Hawks' Club

The Hawks' Club is a members-only social club for sportsmen at the University of Cambridge. Founded in 1872, the club represents the best sportsmen in the University of Cambridge. Membership is by election only, and the usual criterion is that the candidate should have his Blue. Many famous sporting names have been, or are, members, including Rob Andrew, Mike Atherton, Chris Brasher, Ted Dexter, Gavin Hastings, Tony Lewis and George Nash.[1]

Hawks' Club
The front door of The Hawks' Club
LocationCambridge, United Kingdom
Founded1872
MembershipBlues, Half Blues
UniversityUniversity of Cambridge
ColoursMaroon & Gold
Websitewww.hawksclub.co.uk
Notable members

History

The Hawks' Club was formed in 1872 when a proposal to allow members of other colleges into the St John's College Eagles club was rejected. This led to the Hawks' being set up as an equivalent club university-wide. In its early history, it was primarily a cricket club, but by the turn of the century, other sports were well represented.[2]

As is common with student-run organisations, records are patchy in places and old lists of presidents and members have long been lost. The record is better for the period 1889–1963, as during this time a picture of each year's president was added to a display in the clubhouse, and these have survived to the present day. During the 1950s a number of subsequently notable sportsmen were presidents, and several are listed below.

It is not known whether a Blue was originally a prerequisite for membership; some early presidents do not appear to have competed against Oxford in any sport. However, the personal 'suitability' of candidates for membership does not appear to have changed since the Club was founded. The Club website states that "Candidates have to be clubbable" (i.e. "clubbable" in the sense of a traditional gentlemen's club) and "the Hawks' Club remains unashamedly elite", claiming to include only "the top one per cent" of University sportsmen.

Membership

Eligibility criteria

Application for membership is open to any man who is either a member of any college at the University of Cambridge or who has been admitted ad eundem to the University. He must have spent at least one term in residence, and should have earned a Full Blue, Half Blue or Second Team Colours (in a full blue sport) by representing the University against Oxford in a Varsity Match.

Election process

A prospective applicant must be proposed, seconded, and have six further members sign their application form. The proposer is normally the team captain for the relevant sport and the seconder must be a member of the Hawks' Committee. The application is then reviewed by the committee: two "no" votes will reject an applicant, and he may not be proposed again at a later date.

Members are admitted for life. The number of Hawks-in-residence at the University is limited to 230, not including MAs; there are several thousand members worldwide.

Occasionally, individuals are admitted as an Honorary Hawk without fulfilling the above criteria (for example Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, who did not study at Cambridge).

Dining Rights Club

Since 1993, individuals have also been elected to The Hawks Dining Rights Club. Members may use the clubhouse but do not become Hawks. Neither the Cambridge-only nor the men-only restrictions apply in this case, and the majority of Dining Rights members are local business people and professionals who contribute to the costs of running the Club, and to The Hawks’ Trust which is a charity supporting all sportsmen and women at the University.[3] There are slightly fewer dining rights members than Hawks-in-residence, and the number peaked at 160 in 1998.

Regalia

The Club colours are maroon and gold; members may wear the Club tie. Honorary Hawks and Dining Rights members wear a plain tie with a gold Hawk.

Committee

The Club's Committee consists of a President, Honorary Secretary, Junior Treasurer and seven ordinary members, and is elected each academic year by the Hawks-in-residence.

There is a Management Committee of the Trustees, the President and the Secretary of the Club, the Steward and the DRC President, who guide the Club's development.

Clubhouse
The dining room laid for lunch.

The clubhouse was originally on Trinity Street, but by the 1890s it had moved to a St John's College property in All Saints' Passage. It remained there until 1966 when financial troubles meant the property had to be sold, despite surviving through both world wars, during which the Club was closed. After this, it briefly occupied the same premises as the Pitt Club, until conflicts of interest regarding the differing objectives of the two clubs made this no longer possible.

There was no clubhouse until 1986 when a four-storey building at 18 Portugal Place became available. This property was bought by a group of members, who restored it from its previous existence as a dilapidated hotel staff hostel. The restored clubhouse was opened by the Duke of Edinburgh in October 1992. It consists of a bar, members' lounge, dining room space for some 25-30 people, and the Club steward's flat on the top floor.[4]

Resident Hawks voted in advisory votes in 2017 (85% in favour) and January 2019 (89% in favour) on the question of allowing resident Ospreys (Cambridge women's sports club) to pay for access arrangements to the Hawks’ clubhouse.[5][6] 1,400 non-resident Hawks (out of 4,480 members) voted 89% in favour of the proposal in an online ballot run by Electoral Reform Services in February and March 2019.

The Club Today

Hawks' Charitable Trust

The Club actively supports students who have financial difficulties keeping up their sport. Each year the Club awards a number of bursaries to members of the University under the auspices of the Hawks' Charitable Trust. These awards are equally available to both men and women, and total around £40,000 each year.[7][8][9]

Events

The Club promotes Rumboogie and La Vida Lola, events each Wednesday and Sunday evening at the Cambridge nightclubs Revolution and Lola Lo.

At the end of each Michaelmas term, the London Dinner is hosted by the club, usually at one of the large hotels, the night before the Varsity Rugby Match.

The Committee also hosts an event each June during May Week in the style of a Cambridge May Ball - "The Hawks' Event", at Fenner's Cricket Ground.

In recent years a "Hawks' Charity Dinner" has been held in Lent term and a "Charity Ball" in Michaelmas in conjunction with the Ospreys.[10]

in 2012, the Club raised £4000 for a local charity that aims to help disadvantaged children access sporting initiatives.[11]

Club Awards

In 2004 two Club awards were introduced: Hawk of the Year and Team of the Year:

In 2010, the International Honours Book was created to record and detail the Olympic and International achievements of its members. There are currently full internationals in residence in fencing, squash, rifle shooting, rowing and rugby union.

The Hawk

The Hawk is published biannually. The newsletter includes, among other things, news of current University teams and results, obituaries of notable members, and Club notices.

Reciprocal clubs

Members have reciprocal rights with a number of similar clubs around the world.[12]

United Kingdom

Overseas

Notable members
Looking down the staircase at the Club's premises on Portugal Place.

Monarchs:

Members of the Royal Family:

Sportsmen:

See also

Bibliography
  • The Hawk, editors Kolbert, C. and Hyde, A., No. 9 (October 2005), published by The Hawks Club.
  • Rules of the Hawks' Club (May 2003).

References
  1. "About the Club – Hawks' Club". Retrieved 17 March 2019.
  2. "History – Hawks' Club". Retrieved 17 March 2019.
  3. "Introduction – Hawks' Club". Retrieved 17 March 2019.
  4. "Clubhouse Facilities – Hawks' Club". Retrieved 17 March 2019.
  5. "Hawks' clubhouse set to open its doors to Ospreys". Varsity Online. Retrieved 17 March 2019.
  6. "Hawks vote sees club move closer to opening clubhouse doors to Ospreys". Varsity Online. Retrieved 17 March 2019.
  7. "Cambridge University students swoop in for Hawks Club grants". Cambridge Independent. 28 April 2018. Retrieved 17 March 2019.
  8. "About The Trust – Hawks' Club". Retrieved 17 March 2019.
  9. Bursaries & Sponsorship Archived 2007-06-17 at the Wayback Machine
  10. "Events – Hawks' Club". Retrieved 17 March 2019.
  11. "Hawks' Club myths are misplaced". Varsity Online. Retrieved 17 March 2019.
  12. "Reciprocal Clubs – Hawks' Club". Retrieved 17 March 2019.
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