Our History

History of the Club

Introduction
The CRC has a long history – born in tempestuous times, it grew with Hong Kong itself.

The Early Years
In the autumn of 1910, Sir Kai Ho started to set up the CRC. Initially there were only 40 life members, 60 ordinary members, 41 student members and a small number of honorary members. The early members were all passionate about sports such as cricket, tennis and football. However, without a permanent Club, activities remained very limited.

In the spring of 1912, Sir Kai Ho, Sir Po-Shan Wai, Mr. Yuen Hiu-Fan and Mr. Wong Po-Ning jointly applied for land from the Government to build a Club for the recreation of Chinese citizens. The Government immediately allotted a plot of vacant land in Tai Hang Village to enable Sir Kai Ho and his colleagues to set up this Club. They built a lawn on this plot of land, with a two-storey club building on its side. The CRC was officially inaugurated in March 1912 by the then Governor of Hong Kong Sir Frederick Lugard.

Resumption After the War
1941 saw the outbreak of the Battle of the Pacific, and Hong Kong was affected. Thanks to our Chairman General Hui Shung-Chi and his staff, the CRC remained intact during the Japanese Occupation in the Second World War.

The Club was reopened after the War, with General Hui Shung-Chi succeeding as the Chairman, leading the Committee in reopening the club. In 1945, the Club issued bonds to fund the renovation of the Club.

Constant Renewal of Facilities
In the ensuing decades, the Club underwent a number of construction, decoration and renovation works, under the active stewardship of the committee. The Club facilities were constantly renewed and perfected, and now it has become a large-scale Club with a comprehensive range of sports and recreational facilities. To cater to the needs of members of different ages, the Club added various facilities to achieve diversification.

The Club’s future development depends on the vision and leadership of the committee, as well as the active support and participation of its members.