Hurlingham Club

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

For the Argentine institution of the same name, see Hurlingham Club (Argentina)

The Hurlingham Club is an exclusive sporting gentlemen's club in Fulham in southwest London, frequented by the British social elite.

The club, founded in 1869, is situated by the River Thames in Fulham, west London, and has a beautiful Georgian clubhouse set in 42 acres of grounds. The Hurlingham provides social and sporting facilities for its members and their guests, including tennis, croquet, cricket, bowls, golf, squash and swimming (with both indoor and outdoor pools) as well as the fitness facilities provided in the Fitness Centre and gymnasium.

[edit] History

In 1867 Frank Heathcote obtained the leave of a Mr Naylor to promote pigeon shooting matches at Hurlingham. His next step was the formation of the Hurlingham Club for this purpose and 'as an agreeable country resort'. The club leased the estate from Mr Naylor in 1869 and in 1874 acquired the freehold.

The pigeon is still the club's crest. Until 1905 clouds of pigeons were released in the summer from an enclosure near what is now a tennis pavilion.

The Prince of Wales (later King Edward VII), an early patron, was a keen shot and his presence ensured the club's status and notability from the beginning.