1920 al n general meeting of members it was resolved that
the members approve the Committee ' s recom · mcndtnion 10 rent new rooms at 105 Pitt Street for a period of 10 years at £ 1000 per annum . or any other premises which in their opinion they con · sider advisable .
On 17 Mny 1920 a Special Comminee Meeting resolved that
! be action of Mr Dempster in arranging for prem · ises at 51 Castlereagh Srrcet on the third floor , from MessrsJ . C . Will inmson L1d , for IOyears at £! 000 per annum be endorsed and approved ... that Messrs T . W . Hodgson , A . Ward $ worth and S . M . Dempster are hereby appointed a subcommillce to deal with and anend to all matters in connection with the removal of effectS from the club premises and the purchase of any necessary articles required to set up the new premises at 51 Castlereagh Strcel
The new rooms in Castlereagh Street were fiued out and furnished and were ready for occupation by late 1920 . The rooms were opened by ! be Govemor Geoernl of Australia , His Excellency Loni Forster on 10 December 1920 . Lord Forster sailed his 21-ft
re ~ rrirrrd class yacht Cor ~ lla with the club .
The Castlereagh Street clubrOOIJ1S were next door to the Theatre Roylll in Castlereagh StrceL The rickety till took the members up 10 the second floor , where they entered a vestibule panelled in datk wood . Ahead , flanked on tlte way in by a cubbyhole affectio1wely known as the ' Umbrelln Exchange ' with the umbrella stands brought from the Savings Bank clubrooms , lay the bnr , with its poker machines at either end . Behind the bar stood a round-faced . smiling . retired Warrant • Oflicer known as George . George was very much master of the bar . and striclly enforced bis rule that no member be allowed to enter ungrceted by name or that a member be allo " ed 10 drink alone .
To the left of the vestibule double swing-doors led to L11e Reading Room , along room furnished with the ' Sleepy Hollow ' chairs still gracing the Galmea Room at the Sydney Club . and some tables covered with neat piles of OCWSJl3PCfl > and yachting magazines . At the far end was the Card Room . and at the left end the Secretary ' s office .
To the right of the vestibule was the Billiards Room , heavily patronised every lunchtime . Funher 1otherightwastheDiningRoomandasmallkitchen .
II was customary for members to use the Dining Room every Monday and many L11ought that the rnce re-run on Monday was more enjoyable than the real thing . Meals were more or less restricted to charcoal grills and cru .~ ty bread provided at a very low price which probably accounted for the large numbers orrending these luncheons .
The Dining Room was often set up for a meeting which in those days was heavily nnended and very outspoken .
The Castlereagh Street clubhouse was famous for its garganruan Christmas pany where the bWlnrd Lnblcs groaned under the weight of nn almost unbe · lievable spread of turkey , hruns . fish . fruit and sweets . The decorations were beautifully dooe with pigs ' beads as the centrepiece . 11le magnificent feast
woa free to nU ntembers and gue :> ls . Tilis 1nost exrmvagant prnctlce continued until 1947 when members were required 10 pay for their Christmas treat .
In 1923 there was a suggesrion of moving to Macquarie Street . There was ulso a most ambitious suggestion put forwurd on 22 January 1925 regard · ing the purchase of land in Phillip Street on which they would construct a building tohousctheclub and lease the remainder . The members were most cnthu · sinstic and signed debenrures for £ 6980 . On 19 March 1925 the sub-committee was instructed 10
The Card Room . The five . seater card table is now in the Galatea Room in the city and the seven-seater table is now in the Crystal Bay Room a1 Green Point .
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