September 5, 1948
Swimming pool being built
(click photo to zoom)

By the end of the year, further progress had been made. Membership had increased to 448, Club Championships were included in the Annual Tennis Tournaments and League Matches were played, for by now 8 courts were completed. Social evenings were started and there were "keep fit" classes. Work on the swimming-pool was already in hand. An important decision was made to spend no more on the Clubhouse, as it was considered a new one would be necessary to meet the Club's expansion.

More money was needed, and in April of this year, half yearly subscriptions were increased to $45 and $75 for single and double membership respectively, although entrance fees remained the same. Mrs. Digby was still President until she went on leave at the end of the year, when Mrs. I. W. Shewan took over.

Mrs. D. L. Prophet now began her "reign" which indeed turned out to be a nine years' wonder; A drive was begun to reduce the large overdraft with the bank, and there were many novel schemes to raise money.

Membership was up to 612, with a Junior section of about 500. Entrance fees were raised to $150 and $225 for single and double membership, so that newcomers would share in paying for the capital expenditure which had previously been borne by those who had joined the Club in earlier stages.

View of Kowloon from the new pool c. 1949

The event of the year, however, was the opening of the swimming-pool by Mrs. Prophet on April 30th.

Building the pool had been a splendid achievement. There had appeared to be no available space; there were certainly insufficient funds; and membership was far less than it is today.

The opening had been arranged for a Saturday afternoon and as so often happens, Hong Kong had had a glorious week of sunshine but on that day there was a tropical storm. The Committee were undecided whether or not to postpone the event, but as all arrangements had been made and members were naturally anxious to use the pool, it was decided to go ahead. Members and guests were huddled on the present Junior Club House verandah, and the rain continued in torrents.

Mrs. Prophet stood under the diving board complete with speech, and with somebody holding a huge umbrella over her. A microphone and loud speakers had been hired for the occasion, but at the last moment they refused to function. In spite of all this, Mrs. Prophet carried on regardless, although hardly anybody heard a word.

Afterwards, an exhibition of diving and swimming was given by a number of teen-agers. This was followed by tea and cakes for all the rather damp onlookers on the verandah. Thus, the weather was overcome, as all the previous difficulties had been.

Following the opening of the pool, a Filtration Plant was installed in 1950 and the project was complete. Partly as a result of this great attraction, many more people applied to join, and during this period membership increased to well over 700, so that for a time the Club could accept newcomers only to replace those who had resigned.

Honorary membership was offered to the Governor and Lady Grantham and to other leading Colony representatives. In fact, the Club had reached the end of what might be called "stage one" of reconstruction, and was once again flourishing and popular.

The drive to reduce the overdraft continued, and its success may be gauged by the reduction of over $31,000 made in 1951, and of over $37,000 in 1952. In the latter year, rising costs and the hope of ever greater development, increased subscriptions again, and there was also a levy.

The pool was also used to host exhibition like this one by Dr. Sammy Lee, USA Olympic Gold Medallist in Platform Diving (1948 and 1952) giving a demonstration

(notice the spectators on May Rd)

1948 - May Rd - March - LegCo report

"The second scheme at May Road involves the reconstruction of a portion of the road which was completely blotted out by the Japanese. It is necessary to restore this in order to rovide access to a new block of flats."

1948 - May Rd - Queen's Gardens being built - LRC courts and clubhouse bottom center of photo

1949

1949-Pool View

1949 - Tennis Courts, Clubhouse and Pool - (Queen's Gardens overlooking the LRC)

1951 - May Road - LRC bottom of photo

1950's - looking East - Wanchai still a bay