes 15.02.1988}.

Mar 7: The General Committee agreed to ban the advertising in the Bar for an Australian Beer. {GC Minutes 07.03.1988}.

Apr 21: The General Committee bestowed an Honorary Membership upon Mr. Richard Wood a Country Member of long-standing. {GC Minutes 04.04.1988 & Outpost, May 1988}.

Mar 22: The Annual Report, circulated, that the Club was again operating with a surplus, for the first time since 1982/83, and membership was now a record 564. {Annual Report 1987}.

Mar 22: The Annual General Meeting considered two constitutional changes: • To increase the Associate Membership Quota from 120 to 180 and introduce the Single Nationality Quota, whereby each Associate nationality may only be a maximum of one third of the total number of all Associate Members: carried by 42 votes to 27. • To increase entrance fees by up to 50%. The Married Membership increased from 8,000 Baht to 12,000 Baht and the Single Membership from 8,000 Baht to 10,000 Baht: carried by 62 votes to four. {AGM Minutes 22.03.1988 & Outpost, May 1988}.

At the after-AGM drinks in The Bar, the new Chairman, Brian Heath, took the Australia shape clock, advertising a beer, and tossed it along the bar. Unfortunately, it fell off the edge and broke and was the first ‘move’ of the ‘Chairman’s Folly’ (see 1989 and 1991). {Outpost, June 1988}.

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Jun 25- The British Club Bangkok extended to the crews of HMAS Swan 19: (DE50), a River-class destroyer escort, on its fifth visit and HMAS Derwent (DE49), also a River-class destroyer escort, on its sixth visit, use of the Club facilities during their stay. {GC Minutes 20.06.1988 & Outpost, August 1988}. Both ship’s badges are on display in the Churchill Bar.

Jul 18: Work began on relaying and raising the level of the front lawn. {GC Minutes 18.07.1988.

Aug 2: A new Massage Room was opened at Poolside with Khun Champen Promthong as masseur (see 1998) (2021: he is still the masseur). {GC Minutes 18.07.1988}.

Aug 16- The British Club Bangkok extended to the crew of HMAS Oxley 20: (S57), the first Oberon class submarine built for the Royal Australian Navy, use of the Club facilities during their stay. {GC Minutes 15.08.1988}.

Aug 25- The British Club Bangkok extended to the crew of HMS Sirius (F40), 29: a Leander-class frigate, use of the Club facilities during their stay. {GC Minutes 15.08.1988}.

Aug 30: In the evening, a French Rugby team were being entertained in the Churchill Bar by two Members, who shall not be named, when at 11pm, exceedingly drunk, the entire team stripped naked and proceeded to dance around the bar in a manner, to quote Khun Suraphol, the assistant manager, “worse than a Patpong show” then some mounted the bar with resulting “interaction” with some Bridge Players who were relaxing. The two Members were called to account by the General Committee at a Special Meeting on 12.12.1988 but the record of this was mislaid. {Assistant Manager Report, 31.08.1988, donated by Jack Dunford MBE & GC Minutes 05.09.1988}.

Sep 6: The British Club Bangkok hosted the inaugural “spoof” evening of the Bangkok Gentlemen Spoofers in the Churchill Bar. The game was played most Tuesdays in the Club until around 2018, then occasionally after that. {Outpost, October 1988}.

Oct 17: Works placing a damp-proofing into all walls in the Clubhouse, and the necessary replastering were completed. {GC Minutes 17.10.1988}.

Nov 7: The General Committee agreed that the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration’s own in-house architect would be contracted do the preliminary, conceptual design of a proposed Accommodation Block. {GC Minutes 07.11.1988}.

1989 Metropolitan Guard Systems took over the Club’s gate security Jan 3: contract. {GC Minutes 03.01.1989}.

Feb1: Mr. Keith Bell was appointed Club Manager upon expiry of Mr. Williamson’s contract. {GC Minutes 16.01.1989}.

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Mar 21: The Annual General Meeting considered several major constitutional changes: • The statement ‘ The Club shall not engage in any political activity ’ was added into the Object of the Club: carried unanimously. • The Guests annual limit was raised from two to three times per year: carried unanimously. • The financial year to end on 30th November instead of 20 th December: carried by 42 votes to 27. • Committee members could now be drawn from members of six months standing not a year: carried by 29 votes to 21. • A subscription was introduced for Temporary members (who previously used the Club for free): carried unanimously. • A new category for Reciprocal Club members was recognised (as they were to be exempt from the new day fees for temporary members): carried unanimously. • The Scale of Fees moved out of being a rule change to being an appendix: by a majority vote. • An amendment was made to allow the General Committee to return a portion of the Joining Fee if the Member resigns from the Club inconsequence of their leaving Thailand permanently. • Entrance fees to be increased up to 25%. The Married Membership increased from 12,000 Baht to 15,000 Baht and the Single Membership from 10,000 Baht to 12,000 Baht: carried by a majority vote. {AGM Minutes 21.03.1989}.

Following the Annual General Meeting, a six-minute Extraordinary General Meeting was called to replace 1947 Constitution held with the Royal Thai Police with the 1989 version: carried unanimously. {EGM Minutes 21.03.1989}.

At the after-AGM drinks in The Bar, the Chairman, Brian Heath, “retired the bar clock” and tossed it along the bar. This was the ‘second move’ of the ‘Chairman’s Folly’ (see 1988 and 1991). {Outpost, April 1989}.

May 17: The Revenue Department summoned the Club Manager to their offices for him to officially register the Club as a business. Legal advice was to be sought. In summary: • The Revenue Department insisted that as the Club allowed in non-members as guests or visiting teams, it was now liable for Business Tax, from 1984, under ruling 70/2531 as well as the income tax already paid (see 1983 & 1984). The previous tax exemption from 1952 did not apply. • The Revenue Department had inspected the premises and had drawn sketches of the outlets, seating etc. • The Revenue Department advised the Club to register as a business by 09.06.1989 and backdate it to 01.01.1989.

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• The taxes due were: o Business tax on food and beverage - the current tax rate of 7½% plus 10% municipal tax (from Bangkok Metropolitan Administration) – total: 8¼%. o Rental tax on towels and racket - the current tax rate of 2½% plus 10% municipal tax – total: 2¾%. o A tax on coaching fees - the current tax rate of 3% plus 3 10% municipal tax – total: 3 10 %. {GC Minutes 15.05.1989, GC Minutes 29.05.1989 & GC Minutes 05.06.1989}.

Jun 9: The British Club Bangkok was formally registered as business. {GC Minutes 05.06.1989}.

Jun 19: The Club paid out 442,981.62 Baht in back taxes and fines. The Revenue Department only went back to January 1989 for F&B, and January 1987 for the other taxes. { GC Minutes 19.06.1989}.

Sep 1: A Badminton Court was installed between the Silom Sala and the Children’s playground {Outpost, September 1989}.

Oct 2: The use of Mobile phones was banned from the Clubhouse. {GC Minutes 02.10.1989}.

However, no By-Law is enacted until 2001. {GC Minutes 14.05.2001}.

Nov 6: There were a large number of development projects being costed – an accommodation wing, upgraded changing rooms, a new children’s swimming pool, a Churchill Bar extension, refurbishing the Silom Room, tennis court upgrade with new lighting, a kitchen & dining room refurbishment - thus the Standard Chartered Bank was asked about additional loans. The bank agreed to increase the loan/overdraft facility from 3,000,000 Baht to 5,000,000 Baht over five years at prime rate (13% at this date). {GC Minutes 16.10.1989 & 06.11.1989}.

The General Committee bestowed an Honorary Membership upon Mr. Richard Hempson OBE, on the occasion that he had been a Member since 1933. Mr Hempson had also served as Honorary Secretary from 193.8 to 1940. {GC Minutes 06.11.1989}. Dec 3: The Pipes & Drums of the 2 nd Battalion of the Scots Guards visited the Club having performed at the Saint Andrew’s Society Ball the evening before. {Outpost, January 1990}.

1990 A sprinkler system was installed in the front lawn, and work started on Feb 18: filling-in part of the back lawn Khlong. {GC Minutes 19.02.1990}. Feb 19: The General Committee agreed the sum of 1,224,979 Baht for new Main Kitchen equipment. {GC Minutes 19.02.1990}.

The British Club Bangkok joined the British Chamber of Commerce Thailand for the first time. {GC Minutes 19.02.1990}.

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Mar 19: The General Committee agreed to have constructed a gate between the Club and the Neilson Hays Library. When completed, a security officer will staff it at lunchtimes, late afternoons, and Saturday mornings. {GC Minutes 19.03.1990}.

Mar 20: The Annual General Meeting considered a few constitutional changes regarding the Absent List: • That Members going onto the Absent List will have their deposits returned and pay a one-time Absent Fee, and a new deposit taken upon subsequent return to membership: carried by a simple majority. • Those on the Absent List returning to Thailand for only 30 days or less, need not re-join but may use the Club as a temporary member: carried by a simple majority.

The AGM also elected Miss Kenda Harris as the first female member of the General Committee {AGM Minutes 20.03.1990}. The ‘tradition’ of retiring the bar clock was not recorded but presumed to have happened (see 1989).

May 11: A five-year old boy was pulled unconscious from the Swimming Pool but fortunately skill was on hand to resuscitate him. After a brief spell in hospital he recovered fully. This first recorded serious incident in the pool featured heavily in the Outpost magazine. {Outpost, June 1990}.

Jun 18: The General Committee meeting of this date was held informally as too few people turned up. {GC Minutes 02.07.1990}.

Jun 19: The Lords Dining Room opened, refurbished in green with a full-size mirror depicting cricket legend Dr. W.G. Grace (see 1992) and doors with etched glass panels of Old Father Times.

The floor of the room had been raised to ensure that the tables were level with the windows. {Outpost, September 1990 & GC Minutes 04.06.1990}.

Sadly neither of these pieces of etched artwork survived the demolition of Lords in 2006.

There is tale told that when first commissioned the mirror had Dr. Grace displayed as a left-handed batsman and the mirror had to be redone correctly as a right-handed batsman ... Howzat? {Terry Adams correspondence, 19.03.2021}.

Jul 1: The new first floor Ladies changing rooms at poolside were opened. {GC Minutes 02.07.1990}.

Jul 2: The General Committee agreed to install a bespoke computerised accounting system for the Club (see 1992 & 2019). {GC Minutes 02.07.1990}.

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Sep 3: The new first Gentlemen’s changing rooms at poolside are recorded as being open, the enclosure of the Churchill Bar 'external veranda' was complete, and the Poolside multipurpose room was ready for whatever use was to be later agreed. {GC Minutes 03.09.1990}.

Sep 17: The General Committee noted that the survey for ‘uses of the Poolside multipurpose room’ came down heavily in favour of a gym. {GC Minutes 17.09.1990}.

Dec 3: The Club broke the ‘800 Member’ barrier. {Outpost, January 1991}.

Dec 11: The new Children's Pool, alongside the Silom Sala together with Children’s changing room, inside the Sala prep room, were opened. {Outpost, January 1991}.

1991 An outline plan for a 40,000,000 Baht multi-story car park with tennis Jan 7: courts on the roof was mooted by a General Committee member. {GC Minutes 07.01.1991}.

Feb 18: The General Committee agreed to delay the Annual General Meeting to April 2 nd due to the lateness of the audited accounts. {GC Minutes 18.02.1991}.

Mar 4: A Sports Field Sub-Committee was set up with the object of finding a piece of land within easy reach of Club members where the soccer, rugby and cricket sections could play. {GC Minutes 04.03.1991}. An advertisement in Bangkok Post created a number of promising leads. {GC Minutes 18.03.1991}.

Apr 2: The Annual General Meeting was opened with an apology from the Chairman, Brian Heath, that the meeting was later than the constitutional requirement of being held in March. There was much discussion on the lateness and accuracy of the accounts during the evening.

The AGM considered two constitutional changes regarding staff benefits: • It was proposed to introduce a 5% gratuity (service charge) on all Club sales, payable to staff one month in arrears. • Together with this it was also proposed to have Members pay a ‘13 th Month’ subscription which would then be used to provide a one month’s bonus for all staff members: both carried by 94 votes to 43. {AGM Minutes 02.04.1991}.

At the after-AGM drinks in The Bar, the past Chairman, Brian Heath, again “retired the bar clock” the last ‘move’ of the ‘Chairman’s Folly’ (see 1988 and 1989). {Outpost, May 1991}.

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At some time not recorded, the bar clock was replaced by a plaque noting ‘The Chairman’s Folly’ and housing the ships clock of allegedly S.S. Ventura.

This plaque is in the Churchill Bar. Sadly, there are no naval records of his ship for the dates listed nor of the named shipbuilder!

May 1: The Service Charge of 5% (see 2003) and the 13th month bonus contribution (see 2016) came into effect. {AGM Minutes 02.04.1991}.

New plastic blue Membership cards were introduced for all Members, spouses, and children over 14 (see 2020). {Outpost, May 1991}.

The British Club Health Centre was advertised to open on this day as, a fully equipped gym/fitness centre with professional fitness experts managed by Club Performance Systems (part of the Dusit Thani Hotel). There was a separate joining fee plus a monthly subscription to use this facility. {GC Minutes 01.04.1991 & Outpost, March 1991}. It opened a few days later.

Jun 1: The newly opened extension to the Churchill Bar (see 1990) was designated a ‘non-smoking area’ at members’ request (2021: the windows section of The Verandah) . {GC Minutes 06.05.1991 & Outpost, June 1991}. Jun 3: The General Committee agreed to have the audited accounts as a separate booklet to the Annual Report in order to prevent the delay in publishing the later. {GC Minutes 03.06.1991}.

Jul 1: The Club ordered three racing green colour Chesterfields, made by Simon & Sons, with three armchairs, to complete the Churchill Bar. {GC Minutes 01.07.1991}.

These survived until 2007: upon the closing of the (original) Churchill bar (ahead of moving to a new location) they were stored outside for months and their frames perished in the rain.

Jul 15: The Standard Chartered Bank offered the Club an additional overdraft facility of 4,000,000 Baht, this was unanimously accepted by the General Committee, except for the Honorary Treasurer who was absent from the meeting. {GC Minutes 15.07.1991}.

A 5,000,000 Baht plan was put to the General Committee to upgrade the tennis courts with new lighting plus the building two additional Squash Courts. It was not given priority. {GC Minutes 15.07.1991}.

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Aug 1: Khun Pera Ponphol was appointed as Assistant Manager and F&B Manager. {Outpost, September 1991}.

Aug 5: The General Committee agreed to consider a new computer system for Membership records purposes. {GC Minutes 05.08.1991}.

Nov 6: The Club had built its own dance floor for the Christmas Dance at a cost of 197,000 Baht. {GC Minutes 06.11.1991}.

Nov 18: The General Committee agreed to a request that other teams in the Thailand Cricket League be able to use the Club’s Cricket practice nets on an ongoing basis. {GC Minutes 08.11.1991}.

Dec 1: Fiona Mulligan became the Outpost editor. {Outpost, January 1986}.

1992 The General Committee considered the situation of a member with an Jan 20: unmarried partner. It was agreed to allow the unmarried partner to have signing facilities, but this would be limited to one year only. {GC Minutes 20.11.1992}.

Mar 2: The Standard Chartered Bank additional overdraft facility of 4,000,000 Baht was confirmed (see 1991). {GC Minutes 02.03.1992}.

Mar 16: Tony Austin donated a cup to the Squash section for an annual Squash tournament for those aged 45 years or above. {Squash Section}.

Mar 24: The Annual General Meeting had one important piece of business, besides the statutory required sign-off on reports and accounts – to increase Joining Fees for the third consecutive year, and also subscriptions. The motion set the Family Membership joining fee at 35,000 Baht (up from 25,000 Baht in 1991 and 15,000 Baht in 1990) and the Single Membership joining fee at 30,000 Baht (up from 20,000 Baht in 1991 and 12,000 Baht in 1990).

‘The raison d’etre were the capital schemes devised by the General Committee: New Swimming Pool, Computerisation, , Club House Refurbishment, Multi-Storey Car Parking and Tennis artificial courts and lights. There was a long and fierce debate which ended with the motion being carried by 43 votes to 38. {AGM Minutes 24.03.1992}.

May 1: Value Added Tax (VAT) was now chargeable on all members subscriptions and the entrance fees. {GC Minutes 16.03.1992}.

May 12: An Extraordinary General Meeting was called to enact a ‘Playing Field Fund’ whereby a sum of 5,000 Baht was added to each Joining Fee and this sum was placed into a special bank account, with the purpose of renting or buying a playing in due course for Club sections. After a long debate, and two recounts, it was carried by 58 votes to 48. {EGM Minutes 12.05.1992}

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Jun 1: There arose deep concern amongst members of the General Committee that works in progress (Rear carpark, back lawn, Staff toilets & work area, refit of the pool, artificial tennis courts and new lighting, Club drainage and associated pool area costs) were running at 1,800,000 Baht over their combined budget of 5,300,000 Baht. {GC Minutes 01.06.1992}.

Jun 20: All works to fill in the old Khlong, reshape the area to allow additional car parking, move the Cricket Nets to the backwall, and build a raised back lawn were completed and facilities ready to open but the Staff Rest Room had not yet been replaced. The General Committee agreed that the back lawn could not be used for soccer or rugby practice. {GC Minutes 20.06.1992}.

Jun 27: Tennis Courts 2 and 3 were re-opened with artificial grass (OmniTurf) and would be used twice a week in the evenings by the soccer and rugby sections. The floodlighting of all four courts was upgraded and all the drains had been culverted thus removing the constant ‘bad odour’ around the tennis courts. {Outpost, October 1992}.

Jul 6: In light of ongoing development projects, the Standard Chartered Bank was asked to extend our overdraft facility by another 1,500,000 Baht. {GC Minutes 06.07.1992}.

Jul 12: The Badminton Section had its inaugural event with a Bar-B-Q and then a series of round robin games. The Club was hiring three of the 15 courts available in Soi Nares, just opposite Bangrak police station, outside the Club’s Suriwongse gate (see 2009). {Outpost, September 1992}. Jul 31: The Swimming Pool was re-opened after nearly four months of closure to repair leaks, replace tiling, and upgrade the surround. {GC Minutes 03.08.1992}.

Oct 1: The Outpost magazine goes out of house, in full colour, to The Creative Partnership to run. The editor remained Club Member, Bea Grunwell, who took over in July 1992 {Outpost, October 1992}.

Most copies of Outpost, and its two predecessor publications, are available to view on the Club’s website.

Oct 19: The General Committee appointed Khun Woraporn Ruengratanamatee as Finance Manager. {GC Minutes 19.10.1992}.

Nov 20: The First Rugby Captain’s Annual Dinner was held in the Lords Dining Room. {Outpost, January 1993}. During the awards ceremony, Dr. W.C. Grace was finally LBW when a poorly delivered spoon, which Captain Jon Prichard managed to dodge at the last moment, hit the mirror of Dr. Grace (see 1990). {Jon Prichard Correspondence, 20.03.2021}. The damage was paid for by the Rugby Section {GC Minutes 21.12.1992}.

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Nov 16: Khun Pera, Assistant Manager and F&B Manager, resigned from the Club effective 31.12.1992. {GC Minutes 16.11.1992}.

Dec 7: A “theatre” within the Suriwongse Room was opened at a cost of 150,000 Baht, with newly built stage, curtains, and fittings. {GC Minutes 07.12.1992}.

Dec 21: The new Accounting Computer system ’New Views’ had been installed and was fully functional (see 1990 and 2020). {GC Minutes 21.12.1992}.

1993 George Stanners was appointed as the Club’s first expatriate chef and Feb 1: F&B manager. {Outpost. April 1993}.

Mar 1: Khun Pisamai Raksa, a well-loved staff member, who had been employed since 1968, died after a short battle with cancer on 17 th February, aged 55.

Club Chairman, Bryan Baldwin, on behalf of the General Committee, founded the Pisamai Fund "for the education of Pisamal’s granddaughter and other worthy cases of children of staff ". Khun Pakvipa Kaewraksa, the granddaughter, completed her education to Mathayom 6 level, but decided not to complete her tertiary education.

The Fund (officially called The British Club Bangkok Fund for the Education of Staff Children), in a more modern form, remains the Club’s main charity (see 2011). {GC Minutes 01.03.1993}.

Mar 22: At the Annual General Meeting it was reported that the Club finances “greatly Improved after the pool reopened showing a healthy surplus of 1 million Baht despite a fall-off in new Members”.

There was, however, concern from the Honorary Treasurer that the actual surplus was 1.9 million Baht against 3.5 million Baht projected at last year's AGM. This was due to the loss of business from the pool closure. It was of note, however, that 6.8 million Baht had been spent on major capital projects during the financial year.

It was reported also that the Playing Field fund, after six months, contained only 95,000 Baht from the only 19 new members who had joined in that period. {AGM Minutes 22.03.1993}.

May 24: Plans were agreed with the Tennis Section and the General Committee to turn over the two hardcourts to artificial grass, thus allowing, on occasions, the four courts to be used as one pitch for the soccer or rugby sections. {GC Minutes 24.05.1993).

Jun: After a few missed issues, Outpost returns “under Club management”, still edited by Club Member, Bea Grunwell. {Outpost, June 1993}.

Jul 19: The General Committee decided not to install ‘Point Of Sale’ terminals. {GC Minutes 19.07.1993).

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Jul 31: Seven Members of the Club submitted a duly signed notice to call an Extraordinary General Meeting primarily about restricting non-member players, but this was not called. {EGM Minutes 27.09.1993}.

Aug 1: The Club Manager, Keith Bell, gave in his notice. The hunt for a new General Manager thus begun. {GC Minutes 19.07.1993}.

