The Tanglin Club
Encyclopedia
The Tanglin Club is one of the most prominent and prestigious social clubs in Singapore
. As of end 2009 the club had an active membership of 7,810, comprising approximately 70 different nationalities
. Its clubhouse is located off Stevens Road, near the centre of town in Singapore. The club's facilities include four restaurant
s, five bars
, several function rooms, a cinema
/theatrette
, two libraries
, and extensive sport
s and recreation
facilities including two swimming pool
s, a superb gymnasium
, a four-table billiards
room, four outdoor and two indoor tennis
courts, six single and two jumbo double squash
courts and a large roof-top lawn bowls green. In addition the Club's sports sections offer external activities such as scuba diving and golf.
The Club continues to invest in significant infrastructure improvements for the benefits of its members and completed a large new sports complex in 2008 and has approval for a major pool area and poolside restaurant upgrade in 2010.
The Tanglin Club was founded in 1865. Its founding President was Singapore's first Police Commissioner
, Thomas Dunman
.
Beginnings
The clubhouse was constructed from bricks made to British standards by a brickfield in Serangoon area. After plastering, the brick walls were washed or distempered. The building had a long overhang roof that was slabbed over with red Chinese clay tiles. The upper storey of the clubhouse, where the main activities were held, had verandahs around its perimeter. Its floor was laid with Changai timber, and supported by timber joists. The dance floor, which was later reputed to be the best in Singapore, was reinforced with cast iron supports. The kitchens, changing rooms and toilet which were located on the ground floor, were laid with red Malaccan tiles and bricks.
Tanglin Club and Teutonia Club
By the 1890s, the Claymore district had evolved into a prestigious district occupied by many prominent European residents. During the construction of the German Teutonia Club (present Goodwood Park Hotel), Tanglin Club accommodated the Teutonia members. When the palatial Teutonia Club was completed in 1900, it quickly overshadowed the old and dismal looking Tanglin Club. Tanglin Club's German membership had dwindled from a strong number of 236 a decade ago to 181 in 1911. When World War I broke out in 1914, Teutonia Club was declared an enemy property.
During the Japanese occupation, Tanglin Club was used by the Japanese army as a club for their officers. The club was also used as a base for their propaganda unit as well as their storage area for rations and weapons. After the Japanese surrender, Tanglin Club came under the management of the Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes (NAAFI) until March 1946. It was not until 1 September 1946 that the club was informally reopened.
Changes
In 1962, the government appealed to clubs in Singapore to have at least 50% Singaporean membership. After an extraordinary general meeting, the club's membership rule was amended to admit all races. The first Singaporeans to join the club included Shaw Vee Meng, Dr Yeo Chee Peng, Tan Eng Han, Koh Eng Yam, U. S. Chan and C. K. Sng.
Traditionally, women paid lower membership fees but were not given voting rights. It was only in April 1995 that women who were full members were accorded equal voting privileges in the club. Due to the club's constitution that capped Singaporean membership to 51%, the waiting time for Singaporeans to become members could be as long as 9 years. This constitution was frequently challenged as a result. Many members also held intense, divided views over other club issues, and their disputes and lawsuits made headlines in recent years. In March 2005, a High Court judge reprimanded the club members for their frequent bickering, and implored them to act together to resolve their differences.
The construction of a new four-storey clubhouse was carried out in phases since September 1977 and was completed in March 1981. On 14 March 1981, members bade farewell to the original clubhouse at a closing ceremony. Before the old clubhouse was demolished, memorabilia from the old building were auctioned off in support of the Children's Charity Association of Singapore. More than a month later, on 25 April 1998, the present clubhouse was officially opened by the then Law Minister E. W. Barker. Over the years, the clubhouse had been upgraded to cater to members' needs. In 2005, the club embarked on a $21 million upgrading plan that included the construction of a new sports complex. The upgrading project is scheduled for completion in October 2007. In 2006, the club membership was 5,800, and it comprised 70 nationalities.
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
. As of end 2009 the club had an active membership of 7,810, comprising approximately 70 different nationalities
Nationality
Nationality is membership of a nation or sovereign state, usually determined by their citizenship, but sometimes by ethnicity or place of residence, or based on their sense of national identity....
. Its clubhouse is located off Stevens Road, near the centre of town in Singapore. The club's facilities include four restaurant
Restaurant
A restaurant is an establishment which prepares and serves food and drink to customers in return for money. Meals are generally served and eaten on premises, but many restaurants also offer take-out and food delivery services...
s, five bars
Bar (establishment)
A bar is a business establishment that serves alcoholic drinks — beer, wine, liquor, and cocktails — for consumption on the premises.Bars provide stools or chairs that are placed at tables or counters for their patrons. Some bars have entertainment on a stage, such as a live band, comedians, go-go...
, several function rooms, a cinema
Movie theater
A movie theater, cinema, movie house, picture theater, film theater is a venue, usually a building, for viewing motion pictures ....
/theatrette
Theater (structure)
A theater or theatre is a structure where theatrical works or plays are performed or other performances such as musical concerts may be produced. While a theater is not required for performance , a theater serves to define the performance and audience spaces...
, two libraries
Library
In a traditional sense, a library is a large collection of books, and can refer to the place in which the collection is housed. Today, the term can refer to any collection, including digital sources, resources, and services...
