Newsletter

Third Quarter

2008

When it was built, the Rand Club dominated its surroundings.  Today it jostles at close quarters with the skyscrapers that are taking possession of the centre of Johannesburg, but never loses its dignity.  Like all old buildings – old, that is, by Johannesburg standards – the club has developed a personality from the generations that have used it, each with differing tastes and habits, each adding to it and changing it in some way.  The exterior of the house still looks as its Victorian architect, Frank Emley, visualised it, except that the exterior walls have been darkened by the grime and smoke of 70 or more years. The interior has been changed many times:  walls have been added, walls taken down for the comfort of the ever-growing number of members, and each addition and subtraction, representing the thinking of another generation, has in a way enriched the atmosphere of the house.

The design of the building is simple enough.  Entering through a heavy double door the visitor finds himself in a spacious hall with marble tiles and lit in the daytime by a stained glass dome some 50 feet above the ground. On the right a grand stairway sweeps to the first floor.  On the left on the ground floor a short passageway gives access to the main bar with its magnificent carved teak counter, 103 feet long.  It has been claimed this is the longest of all club bar counters, but this distinction goes to the bar in the Working Men’s Club in Mildura, Victoria, Australia, which has a counter 287 feet long, accommodating 32 draught beer pumps.

Adjoining but separate is Tommy’s Bar, a smaller and more intimate room named after Colonel T.B. Clapham, whose idea it was…

(Excerpt taken from “The Story of the Rand Club” by René De Villiers and S. Brooke-Norris)

Tommy’s Bar	Main Bar

Building face

Building entrance

Dome

Grand Stairway

SURREY HOUSE LUNCHTIME PARKING

Parking in Surrey House is still available during lunchtime, for three hours only. Please note that parking tickets are now available from David Lobban at the Porter’s Lodge to the value of R15.00, which you must present to the Surrey House parking attendants when you leave the parking area. Please note that the R15.00 voucher will cover three hours of parking only.

Any time over and above three hours will be for your own account.   

This facility is for members only. There is additional parking within walking distance of the club at Beyers Naude Square & Gandhi Square, for members’ guests.

Parking for special functions can be arranged through our Catering offices

Don’t forget, to order you Hams and Turkeys early for the Festive Season – orders can be placed with our Catering Department via email – catering@randclub.co.za

I am a collector of antique firearms and am interested in acquiring antique rifles or shotguns. Should anybody have such a piece, I would be delighted to hear from you.   My assistant, Tracy, can be reached on: 082 888 4255. Many thanks. James Topp   (R C Member)

DRESS RULES

A reminder to members that the minimum requirement of dress is –

Gentlemen - traditional African dress (including Nehru collars), throughout the club.  

Smart Casual – open necked long/short sleeved shirts. 

T-shirts of any kind, jeans, leather jackets, golf shirts, trainers and/or shorts are not acceptable.  

Ladies dress is Smart Casual. Ladies are permitted to wear sandals

Members are reminded to   ensure that their guests are made aware of the Dress Rules when visiting the Club.

Dress code for special functions will be specified in the newsletter

Dress rules for the Assore Sports Lounge are preferably standard Rand Club requirements.

use the Assore Sports Lounge from 11h00  Monday to Friday, until closing.

A REMINDER to all members that a requirement of the Clubs Act is that member's must sign their

guests in when entering the premises.  Your assistance is greatly appreciated.

Members please note – cellphones are to be turned off when entering the club building.

Should you need to make a call please use the phone booth on the ground floor behind the Porter’s Lodge, balconies or wooden bench area entrance to the club.

Just arrived brand new Rand Club ties – Gold & Navy

Cost: R150 each

The Chicago Athletic Association - is undergoing a period of transformation.

The club will be closed from 28 May 2007 for at least 18-24 months for renovations.

Union League Club of Chicago

Renovation of their overnight rooms have been completed.  Prices range from $210 for a Queen room to $600 for a suite.

Remember:

Roanne does all the reciprocity bookings, so please call her when next planning a visit to any one of the 130 reciprocity clubs worldwide.

For many members the Library is the focal point of their visit to the club and we would encourage all members to make use of it.  Our Librarian Mrs Jenny Brand, is in the Library on Wednesdays & Fridays from 9:30am to 1:30pm. The Library Committee meets every second month in order to select new books both non-fiction and fiction.  If a particular title is not available when you visit, please leave a note for Jenny and she will look into it.

