Sixty Joyless De-Britished Uncrowned Commonpoor Years (1949-2009)

Elizabeth II Vice-Regal Saint: Remembering Paul Comtois (1895–1966), Lt.-Governor of Québec
Britannic Inheritance: Britain's proud legacy. What legacy will America leave?
English Debate: Daniel Hannan revels in making mince meat of Gordon Brown
Crazy Canucks: British MP banned from Canada on national security grounds
Happy St. Patrick's: Will Ireland ever return to the Commonwealth?
Voyage Through the Commonwealth: World cruise around the faded bits of pink.
No Queen for the Green: The Green Party of Canada votes to dispense with monarchy.
"Sir Edward Kennedy": The Queen has awarded the senator an honorary Knighthood.
President Obama: Hates Britain, but is keen to meet the Queen?
The Princess Royal: Princess Anne "outstanding" in Australia.
H.M.S. Victory: In 1744, 1000 sailors went down with a cargo of gold.
Queen's Commonwealth: Britain is letting the Commonwealth die.
Justice Kirby: His support for monarchy almost lost him appointment to High Court
Royal Military Academy: Sandhurst abolishes the Apostles' Creed.
Air Marshal Alec Maisner, R.I.P. Half Polish, half German and 100% British.
Cherie Blair: Not a vain, self regarding, shallow thinking viper after all.
Harry Potter: Celebrated rich kid thinks the Royals should not be celebrated
The Royal Jelly: A new king has been coronated, and his subjects are in a merry mood
Victoria Cross: Australian TROOPER MARK DONALDSON awarded the VC
Godless Buses: Royal Navy veteran, Ron Heather, refuses to drive his bus
Labour's Class War: To expunge those with the slightest pretensions to gentility
100 Top English Novels of All Time: The Essential Fictional Library
BIG BEN: Celebrating 150 Years of the Clock Tower

Saturday 3 January 2009

The Naval and Military Club of Australia

THE nation's most famous military club, which once boasted members such as General Sir John Monash and Field Marshal Sir Thomas Blamey, is on the brink of collapse.

NMC_bottle

Melbourne's Naval and Military Club is in danger of closing its doors after one hundred and twenty seven years of hosting some of Australia's (and the worlds) most renowned military personages, according to the Australian.



"THE nation's most famous military club, which once boasted members such as General Sir John Monash and Field Marshal Sir Thomas Blamey, is on the brink of collapse. The 127-year-old Naval and Military Club in Melbourne is saddled with debts of more than $10 million as a result of failed property deals and a fast-shrinking membership base. An independent audit report obtained by The Australian has found that the private club, which once hosted the Duke of Gloucester, Earl Mountbatten and Field Marshal Sir William Slim, could soon be forced to close its doors."
While technically not a gentleman's club (it accepts women members) it is still a club which deserves saving, and I intend to apply for membership to do what I can. But what else can be done to save such a venerable institution?

4 comments:

Beaverbrook said...

Wanted: A few good gentlemen.

That's it, that's your solution. Any private club is only as good as its members, though this is much more than a club, more a national institution.

Bolingbroke said...

It does not look 127 years old. Very bright and way too much minimalist white everywhere for a traditional club. The original must have burnt down, not an uncommon occurence in the 19th century.

Lord Best said...

Yes, I do not believe the building is the original club building, unless it has been extensively and tastelessly redocrated. The article mentions a developer wanting to build a high rise hotel on the site, which would not be allowed if it was a heritage site.

Anonymous said...

I have been interested in joining this club for a while but due to my age and being a student I have not been able to, though this looks very bad for one of Melbournes oldest private clubs. Though hopefully with me becoming a naval officer soon I shall be able to obain membership and help save this institution.

As for the building from memory the club is still in its original building but has renovated the inside.