, and extensive sport
Sport
A Sport is all forms of physical activity which, through casual or organised participation, aim to use, maintain or improve physical fitness and provide entertainment to participants. Sport may be competitive, where a winner or winners can be identified by objective means, and may require a degree...
s and recreation
Recreation
Recreation is an activity of leisure, leisure being discretionary time. The "need to do something for recreation" is an essential element of human biology and psychology. Recreational activities are often done for enjoyment, amusement, or pleasure and are considered to be "fun"...
facilities including two swimming pool
Swimming pool
A swimming pool, swimming bath, wading pool, or simply a pool, is a container filled with water intended for swimming or water-based recreation. There are many standard sizes; the largest is the Olympic-size swimming pool...
s, a superb gymnasium
Gym
The word γυμνάσιον was used in Ancient Greece, that mean a locality for both physical and intellectual education of young men...
, a four-table billiards
Billiards
Cue sports , also known as billiard sports, are a wide variety of games of skill generally played with a cue stick which is used to strike billiard balls, moving them around a cloth-covered billiards table bounded by rubber .Historically, the umbrella term was billiards...
room, four outdoor and two indoor tennis
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
courts, six single and two jumbo double squash
Squash (sport)
Squash is a high-speed racquet sport played by two players in a four-walled court with a small, hollow rubber ball...
courts and a large roof-top lawn bowls green. In addition the Club's sports sections offer external activities such as scuba diving and golf.
The Club continues to invest in significant infrastructure improvements for the benefits of its members and completed a large new sports complex in 2008 and has approval for a major pool area and poolside restaurant upgrade in 2010.
The Tanglin Club was founded in 1865. Its founding President was Singapore's first Police Commissioner
Commissioner of Police (Singapore)
The Commissioner of Police is the top-ranking police officer of the Singapore Police Force. Assisted by the Deputy Commissioner of Police, he reports to the Minister for Home Affairs....
, Thomas Dunman
Thomas Dunman
Thomas Dunman was the first Commissioner of Police in Singapore from 1856 to 1871. Dunman Road and Dunman Lane in the Katong area of Singapore are named after him....
.
History
Tanglin Club, one of Singapore's most prestigious and prominent social clubs, was founded in 1865 to cater to the social and recreational needs of the British. That year, an interim committee was formed, and it comprised Thomas Dunman (President), Herbert Buchanan (Vice-President), Lancelot C. Masfen, Jos. M. Webster, William Mulholland, Walter Oldham, Edwin A. G. C. Cooke and John R. Forrester. Although race was not stipulated as a criteria for membership, only Europeans were admitted. Club members however, were mainly British. On 26 June 1866, Tanglin Club purchased a property in the Claymore Estate for $600. In the same year, the construction of a clubhouse with bowling alleys, billiard rooms, stables, and a dance floor began.Beginnings
The clubhouse was constructed from bricks made to British standards by a brickfield in Serangoon area. After plastering, the brick walls were washed or distempered. The building had a long overhang roof that was slabbed over with red Chinese clay tiles. The upper storey of the clubhouse, where the main activities were held, had verandahs around its perimeter. Its floor was laid with Changai timber, and supported by timber joists. The dance floor, which was later reputed to be the best in Singapore, was reinforced with cast iron supports. The kitchens, changing rooms and toilet which were located on the ground floor, were laid with red Malaccan tiles and bricks.
Tanglin Club and Teutonia Club
By the 1890s, the Claymore district had evolved into a prestigious district occupied by many prominent European residents. During the construction of the German Teutonia Club (present Goodwood Park Hotel), Tanglin Club accommodated the Teutonia members. When the palatial Teutonia Club was completed in 1900, it quickly overshadowed the old and dismal looking Tanglin Club. Tanglin Club's German membership had dwindled from a strong number of 236 a decade ago to 181 in 1911. When World War I broke out in 1914, Teutonia Club was declared an enemy property.
During the Japanese occupation, Tanglin Club was used by the Japanese army as a club for their officers. The club was also used as a base for their propaganda unit as well as their storage area for rations and weapons. After the Japanese surrender, Tanglin Club came under the management of the Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes (NAAFI) until March 1946. It was not until 1 September 1946 that the club was informally reopened.
Changes
In 1962, the government appealed to clubs in Singapore to have at least 50% Singaporean membership. After an extraordinary general meeting, the club's membership rule was amended to admit all races. The first Singaporeans to join the club included Shaw Vee Meng, Dr Yeo Chee Peng, Tan Eng Han, Koh Eng Yam, U. S. Chan and C. K. Sng.
Traditionally, women paid lower membership fees but were not given voting rights. It was only in April 1995 that women who were full members were accorded equal voting privileges in the club. Due to the club's constitution that capped Singaporean membership to 51%, the waiting time for Singaporeans to become members could be as long as 9 years. This constitution was frequently challenged as a result. Many members also held intense, divided views over other club issues, and their disputes and lawsuits made headlines in recent years. In March 2005, a High Court judge reprimanded the club members for their frequent bickering, and implored them to act together to resolve their differences.
The construction of a new four-storey clubhouse was carried out in phases since September 1977 and was completed in March 1981. On 14 March 1981, members bade farewell to the original clubhouse at a closing ceremony. Before the old clubhouse was demolished, memorabilia from the old building were auctioned off in support of the Children's Charity Association of Singapore. More than a month later, on 25 April 1998, the present clubhouse was officially opened by the then Law Minister E. W. Barker. Over the years, the clubhouse had been upgraded to cater to members' needs. In 2005, the club embarked on a $21 million upgrading plan that included the construction of a new sports complex. The upgrading project is scheduled for completion in October 2007. In 2006, the club membership was 5,800, and it comprised 70 nationalities.