Sep 5: Baroness Thatcher LG OM PC FRS, previously the Rt. Hon. Margaret Thatcher MP PC, the first female prime minister of the UK, visited the Club for afternoon tea in the Lords Dining Room (2021: Churchill Bar).

A letter of appreciation is on display in the Churchill Bar. Lady Thatcher presented the Snooker Section with the Margaret Thatcher Annual Challenge Snooker Trophy.

A picture and the letter of thanks from Lady Thatcher still decorate the Churchill Bar wall and the trophy is on display in the Snooker Room. Sadly, it was her only trip to the Club. {GC 06.09.1993 & Letter from Baroness}.

Aug 9: In the light of ever decreasing Membership, growing concerns on non- member use of Member funded facilities and concerns over Club accounts, an Extraordinary General Meeting was called by the General Committee for 27.09.1993. {GC Minutes 09.08.1993}.

Sep 20: The General Committee noted that the General Manager Selection Committee had shortlisted two candidates for the role, and would meet them again the next weekend, prior to a decision to be made prior to the Extraordinary General Meeting due on 27.09.1993. {GC Minutes 20.09.1993}.

Two shipping containers, from Maersk Line, were purchased for storage and placed at the back of the rear car park (see 2008). {GC Minutes 20.09.1993).

Sep 26: The General Manager Selection Committee met with a “last minute” applicant, Lt. Col. David Viccars, soon to be retiring from the British Army, who arrived in in his army jungle fatigues coming direct from Cambodia.

Lt. Col. Viccars had been posted with the United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia (UNTAC) to a remote part of the Cambodia border as a liaison officer to the Khmer Rouge leadership.

One day his interpreter was eating lunch which had been bought from a market in an extremely poor and remote jungle village and Lt. Col. Viccars noticed the lunch was wrapped in a small scrap of newspaper, torn out of an old copy of the Bangkok Post. It was a corner of the situation's vacant page and by chance contained a job advertisement for the Club’s General Manager position. After lunch Lt. Col. Viccars drove several hours through the jungle until he found a working

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telephone and phoned the Club reception. He was told the interviews were taking place over the coming weekend, a few days away.

So Lt. Col. Viccars, still in uniform, drove several hours through the Cambodian jungle and then to Surin where he took the overnight train to Bangkok arriving early Sunday morning.

He checked in to the Tower Inn Hotel (2021: Furama Silom) for a shower and brush up and walked into the Club, still in his army jungle fatigues, clutching a hastily prepared CV, where the interview panel, having heard this unusual tale, agreed to meet with him. {Outpost, September 1994 as amended by David Viccars correspondence, 20.03.2021}.

Sep 27: An Extraordinary General Meeting was called but there were two sets of motions – one set from the General Committee and another from seven members from 31.07.1993. After an angry debate just on the agenda, which was won by the seven Members, further debate and voting on the various motions swapped between the two sets.

On final amendment and voting, Motions to: • extend Non-Voting Membership, the instalment payment method, from 12 months to 24 months but with an interest bias in the first year: carried by 80 votes to 31. • increase number of Associate Membership Quota from 180 to 240: defeated by 50 votes to 40. • give to children of Members, of more than five year’s standing, a discount of 75% on Joining Fees: carried by a majority vote. • enact that “No Member may be placed on the Absent Members list while any of the Member's family remain In Thailand ”: carried with one vote against. • enact the By-Law that non-members ‘not eligible for membership’ may play for the Club in away games and any non-members who ‘are eligible’ may only play at the General Committee’s discretion: carried by 68 votes to 36. • to ensure that Audited accounts to be circulated to (voting) members at least 21 days before the Annual General Meeting: carried by a majority show of hands. • that unaudited monthly accounts shall be available to Members on request from the Honorary Treasurer: carried by a majority show of hands. • that the number of Members needed to call an Extraordinary General Meeting is raised from seven to 30: was withdrawn by the Chairman after lack of support from the floor. {EGM Minutes 27.09.1993}.

Oct 18: Mr. Stanners, chef and F&B manager, resigned from the Club. {GC Minutes 18.10.1993}.

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Nov 1: Lt. Col. (Retd). David Viccars started work as General Manager. {GC Minutes 04.10.1993 & Outpost, September 1994}.

The Sports Field Sub-Committee (see 1991), now called the External Playing Facility Sub-Committee, was disbanded as few, if any, sports people attended the meetings. {GC Minutes 01.11.1993}.

Nov 5: An act of vandalism by Members’ children caused a fire on the roof of the Squash Courts. Thankfully, a number of staff scaled the walls and extinguished it. They were given rewards of 500 Baht each, paid for by the relevant Members. {GC Minutes 29.11.1993 & Outpost, February 1994}.

1994 The floodlights on the Cricket Nets were completed. {GC Minutes 21.02.1994}. Feb 17: Feb 21: The General Manager asked if Portacabins could be hired as temporary staff quarters as staff now have to change behind the Poolside kitchen (see 1992 and 1995). This was deferred to the new GC. {GC Minutes 21.02.1994}.

Mar 15: The Annual General Meeting highlighted that the operating income had not covered expenses for the last five years and that heavy capital expenditure projects in recent years now had to be paid for; in essence, the Club was living beyond its means.

The General Committee thus put forward a number of constitutional changes: • As the Extraordinary General Meeting filed on 31.07.1992 was not called by the General Committee, to add a new constitutional clause that instructs a GC to call a Members’ EGM within 30 days receipt of request: carried by 91 votes to 15. • To increase number of Associate Membership Quota from 180 to 240: carried overwhelmingly. • To allow the General Committee to increase subscriptions by an amount up to the level of general inflation without referring to the Membership: carried by 65 votes to 55. In addition, seven Members put forward a number of motions: • A proposal calling for publishing of the Club accounts in Outpost monthly: withdrawn as unworkable. • A motion which would allow Members to serve on the General Committee only if they had been Members for more than 18 months: withdrawn as it would invalid some of the existing GC. • A motion stipulating that General Committee members must attend 75% of meetings in any four-month period: withdrawn as unworkable. • A motion that the Lords Dining Room be reviewed: carried. {AGM Minutes 15.03.1994}.

Apr 18: The General Manager issued a report which concluded that whilst the Club did need a dining facility the Lords Dining Room (2021: Churchill Bar) did not work, thus it should be turned into a “family facility” and the dogleg of the Churchill Bar turned into ‘Churchill Bistro’ (2021: The

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Alcove). {GC Minutes 18.04.1994}. This project initially agreed was postponed in 1995.

May 16: The first of a series of Policies & Procedures documents was agreed by the General Committee. These documents would outline to successive committees, managers and senior staff what had been agreed on operational matters (see 2011). This first ‘P&P’ was on signing limits and payment authorisations. {GC Minutes 19.05.1994 & Outpost, January 1999}.

May 17: The second recorded marriage between two staff members was on this day (see 1975): Khun Chanupan Nanna wed Khun Pradap Kumfaung, both from the Churchill Bar, in Suphanburi. They are still employees in 2021. {Outpost, June 1994}.

Jul 5: At 2am, a pressurized pipe in the underground Pump Room of the main Swimming Pool burst … causing the pump room to flood and water to be squirted out onto the side of Squash Court 1.

Fortunately a Guardforce security officer, Khun Sam-Ang Kampakun, was on duty … he waded into the pool room, managed to identify the right pipe and the right valve to turn it off. He was rewarded with 1,000 Baht. {Outpost, July 1994}.

The insurance claim for repair and damages was 30,000 Baht. {GC Minutes 18.07.1994}.

Aug 2: The General Committee meeting of this date was held informally as too few people turned up. {GC Minutes 22.08.1994}.

The Membership Manual was now ready for distribution to all Members. It contained a readable version of the constitution, rules, by-laws, opening hours and general common sense. {GC Notes 02.08.1994}.

Oct 18: Field Marshal H.R.H. Prince Edward, Duke of Kent KG GCMG GCVO ADC(P) visited the Club in his capacity as the United Kingdom’s Special Representative for International Trade and Investment.

He met with a number of Members who were businessmen, plus their wives. {Outpost, December 1994}.

Nov 1: Mr. Barry Osborne was appointed Food & Beverage Manager (see 1995, 2004 & 2010). {Outpost, December 1994}.

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Nov 7: The General Committee agreed to ban the use of roller blades and the riding of bicycles by children on the Club grounds. {GC Minutes 07.11.1994}.

1995 The Fitness Centre management contract was moved to Sportathlon, Jan 1: in place of Club Performance Systems (which was part of the Dusit Thani Hotel). {GC Minutes 12.12.1994}.

Feb 6: An extension to the Main Kitchen block, towards the Silom Commercial College and the back lawn, which included new stores plus an engineer’s workshop was opened. {GC Minutes 06.02.1995 & Outpost, May 1995}. An unsightly lean-to was added over the years to give additional storage space (see 2012).

Feb 20: A Final Notice had been given to one non-member, who was found to be using the Club up to three times a week as he played cricket, rugby, spoofed and served on a loyal society committee, that he would be banned. He had received two previous warnings and always ‘promised to join’ but never did. This time, he decided, therefore, to join. {GC Minutes 06.02.1995 & GC Minutes 20.02.1995}.

Mar 6: The General Committee meeting of this date was held informally as too few people turned up. {GC Minutes 20.03.1995}.

Mar 21: The General Committee put forward a number of constitutional changes to the Annual General Meeting: • Members of 60 years of age, and of at least ten years’ membership, to get 50% discount on subscriptions (see 2018): carried overwhelmingly. • The discount allowed for members’ children shall “ subject to restrictions relating to each membership category ”: carried overwhelmingly. • Temporary Members may now be so for up to three months per year: carried overwhelmingly. • To clarify the Absent List system which was being abused: carried by a large margin. • That the Lords Dining Room be converted to a Family Room: carried by 36 votes to 33 on a second vote.

A Members’ requested rule change on Transfer of Membership was withdrawn and the incoming GC was asked to examine the concept. {AGM Minutes 21.03.1995}.

May 1: A new Staff House was opened next to the 1983 children's pool, giving staff members somewhere to change, shower, relax and eat meals, having been without facilities since 1992.

In addition a property store was constructed in the Suriwongse Car Park on the corner of the exit road. {Outpost, May 1995}.

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May 22: In view of the “troubling state of the Club Accounts”, the General Committee agreed not to refurbish the Lords Dining Room, as instructed by the AGM mandate, and to defer contracting for a proposed ‘Point Of Sale’ system and buying a new Satellite dish. {GC Minutes 22.05.1995}.

Jun 5: The Standard Chartered Bank approved a further overdraft facility of 500,000 Baht. {GC Minutes 05.06.1995}.

Sep 22: A fire broke out in the kitchen of the Narai Hotel at about 7.30pm. It took an alarming 35 minutes for the Fire Brigade to attend, and it soon transpired that they had soon run out of water in their vehicles and the local main pressure was too low to pump. The Club stepped in and allowed water to be pumped from the pool.

Meanwhile, an off-duty staff member, Khun Paitool, had already rushed back to the Club to help out - as the electricity supply had failed, he helped move all the perishable goods from the poolside storage to the Main Kitchen, and then helped the Fire Brigade with the pool pumping. He was given a cash reward by the Club. It took a little under four hours to completely contain the blaze.

The Club pool had to be closed the next day for cleaning. GC Minutes 02.10.1995 & Outpost, November 1995}.

Oct 1: Bea Grunwell decided to retire as Outpost editor, and so the editorial and production was moved again to The Creative Partnership. The editor would be Club Member, Gaynor De Wit, who worked for them {Outpost, October 1995}. Most copies of Outpost, and its two predecessor publications, are available to view on the Club’s website.

Oct 2: The Fire Brigade incident at the Narai Hotel had highlighted that local water supplies were at a low pressure and the brigade vehicles carried limited water. It was agreed by the General Committee that a pump and fire hose would be erected in the Silom Car Park, close to the pool, to assist in fighting any fire at the Club (see 2019). The Narai Hotel donated 20,000 Baht toward this by way of thanks. {GC Minutes 02.10.1995}.

Oct 10: An Extraordinary General Meeting was called to: • Change the Non-Voting Membership, the instalment payment method, to 24 equal monthly payments: carried by 51 votes to one. • To give a 50% discount on fees and subscriptions for Ordinary applicants under the age of 30: carried by 40 votes to 5. • To allow the transfer of Ordinary and Country membership to spouses: carried by 32 votes to 9. • To allow the temporary transfer of voting rights to spouses: carried by 24 votes to 23. • To introduce the Discretionary Temporary Membership category for voluntary workers involved in humanitarian work: carried by 37 votes to 7. • To simplify the notice procedures required for calling General Meetings and as amended at the meeting, to give 21 days’ notice of any meeting: carried unanimously. • To allow a levy to be charged on overdue accounts: carried unanimously. {EGM Minutes 10.10.1995}.

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Oct 16: The General Committee agreed that the age of retirement required by the Labour Department should be formally adopted by the Club as 60 years of age for both genders. {GC Minutes 16.10.1995}.

It was also agreed build a basketball court and rebound wall at the rear of Squash Court 3. This opened in December. {GC Minutes 16.10.1995}.

The British Naval Association in Bangkok and the British Officers Association held a Trafalgar Dinner in the Lords Dining Room with Admiral Vinai Inthrasombat, Chief of Staff at the Royal Thai Navy, as guest of honour. {Outpost, December 1995}.

Oct: The Lords Dining Room was revamped with softer furnishings and a new menu. The ‘musty odour’ complained about by many Members was traced to lack of any air- vents to the area under the raised floor – vents were cut into the stairs. {Outpost, November 1995 & {David Viccars correspondence, 20.03.2021}.

Nov 7: The General Committee meeting of this date was held informally as too few people turned up. {GC Minutes 20.11.1995}.

Dec 18: General Manager, David Viccars tendered his resignation and so F&B Manager Barry Osborne was upgraded to Operations Manager. {GC Minutes 18.12.1995}.

1996 The Club’s Constitution & Rules booklet was ready for Feb 5: distribution to Members. It included all approved constitutional and by-law changes to 10.10.1995. {GC Minutes 05.02.1996}.

Mar 19: At the Annual General Meeting, the General Committee put forward a motion concerning the Playing Field Fund (see 1992): • “That the General Committee determine firstly, the most appropriate time to pursue the acquisition of a playing field for the Club, and secondly, the intervening use of the playing field fund ”. After fierce debate and a number of motions from the floor calling for the closure of the fund being ruled unconstitutional, the General Committee withdrew the motion. {AGM Minutes 19.03.1996}.

Apr 10: Whilst on holiday and having walked down Soi 18, a young American lad was annoyed that he could not cut through to Suriwongse Road and was upset that the guard refused him entry. He thus punched the guard in the face and ran for the other gate. He got as far as the tennis courts before security from both gates and the poolside supervisor brought him to the ground, where upon he bit one of the staff.

The Farang was ‘escorted’ to Bangrak Police station and the guard was taken to hospital for stitches to his face. Eventually the Farang agreed to apologise to the guard and pay 5,000 Baht compensation and the police let him go. {GC Minutes 22.04.1996 & Outpost, May 1996}.

Apr 15: Mr. Tom Bain commenced his duties as General Manager. {Outpost, May 1996}.

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Jul 15: Centre and No.1 Tennis Courts was re-opened with ‘Plexipave’ hard surface. {GC Minutes 15.07.1996 & Outpost, September 1996}.

Oct 5: The “Twenty Year Plus Club” was founded whereby the Club would hold a party each year for all those Members who had been so for twenty years or more. Sixty Members, and spouses, gathered for the first event on this evening. {Outpost, November 1996}.

Oct 22: An Extraordinary General Meeting was called by the General Committee for two motions concerning the Playing Field Fund (see 1992): • The first, to discontinue the playing field fund, but that the membership fees remain at the current levels in total. After a very fierce debate, the motion was lost by 64 votes to 14. • The second, a repeat of the AGM motion, “That the General Committee determine firstly, the most appropriate time to pursue the acquisition of a playing field for the Club, and secondly. the intervening use of the playing field fund”. There was no discussion, and the motion was defeated by 50 votes to 22. {EGM Minutes 22.10.1996}.

Nov 4: Two new Guard houses, with ‘Sala-style’ tile roofing, were reported as operational at the Suriwongse Gate and the Silom Gate, with a Drivers Room at the Silom Gate (see 2018). {GC Minutes 04.11.1996}.

Nov 25: The inability to ’borrow’ from the Playing Field Fund meant that the General Committee was presented with a cashflow problem. This caused a significant dispute within the committee as to whether the Club Constitution required Members’ approval before seeking to raise a bank overdraft to cover this shortfall (see 1977). As the majority of the GC agreed to seek an overdraft before referring to Members, the Honorary Treasurer resigned. {GC Minutes 25.11.1996}.

Dec 2: The General Committee sought legal advice on the cause of the Honorary Treasurer’s resignation. The Club lawyer felt that “under the Thai Civil and Commercial Code, the committee has the authority to enter into financial arrangements, such as Bank Overdrafts, and have them approved at the next General Meeting”. {GC Minutes 02.12.1996}.

1997 The automatic barriers at each gate became operational. Entry was by Jan 1: placing a member’s card in the orange card reader. {Outpost, January 1997}.

Jan 20: The General Committee meeting of this date was held informally as too few people turned up. {GC Minutes 03.02.1997}.

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Mar 1: Lisa Fitzgerald was installed as the Club’s first Sports & Recreation Coordinator, and the Club takes over the operation of the Fitness Centre. {Outpost, March 1997 & Outpost, May 1997}.

Mar 17: The General Committee noted that the Club’s centenary was in six years, and planning should start now on researching the Club’s history. {GC Minutes 17.03.1997}.

Mar 25: The General Committee put forward a number of constitutional changes to the Annual General Meeting: • In view of a number of ‘inquorate’ meetings, it was proposed to reduce the number of General Committee meeting to one per month and cut the quorum to half of those elected plus one: carried unanimously. • To remove the ambiguity between the constitution and the Civil & Commercial Code, the ‘borrowing rule’ was proposed to read “The committee may raise overdrafts in Thai Baht to cover cash flow requirements for normal operations to a limit not exceeding one month's average expenditure in the current annual budget without reference to the Membership. Other loans or overdrafts must be subject to prior approval by Members in a General Meeting ”. This was carried with one Member requesting their vote as recorded against. {AGM Minutes 25.03.1997}.

Apr 8: An agreement was reached with Qantas Aircrew Club Inc. that they would prepay the Club 100,000 Baht per annum, and their aircrew can use the Club with no entry fee. This was seen as a variation on the standing agreement (see 1976). {GC Minutes 08.04.1997}.

May 1: New Members’ Night was formally abolished as being part of the Membership application procedure. It would now be a social event each quarter for new members to meet the committee and club staff (see 2020). {Outpost, May 1997}.

May 9- The Royal Yacht Britannia sailed into 14: Bangkok on its last visit ahead of being decommissioned. She was en route to Hong Kong for the ‘Handover Ceremony’ on 30 th June. The British Club Bangkok extended to her crew use of the Club facilities during their visit and organised several sports tournaments. {Outpost, April 1997 & Outpost, June 1997}.

The crew donated a HMY Britannia cap which is on display in the Churchill Bar.

It is reported that several Members were invited back to visit the Yacht whilst docked at Khlong Toey. {Terry Adams correspondence, 19.03.2021}.

May 22- The British Club Bangkok extended to the crew of HMS Beaver 26: (F93), a Broadsword-class frigate, use of the Club facilities during their stay. {Outpost, April 1997 & Outpost, July 1997}.

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Aug 18: The immediate effect of the “Asian Financial Crisis” was noted by the General Committee with a sudden deduction in member numbers and corresponding Food & Beverage income. {GC Minutes 18.08.1997}.

Aug 31: Diana, Princess of Wales, died in hospital after being injured in a car crash in the Pont de l'Alma tunnel in Paris. {Outpost, October 1997}.

Nov 17: The General Committee decided, in light of a continued drop in Ordinary membership, to get some of its members to undertake a complete review of Membership categories in readiness for the next AGM. {GC Minutes 17.11.1997}.

Dec 15: The General Committee agreed a lower budget for 1997/98 reflecting: • Entrance fees and subscriptions would not be increased. • Additional memberships would be sold through the appointment of a Membership Sales and Marketing Manager. • F&B income would not increase significantly. • There would be ongoing tight control of Club expenditure. {GC Minutes 15.12.1997}.

1998 Khun Chirachada Suwanawong ("Goi") commenced work as the Club’s Jan 1: first Membership Sales & Marketing Manager. {GC Minutes 15.12.1997 & Outpost, January 1998}.

Jan: A bequeath from past Member and 1984 acting Club Manager, Geoff Percival, who passed away in 1996, was used to buy green, leather bar stools for the Churchill Bar. These bar stools are still in the Churchill Bar, if you accept “The Trigger’s Broom” principle. {GC Minutes 16.02.1998}.

Feb: The Thai Stix ball hockey team use the artificial grass Tennis Courts 2 and 3 for the first time. {GC Minutes 19.01.1998}.

Mar 24: The Annual General Meeting was quorate by only two Members arriving before the thirty-minute deadline. The meeting did serve to show that

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Membership had dropped to 809 at end of 1997, from 872 the year before. {AGM Minutes 24.03.1999 & Annual Report, 2000}.

May 18: The General Committee agreed that no capital works other than those considered essential be proceeded with until the Club's financial position improves. {GC Minutes 18.05.1998}.

Jun: The Club got its first email address . This functioned until 2005. {Outpost, July 1998}.

Khun Saiphon Promthong joined her husband in providing the Club’s Thai massage service (see 1988). {Outpost, June 1998}.

Aug 1: The Membership sales team was increased to three when Khun Chirachada was joined by Khun Ratchanida Tippayalert (“O”) and Khun Walaya Surinphong (“Babie”). {Outpost, September 1998}.

