Railway Goan Institute
Nairobi, Kenya
The First Fifty Years
Based on Golden Jubilee Brochure ~ 1909 -1959
Published 1958

[ Note 1. The author of this article is not named in the Jubilee Brochure.
Our sources indicate that it could have been Mr. Boniface Colaco
Note 2. This verbatim text of 4000+ words from the Jubilee brochure has been scanned for display on the Web. The OCR process is not perfect, resulting in some miss-spelled words. ]

An Institution is nothing in itself.
It is those who found it, and carry on
its aims and purposes, which give it life.

The history which follows of the Railway Goan Institute, is a
story of 50 years: some incidents are important, some parts of
the record may seem slight, yet, in truth, they are all part of
the fabric which many devoted members have woven into a social
organisation expressing the mutual interests of their community and their working lives.

May we express the hope that this has been a good way of life as our founders intended it to be.

EDMUND BURKE wrote: "People will not look forward to posterity who never look back to their ancestors". These words, true of a great nation, apply also in some small measure to our own Institute and it is with pride and humility that we reflect on that happy band whose common ties of blood, religion, and profession became welded into what is today the Railway Goan Institute.

The earliest records of the Institute show that its origins may be traced to the founding of a club called the Portuguese Cricket Club in 1899. In December 1901 their Honorary Secretary wrote to the Deputy General Manager of the Uganda Railway. Mr. F. Rawson, thanking him for the grant of a cricket ground and pavilion. "The members have duly selected a ground between the Nairobi Sports and the Indian Cricket Club", said the letter. The site is that on which now stands the new wing of the headquarters offices of the East African Railways and Harbours, which houses the Chief Mechanical Engineer and his staff.

Dispute Closes Club

In due course a pavilion was built which, in 1904, was extended to provide accommodation for a reading room and library. Afterwards a tennis court was added. A year later a dispute arose over the management of the club.

In a memorial to the General Manager of the Uganda Railway, Mr. H. A. F. Currie, C.M.G., the non-railway members of the club objected to having been refused a share in the management of the club.

The General Manager took a firm stand and in reply pointed out that if the club was to he given financial support and assistance by the Railway, control of its affairs must be retained in the hands of the railway members. Unfortunately the dispute was not healed and at the end of 1905 the club was dissolved.

In 1908, interest was revived and a petition was dispatched to the General Manager signed by 35 Goan employees, which regretted the dissolution of the Portuguese Cricket Club and asked for a building and land to be provided for the purpose of founding a new club. But this appeal was hotly challenged by the existing Goan Institute which contended "there is no room for two institutes among Goans in Nairobi".

The Uganda Railway Administration while saying that nothing could be done at the present time, promised that the matter would be reviewed in the following year. The General Manager showed his willingness to help the Goan staff, however, by permitting cricket to be played on the triangular piece of ground then existing between the Indian Institute Sports Club and the present Workshop Road. This led to the founding, in 1909, of the Uganda Railway Goan Sports Club, with a membership of 13. By 1911 the membership had reached 54. In that year, through their President, Mr. B. Eastwood, C.M.G., the members unsuccessfully asked the Railway to provide a two roomed pavilion. In the following year with membership now totalling 90 the plea was renewed.

In September 1912 the Acting General Manager of the Uganda Railway Mr. C. Sandiford, C.B., sanctioned a Rs 2,450 pavilion. The club was firmly established. Much of the credit for the progress achieved was due to the efforts of its President, Mr. Eastwood. In 1913 the club was renamed the Uganda Railway Goan Institute. The fines fund provided Rs.250 for the building of a tennis court. In the same year an orchestra was formed. In 1914 Mr. Eastwood resigned the presidency and Mr. G. A. Stanley succeeded him.

By 1917 membership had risen to 145. The orchestra was active, holding practices three times a week. But the club premises contained only one room and a store, and an appeal for an extension was submitted' Because of the war the request was deferred.

The annual report for 1917 shows the vigorous state of the Institute: the library had 400 volumes; an additional tennis court was laid out; the cricket team flourished and out of eight matches six were won and one was drawn; the hockey ground was being reconditioned; the football team won the Dr. R. Ribeiro Cup outright; the orchestra practised diligently twice a week, and the anniversary of the founding of the Institute was celebrated by a dance.

In the following years repeated appeals were made to the Railway Management for an extension to the premises, and in 1922 Sh. 12,000/- was granted for an extension which was completed in October of that year and new furniture was ordered from Goa.

Fines Pay for Extension

The President was now Mr. B.M. Carter, M.B.E., who held office from 1922 to 1927. In 1923 a billiard table was purchased but could not be installed until 1924, when the building was again enlarged to provide the necessary space. Once more the fines fund paid for various accessories costing Sh. 2,000. A sad event in that year was the death of Mr. J. P. C. Coutinho, Vice-President and memorial service was held in the Institute.

