Taiping Clubs
Encyclopedia
With the significant growth of the European community in Taiping
Taiping, Perak
Taiping is a town located in northern Perak, Malaysia. With a population of 191,104 , it is the second largest town in Perak after Ipoh, the state capital. Taiping took over Kuala Kangsar's role as the state capital from 1876 to 1937, but was then replaced by Ipoh...

 and other immigrants such as Chinese, Indians, Arabians and Indonesians, the demand for proper sport and recreation clubs are getting higher, therefore these are the clubs that were established during the 1880s.

Perak Club (Old Club)

The Perak Club was the premier social institution of Taiping
Taiping, Perak
Taiping is a town located in northern Perak, Malaysia. With a population of 191,104 , it is the second largest town in Perak after Ipoh, the state capital. Taiping took over Kuala Kangsar's role as the state capital from 1876 to 1937, but was then replaced by Ipoh...

 and was the senior club in the Malay States. Colonel Robert Sandilands Frowd Walker
Robert Sandilands Frowd Walker
Lt. Colonel Robert Sandilands Frowd Walker C.M.G. was a prominent figure in Malaya during the British colonial era in the late nineteenth-century...

 was in large measure responsible for its formation and development in 1881. Among the early patrons were Sir Hugh Low
Hugh Low
Sir Hugh Low, GCMG was a British colonial administrator and naturalist. After a long residence in various colonial roles in Labuan, he became the first successful British administrator in the Malay Peninsula. His methods became models for future administrators. He made the first documented ascent...

, formerly British Resident of Perak, Mr. William Edward Maxwell, Assistant Resident, and Major Paul Swinburne. The capacious club-house was erected by the Government, and is still kept in repair by the Public Works Department. In front of the building is a playing-field, which is used for cricket, football, hockey, and tennis. The athletics section of the club is known as the Cricket and Recreation Club, and is the leading sporting club of the Federated Malay States
Federated Malay States
The Federated Malay States was a federation of four protected states in the Malay Peninsula—Selangor, Perak, Negeri Sembilan and Pahang—established by the British government in 1895, which lasted until 1946, when they, together with the Straits Settlements and the Unfederated Malay...

. It arranged the first inter-State matches in Malaya. Many European residents of Larut, Matang, Krian, and Upper Perak are members of the club, and as is usual with most Federated Malay States clubs, ladies are admitted to its privileges gratis.

New Club

The leading social institution in the capital of Perak is the New Club, formed in 1892. the chief promoters of it were the late Dr. Shepherd and Messrs. Lefroy, Mais, Gray, and Aylesbury. During the first year of its existence the club house was sold to the Sultan of Perak, and the present structure, built on a site granted by the Perak Government and H.M. Sultan Sir Idris Shah
Idris Shah I of Perak
Idris Shah I of Perak was the 19th Sultan and Yang di-Pertuan of Perak. He succeeded his father-in-law, Sultan Abdullah Muhammad Shah, in 1887 and ruled to his death on 14 January 1916....

 from plans prepared by Mr. Lefroy in 1893, was opened in the following year. The building scheme was financed by the issue of debentures to the value of 10,000 dollars, nearly the whole of which has now been paid off. The clubhouse overlooks the cricket and football grounds, and affords a magnificent view of the Taiping Hills. It contains reading billiard and card rooms, a large dining room, and five residential chambers. To the rear of the club building there is a croquet ground. The Taiping Golf Club has its headquarters in the New Club house. The membership numbers 270.

List of New Club's Presidents

1894 - 1898 H.A.W. Aylesbury

1898 - 1900 A.R. Venning

1901 - 1902 F.St. G. Caulfeild

1903 - 1907 Colonel R.S.F. Walker

1908 - 1909 H.C.N. Barnard

1909 - 1910 Sir E.W. Birch

1910 - 1911 B.C.N. Knight

1911 - 1912 Lt. Col. W.P. Hume

1912 - 1913 W.H. Tate

1913 - 1914 D.S.C.G. Fox

1914 - 1915 R.G. Watson

1915 - 1916 T.C. Fleming

1916 - 1918 R.G. Watson

1918 - 1919 V. Hill

1919 - 1920 C.W.H. Cochrane

1920 - 1921 W.A. Wilkinson

1921 - 1922 J.N. Sheffield

1922 - 1923 F.W. Mager

1923 - 1924 D.G.B. McHutchison

1924 - 1926 T.S. Adams

1926 - 1927 H.G. Baxter

1927 - 1928 L.C. Pearson

1928 - 1929 Major W.A.D. Edwardes

1929 - 1930 S.B. Palmer

1930 - 1931 J.N. Sheffield

1931 - 1935 S.B. Palmer

1935 - 1936 E.T. Jacques

1936 - 1939 S.B. Palmer

1939 - 1940 H.L.H. Tate

1940 - 1941 S.B. Palmer

1940 - 1945 (World War II)

1945 - 1946 C.N. Wood

1946 - O.T. Lovett

Perak Turf Club

The Perak Turf Club was established in 1884; it was the first exclusive turf club ever built in Perak. The establishment of the Perak Turf Club at Taiping was the idea of Sir Frank Swettenham
Frank Swettenham
Sir Frank Athelstane Swettenham GCMG CH was the first Resident General of the Federated Malay States which was formed by combining a number of sultanates. He served from 1 July 1896 to 1901. He was also an amateur photographer...

, who was passionate about horse racing. The new race course was located at Waterfall Road, later changed to Race Course Road, near the Lake Gardens. It held ordinary racing in the Federated Malay States
Federated Malay States
The Federated Malay States was a federation of four protected states in the Malay Peninsula—Selangor, Perak, Negeri Sembilan and Pahang—established by the British government in 1895, which lasted until 1946, when they, together with the Straits Settlements and the Unfederated Malay...

--the major tournaments held at Penang, Selangor or Singapore. In 1906, it had a membership of about 250.
The present course is at Waterfall Road, Taiping, which is 7 furlongs in length. There was an old course, situated about three miles away from Taiping, at which the current races were then run. In 1886, Burma ponies provided most of the racing and the meetings were primarily social functions. The turf club was the only club that attracted people of all classes, especially the Chinese, to mingle around, because of the sweepstakes and lotteries, as they preferred to gamble as their favourite pastime. Sir E.W. Birch, a racing enthusiast, would travel to distant Turf Clubs just to join the major tournament, and was crucial to developing racing interest in the area. In 1934, when the importance of Taiping had declined below that of Ipoh, the club was shifted to Ipoh, still bearing the same name.

Taiping Swimming Club

The club was formed in 1914 and shared a building with the New Club. At the beginning, the club’s activities were carried out at the waterfall site near the foothill of Maxwell Hill. However, in 1929, a swimming pool was built near the Maxwell Hill to accommodate the growth in membership.

Perak Golf Club

The Perak Golf Club was established in 1894 and housed at the New Club buildings. The golf club claimed the first golf club formed in Federated Malay States. This nine-hole golf course was reserved exclusively for New Club members. The golf field was originally located near the Taiping Goal.

Ladies’ Rifle Association

It is not surprising that in a country like the Federated Malay States, where shooting is one of the most popular sports, ladies should share the enthusiasm for it. The Ladies' Rifle Association was formed in 1903.
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