The following periodicals are available in the Main Library -

Newspapers: Business Day, The Citizen, Mail & Guardian, The Star, International Express & Sunday Telegraph.

Magazines:  Africa Birds & Birding, Africa Geographic, Car, Financial Mail,  Men’s Health, Noseweek, The Economist, The Spectator, Time & Private Eye.

The Library, from time to time receives donations of books. Due to severe limitations on space and shelving, the Library Committee has been forced to limit the accepted donations of books to books of historical interest and contemporary importance. 

Whilst all donations are much appreciated, those that fall outside these categories of donations will have to make over to an appropriate charity.

THE RAND CLUB HISTORY ASSOCIATION

Meets on the last Thursday of every second month.

Next meeting: 25^th September 2008

Speaker: Gavin McInnes

Topic: Herbert Bakers’ Parktown Homes

12h00 for 12h45 — Bookings essential with Colleen in catering

Dress code:  Jacket and Tie

Food supplied will be soup, sandwiches and wine

Member and guest costs will be charged to members house account.

NEWLY ELECTED MEMBERS & MEMBERS/CANDIDATES LUNCHEONS FIRST TUESDAY OF EVERY MONTH-

 5 August, 2 September, 7 October, 4 November, 2 December

Sunday Carvery 2008 dates

3 August (Q), 7 September, 5 October (Q), 2 November, 7 December (Q) 

Remember every alternate Sunday Carvery is Quiz time!

RAND CLUB BUSINESS AND INVESTMENT SOCIETY

First Monday of each month. Meet at 12:30 for drinks/networking, followed by a single course lunch, wine and coffee, which will be served at 13:00.

Price: R75 per head.

Rand Club Members and guests are most welcome.

Booking essential with Colleen in catering

G A L A V A N T

THE ALL GIRL JAZZ BAND

WILL BE PERFORMING on SATURDAY 23^RD AUGUST at 19.45  

Where: IN THE ASSORE SPORTS LOUNGE @ Rand Club

Cost: R100 p/p entry fee

Dress code: Smart Casual

Bookings with Colleen in catering on  

011 834 8311/catering@randclub.co.za

SECRETARIES DAY LUNCH

3 September 2008—12:30 for 1pm

Cost R 155p/p, 3 course meal excluding drinks.  There will also be live entertainment.

The time of year where you can really show your secretary just how much you appreciate her! 

VIENNESE EVENING

SPONSORED BY KPMG

19 September 2008 – 7:15 for 7:45 pm

Cost R165.00 p/p (3 course dinner excluding wine & drinks)

Dress: Dark Lounge Suite

Entertainment:  Adrian Ignat and the Vienna String Quartet

The annual Viennese dinner with the Vienna String Quartet will be gracing your ears with their beautiful music. 

100 CLUB DATES FOR 2008

6 AUGUST, 3 SEPTEMBER, 1 OCTOBER, 5 NOVEMBER,3 DECEMBER

LUNCH WITH DAVID WILLIAMS on his latest book: “On the Border” The White South African Military Experience 1965-1990.

The aim was to capture an era that defined the life experience of white men who are now between 35 and 60, and the impact on them and their families. The aim of history is not to defend, but to explain and illustrate. Some of it was tragic and upsetting, much of it was boring and humdrum, some of it was hilarious- but generally it was unforgettable. The after-effects range from bitterness to fond nostalgia - and sometimes both. The emphasis is on telling a story through filter of personal experience, while explaining the social context and broader political/military events.

23^rd  October 2008 12:15 for 12:30

50 CLUB DATES FOR 2008

12 AUGUST, 9 SEPTEMBER, 14 OCTOBER, 11 NOVEMBER ,9 DECEMBER

SEASONAL CONCERT WITH THE

JOHANNESBURG BRASS BAND

 27^th November 2008

R160.00 p/p

3 course dinner—(excluding drinks)

Dress Code:  Lounge suit

Member Pat Corbin has once again arranged a return of the Johannesburg Brass Band. 

Parking available at Surrey House

Members may be partnered by non-members

Date: 11 November 2008

Time: 12h00

Entries to Colleen in catering by no later than 19 November 2008

18 NOVEMBER 2008

Cost: R130.00 p/p (2 course meal, including 2 glasses of wine.)