In December 1926 the Institute, now known as the Kenya and Uganda Railway Goan Institute, lost a large part of its sports ground as it was needed for the construction of the new headquarters offices. The following year saw a revision of the General Rules and Regulations of the club. The entrance fee at that time was Sh. 4/-, and the monthly subscription Sh. 2/-. One of the rules declared that "the orchestra shall consist of the following instruments-violins, viola, violoncello, double bass, clarinet, cornet, flute, euphonium, and drum, and any other instruments the committee may add from time to time". It is to be hoped that the Committee of those days was composed of musically-minded persons. In 1927 a request was submitted for the building of an office for the Committee, and officers. In contrast with the reception accorded to previous requests of this nature, the application was granted the same day at a cost of about Sh. 2.600. By the end of 1927 membership totalled revenue from all sources was Sh. 20,329. The library had 750 books; a stage was installed in the hall; and the various sporting and social activities of the club were generally flourishing. A new President succeeded Mr. Carter--he was Mr. F. Browning, who held office until 1930.

In 1928 the Institute asked for Sh. 2,000/to purchase cricket screens, matting, etc. This request met with an unusual response: advised of their satisfactory financial position (at the end of October 1928 there was a credit balance of Sh. 5,500/-) the General Manager granted one half of the amount, the balance to be defrayed from the Institute's funds. However, they received another Sh. 1,000/- when it was pointed out that the cost of repairs to the billiard table which was Railway property should be borne by the Administration.

Tribute to Committee

The gift of this sum brought the total grants since 1912 up to approximately Sh. 40,000/-. In his report for that year the Acting General Manager paid special tribute to the good work of the club's Management Committee:

"I would like to take this opportunity of congratulating the committee for the most excellent work that has apparently been carried out by this club during the past year, and for the production of a very satisfactory report. It is evident to me that not only is this club exceedingly well run, but that it is fulfilling the needs of that section of the Railway employees for which it is intended and that it is well patronised by its members".

In August 1929 an approach was made by the Goan Institute to the Railway Goan Institute about the possibility of amalgamation. A further meeting was held in May 1930 but later in the year negotiations were broken off by mutual consent.

Two years later, in December 1931, the Institute transferred to its present site in Juja Road as the land they had previously occupied had been taken over for railway development purposes. The club building was enlarged by the addition of a cloak room, a separate room for the library and a store for sports equipment. The verandah was extended to run the full length of the building. Generous playing fields were provided and, in general, the Institute gained greatly from the transfer to the new site.

Economic Depression

At the end of that year the economic depression had set in earnest. The Institute was not immune from its effects: membership fell by sixty-two members. In 1932 the financial position showed sharp deterioration for, despite a drastic reduction in expenditure, the estimated revenue for the year showed a deficit of Sh, 1,000/-. This was met by a subvention from railway funds. An Economic Standing Sub-Committee was appointed to ensure that expenditure was limited to bare essentials. Nevertheless the various activities of the Institute continued without restriction and by the end of the year the fall in membership had been arrested.

An unfortunate feature of the new site of the Institute's grounds was that they lay on black cotton soil. Much work was needed to improve the surface of the grounds and in 1934 an amount of Sh. 2,400/was set aside for the purpose.

Since the formation of the club in 1909 no year had passed without the holding of anniversary celebrations. In 1935 came the Silver Jubilee of its foundation. Although, in the words of the annual report, "the Committee were faced with dwindling finances: requirements all round were cut to the bone", the birthday of the Institute was celebrated in fine style.

New Hockey Ground

The President in that year was Mr. H. Hawes, Legal Adviser to the Kenya and Uganda Railways and Harbours, and the Vice-President was Mr. J. F. L. Gracias, a founder and now a life member. The toast of the day was proposed by the Vice-President and was drunk in champagne. Among the guests on this occasion were the Acting General Manager and his wife, senior officers of the Kenya and Uganda Railways and Harbours, and the Reverend Father J. O'Flynn.

At the close of 1935 the Institute had 180 members, 72 of whom were railway employees, and 108 honorary members.

Further improvements were made to the Institute building in 1936 by the addition of a billiard room. The stage could not be used however, because of the Municipal Council's fire regulations. In 1937 a new set of regulations was drawn up and the and name of the Institute was changed to Railway Goan Institute.

The hockey section of the Institute was growing in strength and as the game was played on a grass pitch which was considered dangerous, application was made for a new ground. The Railway Administration agreed to donate Sh. 2.200/- as a free gift, the balance (Sh.2,000/-) being granted as an interest-free loan. To repay this loan a special levy was imposed on members' subscriptions of fifty cents a month. The new hockey ground was greatly appreciated A year or two later the General Brigadier-General (now Sir) Rhodes, C.B.E., D.S.O., sanctioned a pavilion.

