F.P. Club History

Former Pupils’ Section

As things returned to normal after 1945 the Sports Sections continued but there is no sign of any information about either the Motor Section or the Club Room Section and it is assumed that they were not revived.

F.P. Club History – Part 2

In the years following the end of the War in 1945 the Club resumed its usual activities, most notably in the Sports Sections with, in particular, several seasons of high class Rugby, Cricket and Hockey teams fielded in the name of the Club. Post-match socialising was done in different locations, notably in the case of Rugby in the George Hotel. There were from time to time thoughts from the Rugby Section about having Club premises at Rubislaw Field, but the impossibility of obtaining permission for licensed premises on a sports ground, the main use of which was for children’s education, was recognised and the thought was never any more than just an idea. In the mid-1960s the Gordonian Association leased premises in Seafield Road, close to their Sports ground, where they opened a licensed club.

Gordon Henderson (1921-34) was a long-serving member of the Executive Committee and himself a former Rugby player for FPs, who was aware of the Rugby Section’s thinking. In April 1968, as Vice-President of the F.P. Club and Chairman of the Executive, he was a guest at the Aberdeen Heriot Club annual dinner where he learned much about that Club’s presence at Goldenacre in Edinburgh. He was so impressed by what he heard that he put himself about to learn in detail the nature of their premises. The critical difference in their case was, of course, that Heriot College was a private school and owned their Goldenacre ground and the buildings on it and the Edinburgh Education Authority had no input to their activities. Gordon came to the next meeting of the Executive, explained how impressed he had been with what he had learned about Goldenacre, and proposed that the possibility of obtaining premises for the Club in the vicinity of Rubislaw should be explored. The members of the Executive were infected with Gordon’s enthusiasm and the idea was to be further considered.

By the time of the next meeting, in the summer of 1968, it had become known that a member of the F.P. Club, Bill Wisely, was the owner of 86 Queen’s Road and was planning to move to Kincardineshire, where he had farming interests. It was believed that he might be willing to sell his house to the Club. Of all the possible buildings in the area this was without doubt the best suited for the needs of the Club and its Sports Sections. Described at the time as “this handsome mansion” Bayview House, as it was formerly known, was built in the 1870s but was completely re-designed in 1913 by the distinguished architect Dr. William Kelly R.S.A. and finished to a high standard of craftsmanship and distinction. In the view of architects it was one of the finest dwelling-houses in the city. The 21

lounge, which was the eastmost front room of the building, had a most distinctive plaster ceiling with the four seasons of the year depicted in its corners. The fireplaces there and in the bedrooms upstairs were distinctive and of high quality.

The task of considering all that had to be done in preparation for acquiring the building was entrusted to a small sub-committee, under the chairmanship of Philip Love, which investigated the viability of the project, the feasibility of obtaining a Club licence for the premises and the availability of funding for a purchase. They also had discussions with architects about the alterations which would be needed to meet the Club’s requirements. It was fortunate that Mr. Wisely was in no rush to sell, as such a project was outwith the powers of the Executive and general meetings of the Club were required before a formal offer to purchase the premises could be made.

While the Executive Committee was from the outset enthusiastically in favour of the project there were some among the general body of members who had doubts about its viability and who argued cogently against the idea at a General Meeting of the Club in January 1969. The proposal had sufficient support at that meeting that it was possible to bring the necessary changes to the Club constitution before the Annual General Meeting in March 1969. The Executive was empowered by the members at that meeting to proceed purchase 86 Queen’s Road and convert the premises to its requirements. The price was £25,000, which fifty years later seems unbelievable. That said, this was in the days before North Sea oil became a factor in property prices, and it is clear that had we waited until five years later it is unlikely that the project could have gone ahead.

Prior to opening the Centre alterations were required to some parts of the building, the most extensive of which were in the basement. What were five rooms were merged into one occupying the whole front area of the basement in order to create the Sports Bar. A leading Gordonian commented at the time what a boon such a bar would prove to be, separating celebrating rugby and other teams from the more orderly members who would frequent the Lounge Bar on the ground floor. He contrasted this with the single bar at the Seafield Club.

On the ground floor what had been the dining room was adapted to form the Lounge Bar, the counter accessed by staff from a stock room at the rear of the building. What had been the butler’s pantry was transformed into a gents’ toilet which remained in that position despite other alterations to the lay-out over succeeding years. On the mezzanine floor above the kitchen, accessed off the main staircase, there was created an up-market Ladies’ Powder Room. On the main first floor three bedrooms were upgraded for the use of visiting Former Pupils and a well laid out Committee Room to the west front of the building was furnished appropriately. On the top floor there was a Billiard Room furnished with a handsome table donated by Mr. Wisely.

The Sports Bar opened for business on 13 September 1969 and a month later, with the remaining alterations completed, the official opening of the Centre was 22

Former Pupils’ Section performed by the President, George Crombie, on 17 October with an encouraging number of Former Pupils present. Official guests included representatives of the various firms of contractors and suppliers who had been involved in the reconstruction and refurbishment of the premises. These included the architects who had been responsible for the planning of the conversion of the premises and the designing of the two bars.

The Steward and his wife and son were housed in what had been the chauffeur’s small flat above the garage and wash-bed off Bayview Road at the rear of the site. The first Steward left after only a year and his successor, Bill Mackie, had a family of three for whom the small flat was wholly unsuitable. They were temporarily housed in the bedrooms in the main building while the garage was converted into a modern detached house with a large living room and three bedrooms. The funding of the purchase and conversion of the premises came from a heritable loan from the Standard Property Investment Company secured on the building, funds from the Scottish Rugby Union and the FP Rugby Section and from an Appeal Fund launched for support from individual Former Pupils. The Standard Property loan was in part secured by a life insurance policy on the life of a Former Pupil who was involved in the licensed trade. At a later stage some of the F.P. Club’s investments were realised.

