Club News

Christmas and New Year Opening Times

Full details of all the opening times over Christmas and the New Year can be viewed on the Club website. In summary:

Pall Mall The clubhouse is closed from 4.00pm on Friday 23 December until Monday 2 January, with the exception of the sports facilities and the Club Room which are open from Wednesday 28 December until Saturday 31 December with reduced hours.

Woodcote Park The clubhouse and the bars and restaurants are open over much of Christmas and the New Year except when there are special events taking place. Please check the website for the details for each outlet and we recommend booking in advance.

The golf courses, Cedars Sports and the Walled Garden are all open every day except Christmas Day, but with amended hours.

New Woodcote Park Committee Chairman

Following his election to the Board at this year’s Club AGM, Richard Arman has been selected as the new Chairman of the Woodcote Park Committee.

Having grown up in Ashtead, Richard’s association with the Club dates back to his time as a ‘Junior Sports Member’, which included braving the only pool then available at Woodcote Park, which was outdoors.

Most recently, before retirement, Richard was the Director of Development (UK and Ireland) at the InterContinental Hotel Group. During his long career in the hospitality industry he worked for a range of major hotel companies, such as Best Western and Choice Hotels International.

Since re-joining the Club in 2015, Richard has contributed his considerable expertise by serving on the Working Groups for the refurbishment of the Brooklands Room, the Derby and Oaks Rooms at Woodcote Park and, now, the bedrooms at Pall Mall. He has been a member of the Woodcote Park Committee since 2019.

A sports enthusiast, Richard also knows his way around a golf course and a tennis court and, like many fellow members, has a penchant for classic and vintage cars.

Pall Mall Dress and Standards

An amended code for dress and standards at Pall Mall came into effect at the beginning of September, when the summer dress code period ended.

The amended code primarily sets out in greater detail how to meet the requirements which have been in place since 2021, providing additional clarity for members and for staff. The two main changes from the previous code are that: • denim is no longer permitted anywhere at any time, except to transit between the entrance and the sports changing rooms or your bedroom • while polo shirts are still permitted (except in the

Cocktail Bar, Drawing Room and Great Gallery); they must not be multicoloured.

There are also some amendments to the requirements for footwear to ensure it is of an appropriate standard.

In general, members, their guests and any other visitors to Pall Mall are expected to dress suitably for the Club environment: smartly and with a degree of formality appropriate for the time of day and occasion.

Members are also reminded that: • outerwear and luggage must be left in the cloakroom or your bedroom (or a banqueting room if the event organiser agrees) • mobile phones and tablets may only be used in silent mode except in the phone booths on the ground floor, in the Simms Centre Communications

Room, in meeting rooms or in your bedroom • laptops may only be used in the Simms Centre, the

Library and in pre-booked banqueting rooms and bedrooms • headphones and earbuds are not permitted anywhere except in the gym (and in the areas where laptops may be used).

Further information is available on the Club website and in a leaflet available from the Reception desk at Pall Mall. If you have any questions, please email communications@ royalautomobileclub.co.uk or ask a member of staff.

Young Members Survey

Thank you to the 374 members aged between 18 and 35 who completed the survey about activities for Young Members.

The results are now being carefully considered by the Young Members Committee and will inform the programme of activities for 2023, more about which will be announced soon.

New Reciprocal Club

Amsterdam is the location for the latest addition to the Club’s reciprocal network.

The Koninklijke Industrieele Groote Club is located in the centre of the city and was awarded its royal title in 2013 to mark its centenary. It provides a range of facilities for dining and for meetings.

Information on all the reciprocal clubs available to members can be found on the Club website.

Golf

Club Championships A weekend of sunshine and wind in June brought an exciting finish to both the Men’s and Ladies’ Club Championship Competitions.

The Men’s Club Championship concluded with an eagle on the 18th for a total 140 over the two rounds. Congratulations to Max French.

The Ladies’ Club Championship was not settled over the 36 holes, with Natanje Holt, Jo Atkins and Giang Chatelan making the playoff. It took three further holes to determine the winner, with congratulations to Natanje Holt.

Many congratulations to all the 2022 Club Champions: • Men’s Club Championship Winner – Max French • Ladies’ Club Championship Winner – Natanje Holt • Men’s Senior Club Championship Winner –

Martin Vertigen • Ladies’ Senior Club Championship Winner –

Cherry Hughes

Invitation Guest Days Eighty ladies took part in the Ladies’ Invitation Guest Day on Tuesday 5 July. Played on the Old Course with a shotgun start, the ladies played in teams of four with the best two stableford scores counting on each hole. There was a buffet lunch and a prize presentation in the Cedar Room after the golf.

Pictured with our Lady Captain Maggie Simkins are Sy Salim, Roo Goswamy and their guests Bassey Dunbar from Sundridge Park and Gabriella Campanale from Richmond Golf Club, who won the competition with 107 points.