By 1939 the years of the economic depression had been almost forgotten and the Management was able to report that the Institute's financial position "is on a sounder footing than it has been during the last few years". Membership was rising steadily. New books were bought and subscriptions were taken for a variety of newspapers and periodicals which enhanced the popularity of this section of the Institute. Christmas was celebrated in fine style and at the fancy dress party 105 children were given toys and boxes of sweets. As in previous years the annual sports were held on Christmas Day, and there was a fancy dress dance the same evening.

The War Years

During the war years from 1939 to 1945 the Institute continued to flourish. By 1941 membership totalled 210 but the playing fields continued to give trouble owing to the black-cotton soil, although at that time it was not possible to provide money for improvements. Donations were made by the Institute from the proceeds of dances, etc., to such charities as the Kenya War Welfare Fund and the Red Cross.

The Institute had no bar at this time and an application for a licence submitted in 1943 was met with a refusal. Membership did not seem to be affected by the lack of this facility, however, for by the end of that year it had increased to 279. As a result there was increased activity in the various sporting sections. A notable event was a visit by members of the Mombasa Goan Institute, in return for a visit by the Railway Goan Institute to Mombasa the previous year. The Mombasa Institute was beaten at badminton and hockey; the tennis match drawn but the Mombasa sides defeated the Institute in cricket and football.

In the later war years shortages of equipment prevented the annual tennis, badminton and table tennis tournaments. The usual programme of club matches was arranged, however, in all sports. By the end of 1944 membership had risen to 303 and the accounts showed a working surplus of Sh. 1,451/-. At the end of the war in a request to the General Manager for an extension to the Institute's building, the President, Mr. R. P. Walker, pointed out that there had been an increase in membership of fifty per cent during the past ten years without any increase in accommodation. Unfortunately the General Manager, Sir Reginald Robins, C.M.G., M.B.E., was unable to agree to the request because of other more urgent demands on available funds and stocks of building materials.

The Institute received its first income tax demand at the end of that year, for the amount of Sh.320/-. An appeal for exemption was made but needless to add, the Institute was obliged to pay.

The year 1946 was marked by the provision of special playground facilities for the children of members, including seesaws, swings, etc.

The Institute lost 19 silver cups and trophies, and a quantity of sports equipment when it was raided by burglars in October 1947. The cups were never recovered. A curious loss was heavy iron roller measuring 3 ft, in diameter, which was stolen from the hockey ground at Park Road. This too was never recovered.

In September 1948, under the presidency of Mr. J. T. Ferguson, the Institute took general stock of its position. In a letter to the General Manager on the subject, the buildings were described as shabby and in need of renovation. In spite of stringent economies, the letter went on, the Institute had found great difficulty in balancing its budget. The position had not been improved by the burglaries, and a loss on working was anticipated for 1948.

Increase in Subscriptions

There was a need to replace or renovate a number of items of equipment, including stage curtains, crockery, the piano, lawn mowers, trophies, the billiard table and the hockey, tennis and badminton pitches. The cost of these requirements would amount to about Sh. 12,400/-. The General Manager was advised of the intention to recommend an increase in subscription at the next annual general meeting.

This appeal met with an immediate response in the shape of grant of Sh. 2,000/- together with promise of financial assistance to the extent of one half the cost of resurfacing the hockey, tennis and badminton pitches. An interest-free loan was promised to cover the cost of the remainder of the items. In February 1949 the President of the Institute, Mr. J. T. Ferguson, was transferred to Dar es Salaam and was succeeded by Mr. (now Sir) A. F. Kirby, C.M.G.

At the annual general meeting held on June 6th, 1949 it was agreed to increase the subscription from Sh. 2/- to Sh. 2/50 a month in the case of full members, and from Sh.3/- to Sh.3/50 in the case of associate members. At the instigation of the President further improvements to the Institute were carried out at a cost of Sh. 6,000/-. At the year-end membership numbered 396.

The anniversary dance that year was attended by, among other guests, the Mayor and Mayoress of Nairobi (Sir Richard and Lady Woodley). This was the club's fortieth anniversary and congratulatory messages were received from sister Institutes throughout East Africa.

That year also saw a change in the date of the annual athletic sports meeting. Ever since its inception in 1916 the meeting had been held on Christmas Day, but this year the date was altered to May 24th, Empire Day. One of the oldest activities of the club, perished at this time, when the orchestra, which had for so long been an important feature in the life of the Institute, was finally disbanded.