Sep 30: The General Committee noted that 36 new Members had been recruited in the month and that this was a record. {GC Minutes 26.10.1998}.

Oct 26: In order to boost Food & Beverage income. the General Committee agreed that to relax the number of times a guest, ordinarily resident in Thailand, could use the Clubhouse F&B facilities. This would be trialled until the 1999 AGM then a rule change sought from Members. {GC Minutes 26.10.1998}.

Nov 6: An Extraordinary General Meeting was called by the General Committee with a number of changes to the Constitution: • To remove the necessity of applications for membership to meet General Committee members ahead of election, the General Manager to process applicants: carried by a majority. • To change the Associate Membership Quota from 240 persons to one third of the total number of Members: carried unanimously. • To allow Associate Members to pay over 24 months, as existing Non-Voting Members can: carried by a majority. • To bring in ‘Membership transfer to spouse’ rights upon the death of the Member. An exception is allowed to the Single Nationality Quota: carried unanimously. • To extend the Children of Members discount (see 1993) to all categories and set a limit of one year within which the application must be made. An exception is allowed to the Single Nationality Quota: carried by a majority. {EGM Minutes 06.11.1998}.

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Dec 4: Lisa Fitzgerald, the Club’s first Sports & Recreation Coordinator, left for pastures new. {Outpost, December 1998}.

1999 Sherry Conisbee took the helm as Outpost editor, the magazine still Jan 1: under contract with The Creative Partnership. {Outpost, January 1999}.

Most copies of Outpost, and its two predecessor publications, are available to view on the Club’s website.

Jan 4: Mr. Damon Nemish commenced duties as Sports & Recreation Coordinator. {Outpost, January 1999}.

Feb 1: In order to generate an increase in wine sales, and accompanying food sales, the ‘mark-up’ on wine was reduced to 100 Baht per bottle, for a three-month trial period. {GC Minutes 25.01.1999}.

Feb 22: The General Committee agreed that the guest rule relaxation trial (see 1998) would be continued beyond the AGM, without seeking a rule change at said AGM. {GC Minutes 22.02.1999}.

Mar 22: There had been a number of cases where a Thai national was using another country’s passport to join and thus circumvent the Single Nationality Quota. It was agreed that, although Thailand does not allow dual nationality, it was not the Club’s job to police this. All applicants’ nationality will be determined by the passport they present at application. {GC Minutes 22.03.1999}.

Mar 30: The General Committee put forward a number of constitutional changes to the Annual General Meeting: • That the Playing Field Fund (value: 5,907,623 Baht) (see 1992) be closed and transferred to a general fund which may be used by the Club to finance capital and refurbishment projects: after a long and fierce debate, and several unsuccessful amendments, this was carried by 82 votes to 27. There was, however, uproar after the vote that nine of the General Committee (with proxies) had between them 27 votes. • To agree to two increases in Joining Fees, in 01.07.1999 and 01.01.2000. As an example, the Married Fee would go from 44,000 Baht to 50,000 Baht then 55,000 Baht: carried by 103 votes to 6. • To increase subscriptions for the first time since 1995: carried by 71 votes to 8. • To allow past members from the Absent List to re-join as exception to the Single Nationality Quota: carried unanimously. The meeting ended at 11.30pm. {AGM Minutes 30.03.1999}.

Jul 5: The General Committee agreed a fixed price contract, paid quarterly, with local author Bonnie Davis, to produce a Centenary Book for the Club in readiness for 2003. {GC Minutes 05.07.1999}.

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Jul: The Club gained its First website www.britclub.com . This functioned until 2005. {Outpost, August 1999}.

Nov: The Surawong Sala was given a much needed ‘refit’, costing just under 2,000,000 Baht, and opened somewhen in this month, but was a ‘tragedy of errors’: The Club Chairman, James Young, took a whole page in Outpost to try to explain some of the things that went wrong: • Some of the floor stones were laid upside down. • An inappropriate cleaning material had been used which damage some floor stones. • No supplier delivered materials within the promised timescale. • The works caused the roof trusses to twist, resulting in the whole ceiling moving 3-4 inches toward the Clubhouse. {Outpost, November 1999 & Outpost, December 1999}.

Nov: The British Club Bangkok Club exceeded one thousand memberships. {Outpost, December 1999}.

Dec 5: The BTS Skytrain opened on the birthday of H.M. King Bhumiphol Adulyadej. The nearest stations being Chong Nonsi at 700m and Sala Daeng at 1.1km, both on the Silom Line. {bts.co.th}.

Dec 7: The General Committee agreed to grant the Chieftain, Bard or President of each of the Loyal Societies ‘Honorary Membership’ during their term of office, as a means of ‘being more inclusive’ thus enhancing our mutual relationships and, of course, generating more society functions at the Club (see 2005). {GC Minutes 07.12.1999 as corrected by the minutes of 10.01.2000}.

2000 The General Manager, Mr. Bain, left the Club; Operations Manager, Jan 7: Barry Osborne became acting General Manager. {GC Minutes 10.01.2000}.

Feb 8: A Club ‘business operations plan’ was presented, and approved, that sought to invert the current scenario of the committee running the Club and instructing the staff, to one whereby the committee only set policy and gave authorisations, but the management ran the Club. {GC Minutes 08.02.2000}.

Mar 1: Mr Willem T.P. Pentermann commences his duties as General Manager. {Outpost, April 2000}.

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Mar 28: The General Committee put forward a number of motions to the Annual General Meeting: • To grant discretion to the General Committee to increase the general rate of entrance fees once by up to 10% at any time until the next General Meeting: carried by a majority. • “To raise the monthly subscriptions for family Members by 300 Baht plus VAT per month and other Members pro rata per month effective 1 st April 2000 ”: carried by 60 votes to 16.

In addition, a member’s motion was proposed to introduce a ‘Directed Proxy’ whereby a member may vote in advance of a meeting, and to then reduce the number of ‘Discretionary Proxies’ held by a member to one: carried by a majority.

Finally, for the first time, three ladies were elected to the General Committee: Mrs. Sarah Allen, Mrs. Michelle Law and Mrs. Leonie Vejjajiva. {AGM Minutes 28.03.2000}. A nomination was made at the post- AGM GC meeting that one of the ladies become chairman, but this was not carried.

May: Gaynor De Wit returns as Outpost editor. {Outpost, May 2000}. Most copies of Outpost, and its two predecessor publications, are available to view on the Club’s website.

Jul 3: The General Committee agreed to increase the Member’s deposit from 4,000 Baht to 6,000 Baht, and to make Direct Debit compulsory for Members. Constitutional changes to be enacted at the 2001 AGM. {GC Minutes 03.07.2000}.

Aug 1: A new Position of Financial Controller was created to take control of all our accounting and financial operations, with Khun Premrudee Tanyaluck as the first incumbent. {GC Minutes 03.07.2000}.

Aug 18: The ‘chairmen’ of various non-Member organisations which used the Club on a regular basis, addressed the Membership Sub-Committee to aid formulating a policy on such groups. Attending was the Committee for the Co-ordination of Services to Displaced Person in Thailand (CCSPDT), the Society for Professional Engineers in Thailand (SPET) and a number of Masonic Lodges. Bangkok Community Theatre and BAMBI (Bangkok Mothers & Babies International) sent apologies. {MSC Minutes 18.08.2000}.

Aug 21: It is reported to the General Committee that Smoke Alarms were now installed in the Clubhouse. {GC Minutes 21.08.2000}.

Sep 3: The General Committee met the local author contracted to write the Club’s Centenary Book for an update as she had been paid for four quarters to date, but nothing had been received (see 1999). It transpired that little or no research had been done, nothing had been written and that she was “not willing ” to keep updating the committee on her progress. Her contract was terminated but she refused to repay monies already paid out. {GC Minutes 03.09.2000}.

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Oct: The ‘Member’s Birthday Gift’ promotion was started – at this time, a free bottle of house wine when you dined in the Lords Dining Room. {Outpost, October 2000}.

Oct 2: CRAP (the Constitution, Rules & Procedures) Sub-Committee started a mammoth review of all of the Policies & Procedures documents used with in the Club (see 1994). Under the direction of SC Chairman David Turner, and Paul Cheesman, the first Honorary Secretary since 1976, all 65 documents were brought up to date with all Constitution and By-Laws changes made in recent years. {CRAPSC Minutes 02.10.2000 & Annual Report 2000}.

Nov 4: Damon Nemish resigned as Sports & Recreation Coordinator. {Outpost, November 2000}.

Nov 7: The Membership Sales and Marketing Manager, Khun Chirachada, left the Club. {GC Minutes 07.11.2000}. The Membership staff reported now to the General Manager.

Dec 1: Khun Weena Anutantanan became Membership Sales Manager. {Annual Report 2000}

2001 Gaynor De Wit left the role of Outpost editor and Sheridan Conisbee Jan: became the new editor. {Outpost, January 2001 & Outpost, March 2001}.

Jan 8: The Australian Ambassador, H.E. Miles Kupa, turned down the traditional Honorary Membership that the Club gives “as it was not directly linked to his job or of Australian origin ”. The Chairman, James Young, and the General Manager met with the Ambassador to try to resolve this. The ‘feeling was’ it was related to the 1971 incident (see 1974). {GC Minutes 05.03.2001}.

Mar 5: A letter to the General Committee complained of a snake being in the Gentlemen’s Changing Room. The General Manager replied that it was, in fact, dead. {GC Minutes 05.03.2001}.

Mar 7: Shane Duncan took up the role of Sports & Recreation Coordinator. {Outpost, March 2001}.

Mar 27: The General Committee put forward a number of motions to the Annual General Meeting: • To grant discretion to the General Committee to increase the general rate of entrance fees once by up to 10% at any time until the next General Meeting: carried by 36 votes to 33. • To amend the rules that a member’s account must be paid by Direct Debit: carried by 59 votes to 7. • To reduce the payment period of Non-Voting Membership to 12 months only: carried by 31 votes to 29. • To correct an error, in that Non-Voting Member category cannot go onto the Absent List: carried unanimously. {AGM Minutes 27.03.2001}.

Mar: The refit of the Silom Sala was completed and was opened. {Outpost, April 2001}.

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Apr 2: The General Committee agreed to merge the numerous sub- committees in existence into two: The Operations SC (including F&B and Membership) and the Strategy SC (including Finance and Constitution). {GC Minutes 02.04.2001}.

Apr 3: For the first time, a ‘summary’ of each General Committee meeting was published on the notice boards for Members to read. {GC Summary 02.04.2001}.

May 14: The ban on use of a mobile phone in the Clubhouse was added to the By-Laws (see 1989). {GC Minutes 14.05.2001}.

Jun 30: Shane Duncan leaves the Club. Khun Amnaj Saklebpradoo took over as Sports & Recreation Coordinator. {Outpost, July 2001}.

Jul: A Member survey, conducted by AMI, and completed by 388 Members gave their top five answers for facilities in the clubhouse as: 1. Lounge Bar (with a dress code and a relaxed atmosphere) 2. Dining Room (for quality dining) 3. Sports Bar (no dress code with pool tables, TV screens etc) 4. Family Room (to enable families to dine/relax in an air-conditioned surround) 5. Function Room for events. {Outpost, July 2001}.

Jul 17: The Dress Code for the clubhouse had been an on-going saga but reached its head when the General Committee passed a motion “ That after 6pm, the acceptable code of dress for gentlemen in the Churchill Bar was a shirt with a collar. Collarless shirts and T -Shirts were not allowed .” One GC member resigned and walked out. {GC Minutes 17.07.2001 }.

Sep 9: The General Committee agreed to appoint local author, and Club Member, John Hoskins as the new writer of the Club’s Centenary Book. GC member Sarah Allen would work with him to provide historical data from the Club, and the aim was for the book to be ready by January 2003. {GC Minutes 09.09.2001}.

Oct 1: The Triple Two hotel was opened following redevelopment of the 47 shophouses along Silom Soi’s 16 and 18. {Narai.co.th}.

Oct 9: The first ever Staff Long Service Awards were presented by Club Chairman, James Young.

The Awards are presented to staff at each 5- year milestone in their Club career: the award is one half Baht of gold (about 10,000 Baht cash) each five-year ‘block’ completed.

Nov: Judith Airey became Outpost editor, until September 2004, the magazine still under contract with The Creative Partnership. {Outpost, November 2000}.

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Nov 4: Ahead of an advertised EGM on 5th November, a number of Members had informed the Club that they had failed to receive a Calling Notice for the meeting: The General Manager and the Honorary Secretary reviewed the EGM mailing, and it was confirmed that address stickers had not been printed for ‘Ordinary Senior members’ and ‘Ordinary members under 30 years of age’. {GC Minutes 05.11.2001}. A cross-check system, between stickers printed and number of voting members, was introduced to prevent this happening again.

Nov 6: An Extraordinary General Meeting was called by the General Committee to approve the construction of the ‘New Wing’. The Chairman, James Young, noted that a number of Calling Notices had failed to be mailed out, thus this meeting was ‘for information only’ and a new meeting would be called.

Information was provided thus: • The ‘New Wing’ was a building comprising a bar, changing rooms, a committee room and office accommodation on the Silom Road end of the back lawn. • The GC shall approve the detailed design and shall, subject to planning consent and availability of Club funds, proceed with the construction and fit out of the building. • A vote was called to gauge the feeling of members: it was carried by 78 votes to 16. {EGM Notes 06.11.2001}

Dec 11: A properly called and valid Extraordinary General Meeting for the 'New Wing' was held. After a repeat of the presentation and similar questions, the motion carried by 89 to 29 votes. {EGM Minutes 11.12.2001}.

2002 It was reported to the General Committee that Membership broke the Feb 4: ‘1,100 barrier’ for the first time. {GC Minutes 04.02.2002}. Mar 4: The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration started work on replacing the Silom Soi 18 drain and resurfacing the Soi. The Club paid 290,000 Baht as its contribution after the Silom Commercial College [2021: Panyarat School] withdrew from the three-party scheme with the Narai Hotel. {GC Minutes 05.11.2001 & GC Minutes 04.03.2002}.

Mar 11: An Urgency meeting of the General Committee was called to authorise the piling for the New Wing as the project was months behind schedule. {GC Minutes 11.03.2002}.

Mar 26: The General Committee put forward no motions to the Annual General Meeting, outside of statutory business, and it was completed in 35 minutes. {AGM Minutes 25.03.2002}. This is the shortest Annual General Meeting on record.

Apr 1: The Bangrak Khet Office had requested changes to the stairwell in the design of the New Wing, thus delaying Building Permission. {GC Minutes 01.04.2002}.

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May 1: The British Club Bangkok went ‘cash-less’. This required all Members to pay by Direct Debit, or by credit card, and that all non-members allowed to use the Club would need to pay by credit card. This had been agreed by Flying Minute of the General Committee following an ‘inside job’ break-in which cleared the safe of some 200,000 Baht of cash late one Sunday. The cash had been accumulated over the weekend as most Members made their bill payments in cash. {GC Minutes 09.05.2002}.

120,000 Baht was recovered by the Police. {GC Minutes 09.05.2002}.

May 1: Khun Sawanya Anumas (“Aey”) was recruited as the new Membership & HR Manager. {Linkedin}.

May 9: The Chairman, Bob Marchant, informed the General Committee that he had cancelled the piling and other works for the New Wing and asked for new drawings: nothing had happened in six month and a full review was now needed. {GC Minutes 09.05.2002}.

Jul: Liz Bishop became Outpost editor, the magazine still under contract with The Creative Partnership. {Outpost, July 2002}.

Jul 8: The Chairman’s Board was replaced correcting some of the errors contained within and allowing additional space. {GC Minutes 08.07.2002}.

Oct 1: The owners of Silom Commercial College, adjacent to the Silom gate, decided to turn it into the Silom Campus of their new Rattana Bundit University (RBAC) in Ladprao. {RBAC correspondence, 09.03.2021}.

Oct 10: The General Committee noted a letter of congratulations on the Club’s Centenary had been received from H.M. Queen Elizabeth II. {GC Minutes 10.10.2002}.

This letter was published in the Centenary Book and is displayed on the wall of The Churchill bar.

Oct 23: Entry to the club was now by ‘Card First’ following a complete review of security, with the Suriwongse Gate closed. A new set of rules governing non-Members was introduced. {GC Minutes 23.10.2002}.

Oct 29: A letter from the General Committee was sent to Members explaining that as the New Wing was delayed there was concern over revenue generation and % of Capex used. This was agreed at the GC meeting with one GC member recording against the letter’s content as misleading. {GC Minutes 23.10.2002}.

Oct 30: A first request for an Extraordinary General Meeting was received from seven members seeking confirmation that the ‘New Wing’ was continuing, the GC letter dated 29.10.01 having not yet been received by them. The Chairman, Bob Marchant, met them on 31.10.2002, where this was confirmed, and the EGM request was withdrawn. {GC Minutes 04.11.2002}.

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Nov 1: A second request for an Extraordinary General Meeting was received from eight members asking the General Committee to explain its inability to build the New Wing and bring forward a timescale for the construction of the New Wing by end of June 2003 or resign. This EGM was called for 11 th December 2002. {GC Minutes 04.11.2002}.

Nov 12: The General Committee met with representatives of the eight EGM signatories and subsequently the EGM was cancelled. {Meeting notes 12.11.2001}.

Dec 2: The General Committee, noting the Crew Association deal had now ceased (see 1997), agreed that British Airways and Qantas flight aircrew could use the Club paying day rates upon showing a valid ID card. {GC Minutes 02.12.2002}.

The General Committee agreed a motion which read " That the GC would proceed with the EGM mandate from 11.12.01 to build a New Wing as a first step toward clubhouse refurbishment". {GC Minutes 02.12.2002}. This was motion was circulated in a letter to all Members the next day.

Dec 9 A third request for an Extraordinary General Meeting was received from a different seven members seeking “ That the General Committee postpones construction of the proposed New Wing and first utilizes available to funds to upgrade/redevelop the existing facilities in the Clubhouse and the Poolside ”. This EGM was called for 7 th February 2002. {GC Minutes 06.01.2003}.

2003 The General Committee considered a compromise plan (which became Jan 6: known as Option 6) being a two-floor extension to the existing Kitchen block and removing the unsightly Lean-to, thus creating a new “Sports Bar” with toilets on the ground floor and new offices and stores on the first floor without loss of back lawn. {GC Minutes 06.01.2003}.

Jan 10: At a Special General Committee Meeting which gave fuller details of the Option 6 scheme, the General Committee agreed a motion “ That the GC agree in principle to complete the concept and layout of Option 6 (a new wing attached to the kitchen block) in readiness for the Design & Build tender process ". {GC Minutes 10.01.2003}.

Jan 20: The General Committee agreed to call an Extraordinary General Meeting (the fourth of the year) to put Option 6 to Members. {GC Minutes 20.01.2003}. The EGM would precede the AGM.

Jan 22: A meeting was held with the signatories of the ‘7 th February 2002 EGM’, and they agreed to withdraw their motion. The EGM was thus cancelled. {GC Minutes 06.01.2003}.

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Feb 2: A fifth request for an Extraordinary General Meeting was received from fifteen members with a motion of ‘no confidence’ in the General Committee due breach of promise on the New Wing. This EGM was called for 10 th March 2002. {GC Minutes 03.02.2003}.

Feb 3: The General Committee noted that for health reasons Bob Marchant would no longer play an active role for the rest of his tenure as chairman and appointed Chris Moore as acting chairman. {GC Minutes 03.02.2003}.

Feb 10: The General Committee agreed to bring forward the date of the Annual General Meeting from 18 th March to 6 th March, thus the EGM of no- confidence in the GC already called for 10 th March would fall. In addition, the planned EGM for Option 6 would also not now be called. {GC Minutes 10.02.2003}.

Mar 5: The downstairs toilets in the Clubhouse were swapped – walking from the reception, the Gents moved to the left, the ladies to the right with a new Disabled Toilet/Parents & Baby Room. {Outpost. March 2003}.

Mar 6: In an unprecedented move the Annual General Meeting was held in the Ballroom of the Narai Hotel as so many Members had indicated that they would attend. In all, 179 members were present. The only motion debated was that the Service Charge would be increased to 6% and increased by 1% annually until it reached 10%: this was carried (see 2007). {AGM Minutes 06.03.2003}.

Mar 22: The end of the annual Tennis Section Championships was greeted by the introduction of four new cups and trophies to celebrate various championship levels. • For Men’s Singles – The SEARA Cup donated by Sports Engineering And Recreation Asia Ltd • For Ladies’ Singles – The Chalathip & Surin Dunnvatanachit Cup donated by themselves. • For Men’s Doubles – The Shrewsbury International School Trophy donated by the school. • For Mixed Doubles - The Price Waterhouse Coopers Cup donated by PwC. {Outpost, July 2003}.

Apr 24: The British Club Bangkok was one hundred years old. {Twentieth Century Impressions of Siam}. A special Club logo had been created for this occasion. {GC Minutes 03.02.2003}.

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Jul 1: The British Ambassador, H.E. Lloyd Barnaby Smith, presided over the launch of the Centenary Book with 100 minutes of ‘free drinking’ open to all Members. {Outpost, August 2003}.

The new Suriwongse pedestrian gate opened on this day.

Jul: The British Club Bangkok Discussion Forum went live on the Club’s website. {GC Minutes 03.05.2004}.

Aug 11: The Bangkok Gentlemen Spoofers organised a Charity Club Centenary Spoofing tournament, which by the presence of many fellow spoofers from around Asia, became the inaugural Asian Spoofing Championship. The sum of 160,000 Baht was raised which was used primarily to build a kitchen at the new Rainbow House of the ‘Christian Care Foundation for Children with Disabilities’ in Pak Kret. {Annual Report, 2003}.

Aug 14: The Club was now fully connected to Wi-Fi. {GC Minutes 14.08.2003}.