Lunch will be in the Main Dining Room followed by the AGM at 1:45

MEMBERS ANNUAL SPECIAL CHRISTMAS LUNCH

Thurs 11 DECEMBER 2008

Cost: R150.00p/p (excluding drinks)

Hello once again,

It is with pride that I can announce that I have been invited to represent South Africa in the Le Mondial des Chefs 2008 – Chefs World Trophy which takes place in Paris on Tuesday November 18 2008.  There are two parts to the competition. The first being the main course which must contain scallops as the main ingredient, the second part is to produce a sweet containing orange. The objective is to produce a recipe that can be prepared for a large number of guests and which has a cultural flair for the country represented.

This is one of my experimental recipes for the sweet.

Ingredients – Melva Pudding

Melva pudding method:

Pre-heat oven to 180 ۫C.  Mix together sugar & butter, then add the eggs & marmalade.  Add milk and flour

alternately, then add the vinegar & bicarbonate of soda.  Pour the mixture into 10 buttered ramekins ± 5cm in diameter.  Bake for approximately 30 minutes.

Ingredients – Syrup

Syrup method: Place all ingredients in a medium sized saucepan – high heat.  Stir constantly till mixture starts to boil. Remove from heat, pour syrup over Melva pudding.

Ingredients – Crème Anglaise

Crème Anglaise method:

 Bring the milk to boil in a small

saucepan.  In a bowl mix together the egg yolk, sugar & corn flour.  Add the hot milk to the egg mixture and mix well. Return to the saucepan and place back on low heat, stirring until thick..  Remove from the heat and stir for 2 minutes to stop cooking process.  Add the cream right at the end to enrich the custard.

Ingredients –Brandy Snaps

Brandy Snaps method: mix all ingredients together and firm up in refrigerator for about 1 hour. Pre-heat the oven to 180 ۫C.  Roll the mixture into small balls, flatten each into discs.  Arrange the disks on a baking tray.  Lone with silicone paper and bake in oven for 10 minutes or until the mixture turns golden brown,  Remove from the oven and allow to cool and become crisp.

Final Presentation:

Pour a pool of Crème Anglaise into the centre of each plate.  Remove the puddings from the ramekins, by running a sharp knife around the sides.  Turn the ramekins upside down on top of the sauce, so that the pudding is in the centre of the sauce.  Place a brandy snap disc on top of the pudding with a twist of orange and a piece of Angelica.

Peter Deilmann Cruises offers you the wonderful opportunity to experience this unique Ship with easy access from your own shores.

Special Offer for Rand Club members! 

Enjoy a 5% Saving on these amazing voyages!

PH Lowry, MI Henderson, PJ Louw, J N Geimer, Omar Essop, H Coetzee, CNS Rember, RP Harraway, GA Lomas, E O’Hanlon, R R  Shepherd, JA Shepherd (s), SS Mamba, IM Russell, K Mokoape, EL Stolk, GE Elston, NJA Robb, NS Lewis, JP Bulmer, BN Patience.

Scholars

AJ Morris, GM Bissict, MP Khumalo, CC Bode, N Quatro, SD Grover, DR Dale, AJ Russell, AW Jones, MN Tshule, DA Marsh, AC Hoffe.

RB Hudson – 1947-2008 - Member from 1984

HV Williams – 1934-2008 - Member from 1969

EC Dunbar - 1921-2008 - Member from 1973

AJ Brink - 1917-2008 - Member from 1953

AA Pitt – 1917-2008 - Member from 1965

A small piece of history… of the first Chairman of Rand Club.

Little is known about the Club’s first chairman, Dr Lawrence.  He attended the first sale of stands in 1886 and bought two – one in Mooi Street for £30 and another in Jeppe Street for £40.  In the short time he was in the camp he became a director of the Witwatersrand Exchange and Chambers Company Limited and was a committee member of the Wanderers Club.  He was punctilious in attending committee meetings, and the Club was doing well when he resigned in February 1889, for no given reason.

It was a time of near panic when the striking of pyretic ore sent shares tumbling and hundreds of men, seeing uncertainty and worse in the future, cut their losses and left.  Dr Lawrence was probably one of them. 

Had he stayed another few months he would have seen the corner turned and (who knows?) settled in Johannesburg for good.  His name does not occur elsewhere in South Africa, so it is likely he returned to England.  No photograph or drawing of him has been traced. But if little is known about the first chairman, much is known about the next two – contrasting characters – who illustrate the diversity of people who made up the Club’s first membership list.

More about these the two contrasting characters in our next newsletter…

Excerpt taken from “The story of the Rand Club” by René De Villiers and S. Brooke-Norris