Chapter Six
The Club Acquires Green Point
The events leadillg up to the move to Green Point . The effect of World War II 011 the Pittwater .
In late 1900and 1901 therewerediscussions regarding the need for a "• 1erfronrage and slipping facilities for 1he club . M1111y offers of harbour froruage land , including one at Quakers Hat Bay , Middle Harbour , were made bul after investiga1ion lhey were not accep1ed .
In 1909 and lhrougll unlll 1914 members were criticising the congestion and mtctferencc from commercial shippmg on lhc Harbour . World War I quietened lhe discontenl as there were many mt > re imponam things LO do . bm immediately ufterthe war a past Committee member , Sid Bacon . made a move to secure o propeny . and a decision was reached which tl1c Committee hoped would sa1hfy the members .
Jn Scp1ember 191 Y Wnlter Marks led a subcommittee on a visit to Green Poin1 . Newpon .. Al a meeting on 9 October 1919 he reponed to the Comminee :
Following upon your insrructions , your sut > commmec visi1ed . Broken Bay on Snrurday the 27th ultimo , and inspected various pieces of land
under offer to the club . or Oii the pieces of land inspec1cd , that piece known as Green Poin1 , i111medla1cly ncross from Scon ' s Boarding House at Newpon , commends itself to your sub < Ommit = as bemg eminently suitable as a site for a clubhouse . TilC area is I acre , I rood . 22 poles and its situation is excellent , being promineni and lending it . self to display such as a progressive club li ~ e our own is cniitled to . It has deep waterfrontagc to llte Bay . Slips and boatsheds can beconvenicn1ly erected , and the reclamation rights to a considerable level can be ob1ained . The innd is cleared and in every way suited for clubhouse grounds . A roadway leads right on to the propeny , bu1 a shoner route would be by boa1 rrom the jetty atlllchcd toScon ' s Boarding House . ammgemeuts for 1hc use of which could doubtless be made .
Your sub-committee are enamoured of the suggestion 10 erect a clubhouse on this site . feeling ! hat such a procedure would be m keeping with the limes and with the repuu11ion forpro ~ s which this club enjoys . Further . your sul > committu reel tha1 ii is only a maner or a few
years when yachl racing in S > dneY Harbour will cease owing 101he ever increasing iraffic thereon , and the natural venue for 1his spon is , wilhou1 doubt , Pittwater . Broken Bay . It is unnecessary to enlarge upon 11te attractions of such a proposal as ! hey musl commend themselves to all . That such a venture will be self-supponing your subcommitiee hove no doubl of , Ute need for such a weekend ' pince of refuge ' for lhe members being apparent .
The purchase price named was £ 700 bu1 your sub-oommiuec have been able to secure rut oprion for one monlh m lhe reduced price of £ 650 , and your sub-conimillee have no hesitation in recommending lhe purchase of the land in question at llte price named and the carrying of lhc proposal imo effecl wi1h as little delay as possible .
Mr Langan then iold the mee1ing tha1 Mr Bacon had npplicd 10 purchase lhe site al Green Point for the club for £ 650 , and Mr Bromley undertook to pay Mr Bacon 8 % onhisoutlay . Mr Bacon explained tha1 the club would have the righ1 to take over U1is propeny from him at any time . bu1 in case the club did 1101 do so the propeny would become the club ' s own at Mr Bacon ' s dea1h . It was resolved thai
tl1is meeting request lhe Committee 10 call a special gener . ii meeting of members on Monday the 20th instan1at8 pm for the purpose of considering and accepting or rejecting a proposal to purchase 1he site at Newpon now under offer to the club and LO consider the erection of a clubhouse thereon .
TilC meeting or20 October 1919 was held and i1 was resolved that ' the Commiucc be authorised to buy IJ1is land at Pi11wa1er , which is now under offer 10 lhe club for £ 650 ' and lhat ' lhe consideration of tile erection of a clubhouse be deferred lO a future dale '.
Nothing much happened from here and the members were no1 informed . The wording of ! heir request for information speaks volumes for the
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