Oct 31 The British Club Bangkok Tennis Section to Nov held its centenary Tennis Open 2: Tournament attracting teams from Singapore, Malaysia, and Hong Kong as well as local opponents like the Japanese Association, the RBSC (Royal Bangkok Sports Club and Krung Thai Bank. Matches were played at the Club and the (now closed) Silom Club, in Silom Soi 19. {Outpost, December 2003}.

Dec 31: Mr. Pentermann leaves the post of General Manager; Operations Manager, Barry Osborne becomes acting General Manager. {Outpost, November 2003}.

2004 A storm hit the Club late evening and ripped off the tarpaulins covering Jan 9: the roof repairs at poolside: Flooding wrecked the changing rooms, the fitness centre, and parts of the squash courts. Thankfully, quick action by security staff saved much of the fitness equipment from ruin. {GC Minutes 02.02.2004}.

Feb 2: The Treasury Work Group was created to allow Club members with relevant experience to discuss financial matters, solve problems and improve decision-making. {GC Minutes 02.02.2004}.

Mar 30: The Annual General Meeting was held but two-thirds of the agenda items (numbered 7 to 18, mainly Members’ constitution changes) had been omitted from the proxy form so some items were abandoned, and others deferred to an EGM. {AGM Minutes 30.03.2004}.

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Jun 29: An Extraordinary General Meeting was called by the General Committee for a number of changes to the Constitution deferred from the AGM: • A number of small changes to bring the rules into line with the Thai Civil and Commercial Code: carried by a majority. • To make the election of Members by a majority and delete that two votes against exclude membership: lost by a majority. • A series of five Member motions to introduce direct elections for the Club Officers, and other significant but related changes, lost the vote on the first motion thus all other motion fell. • A Member motion to limit GC Members to three terms was amended to five terms and carried 34 votes to 25. • A Member motion to introduce a minimum F&B charge lost by a majority. {EGM Minutes 29.06.2004}.

Jul 1: Operations Manager, Barry Osborne, was promoted to General Manager. {GC Minutes 05.06.2004}.

Jul 3: The MRTA Chaloem Ratchamongkhon “Blue Line” Underground train service commenced. The nearest stations being Silom, about 1.5km from the Club via Silom 18, and Sam Yan, about 1.2km by foot from the Suriwongse Gate. {mrta.co.th}.

Jul 28: Chess Grandmaster Nigel Short paid a visit to the Club, and with help from the Bangkok Chess Club, played a simultaneous match against 30 opponents. {GC Minutes 03.08.2004}.

Aug 31: Khun Premrudee Tanyaluck vacated the role of Financial Controller. {Annual Report 2005}.

Oct: Sherry Conisbee returned as Outpost editor for the last two editions under The Creative Partnership banner. {Outpost, October 2004}. Most copies of Outpost, and its two predecessor publications, are available to view on the Club’s website.

Nov: Ms. Hanni Phillips joined the Club as Sports & Grounds Manager and Khun Kantamas Chongsupamongkol (“Molly”) became Deputy General Manager Finance. {Annual Report 2005}.

Dec 5: The first BRITSTOCK music festival was held at the Club, with live music from 2pm until 9pm, from an idea by Mr. Tambourine Man (Club Member Paul Williams). Entry was free, and the eight bands were ‘paid’ in Food & Beverage vouchers. 200 Members attended. {Outpost, March 2005}.

Dec 26: At 07:58:53 (Thai time) a 9.1 magnitude earthquake occurred just off the west coast of northern Sumatra and sent a huge Tsunami across South and South-East Asia, which resulted in over 184,000 deaths, 5,395 in Thailand. {BBC News, various dates}. The Club lost Mr. & Mrs. D'Avola and their son, Gianluca. {Outpost, March 2005}.

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2005 The British Club Golf Society changed its handicap system from USGA Jan 1: (United States Golf Association) to CONGU (Council of National Golf Unions) as new members were more familiar with CONGU. {Brian Brook, BCGC, 14.06.2021} .

Jan: The Club had a huge response from Members and the British Chamber of Commerce for donations of clothing and other essentials. The Snooker Room was used as a holding point and each time it filled up, trucks were organised to load up and take everything to the airport, where some supplies were used for survivors returning from Phuket, and the rest were sent to Phuket by air. A total of ten truck loads were sent in two weeks. A Tsunami Relief Fund was also set-up which eventually raised over 322,000 Baht (see 2006). {GC Minutes 10.01.2005 & Outpost, October 2006}.

Jan 11: John Bell was appointed as Interim Deputy General Manager during the period when General Manager, Barry Osborne, was convalescing from breaking his leg. {GC Minutes 10.01.2005}.

Mar: After a two-month gap, the Club magazine Outpost was relaunched under management of Veritas Enterprises. {Outpost, March 2005}.

Mar 22: The Annual General Meeting had no surprises but at its post-AGM meeting the new General Committee elected Angela Daniel to become the Club’s first female Chairman. {AGM Minutes 22.03.2005}.

It was noted also that no Annual Report for 2004 had been published. {Annual Report 2005}.

Apr: John James Hogg joined the Club as Executive Chef and Deputy General Manager F&B. He brought with him, at the month end, Khun Wilailuck Srisawad (nicknamed ‘Laak’) as Head Chef. {Annual Report 2005}.

Jul: In a major project, the Clubhouse exterior was brought back to its original brickwork (unveiling red stones adjacent to the portico) but then repainted in white (see 2006 and 2017). {Annual Report 2005}.

Jul 31: Khun Sawanya Anumas (“Aey”) resigned as Membership & HR Manager. {Linkedin}.

Aug 30: The Club’s revamped website came on-line at the new web address of www.britishclubbangkok.org . {GC Minutes 30.08.2005}.

The General Committee agreed to trial the Suriwongse Gate being open for exiting the Club. {GC Minutes 30.08.2005}.

Sep: Stuart Coghill, more commonly known as ‘Billy Beefeater’, became editor of Outpost, under the management of Veritas Enterprises. {Outpost, September 2005}.

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Sep 13: The General Committee were informed that the Chairman, Angela Daniel, had set up a Constitutional Review Sub- Committee with past Honorary Secretary, Paul Cheesman, in August and the first draft of proposed amendments was ready for committee consideration: 13 rule changes, seven new rules and 20 technical changes between rules. {GC Minutes 13.09.2005}.

The General Committee approved an EGM in December.

Sep 25- The British Club Bangkok and the British Chamber of Commerce 26: Thailand arranged a ‘Dinner with Keith Floyd’ – world famous chef, author, and TV Presenter- books including ‘Floyd On Oz’, ‘Floyd On Spain’, and ‘Far-Flung Floyd’; TV shows like ‘Floyd On Food’ and ‘Floyd On Fish’ and more revealingly ‘Floyd Uncorked’!

The Banquet was to be prepared at the Club by Mr. Floyd and served in the Suriwongse Room. It was so popular that it sold out in hours and a second night was booked. Officially two difficult but successful events with 260 guests but unofficially and in print, as Barry Osborne, the General Manager put it “ What a mistake, Keith was drunk, rude, and insulting to members ”. {BCCT Events history, Outpost, November 2005 & Big Chilli, 15.10.2019}.

Oct 20: The Club took part in the BNH Charity Bed push. There were two laps – from the hospital up Sathorn to Lumpini Park: and then after a break, from the park down Silom to a party at the British Club Bangkok .

The Club’s Harry Potter float won first prize for ‘best themed float’. The event raised 2,000,000 Baht for the Thai Red Cross "Caring Hearts for AIDS Foundation" {Outpost, December 2005}.

Dec 1: The General Committee agreed that Honorary Membership will no longer be offered to Chieftains/Bards/Presidents of the Loyal Societies, although current obligations will be honoured (see 1999 & 2011). {GC Minutes 01.12.2005}.

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Dec 5: BRITSTOCK II was held at the Club – 12 bands and 350 revellers had a great time. The major organisers were Jeff Thomsen of ‘Tokyo Joes’ and the Club’s Mr. Tambourine Man (Paul Williams) {Outpost, January 2006}.

Dec 6: An Extraordinary General Meeting was called by the General Committee to enact changes to the Constitution proposed by the Constitutional Review Sub-Committee: • A number of various technical changes to harmonise terminology and iron out conflicts within the constitution: carried unanimously. • To remove from the General Committee anyone who fails to attend three meetings: carried unanimously. • To ensure By-Law changes are posted one month before they come into effect: carried unanimously. • To clarify who can become an Honorary Member: carried by a majority. • To allow temporary members to bring in guests: carried by a majority. • To clarify them term ‘spouse’: carried by a majority. • To allow free membership for ‘visiting family’: carried unanimously. • To set up a Register of Members’ Interests: carried unanimously. • To set up controls on guests, non-member usage and Non- Member sports players: carried unanimously.

Motions on ‘Associated Groups’, Honorary membership voting rights, and limits of financial approval were deferred to the next Annual General Meeting. {EGM Minutes 06.12.2005}.

Dec 8: The British Club Bangkok , together with the British Chamber of Commerce Thailand, organised a Dinner Party with retired BBC Doctor Who producer Derrick Sherwin as guest speaker, and showing a pre-release copy of a documentary on the show.

in a complete surprise to the organisers, the entrance to the Wordsworth Lounge was decorated as the TARDIS by Khun Pantiroop Onkum (nickname ‘Noo’), the Chief Engineer. {Outpost, January 2006}.

Dec 29: Chief Engineer, Khun Pantiroop Onkum (‘Noo’), was knocked over by a car on his way home on this evening. He was in a coma until 05.01.2006 when he sadly passed away. {Outpost, February 2006}.

2006 The General Committee agree to bestow Honorary Membership on Jan 19: Members Nigel Overy CBE and Dacre Raikes OBE for their past service to the Club. {GC Minutes 09.01.2016}.

Jan 31: Khun Kantamas Chongsupamongkol (“Molly”) resigned from the role of Deputy General Manager Finance. {Annual Report 2005}.

Feb: John Hogg resigned as Executive Chef/Deputy General Manager F&B and moved to a hotel in Khao Lak. Khun Wilailuck Srisawad (“Laak”) is promoted to Executive Chef. {Annual Report 2005}.

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Mar 28: The General Committee put forward the final set of Constitutional Review motions to the Annual General Meeting: • To create ‘Associated Groups’, a constitutional recognition of non-Member groups which use the Club, together with the rules controlling them: carried by a majority. • To allow Honorary membership, who has been a member of the Club for 20 years or longer, to retain their original membership rights: carried by a majority. • That the limits of financial approval delegated to the Chairman/Honorary Treasurer, Committee and General Manager shall be approved at least annually by the Members at a General Meeting (see 2010): carried by a majority. {AGM Minutes 28.03.2006}.

Apr: The Outpost magazine displayed the ‘Club Development Plan’ with an outline of the whole scheme. {Outpost, April 2006}.

The plan would be delivered in phases, each one with Member authority to spend then an open tender to architects, builders, and design/build companies.

Apr 4: The restoration of the exterior paintwork in July 2005 won an award from the Association of Siamese Architects Under Royal Patronage. Some months later Khun Premrudee, by then the Club’s Deputy General Manager, collected the Award from H.R.H. Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn. {GC Minutes 03.04.2006 & Outpost, March 2007}.

The awards adorn the doorway of the Clubhouse.

May 1: Khun Premrudee Tanyaluck, Financial Controller 2000-2004, re-joined the Club as Deputy General Manager Finance & Admin.

May 16: Bangkok Gentlemen Spoofers opened a new classroom & teacher’s room at Good Shepherds Community Development Centre (known as The Fatima Centre) in Din Daeng. The 255,000 Baht cost was raised from the charity Black Tie evenings held twice a year by the Spoofers. {Outpost July 2006}.

May 19- A series of ‘Development Days’ were held on the front lawn which 21: outlined to Members the various parts of the Club Development Plan, and in particular the matters to be raised at an EGM due July. {Outpost, June 2006}.

Jun 5: The General Committee noted the damage to our adjoining fence with the Neilson Hays Library and the to the lamps. This was caused by the piling for their café. It was noted that their contractor was not insured . {GC Minutes 05.06.2006 & GC Minutes 12.10.2006}.

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Jun 6: An Extraordinary General Meeting was called by the General Committee to approve a spend of 10,500,000 Baht on Phase 1 of the Club Development Plan, for: • The conversion of the Lord’s Dining Room into a new “Churchill Bar”. • Redevelopment of the existing Churchill Bar, and extension onto the back lawn, to provide a new non-smoking, Food & Beverage outlet catering to Members of all age groups. • Partition of the existing Snooker Room to create a Membership & Business Services Room and a Snooker Room with a single snooker table. • Refurbishment of the Reception area. The motion was carried by 72 votes to 52. {EGM Minutes 06.06.2006}.

Jun 21: The General Committee felt, with the Club Development Plan now starting, that the General Manager needed added support thus appointed Mr. Russell Finney as Chief Executive Officer to start in September, however, he resigned a week ahead of starting. {GC Minutes 21.06.2006 & GC Minutes 12.09.2006}.

Jul 3: A new Development Rolling Sub-Committee was created to give continuity to development projects across different General Committee years. {GC Minutes 03.07.2006}

Jul 7: The Development Rolling Sub-Committee held an open night for seven design companies with a view to their ‘open tendering’ for the design brief of Phase 1. {GC Minutes 03.07.2006} .

Jul 9: Sports & Grounds Manager, Hanni Phillips, leaves the Club for pastures new. {Outpost, July 2006}.

Sep 1: Khun Nuttah Loujaleamkitchai becomes Membership Sales Manager. {GC Minutes 28.08.2006}

Sep 9: The Development Rolling Sub-Committee informed the General Committee that no tenders for the open Design Brief had been received for phase 1, so the DRSC would first select three companies to do a Design Brief then select one company who will work with the GC/DRSC. {GC Minutes 12.09.2006}.

Sep 16: A cheque for 322,695.78 Baht from the Club’s Tsunami Relief Fund was passed over to Senator Mechai Viravaidya for the Preventive Hygiene Education Project in Krabi. This officially closed the fund. Chairman, David Quine, handed over the cheque. {Outpost, October 2006}.

Oct 1: Simon Roberts was appointed Chief Executive Officer of the Club primarily to lead the Club Development Plan. {GC Minutes 12.09.2006}.

Oct 2: The Development Rolling Sub-Committee outlined to the General Committee three companies chosen to tender for the Phase 1 Design Brief. {GC Minutes 02.10.2006}.

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Nov 1: The General Committee agreed the Development Rolling Sub- Committee recommendation to appoint an independent Project Management company, Thomson Brandtman, and a Design & Build company, Profile Interiors, to proceed with Phase 1 of the Club Development Plan. {GC Minutes 01.11.2006 & Outpost, December 2006}.

Nov 12: The first Remembrance Service at the newly relocated British War Memorial is held at the British Embassy. It had been moved to be in the front of the Ambassador’s Residence following the sale of the front of the grounds to Tiang Chirathivat Real Estate. {British War Memorial history}.

Dec 5: BRITSTOCK III was held at the Club: Member Maryn Lewis was the main organiser with Mr. Tambourine Man (Paul Williams) as the first of seven acts to play the afternoon and evening. {Outpost, January 2007}.

Dec 27: The Lords Dining Room closed for conversion into the new Churchill Bar. {Outpost, January 2007}.

2007 The Service Charge was raised to 10%. This completed the progressive Jan 1: set of rises agreed in 2003. {AGM Minutes 06.03.2003}.

Jan 5: One of the Club’s two War rehabilitation Billiards tables was sold (see 1948). {GC Minutes 16.01.2007}.

Jan 31: An Extraordinary General Meeting was called by seven members concerning Phase 1 of the Club Development Plan that: “No development works are to be commenced on site until a proper, transparent and competitive tender has been carried out to engage a contractor ”. After a long debate, the motion lost by 175 votes to 45. {EGM Minutes 31.01.2007}.

Feb 17: A ‘Last Goodbye’ Party was held in the old Churchill Bar. {Outpost, March 2007}.

Feb 19: The British Ambassador, H.E. David Fall, graciously opened the “new" Churchill Bar, after a two hour wait on the front lawn. His opening remarks quoting Winston Churchill on the toilet possibly should not be reprinted. Sadly, the bar was nowhere near complete – only one draught beer, no historical decoration, an awful smell of … well one was not sure. The bar closed the next two days to ‘complete’ the work with defect work repairs and replacements to continue for several months after. {Outpost, March 2007}.

The new joint Reception/Membership Services room plus a one table Billiards Room also opened on this day.

Feb 20: The works on the old Churchill Bar, to be converted to The Verandah Café with an external extension on to the lawn, were due to start with the demolition of the old Bar, however, one Member was disinclined to leave. {Outpost, March 2007}.

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Mar 20: The Annual General Meeting debated a number of motions: • “That all capital expenditure contracts entered into by the Club over 500,000 Baht (in estimated value) shall result from a fair, transparent and competitive tender with a minimum of three companies wherever possible; If the above conditions cannot be met, the General Committee must record in the minutes the reasons for an exception being made and notify members accordingly by posting on the notice board; A list will be held in the office of all capital expenditure contracts awarded by the Club, which shall be open to inspection upon request by any member ”: carried by a showing of cards on the floor. • To increase the number of Members needed to call an EGM from seven to 20: carried by 27 votes to 25. • To trial using the Billiards Room as a Pool/Darts room: carried by a showing of cards on the floor. {AGM Minutes 20.03.2007}.

The Post-AGM GC meeting elected Australian Dr. Stuart Blacksell as the first ever non-British chairman of the Club. {GC Minutes 20.03.2007}.

Mar 31: The Verandah Café failed to be ready to open. {GC Minutes 05.03.2007}.

Apr 2: The British Club Pipe & Drum Band came into being, under the leadership of Pipe Major Keith R. Walker, ex Pipe Major of 42nd Highlanders Pipe Band (Black Watch Regiment). {Outpost, May 2007}.

Apr 11: The Billiards table was mothballed and replaced by two pool tables in accordance with the AGM vote. {GC Minutes 02.04.2007}.

Apr 28: The Tanglin Club, Singapore, travelled to Bangkok to teach members of the British Club to play Balut - a dice game invented at the end of WWII and played by most prestigious Membership Clubs in SE Asia – surprisingly, the British Club won and so the Balut Section was born. {Outpost, April 2007 & Outpost, June 2007}.

May 8: The General Committee agreed to ban the use of Skype (and similar programs) in the bar following a number of Member complaints. {GC Minutes 08.05.2007}.

Jul: The British Club logo was revised with a different colour scheme and font, and the tag-line of “ The International Club for Families and Friends ” was introduced (see 2011). {Outpost, July 2007}.

Jul 2: The General Committee was informed by the Development Rolling Sub-Committee that the contractor had failed to get Building Permission granted, from Khet Bangrak, for the external extension of The Verandah. An external QS employed by the Club, JLL, noted that the scheduled work was nowhere near complete and was of a low standard. Also that the contractor had stopped working on the defects to the bar and lobby.

A contingency plan was created which would involve a number of Members who had offered to help in this matter and create an ‘Exit Strategy’ for the contractor. {GC Minutes 02.07.2007}.

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Jul 3- A large number of meeting were held by members of the General Aug 28: Committee, the Development Rolling Sub-Committee, a number of Members who had offered to help with the Exit Strategy and a number of possible contractors. {GC Minutes 06.08.2007 & GC Minutes 03.09.2007}.

Jul 17: The Club’s first Chief Executive Officer, Simon Roberts, resigned from the Club. {GC Urgency Minutes 17.07.2007}.

Aug 1: Khun Suwadee Mekmantana (“Su”) and Khun Nualtida Karnjanakul (“Woon”) joined the Club as Membership Sales Managers. {Outpost, September 2007}.

Aug 6: Photocopies (for research) had been made of all the Club’s minutes from 1946 to 2003 and all old minute books are now being looked at by Assumption College for rebinding. {GC Minutes 06.08.2007}.

Aug 24: Profile Interiors were dismissed for failure to complete works. {Flying minute ratified by GC Minutes 03.09.2007}.

Sep 1: Michael Silcock was appointed as the new Chief Executive Officer. {Outpost, September 2007}.

Sep 16: The General Committee appointed two new contractors to help complete the works for The Verandah. {GC Minutes 08.10.2007}.

Oct 1: The first ‘Point Of Sale’ system for the Club went into operation. {GC Minutes 08.10.2007}.

Oct 28: The Verandah Café opened, over six months late. The Club’s thanks went to a lot of pro-bona work put in by Members and their companies to erect a bar, put in wall panels and flooring and painting the outlet. (See 2021). {GC Minutes 06.11.2007 & Outpost, December 2007}.

Nov 6: The ’Exit Strategy’ group of Members were tasked with creating a list of all defects outstanding in the bar, lobby, membership office and Café as well as works not started such as the Bar-Café link and the Clubhouse corridor {GC Minutes 06.11.2007}.

Dec 5: BRITSTOCK IV was held at the Club organised again by Merwyn Lewis. A crowd of over 200 listened to Dr. Blues with Mr. Tambourine Man (Paul Williams) opening for the twelve ‘rock’ bands. {Outpost, January 2008}.

Dec 11: Chief Executive Officer, Michael Silcock, is confirmed in his role, despite not achieving his probationary targets: The Honorary Secretary tendered his resignation, effective after the meeting’s minutes were drafted the next day. {GC Minutes 11.12.2007}.

Dec 12: Dr. Chris Stanford took over as Honorary Secretary. {GC Minutes 07.01.2008}.

Dec 17: Reed Passmore was recruited as Sports & Recreation Manager. {GC Minutes 11.12.2007}.

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2008 The Billiard table is re-instated, and the pool tables removed; the trial Jan 1: from the 2007 AGM was deemed a failure. {GC Minutes 07.01.2008 & AGM Minutes 20.03.2007}.

