Bashers Cricket Club
Cricket Clubhouse in Shanghai 1939
Now here is a decent clubhouse befitting the gentlemen of the Leisure. Steps leading down from the bar for the batsmen to wander down on their way out to the wicket, bar properly stocked and waitered as well as decent seats to watch the proceedings from. I can just see the likes of the Jag, Latex, Loose and Mouse sitting in the club house, blazered up, guffawing at the proceedings on the field whilst they suck on a big fat cigars and snap their fingers at the waiter to bring over another rather large gin and tonic.
The two teams in the photo are my company Swire (Taikoo) and HSBC (Wayfoong). For just over 60 years they played an annual fixture in Shanghai until 1949 which to this day probably still makes it one of the longest running local cricket fixtures. Also the first annual rugby match between these two “Hongs” was played in 1912. So guess what….. as next year is 2012 it is time to mark the centenary of their first rugby game with both a rugby and cricket match between the latest generation of Taikoo and Wayfoong including what will need to be a few ringers (any Marco Polo Club members out there?).
I have also been given a lengthy press article from 1914 which gives a detailed history of the first 50 years of Shanghai cricket. When I get the time I’ll transcribe it and post it. I could not help noticing that a certain Major Turner was also a prominent figure in the early years of cricket in Shanghai, another Turner between the Wars and a Turner after the 2nd World War so clearly there has been a Shrek or two before Basher #1
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It seems that the first all Chinese cricket match took place in 1901 between the Rest of China and the politically incorrectly named SCC “Coolies”…… although unfortunately the article does not provide clarity as to whether the SCC Coolies were the forerunners of the Hot Dogs. One suspects they might have been.
Sledges
Sledge
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Love your work Pusher. Keep it coming!
Amazing photo Pusher! You can see seats up there on the roof beside the clock(!), and an actual boundary rope. Truly "a decent clubhouse befitting the gentlemen of the Leisure."
Fascinating Pusher, especially about all those Turners.We just can't keep away from the place.Love to see the articles.I take it this is in the middle of the racecourse at People's Square.I would think a Bashers re-enactment of this photo would look good in the clubhouse! See you in Xiamen lads.
Shrek is correct. This is indeed the clubhouse in the middle of the racecourse at People's Square. You will also note that the clubhouse is devoid of women as presumably it was a Gentlemen only establishment. I am told that at time there would have been four or five games going on each Saturday afternoon throughout Shanghai. Good idea of Shrek's to have the Bashers teams suitably "toffed up" for an end of year photo...blazers, spats, a cravat or two plus everyone should have the extremely smug look displayed by most of the Gents in this photo.
Would the Turner between the wars have any connection to the architecture firm Palmer & Turner? They designed some delightful brick buildings - Cathay Mansions (now the Old Jin Jiang Hotel) in 1925-29 and also Grosvenor House & Gardens in 1932 (both nearby the old Cathay Theatre in Huaihai Road). I think they were also designed Broadway Mansions on the northern side of the Suzhou Creek. I go past it to get to work and something about the brick patterns looks similar.
ShitShoes, Seated on the left side of the photo is Mike Turner of Wayfoong. I have another photo from 1949 with a Maurice Turner the captain of Taikoo.
Thanks Pusher - I'll check out whether either Turner is involved. Palmer & Turner Architects & Surveyors were fairly prominent architects here in Shanghai - even making it onto the Bund.
No - the architect is an Arthur Turner...
I'm pretty sure that pair of pads in the middle are still in the Leisure kit
incidently - Robert Charles Turner was the Shanghai Council's city architect from 1904-1925, and designed fire stations, police stations, swimming pools, etc... Best one though is the Council building on corner of Fuzhou Rd / Henan Rd... Now I think it is some sort of health department building...