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CLUBS(20) Continuation.
H. B. R. Hancock and J. Danby (forwards).
The Club entered the twentieth century with a membership of 245. In the following year the matshed was twice blown down by typhoons, but the Club's financial standing remained strong.
The Club sustained a severe loss in 1901 when its president the Hon. Mr. J. H. Stewart-Lockhart became H. M. Commissioner at Wai-hai-wei. It was Mr. Stewart-Lockhart who had been responsible for the formation of the Club and it was mainly through his efforts that, once a start had been made, the Club never looked back.
Dr. J. M. Atkinson, another veteran member, was elected to fill the vacant presidential chair.
As the membership of the Club soared above the 300 mark, members began to show a preference for Rugby and for a few years Soccer was displaced in popular favour.
At the annual meeting in 1904-5, the name of Mr. T. E. Pearce was added to the Committee.
Mr. G. C. C. Master followed Dr. Atkinson as President, and was in turn succeeded by Mr. F. Browne, who for many years acted as Secretary.
The first interport match appears to have been played during the Chinese New Year Holidays in 1908, when Shanghai visited Hongkong. The Shanghailanders were defeated in all three matches played here.
An invitation to visit Shanghai in 1909 was accepted, but at the last moment it was found impossible to send a team and the visit had to be abandoned. It was not possible to return the Shanghai visit until some years later.
Without serious interruption, the Club has made sound progress since 1911. It has been fortunate in its selection of residents and in the assistance given by successive committees. To-day, it is in a sounder position than ever, both from a financial and numerical point of view.
CLUBS(21)
Extract from the South China Morning Post, July 3, 1909:- "It is quite within the bounds of truth to say that the Victoria Recreation Club of Hongkong is one of the most successful institutions of its kind in the East, and if longevity has anything to do with it, the above statement is uncontradictable.
On July 1, 1849 - sixty years ago - the first meeting was held, and the foundation of the present successful club was laid.
The names