The Hurlingham Club
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| Full name | The Hurlingham Club |
|---|---|
| Location | London, England |
| Founded | 1869 |
| Club colors |
(White, Turquoise Blue) |
| Activities | Backgammon, Bridge, Bowls, Chess, Cricket, Croquet, Skittles, Squash, Tennis |
| Website | hurlinghamclub.org.uk |
The Hurlingham Club is an exclusive sports and social club located in Fulham, London, England. It has a Georgian clubhouse set in 42 acres (17 ha) of grounds. It is a member of The Association of London Clubs.
In 1867 Frank Heathcote received the permission of Richard Naylor to promote live pigeon shooting at his Hurlingham estate. 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 Naylor in 1869 and in 1874 acquired the land outright for £27,500. The pigeon today forms part of 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. The current patron is HRH The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.
In 1873, the club published the rules of polo, which are still followed by most of the world to this day. Polo was first played at the club on 6 June 1874. On 18 July 1878, the club along with Ranelagh became the first to play a sports match under floodlights. In 1886, the club hosted the first international polo match between England and the United States. The polo matches for the 1908 Summer Olympics were played at Hurlingham. Three teams entered: Hurlingham, Roehampton Club, and a combined British and Irish team. Roehampton won. The Westchester Cup was played at the club in 1900, 1902, 1909, 1921 and 1936. Before the Second World War, Hurlingham was the headquarters of British polo. The governing body of British polo is called the Hurlingham Polo Association. However polo is no longer staged at Hurlingham after the size of the club was significantly reduced after the war when the polo fields were compulsorily purchased to build council housing (the Sullivan Estate). The Guards Polo Club in Windsor Great Park has succeeded to the status of the leading British polo club.
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