After five years fully functioning it became apparent that the premises required further improvement and major works were undertaken in 1974 involving the removal of the old entrance hall and the creation of a new lounge bar occupying the whole of the ground floor to the front of the building. A suspended ceiling allowed the introduction of an improved heating and ventilation system although concealing the beautiful original ceilings. With the original front door now serving only as a fire exit, a new doorway and vestibule were created on the west gable of the building to the rear of the bar and stock room. Over succeeding years various door entry security systems were installed there, some more successful than others, in order to comply with the requirements for a private members’ club.

In the 1980s and into the ‘90s, with the oil industry booming in Aberdeen, enhancements were made to some of the committee rooms with a view to making them available for let to outside companies for conferences and other purposes to generate rental income. In 1985 the Lounge Bar was enhanced by the installation of a magnificent trophy cabinet in which to display trophies, shields and memorabilia of the Sports Sections and their distinguished members.

Upgrading of the Centre facilities was undertaken on a regular basis and significant changes in the 1990s were made possible with input from the steward, George Mackenzie, who, before entering the licensed trade, was a time-served joiner. In 1995 the one-time “Snug” area in the Lounge Bar was removed in order that the kitchen could be expanded to enable the provision of snack meals for

members’ convenience. This work was done entirely by the steward. In the following year he played a major role in the refurbishment of the rear wing above the kitchen by removing the ladies’ toilet and revamping the whole area to accommodate a Fitness Room comprising a mini-gym and shower facilities. This involved an investment of £14,000 but proved very popular and was much used by the Sports Sections. At about the same time the dining room was converted into a television room and Sky Sport TV was installed.

The finances of the Centre were reasonably sound in the first forty years of its existence, with an annual payment to the parent Club and a donation to the School Amenities Fund regularly paid. From the financial crisis of 2008 and later things became increasingly difficult to the point that in 2015 these contributions ceased and the Centre required increasingly to be sustained by parent Club funds. This was only eased by the generosity of Club members making available interest-free loans.

In the Appeal Brochure issued at the time of the formation of the Centre in 1969 it was stated that the premises would provide “a long-needed permanent social base for the Club and a focal point for its members from which much that is good can follow”. The view was expressed that the F.P. Club should be an active, foregathering, go-ahead concern which is precisely what the Club Centre allowed to happen over the following fifty years. That the radically changed circumstances of the third decade of the 21st century mean that this significant part of the F.P. Club’s history has come to an end is sad, but we all have fond and differing memories of what the Centre meant to each of us and we will long cherish these memories.

Addendum by FP Club Chairman to the comprehensive article in this Magazine by The Editor recounting the 50 year history of the FP Club Centre [page 21] under the heading FP Club History-Part 1 and Part 2.

Just as this magazine went to press, the following agreement was reached between the FP Club Executive and the Club Centre Committee.

The agreement, which is replicated in full, allocates almost £60,000 of funds remaining in the Club Centre account, after all liabilities have been met, to support the sports sections of rugby, cricket and hockey who were all supporters of the Club Centre. These funds, nominally 50:50 owned by the Club Centre and the FP Club, are therefore being handed over on an equally attributable basis. The aim of this agreement is to achieve a harmonious conclusion to the era of the Club Centre recognising the contributions of many parties to its longevity. After an extensive marketing campaign and professional advice, 86 Queen’s Road was sold for £875,000 earlier this year. While considerably less than our

Former Pupils’ Section ambitions when such properties were formerly in high demand in Aberdeen, it is in contrast to the £25,000 purchase price of 50 years ago.

AGSFP JOINT STATEMENT ON RESOLUTION OF CLUB CENTRE FINANCES – SEP 2021

Recognising that this is an opportune time to draw a line under an element of disharmony which prevailed in the relationship between the Club Centre and the AGSFP Club surrounding the sale of the Club Centre, the following declaration is made in a constructive spirit and in the context of disbursing residual funds as contained in the Club Centre final accounts.

Prudent management of the Club Centre in recent years significantly restricted financial losses with apparent achievement of a modest annual surplus, but only as a consequence of indirect subsidy from the FP Club which, in turn, needed to raise loans from members to maintain financial viability.

With changing times and social options, neither the FP Club, nor the Club Centre, could raise sufficient revenue to invest in maintaining 86 Queens Road. With little prospect of long-term sustainability, the Club Centre Committee reluctantly had to concur with the FP Club’s decision to sell the property.

The final accounts of the Club Centre show a substantial residual balance. The operation of the Club Centre was well managed in the context of Covid and the availability of government financial support. In addition there was also the challenge of flooding at 86 Queen’s Road caused by an extreme weather event covered by an insurance claim.

While it is clear that the overall residue is around £56,000, there is little merit in attempting to precisely disentangle years of accounts and minutes. Suffice to say that, for all practical purposes, the residual balance is approximately half attributable to Club Centre and half to the FP Club.

In that general context and recognising the huge amount of work and commitment which went in to the running of The Club Centre at 86 Queen’s Road over half a century and wishing now to disburse the funds which remain in the Club Centre account.

The AGSFP Club Executive Committee and the Club Centre Committee have agreed that all the surplus remaining in the Club Centre account (after all liabilities have been met and in accordance with the final audited accounts) be 25