The British Club Bangkok held its inaugural ‘Polar Swim’ on New Year’s Day 2008, complete with icebergs and penguins. {Outpost, February 2008}.

Jan: Khun Weena (now Mrs. Weiner) returned to the Club as Membership Sales Manager. {Outpost, February 2008}.

Feb 2: The Club had always had issues with Member’s ability to park but sometimes straight, but this day was unique.

Feb 11: To comply with the Public Health Ministry Order 18 (2550), smoking was banned inside Clubhouse. {Outpost, April 2008}.

Feb 14: Age of drinking in Thailand was raised to 20 years of age. {Alcohol Control Act 2550}.

Mar 8: The Balut Section held its inaugural Balut Cup championships with 19 local players plus players from Myanmar, Singapore, China, and Scotland playing for the new Balut All-Comers Cup. There was also a Junior Cup and a Worst Score Cup. The evening included a five-course meal as well as nearly unlimited beer. It would become an annual event. {Outpost, April 2008}.

Mar 18: The Annual General Meeting was largely taken up by one Member’s motion in regard to Phase 1 of the Club Development Plan.

In essence: • That the Development Rolling Sub-Committee be disbanded. • That full audit was carried out on what was budgeted, and approved by Members, and what was spent. • That a Development Oversight Sub-Committee, made up of industry professionals only, was created to complete Phase 1 to an EGM’s satisfaction, and then proceed to Phase 2. The motion was carried by 50 votes to 30. {AGM Minutes 18.03.2008}.

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Mar 28: New Club Chairman Dr. Andrew Roberts held a special meeting of the new General Committee to set out his ‘vision’ for the Club. Each GC member was given responsibility as a Key Result Area (KRA) Champion for different aspects of the Club (membership, marketing, F&B etc). In addition, Special Interest Groups (SIG) would be created to involve members in the GC work. {GC Minutes 28.03.2008}.

Apr 25: The Development Special Interest Group, chaired by Club Member John Boisclair, held an open meeting to brief Members on the status of Phase 1 and works outstanding. {GC Minutes 12.05.2008}.

Jun: A ‘Sports Council Meeting’ was held on this day, but no report was to hand, except to note that the Tennis Section did not attend. {GC Minutes 07.07.2008}.

Jul 7: The General Committee agreed to upgrade the Club’s tennis facilities by resurfacing all four courts as hard courts. To replace the artificial courts currently used for soccer and rugby, a new ‘All Weather Court’ would be built on the back lawn at the Silom end, and the cricket nets would be moved along the back wall. {GC Minutes 07.07.2008 & Outpost, August 2008}.

Jul 27: Bruce Gordon donated to the Tennis Section a trophy in his own name for an Annual Seniors Doubles Handicap Championship. {Outpost, September 2008}. Bruce sadly died a few months later .

Aug 4: The General Committee agreed to allow smoking on some of the tables outside The Verandah. {GC Minutes 04.08.2008}.

Sep 1: The Club starts operating the Nielson Hays Library Café. The library had had the Café built in 2006 but it being without kitchen facilities limited its potential. {GC Minutes 04.08.2008}.

Sep 3: The Balut Section awards the inaugural Balut Shield Cup at its AGM & Annual Dinner to Steve ’Swampy’ Eaton. {Outpost, October 2008}

Sep 30: A ‘Section Council Meeting’ was held on this day, but no report was to hand. {GC Minutes 09.09.2008}.

Oct 10: In the presence of five other players, Club Member Simon Davies threw a Balut World Record score of 169. The previous world record score was 167 at the (late) Singapore Town Club in 1979. {Balut Section}. The scoresheet is framed and on the wall of the Churchill Bar.

Oct 10: The General Committee noted that “the Tennis Section had defaulted on its duty of compliance with Club rules and thus lost its mandate to continue as a section of the Club ”. It was thus disbanded. Tennis would now be run by the Sports & Recreation Manager who would be accountable directly to the General Committee. {GC Minutes 10.10.2008}.

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Nov 20: The All-Weather Court and re-sited Cricket Nets open, with the two storage containers removed (see 1993). {Outpost, February 2009}

Nov 21- The British Club Bangkok hosted to 23: the 28 th STC Interport Balut Competition, attracting 132 players from ten members’ clubs across Southeast Asia. The Friday opening ceremony was led by Danny Pruce, British Deputy Head of Mission at the British Embassy, and a dinner disco was held on the Saturday evening.

The Royal Brunei Yacht Club won the Interport Trophy but Club member, Bob van Es, won the highest Single Score trophy. {Outpost, February 2009}.

Dec: The General Committee decides bring Outpost ‘in-house’ with its own editor and using production facilities from Erawan Publishing, the Chairman’s own company. As Billy Beefeater was away, Veritas produced their ‘last’ edition with Toby Coborn as a temporary editor. {Outpost, December 2008}.

2009 There was no edition of Outpost for this month, however, a weekly Jan: electronic newsletter ‘The Announcer’ was mailed out. {Outpost, February 2009}.

It is thought that the Badminton Section had disbanded by this date as no bookings for courts in Nares Road were being made (see 1992). {Information request to past player}

Jan 20: The Chairman proposed that an “Executive Committee” of the Club would be set up to “reverse the damage in the Clubhouse” and upgrade the poolside facilities. This “Executive Committee” consisted of the office bearers of the Club whose role was to assist the Chairman in his role within the Club. {GC Minutes 20.01.2009}.

Jan 24: Thai Tennis Champion, Khun Paradorn Srichaphan, accompanied by the British Ambassador, H.E. Quinton Quayle, opened the Club’s new ‘Greenset’ tennis courts. Khun Paradorn arrived in style on his Harley Davidson. {Outpost, February 2009}.

Feb: Plans are published for a complete refit of the Churchill Bar and The Verandah restaurant, but events at the AGM in March prevented these from being enacted. {Outpost, February 2009}.

Feb 20: Mr. Silcock, the Chief Executive Officer, resigned following a strategic review of personnel in the Club. {AGM Minutes 18.03.2009}.

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Mar 18: The Annual General Meeting lasted for some three and three-quarter hours as member after member attacked various policies of the General Committee, subjects included: • The abolition of the tennis section. • The failure to pay management bouses. • The non-payment of the ‘13 th Month’ subscription as a bonus to all staff. • The poor state of the Outpost magazine. • The unexplained departure of the Chief Executive Officer.

In addition: • A proposed Constitutional change to have two-year terms for GC members was withdrawn as Members present at the meeting pointed out that it conflicted with other rules. • Another proposed Constitutional change to introduce Stage Membership (a hire purchase style membership scheme) had to be withdrawn as “ the text of the proposal was riddled with technical errors ”. • It was noted also that the Annual Report for 2008 had not been published.

Following on from the end of the meeting, the outgoing Chairman, Dr. Andrew Roberts, resigned from the Club. {AGM Minutes 18.03.2009}.

Mar 27: The first ever British Club ‘Fight Night’ was contested by ten Muay Thai fighters including an international match of Ole “Sole Survivor” (from Belgium) versus Yok Sila (from Thailand). 110 members and guests enjoyed a three-course meal plus the five matches … the main event finally being called a draw.

Apr: There was no edition of Outpost for this month. {Outpost, May 2009}.

Apr 21: The Tennis Section is reinstated. {GC Minutes 21.04.2009}.

Club Member John Boisclair is appointed as Development & Facility Manager due to the significant amount of maintenance required. {GC Minutes 21.04.2009}.

Jun: The 2009 Yearbook is finally published. {Annual Report, 2009}.

Jun 16: The General Committee agree to bestow Honorary Membership on Dougal Forrest for his past service to the Club including three terms as Chairman. {GC Minutes 16.06.2009}.

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Jun 22: An Extraordinary General Meeting was called by the General Committee to: • Introduce a Stage Membership Scheme, or ‘Hire Purchase’, whereby an applicant for Membership pays over six years, with a decreasing payment made each year (20,000 Baht year 1, 18,000 Baht year 2 etc): carried by 41 votes to 9. • Increase the Associate Membership Quota from one third of Associate Members to 42%. An amendment, taken without legal advice, raised this to 48%: carried by 39 votes to 12. {EGM Minutes 22.06.2009}.

Jul: The production of the Outpost magazine returned to Veritas Enterprises with Reid Nixon as a one edition editor before handing over to Dean Outerson as permanent editor. {Outpost, July 2009}.

Jul 6: The inaugural ’Monday Night Club’, a movie & supper club, commenced – named after Agatha Christie’s ‘ Tuesday Night Club ’, the movie for each Monday of the month dedicated to a different detective.

The “club” ran for 50 Mondays a year for four years. {Outpost, July 2009}.

Aug: The first edition of the original ’Past Participle’ was published within the Outpost magazine, the first major attempt to catalogue the history of the British Club Bangkok . {Outpost, August 2009}. The series would run monthly until 2015 and restart in 2021.

Aug 30: Khun Vindu Chawla joined the Club as Membership Sales Manager. {Outpost, November 2009}.

Sep 15: The General Committee invoked the warranty of the ‘Greenset’ supplier for the tennis courts, requiring them to be resurfaced due to poor quality; and budgeted a spend of 780,000 Baht for remedial works to The Verandah and 100,000 Baht for the Churchill Bar. The Verandah works came in at 861,189 Baht. {GC Minutes 15.09.2009 & GC Minutes 17.11.2009}.

Nov 17: The General Committee decided that the Soccer and Rugby sections would no longer be allocated Club funds as there were very few Club Members involved. The concept of a ‘Sports Membership’ was anon- runner as players were not prepared to buy into it and there was a danger of it cannibalising full membership. {GC Minutes 17.11.2009 & GC Minutes 15.12.2009}.

Nov 21: A team from the British Club Bangkok won the 29 th Interport Balut Tournament, played at the Sabah Gold & Country Club in Kota Kinabalu. Malaysia. This gave the Club the opportunity to host the 2010 tournament. {Outpost, January 2010}.

Nov 27: 280 Members and their guests watched the second British Club ‘Fight Night’. {Outpost, January 2010}.

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2010 The old gardeners’ area, between the Tennis Courts and the Jan 18: Suriwongse Road wall, is reviewed as a workshop/storage facility plus a changing room for the Tennis Knockers. {GC Minutes 18.01.2010}.

The General Committee received a report that showed that the continued deterioration of the Tennis Courts was because the high strength grout used to correct levelling deficiencies reacted adversely with the ‘Greenset’ surface. It was agreed that the contractor and ‘Greenset’ should install a geo-textile membrane and asphalt to all four courts at the Club's expense, followed by application of a new ‘Greenset’ surface at their expense. {GC Minutes 18.01.2010}.

Feb 21: The newly reformed Cricket Section played the newly formed Pattaya Cricket Club for the inaugural ‘Dunford-Holbrook Trophy’. Initially called the ‘Simon & Jack Horseshoe Point Trophy’ donated by Simon Holbrook but it was physically lost and replaced with the current trophy donated by Jack Dunford MBE. {Annual Report 2010 & Cricket Section}.

Mar 1: The Computer Crime Act 2550 came into force which required a sign- in page to be added to the Club’s Wi-Fi system and the Club to hold records of URLs viewed. {GC Minutes 18.01.2010}.

Mar 19: The Verandah was host to celebrity TV Chef, and honorary OBE holder Ken Hom, who had just opened a restaurant, Maison Chin, in Soi Sala Daeng. The dinner was restricted to 65 guests (with a waiting list of 20) and Mr. Hom took time not only to cook each dish, introduce each dish but also introduce himself to each and every diner. {Outpost, April 2010}.

Mar 23: An Extraordinary General Meeting was called ahead of the AGM to sign- off the Phase 1 work (Churchill Bar/The Verandah works 2006/7) as required by a motion at the AGM on 18.03.2008: carried by 52 votes to 2. {EGM Minutes 23.03.2010}.

The Annual General Meeting had two motions concerning routine matters: • The limitations on expenditure introduced in 2006 were revised such that the Chairman and Honorary Treasurer can no longer sign-off expenditure without General Committee approval, and the GC expenditure limit was clarified as ‘per item or per project’: carried by 56 votes to 2. • The use of the ‘13th Month’ subscription (traditionally used to pay staff bonuses, see 1991) could be expanded to pay for other staff benefits: carried by 55 votes to 6. {AGM Minutes 23.03.2010}.

Mar 26: The senior management positions are retitled, the existing IC2 (General Manager) became Deputy General Manager F&B, and the IC1 (Chief Executive Officer) was restyled General Manager with Dr. Jesper Doepping, a Danish national, taking the role. {GC Minutes 16.03.2010 & Outpost April 2010}.

Mar 31: Deputy General Manager, Barry Osborne resigned and left the Club on 30 th June. A big farewell party was held on 25 th June. Baz, as he preferred to be called, still holds the record for the longest service in the Club by a Farang … 16 years. {Outpost, August 2010}.

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Apr 14: The British Club Bangkok is used for filming the movie ‘White Elephant’. {GC Minutes 16.03.2010}.

Apr 21: The General Committee noted from the AGM that Members felt that credit card charges should be met by the card user not the Club. In 2009, this amounted to 915,000 Baht. This would be enacted by a By- Law effective from 22.06.2010 . {GC Minutes 21.04.2010}.

Apr 23: The Clubhouse was one hundred years old. {Clubhouse insignia}.

May 1: William Ong joined the Club in the role of Food & Beverage Manager. {Outpost, July 2010}.

May 19: The General Committee noted a serious error by the previous General Committee’s calculation of the Single Nationality Quota: constitutionally it was one third of the actual number of Associate Members but had been taken as one third of the maximum possible number of Associate Members thus the Club had recruited 29 applicants above the limit. The Waiting List would thus be closed (see 2013). {GC Minutes 19.05.2010}.

Aug 1: The new role of Events & Sales Manager was taken by Briarne-Carey O’Shea, but she resigned after a few days. {GC Minutes 20.07.2010}.

Ms Suklin Rathabhakdi (“Lin”) became the new Membership Sales Manager. {GC Minutes 17.08.2010}.

Aug 19: The new Ladies Poolside Changing Rooms opened (having been swapped with Gents) {GC Minutes 17.08.2010}.

Aug 23: The new Gents Poolside Changing Rooms opened, with a heightened door for the Club’s taller members. {GC Minutes 17.08.2010}.

Aug 31: William Ong resigned from the role of Food & Beverage Manager. {Outpost, October 2010}.

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Sep 28: An Extraordinary General Meeting was called by the General Committee to: • Replace the Stage Membership scheme (which had only 11 applicants in 15 months) by an Annual Membership, whereby a person can join for a year and if renewed five times they become a Full Member: carried by 47 votes to 6. • Introduce a Disciplinary Code: carried by 51 votes to 6. {EGM Minutes 28.09.2010 & Outpost, September 2010}.

Nov 19- The 21: British Club Bangkok hosted to the 30 th STC Interport Balut

Competition, attracting 136 players from 12 member clubs across Southeast Asia. The Friday opening ceremony was again led by Danny Pruce, British Deputy Head of Mission at the British Embassy, and a dinner disco was held on the very wet Saturday evening. {Outpost, January 2011}.

Nov: The Club moved the poolside’s power supply from a Metropolitan Electricity Authority-owned Transformer to one that the Club owned, in Silom Soi 18, thus saving 5% in electricity costs. {GC Minutes 19.10.2010}.

Nov 27: 280 Members and their guests attended British Club ‘Fight Night III’. {Outpost, January 2011}

Dec 1: The Club moved to two different systems of ’managing’ section funding: ‘Club Managed Sections’ (Tennis), where the section committee supports the Sports & Recreation Manager in running the section; and ‘Club Sponsored Sections’ (Balut, Bridge, Cricket, Golf, Squash and the Pipe Band) which are run by section committees and the Club act as sponsor. {Outpost, August 2010}.

Simon Causton, the son of a Club Member, became the new Events & Sales Manager. {Outpost, December 2010}.

2011 The British Club Bangkok went live on Twitter [@BritishClubBKK] Jan: (see 2016 & 2018) and Facebook [thebritishclubbkk]. {Outpost, January 2011}.

Jan 18: A new staff structure was introduced, and Khun Somboon Chaiyaprom, Services & Functions Manager, and Khun Wilailuck Srisawad, Executive Chef, report direct to the General Manager. {GC Minutes 18.01.2011}.

Feb 2: The Panyarat High School opened in Silom Soi 18, replacing the Rattana Bundit Graduate School, which had been renamed from the Rattana Bundit University (Silom Campus) a number of years before (see 2002}. {RBAC correspondence, 09.03.2021}.

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Mar 19: BRITSTOCK V was a twelve-hour extravaganza held at the Club - featuring Bangkok bands such as Cannonball, Denny Crane, The Farangutans, Matthew Fischer and Supabad (a nine-piece James Brown Tribute band complete with wigs!) and the show closer, The Mason Ruffner Band. {Outpost, May 2011}.

Unfortunately, it was a financial failure. {GC Minutes 19.04.2011}.

Mar 22: The Annual General Meeting had two constitutional motions: • To offer to the Chieftains/Bards/Presidents of the Loyal Societies a Personal, Guest Membership (see 2005): carried by 64 votes to 6. • To introduce to the Club a minimum F&B spend for all members, except Honorary, Country, and Senior members, of 500 Baht each month: lost by 58 votes to 8. {AGM Minutes 22.03.2011}.

Apr 29: Live coverage is shown throughout the Club of the wedding of H.R.H. Prince William of Wales to Miss Catherine Middleton, becoming the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. {Outpost, April 2011}.

Jun 30: General Manager, Mr Doepping, left the Club at the end of his contract. {Outpost, August 2011}.

The Events & Sales Manager, Simon Causton, and Membership Sales Manager, Suklin Rathabhakdi (“Lin”) resign as well. {Outpost, July 2011}.

Jul: The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration agreed to place direction signs in Soi 18 and on Suriwongse Road. {BMA Letter}

Jul 5: The British Club Bangkok was rebranded as “ the social, sports & cultural centre for the English-speaking community in Bangkok ” (see 2006). {GC Minutes 05.07.2011}.

Jul 14: Mr. Martin Fells was appointed as General Manager. {Outpost, August 2011}.

Aug 16: The Thai Stix, a ball hockey team, officially became an Associated Group of the Club, after playing nearly weekly at the Club since 1998. {GC Minutes 16.08.2011}.

Khun Thanyaphon Worapan (“Prang”) became the new Membership Sales Manager. {Outpost, September 2011}.

Sep 4: Reed Passmore, Sports & Recreation Manager, returned to Australia to run his family’s company and was replaced by Paul Ringer. {Outpost, September 2011}.

Sep 21: The General Manager, Mr. Fells, resigned. Khun Premrudee Tanyaluck became Acting General Manager. {GC Minutes 21.09.2011}.

The number of Annual Members in its first-year hits 99 and the General Committee agree to a conversion table whereby an Annual Member can upgrade to Full Membership in one payment. {GC Minutes 21.09.2011}.

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Oct: The Pisamai Fund (see 1993) was re-launched as the ‘British Club Bangkok Fund for the Education for Staff Children’. {GC Minutes 21.06.2011 & Outpost, October 2011}.

Oct 1: Ms. Ashley Alexandria-Boca was recruited as the Events & Sales Manager. {Outpost, October 2011}.

Oct 31: John Boisclair stood down as Development & Facility Manager. {GC Minutes 21.09.2011}.

Oct - October and November saw severe flooding hit Bangkok: initially Nov: around the outer Khets [districts] and as the weeks rolled on, into the inner suburban Khets. The floods caused havoc to the Club: • members and suppliers were unable to come in (the Club ran out of tonic water and onions at one point) • many Members could not get to work let alone the Club. • many members and others were flooded and unable to leave their Muban. • many staff not only could not get to work but 13 of them had their homes severely flooded.

There were two rays of sunshine however: • in order to ensure that if the flood waters were to reach the Club that the Clubhouse would be sealed secure, the Engineering Supervisor. Khun Songphol Kongjal (“Jack”), decided to sleep at the Club each night for a whole month. • Members were so touched by the loss that some staff members had endured that nearly 100,000 Baht was donated to help out with repairs to their homes. {GC Meeting 15.11.2011 & Outpost, February 2012}.

Oct 21: After nearly a decade, the British Club Bangkok decided to restart the annual Trafalgar Dinner in a more modern format in that ladies were allowed to attend. The first speaker was Commander Jason Reid RN. {Outpost, December 2011}.

Dec 13: The Policy & Procedures documents (see 1994) had been become completely out of date and, in many cases, superseded by constitutional changes. They were thus abolished and anything relevant was added into the By-Laws. {GC Minutes 13.12.2011}.

2012 The General Committee noted that the roof of the Surawong Sala had Jan 10: become unstable, in both tiling and support, and immediate repair was necessary. {GC Minutes 10.01.2012}.

Feb 27: Mr. Joost Paijmans was appointed General Manager. {GC Minutes 10.01.2012}.

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Mar 8: The Annual General Meeting had two constitutional motions: • To put into constitution the policy that Annual Members can convert to Full Membership and not wait until the end of their term: carried nem. com. • To comply with an auditor’s recommendation that a Related Party Transactions report be brought to each AGM: carried nem. com.

Only eight candidates stood for the General Committee and were thus selected. Two other Members were co-opted thereafter . {AGM Minutes 08.03.2012}.

Mar 9: Club Member Jeremy de Sausmarez became the new Events & Marketing Manager upon the resignation of Ashley Alexandria-Boca. {Outpost April 2012}.

Mar 31: HSBC closed down its personal banking in Thailand, thus ending a 109- year relationship with the Club. {GC Minutes 14.03.2012}.

Apr: Scott Lavon, of Veritas Enterprises, became the managing editor of the Outpost magazine. {Outpost, April 2012}.

