Hurlingham Club
Encyclopedia
The Hurlingham Club is an exclusive sports club in Fulham
in southwest London
, England
. The club, founded in 1869, is situated by the River Thames
in Fulham, West London
, and has a Georgian
clubhouse set in 42 acres (17 ha) of grounds. The Hurlingham provides social and sporting facilities for its members and their guests, including tennis, croquet, cricket, bowls, golf, squash and swimming (with both indoor and outdoor pools) as well as the fitness facilities provided in the fitness centre and gymnasium.
estate. His next step was the formation of the Hurlingham Club for this purpose and 'as an agreeable country resort'. The club leased the estate from Naylor in 1869 and in 1874 acquired the land outright. The pigeon today forms part of the club's crest. Until 1905 clouds of pigeons were released in the summer from an enclosure near what is now a tennis pavilion.
The Prince of Wales
(later King Edward VII
), an early patron, was a keen shot and his presence ensured the club's status and notability from the beginning. The current patron is HRH The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.
The polo
matches for the 1908 Summer Olympics
were played at Hurlingham. Three teams entered: Hurlingham, Roehampton, and a combined British and Irish team. Roehampton won.
Before the Second World War Hurlingham was the headquarters of British polo
, and the governing body of British polo is called the Hurlingham Polo Association
. However polo is no longer staged at Hurlingham after the size of the club was significantly reduced after the war when the polo fields were compulsorily purchased to build council housing (the Sullivan Estate).
The Guards Polo Club
in Windsor Great Park
has succeeded to the status of the leading British polo club.
Hurlingham has been at the centre of world croquet
for many years. The Croquet Association
had its headquarters in the club from 1959 to 2002 and top-ranking international competitions are regularly held on the lawns, at one time the finest in the country, though the CA headquarters have since relocated to the Cheltenham Croquet Club.
The Grand Prix Ball
Concours d'Elegance
The top 1,400 candidates on the waiting list are offered temporary off-peak membership. In 2008, some of those offered this level of membership had waited nine years.
The club currently has more than 10,000 members.
, Lord Temple-Morris
, Adam Raphael
, the 'Carry On' actress Liz Fraser
, novelist and peer Jeffrey Archer the actor Trevor Eve
and his wife Sharon Maughan
are all members of the Hurlingham Club.
Past members include Walter Buckmaster
and Air Vice-Marshal Sir William Cushion
.
Fulham
Fulham is an area of southwest London in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham, SW6 located south west of Charing Cross. It lies on the left bank of the Thames, between Putney and Chelsea. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London...
in southwest London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. The club, founded in 1869, is situated by the River Thames
River Thames
The River Thames flows through southern England. It is the longest river entirely in England and the second longest in the United Kingdom. While it is best known because its lower reaches flow through central London, the river flows alongside several other towns and cities, including Oxford,...
in Fulham, West London
West London
West London generally refers to the western portions of London, and may refer specifically to:*West *West End of London*W postcode area...
, and has a Georgian
Georgian architecture
Georgian architecture is the name given in most English-speaking countries to the set of architectural styles current between 1720 and 1840. It is eponymous for the first four British monarchs of the House of Hanover—George I of Great Britain, George II of Great Britain, George III of the United...
clubhouse set in 42 acres (17 ha) of grounds. The Hurlingham provides social and sporting facilities for its members and their guests, including tennis, croquet, cricket, bowls, golf, squash and swimming (with both indoor and outdoor pools) as well as the fitness facilities provided in the fitness centre and gymnasium.
History
In 1867 Frank Heathcote received the permission of Richard Naylor to promote pigeon shooting matches at his HurlinghamHurlingham
Hurlingham may refer to a number of places:*The Hurlingham Club, a sports club in the southwest of London, England, world headquarters of polo.*The Hurlingham Club , a sports and polo club in Argentina...
estate. His next step was the formation of the Hurlingham Club for this purpose and 'as an agreeable country resort'. The club leased the estate from Naylor in 1869 and in 1874 acquired the land outright. The pigeon today forms part of the club's crest. Until 1905 clouds of pigeons were released in the summer from an enclosure near what is now a tennis pavilion.
The Prince of Wales
Prince of Wales
Prince of Wales is a title traditionally granted to the heir apparent to the reigning monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the 15 other independent Commonwealth realms...
(later King Edward VII
Edward VII of the United Kingdom
Edward VII was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions and Emperor of India from 22 January 1901 until his death in 1910...
), an early patron, was a keen shot and his presence ensured the club's status and notability from the beginning. The current patron is HRH The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.
The polo
Polo at the 1908 Summer Olympics
At the 1908 Summer Olympics, a polo tournament was contested. It was the second time the sport had been featured at the Olympics, with 1900 being its first appearance....
matches for the 1908 Summer Olympics
1908 Summer Olympics
The 1908 Summer Olympics, officially the Games of the IV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was held in 1908 in London, England, United Kingdom. These games were originally scheduled to be held in Rome. At the time they were the fifth modern Olympic games...
were played at Hurlingham. Three teams entered: Hurlingham, Roehampton, and a combined British and Irish team. Roehampton won.
