Royal Bombay Yacht Club, 1915 Old Photo.
An old 1915 photo of the Royal Bombay Yacht Club. The club was and still is one of the unmissable sights on the Bombay coastline when arriving by ship. The other well-known sights spotted on the coastline would be the Gateway of India, the Taj Mahal Hotel, and not to forget the harbour itself.
An elite club founded in 1846, the building was designed by John Adams. Since the word “Royal” could not be made use without the prior approval of the British Sovereign. Queen Victoria on recommendation granted her permission to include the name “Royal” to the club. The primary purpose of the Royal Bombay Yacht Club was for the use of sailing and yachting in the Bombay waters.
Championships were regularly held for these events. Besides that, it was also a recreation center for other sports and games. It also had fine dining, billiards, a library, residential quarters, and so on. In 1896 an additional clubhouse was built just across the road to provide further accommodation for members and associates. Because of its notoriety for whites only, the club was temporarily closed in 1958 for not admitting new Indian members. Click on the photo for better view.
Did you know – Maharajah Bhupinder Singh was not allowed entry when he arrived with Lord Willingdon, then Governor of Bombay, because of the strictly adhered whites-only policy of the club. Despite Willingdon’s cajoling and pleas, the club did not relent.
From the collection – 1964 M. Suriyamoorthy Charcoal Art Abstract (#14)., Rare Views of British Era Madras, 4 Old Postcards., Army Games Bombay British India Era, Old Print 1895., Beautiful Motor Cars In British India Era, 1908 PC.