Apr 17: It is reported to the General Committee that no contractor would undertake the repair of the Surawong Sala roof. A Poolside Works Work Group was set-up to review all the options, including rebuilding from scratch. {GC Minutes 17.04.2012}.

Jun 3: The British Club Bangkok held ‘The Queen's Diamond Jubilee Garden Fête’ with a thousand people attending. H.E. Asif Ahmad, the British Ambassador led the toasts, and the National Anthems were sung by the Bangkok Music Society. {Outpost, July 2012}.

The Club sent a letter of congratulations to H.M. Queen Elizabeth II, and on 27.07.2012 received a letter from Buckingham Palace thanking the Club for its loyal support. The letter is on display in the Churchill Bar.

Jun 11- Two ‘Big Cleaning Days’ were held at the Club whereby an external 12: contractor came in and gave the Club a deep clean of all outlets and facilities, and by the end of the two-day purge five trucks of rubbish had been removed. {GC Minutes 19.06.2012}.

Aug 1: The Swimming Pool, Surawong Sala and Fitness Centre closed. The Sala would be replaced, the Fitness Centre extended, and the Swimming Pool repaired. {GC Minutes 21.08.2012 & Outpost, September 2012}.

Aug: Khun Piyawan Withoorat (“Pook”) became the new Membership Sales Manager. {Outpost, September 2012}.

Aug 30: A new reception desk opened in the Clubhouse (see 2007). {GC Minutes 21.08.2012}.

Oct 22: The General Committee agreed that it needed a dedicated manager on duty each evening, instead of a rota of line managers doing the evening shift. GC Member Michael Taylor was appointed the first Duty Manager. {GC Minutes 20.11.2012 & Outpost, November 2012}.

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Nov 8: Mr. Paijmans resigned as General Manager due to ill health (he had been on sick leave since September) and Mrs Premrudee Tanyaluck is appointed as the Club’s first female and first Thai General Manager. {Urgency GC Minutes 06.11.2012}.

Oct 27- The Cricket Section had it first tour to Phuket, playing against the 28: Phuket Cricket Group. {Outpost, December 2012}. The matches played lead to the subsequent award by the PCG of two trophies: The Oooohhhh Aarrgghhh Cup (donated in 2019) and The Dunford (donated in 2020). {Cricket Section}.

Oct 31: Khun Piyawan Withoorat (“Pook”) decided to leave the post of Membership Sales Manager. {GC Minutes 20.11.2012}.

Nov 11: The General Committee approved the 250 th Reciprocal Club … The prestigious Hurlingham Club in SW London. {GC Minutes 20.11.2012}.

The Club’s General Manager from 1976- 1979, Lt. Col. (Retd) John F. Davis worked there as Financial Controller (see 1979). Research for ‘Past Participle’ articles in the Outpost magazine, prompted a reciprocation request.

The Land Office notified the Club that the annual tax should be 300,000 Baht not the 70,000 Baht paid and was seeking back payment. {GC Minutes 20.11.2012}.

Nov 12: Khun Thanyaphon Worapan (“Prang”) returned as Membership Sales Manager. {GC Minutes 20.11.2012}.

Dec 1: Swimming Pool, Surawong Sala and enlarged Fitness Centre and enhanced Thai kitchen re-opened (see 2021). {GC Minutes 18.12.2012}.

Dec 12: The General Committee agreed for a trial period that a Guest Fee should be paid by a member for the guests to play tennis or squash. {GC Minutes 18.12.2012}.

2013 The Poolside Works Work Group was replaced by the Silom Integrated Jan 15: Scheme Work Group to manage the enhancement or refit of the remainder of the Poolside. {GC Minutes 15.01.2013}.

Feb 19: The Duty Manager role was upgraded to Operations Manager, with Michael Taylor remaining in post. {GC Minutes 19.02.2013}.

Feb 26: Paul Ringer resigned as Sports & Recreation Manager. {GC Minutes 12.03.2013}.

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Mar 19: The Annual General Meeting had five constitutional motions: • To allow temporary membership to be open to all nationalities visiting from abroad: carried by 66 votes to 7. • To restrict guests wishing to play squash or tennis to one time per month and make permanent the Guest Fee: carried by 67 votes to 6. • To introduce a rule on ‘persona non grata’ to “for any act of physical or verbal abuse of staff or a member, a repeated abuse of Club bylaws or making regular use of the club's facilities through different members or multiple memberships of Loyal Societies or Associated Groups when a membership option is open to them ”: carried nem. com. • To implement a dress code: the motion was withdrawn as being “too wishy-washy” and deferred to an EGM. • Finally a motion from two Members to delete that “No Member may serve on the General Committee for more than five terms”: lost by 35 votes to 34. {AGM Minutes 19.03.2013}.

Apr 28: A party was held to celebrate the Club’s 110 th Anniversary.

A letter of Congratulations from H.M. Queen Elizabeth II was read at the Birthday Party by British Ambassador H.E. Mark Kent. The letter is on display in the Churchill Bar. {GC Minutes 23.04.2013 & Outpost, June 2013}.

May 1: Michael Wagstaff was appointed Sports & Recreation Manager. {GC Minutes 23.04.2013}.

May 25: A new Multi-Purpose Court replaced the All- Weather Court and the first day was an open- to-all sports day with ball hockey with Thai Stix (see 1998); then 5-a-side soccer when the Staff Team beat Members 5 goals to 3; finally a 6-a-side cricket match was played that allowed one half the Section to beat the other half 159-104! {GC Minutes 23.04.2013, GC Minutes 19.11.2013 & Outpost, June 2013}.

The lean-to at the back of the Main Kitchen was replaced by a new storage unit. However the new MPC took several re-surfacing before it was okay. {GC Minutes 23.04.2013 & Outpost, June 2013}.

May 19: A new Pétanque Court and seated rest area was opened on the northside of the Front Lawn, adjacent to the Turtle Pond (see 2018 & 2019). {GC Minutes 12.03.2013 & Outpost. June 2013}.

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Jun 25: An Extraordinary General Meeting was called by the General Committee to debate and approve a revised Dress Code. After some debate, the motion passed by 43 votes to 34. {EGM Minutes 25.06.2013}.

Aug: The Club would now play the Thai National Anthem at 8am and 6pm upon the raising and lowering of the Thai Flag. {AGM Minutes 18.03.2014}.

Aug 26: The first full refit of the Main Kitchen in twenty years was completed. {Outpost, September 2013}.

Sep: Although the production of the Outpost magazine remained with Veritas Graphics, the editorship moved in-house to Jeremy de Sausmarez, the Events & Marketing Manager. {Outpost, September 2013}.

Sep 17: A full review of the Reciprocal Club Network had been completed by the Honorary Secretary and a GC Member: 29 clubs had closed but the review gained 69 new Clubs. {GC Minutes 15.09.2013}.

Oct 13: The '1910' Balcony, adjacent to the Suriwongse Room, was restored (see 1979) and offered “afternoon tea”.

All other upstairs rooms were enhanced.

The electrical bay, previously in the storeroom, was relocated to a freestanding shed at the back of the Clubhouse. {GC Minutes 15.10.13 & Outpost, November 2013}.

Oct 15: The General Committee that the imbalance in the Single Nationality Quota from 2010 had been corrected and the Waiting List was open. {GC Minutes 15.10.13}.

Nov 29- The British Club Bangkok hosted the 33 rd STC Interport Balut 30 Competition, as a last-minute replacement when the original host cancelled the event. There were 112 players from 10 member clubs. {GC Minutes 19.11.2013 & Outpost, January 2014}.

2014 An enlarged, double circle Turtle Pond was opened. {GC Minutes Jan 5: 21.01.14}. The Club’s four red-eared slider turtles were joined by three older yellow-headed temple turtles gifted to the Club by the builder.

Jan 31: Michael Taylor left the role of Operations Manager. {GC 21.01.2014}.

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Feb 1: The British Club Bangkok App is released. {Outpost, February 2014 }. It ceased operation in 2015.

Feb 14: Khun Kamon Sributkhote was appointed Duty Manager. {GC 21.01.2014 & Outpost, March 2014}.

Feb 18: The General Committee introduced a By-Law to remind everyone to stand whilst the Thai National Anthem is played during the raising and lowering of flags each day (see 2013). {GC Minutes 18.02.2014}.

Mar 12: The Club opened first floor toilets for both staff and Member use and at the same time a new office suite was opened for Club management and office staff with a separate secure room for the computer server. {GC Minutes 18.02.2014}.

Mar 18: The Annual General Meeting had five constitutional motions: • To ensure that visitors from Reciprocal Clubs were not resident in Thailand: carried by all save one directed proxy vote. • To remove from the Absent Member List any person who has resided in Thailand for three months and not reactivated their Membership: carried nem. com. • To make transition to Senior Membership status automatic and not upon application: carried by 144 votes to 6. • To grant that any members of the club who have been a member for fifty years shall be exempt from the payment of subscriptions: carried nem. com. • To make all members who are terminated from membership regarded as persona non grata: carried by 145 votes to 6.

There was then a short presentation and a long motion introducing the ‘Silom Integrated Scheme’ Design Brief – a development proposal to enhance or replace the Silom Sala, squash courts, children’s pool & play area. The motion was for outline permission which would be followed by an EGM within six months: this was carried nem. com.

There were then two member motions: • To delete that “ No Member may serve on the General Committee for more than five terms ”: This initially lost by 69 votes to 61. However, after the next motion had ended, and some dozen or so Members had left, the Chief Scrutineer announced an error in counting and that it had carried 71 votes to 69. The mood of the meeting was very unwelcoming of this news and the meeting was adjourned. Upon re-starting, and after debate, a special resolution for approval was put to the meeting that the voting was not in error only the declaration: this special resolution was carried 88 votes to 38. This being more than a two-third majority meant the original motion passed.

• That “ all members shall be entitled to request full F&B service in all rooms in the club for themselves and their guests. Where staff is not required exclusively, Members will not be charged for service .” After debate this was lost by 5 votes to 145. {AGM Minutes 18.03.2014 & Outpost, April 2014}.

Mar 31: Michael Wagstaff left the role of Sports & Recreation Manager. {Outpost, April 2014}.

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Apr 2- The Clubhouse was closed for two days for a sponsored company 3: event, and a temporary bar is set up in the Silom Sala. {GC Minutes 19.11.13}.

Apr 11: The Club Wi-Fi was upgraded to a fibre-optic cable network. {GC Minutes 22.04.14}.

Apr 24: The General Committee agree to bestow Honorary Memberships on Members Dr. Paddy Dickson, Roy Fordham, Sam Cohen, and Miss Edith Stewart MBE for their past service to the Club. {GC Minutes 24.04.2014}. A dinner in their honour was held on 25.06.2014. {Outpost, August 2014}.

Jun 17: The General Committee reduced the opening hours of the Churchill Bar and abolished ‘last man standing’ (See 1948). {GC Minutes 17.06.14}.

Aug 19: The Alcove private dining room was separated from The Verandah restaurant and a new Holy Tree/Spirit House enhancement at the rear of the Main Kitchen was competed. {GC Minutes 27.05.14 & Outpost, September 2014}.

Aug 25: An Extraordinary General Meeting was called by the General Committee to: • Increase joining fees by 20%: carried by 77 votes to 13. • Approve the Silom Integrated Scheme with a budget of 24 million Baht paid for entirely by cash surpluses: after along, repetitive debate, the motion was amended: “ The General Committee shall carry out a transparent consultation with all interested Members including non-voting categories to solicit feedback on the concept before commissioning a developed design to be presented to a future EGM within three to six months .” This carried by 50 votes to 38. {EGM Minutes 25.08.2014, Outpost, August 2014 & Outpost, October 2014}.

Aug Khun Amnaj Saklebpradoo, fitness manager, was appointed as Sports 28: Manager. {Outpost, September 2014}.

Mr. Tom Annas, an Honorary Life Member of the Squash Section, passed away just before his 89 th birthday. {Outpost, October 2014}. The annual Squash Handicap competition was renamed in his memory. {Outpost, November 2014}.

Oct: To comply with the 25.08.2014 EGM, a series of Focus Groups were held plus meetings with Sports Sections and a Members’ Questionnaire. {Outpost, October 2014}.

Dec 13: A Disabled Lift was installed at the side of the Clubhouse with access directly into the 1910 Balcony. {GC Minutes 22.09.14}.

2015 The Surawong Gate waterfall was opened. {Outpost, February 2015}. Jan 8:

131 British Club Bangkok Timeline

Jan 11: The General Committee held a final Focus Group meeting. {Outpost, January 2015}.

Feb 23: An Extraordinary General Meeting was called by the General Committee to approve the Silom Integrated Scheme: there were four options, and Members were asked for vote for their preference. Members expressed concern that no single option was recommended to them, and that no proper consultation had occurred. Some Members also objected to the method of voting.

A past Chairman proposed an amendment: “That this motion is adjourned to a date to be fixed after the Annual General Meeting at the discretion of the next General Committee.” : This passed by 61 votes to 22. {EGM Minutes 23.02.2015}.

Mar 17: The General Manager confirmed that the Land Office was seeking payment of 2,849,647.70 Baht in underpaid tax since 2002 (See 2012, 2016 & 2019). {GC Minutes 17.03.15}.

Mar 24: The Pavilion Café was opened between the Tennis Courts and the Suriwongse Road and was open to the public. {GC Minutes 17.03.15 & Outpost, April 2015}.

The Annual General Meeting had only one constitutional motion from the General Committee, to allow Annual Members to renew each year at the rate they joined at. This was carried by 123 votes to 30.

There were 20 candidates for the General Committee election. {AGM Minutes 24.03.2015}.

Mar 28: The Back Lawn Changing Rooms were opened. {GC Minutes 20.01.2015 & Outpost, March 2015}.

Mar 31: The Club ceased to operate the Neilson Hays Library Café. {GC Minutes 17.03.2015}.

Apr 15: A Silom Integrated Scheme Work Group was set up to merge the four existing options and finalise the details of the scheme working from the Design Brief approved by Members at the at the AGM on 18.03.2014, in readiness for an EGM. {GC Minutes 20.04.2015 & Outpost, May 2015}.

A Constitutional Review Work Group was set up. {GC Minutes 20.04.2015, Outpost, May 2015 & Outpost, June 2015}.

May 1: The newly refitted Cricket Nets were opened. {GC Minutes 15.05.2015}.

May 15: A Complaints Review Panel was set up, whereby senior Club Members would be asked to mediate ongoing complaints. {GC Minutes 15.05.2015}.

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Jun 20: To celebrate the 200 th Anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo, a military dinner was arranged with guest speaker Colonel Chris Luckham OBE, the British Military Attaché to Bangkok and five members of the 1st Battalion Coldstream Guards Drum Corps. {Outpost, August 2015}.

Jul 1: Mr. Kasem Mophai was promoted to Outlets Manager. {Outpost, July 2015}.

Jul 15: The Silom Integrated Scheme Work Group wrote to the General Committee that it “ strongly insists on there being an Architect Competition in order to give architectural freedom to the final design ”. This was rejected by the GC as the Design Brief had been agreed by Members at the AGM on 18.03.2014. {GC Minutes 15.07.2015}.

Aug 21: A call for an Extraordinary General Meeting was made by 20 Members to: • Hold an architect’s competition to redesign the Silom Integrated Scheme. • That until a decision is made by the Members on the Silom Integrated Scheme the GC defers further capital expenditure commitments except to deal with emergencies. The date was set as 15.09.2015.

Sep 10: An enlarged and refitted Staff House was opened (see 2017). {GC Minutes 20.06.2015 & Outpost, August 2015}.

Sep 14: The Chairman, Phil Alexander, cancelled the Extraordinary General Meeting called by 20 Members due on the next day. The Honorary Secretary resigned. {GC Minutes 21.09.2015}

Sep 21: Three General Committee members resign, including the Chair of the Silom Integrated Scheme Work Group: as GC Member Edith Stewart MBE had sadly died in the August, this left only five Members on the GC. {GC Minutes 21.09.2015}

Past Chairman David Quine was appointed as Honorary Secretary. {GC Minutes 21.09.2015}

Nov 24: An Extraordinary General Meeting was called by twenty members as a vote of no confidence in the General Committee requesting: • The re-instatement of the rule that “No Member may serve on the General Committee for more than five terms ”: carried by 175 votes to 29. • That limits of Capital Expenditure until the March 2016 AGM be capped at 100,000 Baht for the General Manager and 300,000 Baht for the General Committee: carried by 165 votes to 48. {EGM Minutes 24.11.2015}.

Dec 14: The General Committee enacted a Social Media Policy by-law. {GC Minutes 14.12.2015 & Outpost, January 2016}.

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Dec 16: A past-visitor, Mike Bell, a retired sonar officer on HMAS Onslow, visited the Club to return a plaque “stolen” by the crew during their visit in 1987. {Outpost, January 2016}. The Plaque from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police still adorns the Churchill Bar.

2016 Royal Thai Police raid Pattaya Bridge Club and arrest 32 Feb 4: farangs including several Club Members, and a wheelchair bound 84-year-old lady, for “possessing too many unregistered playing cards”. The President of the Contract Bridge League of Thailand intervened. {Pattaya- one & BBC News}

This prompted the Club to clarify its legal registration under the Playing Cards Act 2486 to play bridge. {GC Minutes 15.02.2016}.

Mar 31: The Annual General Meeting had only statutory business plus the General Committee election with 22 candidates standing: none of the outgoing committee, including those co-opted to it since September 2015, were re-elected. {AGM Minutes 31.03.2016}.

Apr 25: The General Committee decided that the Club would no longer play the Thai National Anthem during the raising and lowering of flags each day (see 2013). {GC Minutes 25.04.2016}.

May 9: There was a handover meeting from the outgoing General Committee to the new. {Outpost, June 2016}.

May 11 The Club ‘closes’ its Twitter account (see 2011 & 2018). {Twitter}

May 15: The Poolside Development Sub-Committee held its first meeting. {PDSC Minutes 16.05.2016}.

Jun 20: A revised bill for backdated Land Tax is presented to the Club (now 2,332,392.50 Baht) (see 2012). The General Committee decided to pay and appeal this (see 2019). {GC Minutes 20.06.2016}.

Jun 30: Khun Kamon Sributkhote left the role of Duty Manager. {Outpost, July 2016}.

Jun 19: The Poolside Development Sub-Committee selected four architects for poolside architect’s competition with a maximum budget of 29.5 million Baht including professional fees. {GC Minutes 20.06.2016 & Outpost, July 2016}.

Jun 24: A Bar Breakfast Party was held to watch the results coming of the United Kingdom European Union membership referendum. {Outpost, June 2016}.

At 1040 (Thai Time) the BBC announced that the United Kingdom had voted to leave the European Union. {BBC News}

Jul 25: The General Committee noted that 10 Sub-Committees had been set up involving some 40 Members of the Club. This included a Constitutional Review Sub-Committee. {GC Minutes 25.07.2016}.

Aug 21: The Poolside Development Sub-Committee held an Open Forum for the Poolside Design. {Outpost, September 2016}.

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Aug: Khun Hattachai Sae-tang (“Aof”) was appointed as Duty Manager. {Outpost, September 2016}.

Sep 10: The Wordsworth Lounge & 1910 Bar was designated as a Sports Bar (see 2017). {GC Minutes 25.07.2016}.

Sep. The General Committee announced Chapman Taylor as the architect for the Architectural Design Development. {Outpost, October 2016}.

Sep 26: The Churchill Bar closed for a refit. {GC 19.09.2016 & Outpost, October 2016}.

Oct 13: Thai Prime Minister, H.E. Prayut Chan-o-cha, announced that H.M. King Bhumibol Adulyadej had died at 3.52 that afternoon. Thailand was placed into a year of mourning. {Bangkok Post, 14.10.2016}. The Club closed quickly after the announcement to allow staff to start the mourning process. The Outpost for November was printed solely in Black & White.

Oct 15: The annual Trafalgar Dinner was one of dozens of events cancelled out of respect for the Late King during the initial 30 days of mourning. {Outpost, November 2016}

Oct 16: The new look Churchill Bar opened complete with a long bar and USB recharging points. {Outpost, December 2016}

Oct 17: The Churchill Bar established an Audit Committee. {GC 17.10.2016}.

Dec 10: The Annual Ball was changed from black tie to a less formal dress code with a buffet offering and was attended by 250 people. {Outpost, January 2017}.

2017 The Wordsworth Lounge (see 1984) & The 1910 Balcony (see 2013) Jan 9: closed for refitting into a sports bar. {GC 21.12.2016}.

Jan 18: The 1910 Sports Bar was opened. {Outpost, February 2017}.

Jan 31: An Extraordinary General Meeting was called by the General Committee to debate the motion that: • Approval is given for the GC to proceed to construct the Silom Wing of the Architectural Design Development prepared by architects Chapman Taylor for redevelopment of the British Club Poolside within a budget of 29 million Baht to be financed from existing funds: carried by 169 votes to 42. {EGM Minutes 31.01.2017}.

Feb 20: The Silom Wing Sub- Committee was replaced the Poolside Development Sub-Committee, with the sole aim of delivering the project as per the EGM mandate. {GC 20.02.2017 & Outpost, April 2017}.

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Feb 28: Jeremy de Sausmarez retired from the role of Events & Marketing Manager. {GC 13.03.2017 & Outpost, April 2017}.

Mar 21: The Annual General Meeting had only two new pieces of business, outside of the statutory business: • The General Committee set out that the ‘13 th Month’ subscription (see 1991) would be absorbed into the monthly subscription: carried overwhelmingly. • A Member’s Motion “ That the current security restriction on Members not being allowed to drive in by using the Suriwongse Road entrance be lifted ”: lost by 68 votes to 29. {AGM Minutes 21.03.2017}.

Apr 1: Mr. Christopher Adams was appointed Deputy General Manager. {Outpost, April 2017 & Outpost, May 2017}.