Before the Second World War Hurlingham was the headquarters of British polo
Polo
Polo is a team sport played on horseback in which the objective is to score goals against an opposing team. Sometimes called, "The Sport of Kings", it was highly popularized by the British. Players score by driving a small white plastic or wooden ball into the opposing team's goal using a...
, and the governing body of British polo is called the Hurlingham Polo Association
Hurlingham Polo Association
The Hurlingham Polo Association is the governing body for polo in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland. The Federation of International Polo produces the International Rules of Polo through a cooperative agreement with the Hurlingham Polo Association, the Asociación Argentina de Polo , plus...
. However polo is no longer staged at Hurlingham after the size of the club was significantly reduced after the war when the polo fields were compulsorily purchased to build council housing (the Sullivan Estate).
The Guards Polo Club
Guards Polo Club
Guards Polo Club is the polo club most closely associated with the British Royal Family. HRH The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh has been President of the club since its formation in 1955 and HM The Queen is its Patron...
in Windsor Great Park
Windsor Great Park
Windsor Great Park is a large deer park of , to the south of the town of Windsor on the border of Berkshire and Surrey in England. The park was, for many centuries, the private hunting ground of Windsor Castle and dates primarily from the mid-13th century...
has succeeded to the status of the leading British polo club.
Hurlingham has been at the centre of world croquet
Croquet
Croquet is a lawn game, played both as a recreational pastime and as a competitive sport. It involves hitting plastic or wooden balls with a mallet through hoops embedded into the grass playing court.-History:...
for many years. The Croquet Association
Croquet Association
The Croquet Association, which was formed as the United All England Croquet Association in 1897 , is the national governing body for the sport of croquet in England, Wales, Northern Ireland, the Channel Islands and the Isle Of Man. Until 1974 the association was responsible for croquet in the whole...
had its headquarters in the club from 1959 to 2002 and top-ranking international competitions are regularly held on the lawns, at one time the finest in the country, though the CA headquarters have since relocated to the Cheltenham Croquet Club.
Events
The Hurlingham Club has played host to may prestigious events over the years.The Grand Prix Ball
Grand Prix Ball
The Grand Prix Ball at London's Hurlingham Club is an annual charity gala held prior to the British Grand Prix at Silverstone- History:In 2010 it was hosted by Eddie Jordan and James Allen and raised about £50,000 for the CLIC Sargent The event features a showcase of F1 cars through the ages...
Concours d'Elegance
Membership
Members must be proposed and seconded by two current full members of the club. There is currently an 8 year long waiting list for membership, but children of current members are given preference when vacancies do arise. Because of this, some recent joining members have had to wait fifteen years, and the club advises new applicants that longer waits could be possible in future.The top 1,400 candidates on the waiting list are offered temporary off-peak membership. In 2008, some of those offered this level of membership had waited nine years.
The club currently has more than 10,000 members.
Notable members
Lord FowlerNorman Fowler
Norman Fowler, Baron Fowler, PC is a British Conservative politician who was from 1981 to 1990 a member of Margaret Thatcher's Cabinet.-Early life:...
, Lord Temple-Morris
Peter Temple-Morris, Baron Temple-Morris
Peter Temple-Morris, Baron Temple-Morris is a British politician. He was elected as the Conservative Member of Parliament for Leominster in 1974.-Early life:...
, Adam Raphael
Adam Raphael
Adam Eliot Geoffrey Raphael is an award-winning English journalist and author. In the British Press Awards of 1973, he was named Journalist of the Year for his work on labour conditions in South Africa, and he has also been a presenter and editor of BBC Television's Newsnight. Since 2004, he has...
, the 'Carry On' actress Liz Fraser
Liz Fraser
Liz Fraser is an English actress, mainly in comedy roles.- Life and career :Her birthdate is usually attributed as 1933, the year she gave when auditioning for her role in I'm All Right Jack, as the Boulting Brothers wanted someone younger for the part...
, novelist and peer Jeffrey Archer the actor Trevor Eve
Trevor Eve
Trevor John Eve is a British film and television actor. In 1979 he gained fame as the eponymous lead in the detective series Shoestring and is also known for his role as Detective Superintendent Peter Boyd in BBC television drama Waking the Dead.-Early life:Eve was born in Sutton Coldfield,...
and his wife Sharon Maughan
Sharon Maughan
Sharon Maughan is a British actress.-Life and career:Maughan was born in Kirkby, Liverpool, one of five siblings in an Irish Catholic family...
are all members of the Hurlingham Club.
Past members include Walter Buckmaster
Walter Buckmaster
Walter Selby Buckmaster was a British polo player in the 1900 Summer Olympics and in the 1908 Summer Olympics.-Biography:...
and Air Vice-Marshal Sir William Cushion
William Cushion
Air Vice-Marshal Sir William Boston Cushion KBE CB was a British Army and Royal Air Force officer and an executive of the British Overseas Airways Corporation.-Early life:...
.