Royal Bombay Yacht Club At Apollo Bunder Bombay – 2 Photos
Two 1890 photos of the Royal Bombay Yacht Club at Apollo Bunder Bombay (Mumbai). Located at Apollo Bunder it is Bombay’s premier club. A major portion of the original building was dismantled in 1976 because of structural problems. A newer one was built with a similar likeness. It now supposedly houses the Department of Atomic Energy.
Designed by John Adams and built under the supervision of F W Stevens. This sea-facing old club opened in 1881. F W Stevens was the architect of the iconic landmark the Victoria Terminus. The club had a spacious veranda running the entire length on the east. It housed a fine billiard room, cloak, dressing, card, and ice rooms at the ground level.
With a commodious 1650 sq ft dining hall at the upper level. A fully teak paneled ballroom with a vaulted roof and several residential rooms were added later. In the British India era it became popular not only for the yacht races but also as a social center. Curiously only very few of the members knew yachting. Like other clubs and hotels of the period, admission was typically exclusive for Europeans or whites only.
Also see The Old Yacht Club. See post Bombay Victoria Terminus-VT – Old Print 1897.
Did you know- in 1958 the Yacht Club was closed down for not accepting Indian members.
From the collection- 1964 M. Suriyamoorthy Charcoal On Paper (#2)., Vintage Postcard Deolali British Garrison Area., Maharajah’s Motor Car – Old Photo 1912., Vintage Book 1925 – John L. Stoddard’s Lectures On India., Queen Victoria’s Jubilee Mumbai – Old Print.
