Old Hong Kong-5 — Page 196

CLUBS

Continuation.

19.5

In R. McW's recent reminiscences (see 27-9-33) reference was made to a former Wan Chai Club (opened in 1881). It seems to have had its name changed to a more flowery one the following year, for I find in the Hongkong Telegraph of July 22, 1882, reference to a performance given at the "Spring Gardens Club" by a professional acrobat known as "The Iron Boy".

We have seen that the Spring Gardens in Wan Chai marked what had once been an aristocratic suburb (since replaced by the Peak) and as late as the Eighties there was still some of the old prestige attached to the locality, and little (if any) of the present stigma.

The photograph reproduced to-day is by Mee Cheung.

Yesterday the Portuguese Republic's anniversary was celebrated in the Club Lusitano with a reception and ball: it reminds us that this club represents the local Portuguese community (whose Colony go back practically to its foundation) as no other institution does, and a brief history of the club deserves a place in any local annals. We find that it will be able to celebrate its seventieth anniversary in three years' time for its foundation goes back to 1865.

In the early Sixties the need for a central meeting place for the community was felt - somewhere for them to gather for recreation, social intercourse and exchanges of views - and several prominent Portuguese decided to form a club, and to name it the Club Lusitano. Originally the site was in Shelley Street, facing on Elgin Street, the premises comprising an attractive three-storeyed building, but in 1919-20, the move was made to the present club-house in Ice House Street.

It is obvious that the Portuguese community were recognised as a valuable addition to the foreign population in the earliest period of Hongkong's history. The foundation stone of their fine club-house was laid on December 26, 1865, in the presence of the Acting Governor, the Hon. Mr. W. T. Hercer, attended by the Civil, military and Naval Authorities of the Colony: and on December 17, 1866, the inauguration took place, the celebration being in the form of a grand ball at which the Governors of Macao and Hongkong were present, together with a large number of the foreign element including half the residents of Macao.

The building was of most substantial character and when later vacated became the private residence of a wealthy Chinese. Its appointments were complete, with reading-room and library, billiard, dining and card rooms, and also several bed-rooms for members. There was also a ball-room, one of the best in Hongkong, and a Theatre originally attached in which travelling opera and comedy companies often used to perform, as also the local amateur Dramatic Society of its day. This theatre was demolished after the City Hall had been completed, as the Theatre Royal then came into use.