History of the Ladies Recreation Club - Hong Kong

"Mabel Cantile "talks of a cricket match, a ladies team organized by Mrs Keswick, wife of the Jardine Matheson taipan, against a men's team - 'left handed and with broom sticks"

Private Life of Old Hong Kong, by Susanna Hoe

And so it can be seen that ladies who were members of the LRC during the early days of the Club were quite willing to play cricket.

But an organized matche against the Hong Kong Cricket Club was another matter ...

"Yet another game which the ladies of those early years took an interest in was cricket. However, we must not imagine that the ladies themselves bowled and batted in the voluminous skirts and large hats of the 80's and 90's. Instead, they chose gentlemen to represent them against the H.K.C.C.

The first match was on October 31st and November 1st 1884 at Chater Road, and the representatives of the ladies went first to the wicket. Mr. E.J. Coxon [nephew of Louisa Coxon] was the hero of the first innings with 54, which was nearly half the score. However, the L.R.C. did not do so well in the second innings, and eventually the H.K.C.C. won the match."

Newspaper clippings

Hong Kong Daily Press
Monday, 3 November 1884

'The regimental band of the "Buffs" played, much to the satisfaction of the numerous ladies watching the match.'

China Mail
Saturday, 1 November 1884

1900

Hongkong Cricket Club vs. Ladies' Recreation Club

Newspaper clippings

Hong Kong Daily Press - Tuesday, 6 November, 1900

'This match was played on Friday and Saturday last and resulted in a victory for the Cricket Club, by 8 wickets, after a well fought and interesting contest"

"Thanks to the 3rd Madras I.L. for allowing their band to play during the afternoon: their music was much appreciated.'

"There was another cricket match against the H.K.C.C. [Hong Kong Cricket Club] some years later, on March 12th. 1904. We are indebted to Mr. Arthur Rumjahn for the full scores of this game.

"This match was of more than ordinary interest through the participation of Lord Hawke, who was Captain of Yorkshire and an England selector. The H.K.C.C. did well to play him as an Honorary Visiting member, and would have liked him to play for them again, but he had to leave the Colony "to be in time to sit on the Committee of Selectors for the England XI to battle with Australia in the coming Test."

"However, the outstanding performance seems to have been by Harry Hancock [for the LRC ], with his 93 runs. The L.R.C. team did very well to lose by such a small margin.

"What other matches there may have been have not as yet come to light? Will gentlemen ever again represent the ladies of the L.R.C.?"

They did indeed. Jonathan Wattis was on an LRC cricket team in the 1990's

Captain V.J., Graham Barlow, Jeremy Nestel, Brian,