Two days later it was the turn of 40 male Golf Pass Holders and their guests to enjoy 18 holes on the Old Course. This was followed by a buffet lunch and a prize presentation in the Cedar Room.

John Nunn and his son Jeremy Nunn from Cuddington Golf Club, who was his guest, won the Old Course better ball stableford competition with 44 points.

Segrave Trophy

As announced in July’s edition of Pell-Mell & Woodcote, the Segrave Trophy has been awarded to Robin Shute for being the first and only British driver to have claimed overall victory in the Pikes Peak hill climb in Colorado. Since that was published he has won the race a remarkable third time.

In August, Robin was welcomed to Pall Mall to receive the trophy from Club Chairman Ben Cussons. In his acceptance speech he said: “Receiving this prestigious award is a huge honour. There are so many great names amongst the past winners and, as someone who has a passion for speed records, I have an enormous amount of respect for Sir Henry Segrave and everything that he achieved. To win a trophy awarded in his honour is very special.”

The trophy is named after Sir Henry Segrave – the first person to hold both the land and the water speed world records, although the latter would cost him his life in 1930 – and is awarded for ‘outstanding skill, courage and initiative on land, water and in the air: the spirit of adventure’.

Simulator in the Rotunda

It was a first for the rotunda display when, in August, the prime spot in Pall Mall was occupied by a racing simulator instead of a car. Prodrive has partnered with Ian Callum, one of the world’s foremost automotive designers, with the aim of creating a piece of furniture that would take pride of place in any home or venue.

The sculpted carbon monocoque floats beneath a striking canopy of 16 birch layers, encased in a lacquered gloss black finish. Club member and Prodrive Chairman, David Richards, had the idea to create this striking piece of home sculpture: “I wanted something that married technology with contemporary furniture, something you would be proud to have on display in your home, like a grand piano, rather than tucked out of the way. I’m proud of the result; it’s something that would not look out of place in a gallery of contemporary art.”

Bentleys Return to the Isle of Man

The centenary of the 1922 TT motor race was marked in June with an event organised by Club member Vivian Bush. It featured more than 70 vintage Bentleys, plus 1920s Sunbeams, including the 1922 winning Chassagne car and Sir Henry Segrave’s, which was forced to retire from the race.

In 1922, fledgling manufacturer W O Bentley posted a last-minute entry of three ‘production chassis’ cars for the RAC’s Tourist Trophy – held on the Isle of Man as road racing was prohibited on the mainland. The resulting second, fourth and fifth places, against Grand Prix Sunbeams and Vauxhalls, kick-started the Bentley reputation for speed and reliability. That year proved to be the last Manx TT car race as the course was deemed too dangerous for the ever-increasing speeds.

The line-up in June included EXP2, the oldest remaining Bentley in the world; it was registered in 1921, 18 months before the first customer car was delivered. Used for pre-race practise in 1922, a century later it carried the island’s Lieutenant Governor for a parade lap of the 37.75 mile circuit.

In Memoriam

Mr Michael Halliden

07/01/1943-18/01/2022

Mr Alun Jones

17/10/1923-25/01/2022

Mr Raymond Brown

17/02/1938-16/02/2022

Mr Peter Woolf-Skinner

09/07/1935-28/03/2022

Mrs Elisabeth van Odijk

01/02/1949-01/04/2022 Mr George Mount

13/10/1996-10/04/2022

Mr Timothy Waller

30/12/1946-03/05/2022

Mr Douglas Hampson

22/10/1946-21/05/2022

Mr Montague Northcott

25/04/1931-23/05/2022

Mr Phillip Hyde

02/10/1945-04/06/2022

Mrs Marilyn Ishani

13/09/1949-12/06/2022 Mr David Barham JP DL

06/10/1926-19/06/2022

Mr Peter Clifton-Gould

10/06/1944-21/06/2022

Mr Rodney Yates

07/06/1937-01/07/2022

Mr David Worskett

05/05/1952-10/07/2022

Mr Samir Abujamra

02/07/1935-14/07/2022

Mr Derek Hughes

01/08/1932-15/07/2022

Activity Group News

Photography Group Sailing Day

On 25 June nine hardy souls took to the Solent on speedy RIBs to photograph the ‘Round the Island’ race, with upwards of 1,200 boats on the water including some classic yachts. Hoping for calm waters, sunshine and a slight breeze we headed out from Lymington to catch the early starters.

The required early images were obtained and as the fleet moved towards the Needles we followed. Resting on the tide in heavier water we waited and were duly rewarded with many interesting shots. Lunch beckoned and so we set off to Cowes, encountering the final stragglers on the way and earlier faster boats crossing the finish line.