Apr 24: Chapman Taylor prepared a Clubhouse vision free of charge but with a contingent liability to the Club of 472,000 Baht. {Annual Accounts for & after 2016/2017}.

May 31: The Pavilion Coffee Shop was closed as part of the Silom Wing redevelopment, to become the Staff House. {GC Minutes 24.04.2017 & Outpost, June 2017}.

Jun 1: The Club was now providing lunches to a temporary Café at the Neilson Hays Library (see 2015). {GC Minutes 26.06.2017}.

Jun 3: Mr. Adams resigned from the Club. {GC Minutes 26.06.2017}.

Jul: An Honorary Membership was given to Mike “Spikey” Watkins, a former Welsh rugby union Captain who won four caps for Wales as a hooker. {GC Minutes 26.06.2017 & Outpost, August 2017}.

Aug 1: Ms. Kate Bailey joined the Club as part-time Marketing & Communications Manager. {GC Minutes 24.07.2017 & Outpost, September 2017}.

Aug 10: An Extraordinary General Meeting was called by 20 Members: “ To put the Poolside Development on hold for a period no longer than three months after the EGM has taken place. During these three months, an independent review should be made of the financing of the poolside development, taking into account the emerging financial shortfalls. An assessment should also be made of all additional cash flow and reserve requirements of the Club, outside the Poolside Development, for the next two years ”: lost by 161 votes to 43. {EGM Minutes 10.08.2017}.

Aug 15: A new Staff House, the ex-Pavilion Coffee Shop, opened. {GC Minutes 21.08.2017 & Outpost, September 2017}.

Sep 1: Mr. Matt Carley was appointed Deputy General Manager. {GC Minutes 21.08.2017 & Outpost, October 2017}.

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Sep 18: The Silom Sala, Children's pool & playground, the Pétanque court and squash courts 2 & 3 were closed for redevelopment as the Silom Wing. A temporary family area with covered seating, children’s play equipment and a paddling pool was put on the front lawn. The Massage Room moved into the Drivers’ Room. {GC Minutes 25.09.2017, Outpost, October 2017 & Outpost, November 2017}.

Sep 29: A Value Engineering Workshop was held to review structural elements and components of the Silom Wing project that were believed to be over designed and could be reduced while still retaining the architectural integrity and quality of the development. {GC Minutes 25.09.2017}.

Oct: The Outpost magazine moved publishing house to The Big Chilli Company but retained Jeremy de Sausmarez as editor. {GC Minutes 21.08.2017 & Outpost, October 2017}.

Oct 25: An Honorary Membership was given to Mrs. Ploypailin Jensen, daughter of Princess Ubol Ratana Rajakanya. {GC Minutes 25.10.2017}.

Oct 26: The Club was closed on this day for the Funeral of His Late Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej.

Nov 20: The British Club Bangkok adopts new logo, new font, and new colour scheme. {GC Minutes 20.11.2017}.

Nov: Khun Nawat Nuchjaroen (“Jack”) was appointed as Duty Manager. {GC Minutes 20.11.2017 & Outpost, January 2017}.

Nov Mr. Carley resigned from the Club for pastures new and up north. {GC 20: Minutes 20.11.2017 & Outpost, December 2017}.

Dec 26: Mr. Tee Bale was appointed Deputy General Manager. {GC Minutes 18.12.2017 & Outpost, January 2017}.

2018 A landmark day for the Silom Feb 6: Wing when 26 truckloads of concrete were poured in one day to lay the slab for the Wing. {Outpost, March 2018}.

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Feb 19: An Extraordinary General Meeting was called by the General Committee to debate motions put forward by the Constitutional Review Sub-Committee. As there were 55 changes, a Special Ballot Paper was issued to all attendees and proxies: • 34 non-policy formatting redrafts of the Constitution taken as one vote: carried by 111 votes to 5. • 21 policy changes including: o Removing the need to be resident in Thailand [first of two votes needed]: carried by 101 votes to 16. o Abolishing the Non-Voting (12-month instalment) Membership. [first of two votes needed]: carried by 111 votes to 5. o Constitutionalising the Club Officers and General Manager carried by 112 votes to 4. o Reducing the Associate Nationality Quota to 42%: carried by 108 votes to 7. o Raising the age for Senior Membership to 65: carried by 100 votes to 16. o Removing the extra discount for Children of long-term members and the ability to jump the waiting list: carried by 101 votes to 14. o Extending Temporary Membership to visiting teams: carried by 107 votes to 8. o Removing the Guest Membership for senior post-holders of The Loyal Societies: carried by 106 votes to 11. {EGM Minutes 20.02.2018}.

Feb 20: The General Committee received the conclusion of a full I.T. audit – all obsolete computers had been replaced and all software being used was up to date and fully licenced. {GC Minutes 20.02.2018}.

Feb 24: The service of providing lunches to a temporary Café at the Neilson Hays Library ceased as their restoration work gained pace. {GC Minutes 20.02.2018}.

Mar 20: An Extraordinary General Meeting was called ahead of the AGM to give the ‘second reading’ to two of the constitutional changes: • Removing the need to be resident in Thailand [second of two votes needed]: carried by 89 votes to 5. • Abolishing the Non-Voting (12-month instalment) Membership. [second of two votes needed]: carried by 88 votes to 5. {EGM Minutes 20.03.2018}.

The Annual General Meeting had two Constitutional changes put forward by the General Committee: • Introduction of a clear and transparent GC Election Procedure: carried 85 votes to zero. • That Annual Membership may be converted to Full Membership at any time during a term by payment of the appropriate fee, on application to the General Manager: carried by 87 votes to zero. {AGM Minutes 20.03.2018 & Outpost, April 2018}.

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Apr 20: The Clubhouse was repainted and ‘restored’ to its dual colour scheme lasts seen in the sixties. {GC Minutes 20.02.2018 & Outpost, May 2018}.

Apr 24: Mr. Michael Herrera was appointed as Marketing & Communications Manager. {GC Minutes 19.03.2018 & Outpost, June 2018}.

The General Committee went almost paperless with all key reports and minutes available via Common Database. {GC Minutes 24.04.2018}.

A Poolside Development Sub-Committee was established to deal with the final few months of the Silom Wing redevelopment and plan for the future “Phase 2” redevelopment of the remainder of the poolside. {GC Minutes 24.04.2018}.

May 1: The Beer Barrel tables and chairs from the now closed Molly Malone pub in Convent Road were purchased and placed into the Churchill Bar. {GC Minutes 24.04.2018}.

May 8: The Ministry of the Interior rejected ‘overseas membership’ thus the rule change was retracted to state that Members must be ‘resident in Thailand’ (see 2019). {GC Minutes 21.05.2018}.

May 19: The British Club Bangkok held a Royal Wedding Garden Party to celebrate the wedding of H.R.H. Prince Harry of Wales to Miss Meghan Markle, becoming the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. {Outpost, June 2018}.

May 31: Khun Kasem Modphai retired from the role of Outlets Manager and is replaced in July by Khun Phuthana Moudchaiyabhume (“Tai”), who sadly resigned after a few weeks. {Outpost, May 2018}.

Jun 1: Khun Kotchaphan Promputchara ("Katie") became Senior Sales Manager within the Club. {Outpost, August 2018}.

Jun 3: The Club opens a new Twitter account to promote Living In Bangkok (see 2011 & 2016). {Twitter}

Jun 18 The General Committee noted that a Non-Completion letter had been raised against the builders of the Silom Wing. {GC Minutes 18.06.2018}.

Jul: The production of the Outpost magazine moved back in-house, and Jeremy de Sausmarez remained as editor. {GC Minutes 18.06.2018 & Outpost, Jul 2018}.

Jul 4: The Club restarted the running of the Nielson Hays Library Garden Café (see 2015). {GC Minutes 18.06.2018 & Outpost, August 2018}.

Aug: Mr. Herrera, Marketing & Communications Manager, resigned from the Club. {Outpost, October 2018}.

139 British Club Bangkok Timeline

Aug 20: New By-Laws are enacted adopting the dress code, the disciplinary procedure, and a new method of managing and funding Club Sections . {GC Minutes 23.07.2018}.

Sep: Club Member Chris Watt took over as editor of the Outpost Magazine. {Outpost, September 2018}.

Sep: Khun Sasalak Sornnarai ("Diary") became a Sales Manager under Khun Kotchaphan Promputchara ("Katie”) as Khun Thanyaphon Worapan ("Prang") left for pastures new. {GC Minutes 18.06.2018 & Outpost, August 2018}.

Sep: Khun Nawat Nuchjaroen (“Jack”) resigned as Duty Manager. {GC Minutes 19.11.2018 & Outpost, October 2018}.

Sep 14: The Club ‘closes’ its new Twitter account (see 2011 & 2016). {Twitter}

Sep 29: The 20 th annual LIVING IN BANGKOK event moves from its original home at Bumrungrad Hospital to its new home at the Club. 80 vendors and over 2.000 people attend the first event which was primarily set on the back lawn. {GC Minutes 19.03.2018 & Outpost, November 2018}.

Oct 3: Regular Balut players started the Wednesday ‘weekly games night’ following a lack of regular Balut playing for three years. {Balut Section}.

Oct: The Chairman’s Board was replaced by smaller, easily amendable framed charts (see 1965, 1985 and 2001). All Officers and Loyal Societies would be redone in due course. {GC Minutes 18.06.2018 & Outpost, November 2018}.

Oct 24: The British Club Bangkok signed up its 400 th reciprocal club, the MGM Club, Delhi, India. {GC Minutes 24.10.2018 & Outpost, January 2019}.

Oct 27: The Silom Wing was formally opened by H.E. Brian Davidson, the British Ambassador, with Jack Dunford MBE, Club Chairman. Hundreds of Members attended during the day to view the various facilities that were available and those soon to be opened. {GC Minutes 24.10.2018 & Outpost, December 2018}.

Nov 1: Khun Nattawath Lohsrisupachai (“Wat”) was appointed as Duty Manager. {GC Minutes 24.10.2018 & Outpost, December 2018}.

140 British Club Bangkok Timeline

Nov 11: The Centenary of the end of World War I was marked at the British War Memorial at the British Embassy. This was the last service before it took its new home of the British Club Bangkok in July 2019. {British War Memorial History}.

2019 The Poolside Development Jan: Sub-Committee outlined Chapman Taylor’s plan for the Poolside Development Phase 2 in the Outpost Magazine. {Outpost, January 2019}.

Jan 1: The British Club Registered Provident Fund came into being and replaced the Staff Retirement Fund, which will be wound down as existing staff retired. {GC Minutes 19.11.2018}.

Jan 21: An Honorary Membership was given to Vernon Unsworth MBE, a member of the Tham Luang Cave boys rescue team. Mr. Unsworth was in July 2019 was awarded by H.M. King Vajiralongkorn the honour of the Most Admirable Order of the Direkgunabhorn (second class), his wife, Khun Woranan Ratrawiphukkun had previously received the Gold Medal of the Direkgunabhorn. {GC Minutes 21.01.2019 & the Queen’s Gallantry Medal website}.

Feb 1: Khun Bhudhist Kongrattakul (“Aof”) re-joined the Club as Duty Manager. {Outpost, February 2019}.

Feb: An Honorary Membership was given to Bob Barber, a former Lancashire, Warwickshire, and England cricketer. {GC Minutes 19.02.2019 & Outpost, March 2019}.

Mar: Mr. Florian Champion joined the Club as Marketing & Communications Manager but resigned within six weeks. {GC 19.03.2019, Outpost, May 2019 & GC Minutes 07.05.2019}.

Mar 19: The Annual General Meeting had two motions from the GC, three motions put forward by Members and a lot of discussion on the Silom Wing: • The GC proposed to allow Annual Members to stand for the GC upon conversion to Full Membership: carried overwhelmingly. • The GC proposed that Annual Membership may be renewed for less than a year if the Member had had exit date for leaving Thailand: carried overwhelmingly. • The first Member’s Motion instructed the GC that at least 30 days prior to an EGM to authorise Phase 2 to publish a list of required information: lost by 67 votes to 47. The Chairman noted that this was the first time in memory that a motion had won on the floor but lost by proxies. • The second Member’s Motion was to “restore the teak name boards in the main Clubhouse”: lost by 57 to 52, again on proxies. • The third Member’s Motion was to have all GC and Sub- Committee minutes put in the secure section of the Club’s website: lost by 68 to 40. {AGM Minutes 19.03.2019 & Outpost, April 2019}.

141 British Club Bangkok Timeline

Apr 1: The new Silom Gatehouse with Security Office & Club Reception was opened. {GC Minutes 19.02.2019 & Outpost, May 2019}.

Apr: Khun Aphinya Toonim ("Ammy") became the Membership Sales Manager. {Outpost, May 2019}.

May 1: The Reception moved from the Silom Gatehouse back to Clubhouse. {GC Minutes 19.05.2019 & Outpost, May 2019}.

The Poolside BBQ & Pizza Kitchen was opened. {GC Minutes 21.01.2019 & Outpost, May 2019}.

May 4- Thailand celebrated the coronation of H.M. King Vajiralongkorn. {BBC 6: News, each date}.

May 7: The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration repaid 517,255 Baht on appeal of the Land Tax (see 2015). {GC Minutes 07.05.2019}.

May 24: Works start on the Front Lawn Development project involving the relocation of British War Memorial, drainage and sprinklers for the lawn, re- turfing, new trees and shrubs, a new Turtle Pond, new boundary hedges and new clubhouse lighting, supported by the British Ambassador, H.E. Brian Davidson and financed in part by the UK Foreign & Commonwealth Office. {GC Minutes 19.05.2019 & Outpost, May 2019}.

May 25: Honorary Member Vernon Unsworth MBE gave a talk on the Tham Luang Cave boys rescue. {Outpost, July 2019}.

Jul 1: Works started on the Poolside Deck; the Fire Pump (see 1995) was moved to the back of the Silom Gatehouse. {GC Minutes 24.06.2019}.

Jul 9: The British War Memorial delivered from the British Embassy to the Club (rebuild complete on 02.08.2019). {Outpost, August 2019}.

Aug 25: The new Pool Deck opened. {GC minutes 19.08.2019}.

Aug 29: The British War Memorial was unveiling by Admiral Anthony Radakin CB ADC, the First Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Staff, accompanied by the British Ambassador, H.E. Brian Davidson and Colonel Roger Lewis, the British Defence Attaché, and Club Chairman. Jack Dunford MBE. {GC minutes 19.08.2019 & Outpost, November 2019}.

A plaque commemorating this event is on display in the Churchill Bar. The Honorary Secretary researched all 25 men listed on the memorial and a booklet “Lest We Forget” containing their min-biography is available from the Club. {Outpost, November 2019}.

142 British Club Bangkok Timeline

Sep 24: The British-Thai F1 driver, Alexander Albon Ansusinha, was headlined by the Thai Prime Minister, H.E. Prayuth Chan-ocha for people to support him so the General Committee agreed to offer to him an Honorary Membership. {GC minutes 24.09.2019}. This was declined by his mother.

Sep 28: A Members’ Forum was held in the Suriwongse Room for Members and spouses to be briefed on the forthcoming Phase 2 Poolside Development. {Forum Notes, 28.09.2019}.

Oct 5: The British Club Bangkok hosted the 21 st annual LIVING IN BANGKOK event but torrential rain causes numbers to drop to around 1,200. {Outpost, October 2019.

Oct 24: The General Committee gave permission for the use the Tennis Courts and Surawong Sala for film shoot of ‘The Serpent’. {GC minutes 19.08.2019}.

Nov 7: An Extraordinary General Meeting was called by 37 Members that: • “Prior to any further progress and/or action on the Phase 2 Poolside Development, the GC to be mandated to seek at least 3 designs and costed tenders for the Phase 2 development to be within a 20-25 Million Baht range. These tenders to then be presented and discussed at a Members’ Forum for the GC’s consideration and the Members’ subsequent approval at an EGM. This Motion will supersede all previous General Meeting approvals regarding the Poolside Redevelopment ”: lost by 155 votes to 60. {EGM Minutes 07.11.2019 & Outpost, January 2020}.

Nov 10: First Remembrance Service at the Club led by Reverend Norman Jones, Vicar of Christ Church, with the British Ambassador, H.E. Brian Davidson and twenty other Ambassadors in attendance. {Outpost, December 2019}.

Nov 14: There was an urgency meeting of the General Committee to discuss the ongoing defects of the Silom Wing, concern that Phase 2 would affect the swimming pool and to finalise details of Phase 2 in readiness for a possible EGM. {Urgency GC Minutes 14.11.2019}.

Nov 19: The Terms of Reference for the Phase 2 Development Sub-Committee were agreed. {GC Minutes 19.11.2019}.

A new By-Law regarding Membership data was put in place to ensure the Club complied with the Personal Data Protection Act BE 2562. {GC Minutes 19.11.2019}.

143 British Club Bangkok Timeline

Nov 28: An Extraordinary General Meeting voted 100 to one, to expel Club Member Dr. Richard Munisamy from the Club for repeated and continuing acts of threatening and offensive behaviour towards the Club’s Chairman, Officers, General Committee and other Members, guests, and staff. {EGM Minutes 28.11.2019}. This was the first expulsion from the Club since 1954.

Nov 30: The Poolside BBQ & Pizza Kitchen closed temporarily as urgent works were needed to reinforce the Pump Room directly below the unit. {GC Minutes 20.01.2020}.

The British Club Bangkok membership passed the 1,200 mark for the first time. {GC Minutes 16.12.2019}.

Dec 1: The first case of Covid-19 was reported in Wuhan, Hubei, China. {BBC News, 02.12.2019}.

Dec 16: The Ministry of the Interior reversed their 2018 decision and accepted overseas membership, rules amended as per MOI wording. {GC Minutes 16.12.2019}.

Dec 18: The first of two Extraordinary General Meeting required was called by 20 Members to amend Article 5 of the Constitution to ensure Members pass a Special Resolution before the Club can use the Land Chanotes as security for borrowing: carried 73 votes to eight. {EGM Minutes 18.12.2019}.

2020 The Club's new Comanche accounting system back-office module went Jan 1: live. {GC Minutes 20.01.2020 & Outpost, August 2020}.

Jan 13: The first cases of Covid-19 were detected in Thailand. {Bangkok Post, 14.01.2020}.

Jan 14: An Extraordinary General Meeting was called by 37 Members that: • “This meeting approves the construction of Phase 2 of the Architectural Design Development prepared by architects Chapman Taylor for redevelopment of the British Club Poolside within a budget of 48.0 million Baht to be financed from existing Club funds and 30 million Baht from the Member Loan Scheme. No demolition or construction commitments shall be made until the full 30 million baht from the Member Loan Scheme has been deposited in the Club’s bank account ”: carried by 157 votes to 49. {EGM Minutes 14.01.2020 & Outpost, February 2020}.

Jan 30: The second of two Extraordinary General Meeting required was called by 20 Members to amend Article 5 of the Constitution to ensure Members pass a Special Resolution before the Club can use the Land Chanotes as security for borrowing: carried 68 votes to six. {EGM Minutes 30.01.2020}.

144 British Club Bangkok Timeline

Feb 17: The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration started an unannounced resurfacing of Silom Soi 18: the Suriwongse Gate was temporarily re- opened. {GC Minutes 24.02.2020 & Outpost, March 2020}.

Feb 18: The Member Loan Scheme (EGM 14.01.2020) was now fully subscribed at 30 million Baht and banked. {GC Minutes 24.02.2020}.

Mar 13: There was an urgency meeting of the General Committee to discuss the effect of Covid-19 and formulate policies on temperature checking and a ‘Declaration of Travel & Wellness’. {Urgency GC Minutes 13.03.2020}.

The Reciprocal Club Network was suspended. {Urgency GC Minutes 13.03.2020 & GC Minutes 19.03.2020}.

Mar 15: The Club was restricted to Members Only – no guests or Associated Groups. Covid Era By-Laws are enacted to manage entry and operations in the Club. {Urgency GC Minutes 13.03.2020}.

Mar 18: The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration closed all bars and entertainment places in Bangkok due to Covid-19 . {BMA letter, 18.03.2020} .

Mar The Ministry of the Interior advised the Club to temporarily close; the 22: AGM due on 24.03.2020 was postponed until the Club re-opened and the current General Committee would remain in Office until then. {MOI letter, 22.03.2020}.

There was an urgency meeting of the General Committee to discuss the Club closure: • Staff who wished to take leave to visit their family will be granted such wherever possible. • All other Staff would work on an 8am to 5pm single shift rota to maintain cover each day, with some days taken as leave as required. • The Club would operate a reception telephone service for Members during these hours, accounting staff would work to undertake invoicing, payments and Comanche implementation, security would become in-house, gardeners and cleaners will work to help deep clean the Club. All other staff would be given other duties to perform. • A Take-away/Delivery service would be launched. • Subscriptions would continue to be charged. {Urgency GC Minutes 22.03.2020}.

Mar 24: The British Club Bangkok Home Delivery Service started, with staff providing service. {Outpost, August 2020}.

145 British Club Bangkok Timeline

Mar 25: The proposed start of the hoardings then demolition works for the Poolside Development Phase 2 was postponed. {AGM Minutes 25.06.2019}.

There was an urgency meeting by Zoom of the General Committee to monitor the Club closure and Worst-Case Scenario finances requested. GC meetings to continue monthly by Zoom {Urgency GC Minutes 25.03.2020}.

Apr: The last edition of Outpost magazine until August was published, Chris Watt stood down as editor. {Outpost, April 2020}.

Apr Bangkok Metropolitan Administration banned the wholesale and sale 10: of alcohol. {Bangkok Post, 11.04.2020}.

Apr 11: The new Pool Deck gained a temporary canvass cover (part of Phase 2 alternate facilities). {GC Minutes 24.02.2020}.

