Corporate Brochure RPAYC_2018_Final Digital-Web | Page 8

A Brief History The Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club celebrates its sesquicentenary - the 150th anniversary of its creation - in 2017. The Club was founded on Tuesday, 15th October 1867. An advertisement was placed in The Sydney Morning Herald - “Mosquito Yacht Club - Boat owners wishing to join please meet at McGrath’s at 8 tonight.” The advertised meeting duly took place at Punch & McGraths Hotel in King Street. With Mr. T. Strickland in the chair, it was decided right there and then to form a yacht club to be called “Prince Alfred Yacht Club”. It seems then, as now, Club members were in the habit of getting things done rather than merely talking about them! The name Prince Alfred was adopted to commemorate Prince Alfred’s forthcoming visit to Sydney. In January 1868, His Royal Highness, Prince Alfred, The Duke of Edinburgh, in command of HMS Galatea, sailed into Port Jackson. He was met by two lines of yachts from the Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron and The Prince Alfred Yacht Club, between which HMS Galatea passed. 8 rpayc.com.au In August 1911, The Prince Alfred Yacht Club was given permission by King George V to use the prefix “Royal”. The Club originally occupied premises in Moore Street, Sydney, known today as Martin Place and it eventually moved into 51 Castlereagh Street. In 1956, the Club purchased property in Rowe Street and a new building was built on the site. Our ties to our current location date back to 1919, when the Committee decided that Sydney Harbour was becoming too congested for yacht racing and a sub-committee was formed to inspect land that would be suitable for yacht racing in the Pittwater area. As a result, Green Point was purchased for this purpose for an amount of 650 pounds. The land remained practically unused for many years, until a group of enthusiasts, who had built Jubilee class yachts, banded together and built a boatshed, slipway and pontoon to cater for their needs. The Governor of New South Wales, the Honorary Commodore of the Club, Lord Wakehurst, officially opened the current premises on 17 December, 1938.