A dash to Ryde followed and a colourful afternoon session with the main fleet of some 1,000 boats rounding the east point of the Isle of Wight: into the homeward stretch, spinnakers billowing, some ripped, others sinking into the sea with tiring crews attempting recovery.

A fast journey through rough waters back to Lymington made certain that everyone received a good salty taste of the sea, bringing to an end a wonderful day.

Club Member Swims the English Channel

Ed Horne, a 67-year-old regular member of the Club’s Swimming Group, completed a solo swim of the English Channel on 8 July, making his way from Abbotts Cliff, Dover, to Wissant in northern France in 15 hours and 51 minutes and raising around £25,000 for charity.

Ed started in the dark at 3.47am, reaching terra firma in France at 7.38pm that evening. Sea conditions were generally fair but somewhat choppy in the north east shipping lane. Ed was mentored by Kevin Murphy, a septuagenarian, better known as ‘The king of the Channel’ having swum it 34 times.

This was Ed’s third attempt to swim the Channel, making the success even sweeter. His previous two attempts had ended after 13 and 14 hours respectively.

Putting the swim into context, whilst more than 6,000 people have climbed Everest, only about 2,200 people have ever swum the Channel. The oldest was 73 years old, just six years older than Ed, which makes him almost certainly among the oldest 15 people to complete the swim.

Chess

The Provenance of a Bronze Bull Keen-eyed visitors to the Club Room in Pall Mall may have spotted a new trophy in the cabinet by the chess sets. This wonderful bronze was generously donated by our reciprocal club the Real Casino de Madrid when its chess team visited in June.

Our Spanish friends fielded a team of 10 players for our inaugural inter-club match, with a format of two 45-minute games of 10 boards. We took a 7-3 lead by the halfway stage but the second half was much closer, with Richard Hughes landing the win in the second half by drawing the crucial match against Casino’s top board José Ignacio Herrero (right). The Club’s players, who performed exceptionally well, winning both their games, were Svetlana Broussova, Scott Samuel, Mike Rolfe and Henry McWatters.

At a dinner in the Terrace Room that evening, ‘El Torito’ was presented to Chess Chairman Henry McWatters by José Manuel Gonzáles Moreno, Vicepresidente del Real Casino de Madrid. The beautiful sculpture is by Isidore-Jules Bonheur.

Chess at Woodcote Park On one of the hottest days of July, Woodcote Park chess players hosted a friendly chess fixture against some of the stalwart chess players of Pall Mall.

A shady scenic venue at the front of the clubhouse was found to meet the exceptional weather conditions and the dress code somewhat relaxed for this outdoor occasion – as Pall Mall’s match captain Rob Matthews showed in his shorts while leading his team to a 4-1 victory.

Film

The Film Society arranges for films to be shown on a regular basis at both Pall Mall and Woodcote Park. 2022 has proved to be an extremely busy and successful year, with more than a dozen screenings scheduled to take place across both clubhouses over the course of the year, and with record attendances for films such as Lawrence of Arabia and Cinema Paradiso.

The Film Society has a full schedule of events planned for 2023, including films such as Breakfast at Tiffany’s and Il Postino.

For the latest information on forthcoming screenings at both clubhouses please visit the Activities section of the Club website.

stops from Duncan Wallace.

Skipper Tristan Caviet rotated the bowlers with Tom Weston and Freddie Joyce bowling tightly which, combined with some great glove work from James Mitchell, restricted the HAC to a total of 143.

The Club’s openers Magnus Pierre and Tristan Caviet got off to a flying start with 44 off the first four overs, with each boundary being cheered by the crowd. Tristan and Magnus both made their 30 before retiring and the boundaries and cheers kept coming with Nick Havers closing out the chase for the Club!

Cricket

vs. the Honourable Artillery Company CC On a sunny Wednesday in Battersea Park, the Club lost the toss and was put into the field by the HAC, one of our strongest opponents. The Club’s team started strongly, with Oskar Denby bowling with good pace and accuracy and putting the HAC top order under real pressure.

Mid-way through the HAC innings a good crowd of the Club’s Young Members arrived to cheer the team on, leading to some inspirational fielding, in particular a couple of outstanding

Pall Mall Billiards and Snooker

The Billiards Committee was delighted to host the Summer Finals Night on 10 June.

Christian Harris won the Snooker Singles Handicap tournament, beating Giles Gleave in a well-fought final. Prizes were also awarded to: • Billiards – winner Tom Watling, runner-up

Russell Prior • Doubles Snooker – winners Graeme Lewis and

Simon Wilson, runners-up Stewart Cowley and

Declan Tiernan • The Pall Mall Cup – winner Giles Gleave, runnerup Declan Tiernan.

Pictured below are some of the winners receiving their prizes from John Veness, Chairman of the Pall Mall Billiards Committee.

Christian Harris

Giles Gleave Graeme Lewis

Stewart Cowley