May The Ministry of the Interior allowed the Club to partially open: 3: Surawong Sala; Silom Wing, Pool Deck & Tennis Courts only; Alcohol was now allowed for sale to 'take-home'. {MOI letter, 03.05.2020}.

May 8: The Club opened Clubhouse outlets noon to 2pm, 6pm to 8pm. The Club ceased the contract with Neilson Hays Library Café. {GC Minutes 14.05.2020}.

The British Defence Attaché, Colonel Roger Jones, the Assistant Defence Attaché, Flight Sergeant Clare Mckune RAF, the Club Chairman, Jack Dunford MBE and the Honorary Secretary, Paul Cheesman laid wreaths at the British War Memorial for VE75. Facemasks were removed for the taking of the picture. {GC Minutes 14.05.2020}.

May 17: The Ministry of the Interior allowed the Club to open Squash, Swimming and Cricket under strict condition. {MOI letter, 17.05.2020}.

May 18: The Club passed a Covid Regulations inspection by Khun Phakkaphon Sanguansak, Director of Khet Bangrak, Khun Passara Nateetong, Assistant Director of Khet Bangrak, the Bangrak Police and members of the Royal Thai Army. {Khet Certificate}.

May 20: Temporary Fitness 2 (Weights) Room opened in Interactive Room (part of Phase 2 alternate facilities). {MOI letter, 20.05.2020}.

146 British Club Bangkok Timeline

Jun 15: By-Laws came into effect banning all sports coaching, other than with ‘Club authorised coaches’, in the Club unlawful. {GC Minutes 14.05.2020}.

The serving of alcohol was now allowed so the Churchill Bar re-opened. {BMA letter, 15.06.2020}.

The ‘Splash’ Café was opened inside the old Fitness Centre to utilise the space until Phase 2 started and give poolside an air-conditioned and weatherproof outlet. {GC Minutes 14.05.2020}.

Jun 25: The postponed Annual General Meeting was held under a marquee on the back lawn with Covid social distancing. There was no non-statutory business, however, under statutory business the fee for going onto the Absent List was increased from 4,000 Baht to 6,000 Baht. {AGM Minutes 25.06.2020}.

Jul 1: The new Point Of Sale system with tablets for ordering was now operational. New white Membership Cards were issued to Members to activate the POS. {GC Minutes 20.07.2020}.

Jul 3: Temporary Fitness 1 (Cardio) Room opened in the Games Room (part of Phase 2 alternate facilities) and the Family Room was rebranded as “Kids Stop” complete with London bus. {GC Minutes 14.05.2020 & Outpost, August 2020}.

Jul 30: The General Committee re-started New Member Nights for the purpose of interviewing applicants (see 1997). {Outpost, September 2020}.

Aug: The Outpost magazine resumed but now being published by Scand- Medi with the Deputy General Manager as the de facto editor. {GC Minutes 20.07.2020 & Outpost, August 2020}.

Aug 4: The position of Club Historian was created to research the pre-WWII General Committee names and create a digital Timeline of the Club (see 2021). {GC Minutes 17.08.2020 & Outpost, September 2020}.

Sep: The Outpost magazine production came in-house with the Deputy General Manager as the de facto editor. {GC Minutes 19.10.2020}.

Oct 19: The Reciprocal Club Network was re-opened. {GC Minutes 19.10.2020}.

Oct 29: Khun Premrudee Tanyaluck became the Club’s longest serving General Manager (see 1976).

Nov 8: The second Remembrance Service was held at the Club led by Reverend Andy Smith, Vicar of Christ Church, with the British Ambassador, H.E. Brian Davidson and forty other Ambassadors in attendance. {Outpost, December 2020}.

147 British Club Bangkok Timeline

Dec: For the first time in its more than 30-year history, the British Club Bangkok Tennis Section won the Men’s Interclub Doubles Tournament Trophy. {Outpost, January 2021}.

Dec 21: A new set of Membership cards, in black, were reported ready for roll- out to replace the white cards issued in July 2020. {GC Minutes 21.12.2020}.

Dec 25: A second Major Covid inspection was held by Khet Bangrak prompted by the sudden surge in Samut Sakhon local infections. {Khet Certificate}.

Dec 31: The Club became ‘no guests’ again for the foreseeable future due to spike in Covid cases . {GC Flying Minute 30.12.2020 & Outpost, February 2021}.

2021 The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration stopped all outlets, including Jan 2: the Club, selling alcohol. {Bangkok Post, 03.01.2021}.

Jan 5: The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration ordered all restaurants to close at 9pm. {Bangkok Post, 06.01.2021}. Only The Verandah and Poolside outlets remain open.

Jan 6: The work on the Architectural Design Development Phase 2 was started after a ten-month delay caused by the Covid-19 outbreak (see 25 th March 2020). {Outpost, February 2021}

Feb 2: The Clubhouse Snooker Room was revamped. {GC Minutes 25.01.2021 & Outpost, March 2021}.

Feb 23: The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration allowed alcohol sales to resume. {Bangkok Post, 24.02.2021}. The Churchill Bar is re-opened but must cease the sale of alcohol at 11pm. {GC Minutes 22.03.2021}.

Mar 1: Home Delivery Service was ended to help ease pressure on the kitchen and allow staff members to return to their normal roles. {GC Minutes 22.03.2021}.

Mar 19: Final pile was driven in for Architectural Design Development Phase 2. {GC Minutes 22.03.2021}.

148 British Club Bangkok Timeline

Mar 23: The Annual General Meeting concluded in less than an hour with no non-statutory business and an uncontested election of ten Members to the General Committee. Chairman, Jack Dunford MBE, stood down after the constitutional maximum term of five years, all as Chairman, and thanked a number of Members for their service in that time. {AGM Minutes 23.03.2021}.

Mar 25: The Club passes the third Major Covid inspection held by Khet Bangrak. {GM Report, 26.03.2021}.

Mar 31: The position of Club Historian was merged into the role of Honorary Secretary (see 2020). {GC On-Site Meeting notes 31.03.2021}.

Apr 2: The first cut of this digital Timeline of the Club was distributed to Members. {Outpost, May 2021}.

Apr 8: The Club became ‘no guests’ again for the foreseeable future due to spike in Covid cases in Bangkok Entertainment zones. {DGM Email 07.04.2021}.

Apr 10: The Chairman, James Crossley-Smith, on behalf of the General Committee, the staff, and the Members, sent a letter of condolence to H.M. Queen Elizabeth II, upon the death of her husband, H.R.H. The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.

Apr 18: The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration stopped all outlets, including the Club, selling alcohol. {Bangkok Post, 18.04.2021}. The Club closes The Verandah and moves dining into the Churchill Bar. {Management email, 17.04.2021}. Apr 23: The Verandah is closed ahead of 1.8 million Baht refurbishment. {GC Minutes 19.04.2021}

Apr 26: The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration stopped all sports activities within the Club, and only the Silom Wing and the Churchill Bar restaurant remain open. The Home Delivery Service restarted. {Bangkok Post, 25.04.2021}.

Apr 27: A Club Member informed the Club that he and his spouse had Covid. The BMA closed the Club for a deep clean and disinfection until 30 th May. The Home Delivery Service was suspended. {Email to Members, 28.04.2021}. The member and spouse fully recovered.

May 1: The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration stopped all ‘dine-in’ F&B but allowed limited all sports activities within the Club. The Home Delivery Service restarted. {Bangkok Post, 01.05.2021}.

May 15: At 0900 BST (1500 Thai Time), Colonel Tony Stern, British Defence Attaché, and Paul Cheesman, Honorary Secretary, lay the Royal British Legion centenary wreath at the British War Memorial. Covid masks were removed just prior to the ceremony. {Outpost, June 2021}.

Similar wreaths were laid at War Memorials around the world at this time to celebrate then founding of the Royal British Legion at that time in 1921.

149 British Club Bangkok Timeline

May 17: The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration allowed social spaced ‘dine- in’ F&B (seeking 25% occupancy) and continued to allow limited sports activities within the Club. {Bangkok Post, 17.05.2021}.

Jun 21: The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration allowed social spaced ‘dine- in’ F&B to increase to 50% occupancy, extended opening hours to 11pm, allowed the swimming pools to re-open to 9pm and continued to allow outdoor sports activities within the Club to 10pm. {BMA Letter, 20.06.2021}.

Jun 28: Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, in line with Section 9 of the Emergency Decree on Public Administration in Emergency Situation BE 2548, closed all ‘dine-in’ F&B in Bangkok. {The Nation, 27.06.2021}.

150 British Club Bangkok Timeline

Chairmen 1903 to 1988

1903-1904 Not Known 1946-1947 Brig. V. H. Jacques CBE 1904-1905 Not Known DSO MC & Bar 1905-1906 Not Known 1947-1948 Charles S.I. Mabbatt 1906-1907 Not Known 1948-1949 Charles S.I. Mabbatt 1907-1908 Not Known 1949-1950 Charles S.I. Mabbatt 1908-1909 Not Known 1950-1951 Peter B. Kirrage 1909-1910 Not Known 1951-1952 & R. Hugh Hickling 1910-1911 Not Known 1952-1953 Charles S.I. Mabbatt 1911-1912 Christian F. Hare 1953-1954 Charles S.I. Mabbatt 1912-1913 W.E. Adam 1954-1955 Peter B. Kirrage 1913-1914 John Bailey 1955-1956 Charles S.I. Mabbatt CBE 1914-1915 John Bailey 1956-1957 Charles S.I. Mabbatt CBE 1915-1916 Not Known 1957-1958 Charles S.I. Mabbatt CBE 1916-1917 Not Known 1958-1959 Charles S.I. Mabbatt CBE 1917-1918 Not Known 1959-1960 Charles S.I. Mabbatt CBE 1918-1919 Not Known 1960-1961 Charles S.I. Mabbatt CBE 1919-1920 William Nunn 1961-1962 John H.W. Marshall 1920-1921 Christian F. Hare 1962-1963 John H. Donofield 1921-1922 H. Gore Browne 1963-1964 John H. Donofield 1922-1923 J.M. Lindsay 1964-1965 Mowbray Mackie 1923-1924 Leonard 1965-1966 Jack Delacour Brewitt-Taylor 1966-1967 Jack Delacour 1924-1925 E.J. Walton 1967-1968 Godfrey A. Sommerfield 1925-1926 Leonard 1968-1969 Cmdr. John D. Sayer RN Brewitt-Taylor 1969-1970 Godfrey A. Sommerfield 1926-1927 Marston F. Buszard 1970-1971 Godfrey A. Sommerfield 1927-1928 Richard D. Craig 1971-1972 Godfrey A. Sommerfield 1928-1929 Marston F. Buszard 1972-1973 Lt Col Hugh Docherty OBE 1929-1930 Hubert C. Aspinall 1973-1974 Lt Col Hugh Docherty OBE 1930-1931 Marston F. Buszard 1974-1975 Lt Col Hugh Docherty OBE 1931-1932 F. Campbell 1975-1976 Lt Col Hugh Docherty OBE 1932-1933 Marston F. Buszard 1976-1977 Nigel F. Overy 1933-1934 James Cairncross 1977-1978 Nigel F. Overy 1934-1935 John Bailey 1978-1979 A. Peter Adcock 1935-1936 John Bailey 1979-1980 Tom L. Barratt 1936-1937 John Bailey 1980-1981 Charles Stewart 1937-1938 Ken H. Simpson 1981-1982 Charles Stewart 1938-1939 William G. Streatfeild 1982-1983 J. Scott Younger 1939-1940 William G. Streatfeild 1983-1984 John Williams & A.J. Williams & Roy Barratt 1940-1941 William G. Streatfeild 1984-1985 Roy Barratt 1941 William G. Streatfeild 1985-1986 Arthur J. Phillips 1941-1945 Japanese Occupation 1986-1987 Jack Dunford 1945-1946 YMCA/HQBT 1987-1988 Jack Dunford

151 British Club Bangkok Timeline

Chairmen 1988 onward

1988-1989 Brian W. Heath 1989-1990 Brian W. Heath 1990-1991 Brian W. Heath 1991-1992 Bryan J. Baldwin 1992-1993 Bryan J. Baldwin 1993-1994 Nigel I. Oakins 1994-1995 Nigel I. Oakins 1995-1996 Dugal T.M. Forrest 1996-1997 Dugal T.M. Forrest 1997-1998 Dugal T.M. Forrest 1998-1999 James A. Young 1999-2000 James A. Young 2000-2001 James A. Young 2001-2002 James A. Young 2002-2003 Bob Marchant 2003-2004 David C. Quine 2004-2005 David C. Quine 2005-2006 Angela J. Daniel 2006-2007 Angela J. Daniel 2007-2008 Dr. Stuart D. Blackwell 2008-2009 Dr. Andrew Roberts 2009-2010 Jonathan B. Truslow 2010-2011 Jonathan B. Truslow 2011-2012 Jonathan B. Truslow 2012-2013 Phil Alexander 2013-2014 Phil Alexander 2014-2015 Phil Alexander 2015-2016 Phil Alexander 2016-2017 Jack Dunford MBE 2017-2018 Jack Dunford MBE 2018-2019 Jack Dunford MBE 2019-2020 Jack Dunford MBE 2020-2021 Jack Dunford MBE 2021-2022 James Crossley-Smith

152 British Club Bangkok Timeline

Honorary Secretaries 1903 to 2008

1903-1904 Hon. Robert Abercromby 1946-1947 John H. Donofield Forbes-Sempill 1947-1948 Charles S.I. Mabbatt 1904-1905 Hon. Robert Abercromby 1948-1949 Charles S.I. Mabbatt Forbes-Sempill 1949-1950 A.J. Thorogood 1905-1906 K.C. Ferguson 1950-1951 H. G. Bowyer 1906-1907 R. Clifford Gosnell & P.F. Hutton 1907-1908 C.A. Seymour Sewell 1951-1952 N. Carrington 1908-1909 Samuel Brighouse 1952-1953 William Brownsey 1909-1910 Christian F. Hare 1953-1954 Richard B.A. Cantopher 1910-1911 Christian F. Hare 1954-1955 William Brownsey 1911-1912 Christian F. Hare 1955-1956 William Brownsey 1912-1913 D. Ross 1956-1957 William Brownsey 1913-1914 John Bailey 1957-1958 John B. Allen 1914-1915 Alexander F. N. 1958-1959 William Brownsey Thavenot 1959-1960 William Brownsey 1915-1916 Henry Fitzmaurice 1960-1961 M.P. Langley 1916-1917 George H. Ardron 1961-1962 Anthony R. Forrester 1917-1918 James W. Haffenden 1962-1963 D.R. Davies 1918-1919 James W. Haffenden & Don S. Johnston 1919-1920 Ernest Chapple 1963-1964 Edward J. Sibree & 1920-1921 W.M. Gilmore Jeremy T.P. Farrington 1921-1922 W.M. Gilmore 1964-1965 Anthony R. Forrester 1922-1923 Cecil Bedell Follett 1965-1966 Anthony R. Forrester 1923-1924 E. Geoffrey Lee 1966-1967 Keith B. Fitton 1924-1925 Hugh Rudolph Bird 1967-1968 G. David Carpenter 1925-1926 Ernest W. Meiklereid 1968-1969 M.H. Pratt 1926-1927 Ernest W. Meiklereid 1969-1970 Mike Greenwood 1927-1928 Cuthbert Levick 1970-1971 Connor N.R. Hackett Crawhall-Wilson 1971-1972 M.P. Cadiz 1928-1929 Ralph H. Vawdrey 1972-1973 Mike D. Nattrass 1929-1930 William G. Streatfeild & M. G. Rudder 1930-1931 William G. Streatfeild 1973-1974 Trevor K. Whalley 1931-1932 William G. Streatfeild 1974-1975 Trevor K. Whalley 1932-1933 George Houldey 1975-1976 Brian W. Heath 1933-1934 George Houldey no Honorary Secretary 1934-1935 Not Known 1976-2000 1935-1936 Richard Whittington 2000-2001 Paul Cheesman 1936-1937 G.A.D. Porter 2001-2002 Paul Cheesman 1937-1938 G.A.D. Porter 2002-2003 Paul Cheesman 1938-1939 Richard D. Hempson 2003-2004 Angela J. Daniel 1939-1940 Richard D. Hempson 2004-2005 Angela J. Daniel 1940-1941 J.H.W. Marshall 2005-2006 Sally Crossley-Smith 1941 Robert W. Fothergill 2006-2007 Paul Cheesman 1941-1945 Japanese Occupation 2007-2008 Paul Cheesman & 1945-1946 YMCA/HQBT Dr. Chris Stanford

153 British Club Bangkok Timeline

Honorary Secretaries 2008 onward

2008-2009 Dr. Chris Stanford 2009-2010 David Blowers 2010-2011 Paul Cheesman 2011-2012 Paul Cheesman 2012-2013 Paul Cheesman 2013-2014 Paul Cheesman 2014-2015 Paul Cheesman 2015-2016 Paul Cheesman & David C. Quine 2016-2017 Dr. Chris Stanford 2017-2018 Paul Cheesman 2018-2019 Paul Cheesman 2019-2020 Paul Cheesman 2020-2021 Brian Brook 2021-2022 Paul Cheesman

154 British Club Bangkok Timeline

Honorary Treasurers 1903 to 1986

1903-1904 Walter J.F. Williamson 1949-1950 R.E.S. Price 1904-1905 Walter J.F. Williamson 1950-1951 R.E.S. Price 1904-1905 Not Known 1951-1952 W.J.D. Pearce 1906-1907 Walter J.F. Williamson 1952-1953 P.F. Hutton & 1907-1908 Walter J.F. Williamson B.A. Kilpatrick 1908-1909 Walter J.F. Williamson 1953-1954 B.A. Kilpatrick 1909-1910 Walter J.F. Williamson 1954-1955 B.A. Kilpatrick 1910-1911 Not Known & R.E. Bentley 1911-1912 Not Known 1955-1956 David L. Millar 1912-1913 Walter J.F. Williamson 1956-1957 David L. Millar 1913-1914 Walter J.F. Williamson & James P. Malone 1914-1915 Not Known 1957-1958 James P. Malone 1915-1916 Not Known 1958-1959 James P. Malone 1916-1917 Walter J.F. Williamson 1959-1960 James P. Malone 1917-1918 Not Known 1960-1961 James P. Malone 1918-1919 Not Known 1961-1962 James P. Malone 1919-1920 Walter J.F. Williamson 1962-1963 J.A. Anderson 1920-1921 Not Known 1963-1964 Godfrey A. Sommerfield 1921-1922 Not Known 1964-1965 Godfrey A. Sommerfield 1922-1923 Not Known 1965-1966 Ian R. De Leschery 1923-1924 Not Known 1966-1967 A. Peter Adcock 1924-1925 Not Known 1967-1968 A. Peter Adcock 1925-1926 Not Known & C. Mark Harding 1926-1927 Not Known 1968-1969 C. Mark Harding 1927-1928 Not Known 1969-1970 G. David Carpenter 1928-1929 Not Known 1970-1971 Ian Brown 1929-1930 Not Known & A.M. Fletcher 1930-1931 Not Known 1971-1972 A.M. Fletcher 1931-1932 Not Known 1972-1973 A.M. Fletcher 1932-1933 Not Known & H. Blair Littlejohn 1933-1934 Not Known 1973-1974 G. Clive Croy 1934-1935 Not Known 1974-1975 G. Clive Croy 1935-1936 Not Known 1975-1976 Noel Bond 1936-1937 Not Known 1976-1977 John Mumby 1937-1938 Not Known 1977-1978 Walter G. Ford 1938-1939 Not Known 1978-1979 David Sprout 1939-1940 Not Known & Roy Barrett 1940-1941 Not Known 1979-1980 Roy Barrett 1941 Not Known 1980-1981 Roy Barrett 1941-1945 Japanese Occupation 1981-1982 Roy Barrett 1945-1946 YMCA/HQBT 1982-1983 Roy Barrett 1946-1947 J.J. French 1983-1984 Anthony Bekenn 1947-1948 W.L. Craig 1984-1985 Bill Friel 1948-1949 E.C. Phillips & Reg Laville & D.H. Carey 1985-1986 Geoff Percival

155 British Club Bangkok Timeline

Honorary Treasurers 1986 onward

1986-1987 Geoff Percival 1987-1988 Michael D. Ryan 1988-1989 Ian Aldridge & Jack Dunford 1989-1990 Paul Myers 1990-1991 Paul Myers 1991-1992 Paul Myers & Andrew Simonds 1992-1993 Andrew Simonds & Paul Curtis 1993-1994 Paul Curtis & Des Keane 1994-1995 Des Keane 1995-1996 Des Keane 1996-1997 Des Keane 1997-1998 Paul Cheesman Phil Evans & 1998-1999 Nicholas Bellamy 1999-2000 Nicholas Bellamy 2000-2001 Nicholas Bellamy 2001-2002 Nicholas Bellamy 2002-2003 Nicholas Bellamy 2003-2004 Nicholas Bellamy & Clive Butcher 2004-2005 Clive Butcher 2005-2006 Ian Webb & Mark Hamill-Stewart 2006-2007 Mark Hamill-Stewart 2007-2008 Mark Hamill-Stewart 2008-2009 Dale Lamb 2009-2010 Dale Lamb 2010-2011 Phil Alexander 2011-2012 Phil Alexander 2012-2013 Peter Deman 2013-2014 William Wilcox 2014-2015 William Wilcox 2015-2016 William Wilcox 2016-2017 Geoff Banks 2017-2018 Geoff Banks & James Crossley-Smith 2018-2019 James Crossley-Smith 2019-2020 James Crossley-Smith 2020-2021 James Crossley-Smith 2021-2022 Brian Brook

/ENDS

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