The head boy, Francis, retired, and in recognition of his long and faithful service he was given two months' pay and was presented with a purse containing Sh. 957/50 subscribed by the members.

In 1950, as a result of repeated requests over a number of years, a bar was installed. At the end of that year the membership of the Institute numbered 420. To the universal regret of all members Mr. Kirby was obliged to resign the presidency on his appointment as Assistant Commissioner for Transport. He was succeeded by Mr. D. D. Bartlett.

In 1951. the Institute was honoured by a visit from His Excellency, the Governor General of Mozambique, Commander Gabriel Mauricio Teixeira, who was entertained to tea on December 7th. The financial position of the Institute during that year was, in the words of the minutes of the Annual General Meeting, "not unsatisfactory in spite of expenditure incurred in the purchase of twenty-five football and hockey jerseys, a visit of the hockey team to Nakuru, uniforms and cycle for the head boy, and the addition of twenty-two new books to the library". Expenses were rising, however, and it was agreed at the annual general meeting that the rate of subscription for full members should be increased from Sh.2/50 a month to Sh. 3/-.

Institute Honours Founders

The athletic sports meeting in 1952 was presided over by Brigadier-General Sir Godfrey Rhodes, C,B., C.B.E,, D,S.O., former General Manager of-the Kenya and Uganda Railways and Harbours. This year saw the first winner of the Victor Ludorum trophy, presented by the former President of the Institute. The forty-third anniversary of the Institute was celebrated by a dance on July 5th. The usual Christmas tree party for children was held, and among the other social functions were a carnival, sundowner dance and a variety entertainment.

At the annual general meeting in 1954 three members who had taken an active part in the affairs of the Institute since its foundation were honoured by election to life membership. They were Mr. J. C. E. Gracias, Mr. J. F. L. Gracias, M.B.E., and Mr. P. C. D'Mello. It was noted in the minutes of that meeting that as a result of an increase in social activities the deficit that had been anticipated in the club's accounts for the previous year had been converted into a small surplus. A fruit machine was installed in the bar of the Institute which has proved a useful source of revenue for the club. At the end of that year Mr. D. D. Bartlett resigned the presidency on transfer to Malaya and he was succeeded by Mr. J. H. Collier-Wright.

In 1955 improvements were effected to the club building, including the provision of a new room for the library, at a cost of Sh. 12,600/-. An important gift was set of chairs for the hall presented by Mr. B. Kakoobhai, a prominent merchant of Lourenco Marques. Mr. Kakoobhai was appointed an honorary member of the Institute. At the annual general meeting that year it was necessary to increase the rates of subscription to Sh. 4/- for full members, and Sh. 5/- for associate members. The General Manager of the East African Railways and Harbours, Mr. Kirby, became first Patron of the Institute. Two more life members were elected, Mr. L. A. Braganza and Mr. L. M. Noronha. At a Sundowner dance held during the year the sum of Sh. 2,500/- was collected for the Golden Jubilee Fund.

Gift to Olympics

The year 1956 was marked by another official visit from members of the Goan Institute, Mombasa. As a memento of the visit the Vice-President of the Mombasa Club presented the Institute with a silver cup. In September 1956 a fete was held in the Institute grounds which was organised jointly by the Railway Goan Institute, the Goan Institute, the Goan Gymkhana and the Kenya Goan Sports Association in aid of the Kenya Olympic Fund. The fete was an outstanding success and as a result a donation of Sh, 11,000/was made to the Kenya Olympic Association.

In 1957 membership of the Institute rose to 472. On his retirement as General Manager of the East African Railways and Harbours, Sir Arthur Kirby (who had been Knighted in the New Year's Honours List) was entertained by the Institute at a sundowner party and was presented with a picture painted by a well-known local Goan artist. He was succeeded by Mr. J. R. Farquharson, C.B.E., the newly appointed General Manager.

Sir Arthur Kirby was appointed an honorary member. There were some notable achievements in the sporting activities this year. he hockey team won the six-a-side tournament organized by the European Hockey Association, and were runners-up in the Lalton Brothers and the D. J, Paes tournament.. The football XI were runners up in the Dev-Datt Shield competition. Six Railway Goan Institute players were selected to play for the Kenya Goan Sports Association in a series of representative matches. In appreciation of the outstanding part they had played in the sporting activities of the Institute, a special presentation was made to Messrs. C. M, Gracias and Alu Mendonca at the anniversary dance.

D'Souza Gold Cup Victory

Membership increased to 484 in 1958. The outstanding event of the year was the hockey XI's victory in the M. R. D'Souza Gold Cup competition. They defeated the Goan Institute by 4 goals to nil. The team was captained by Mr. Alu Mendonca and was coached by Mr. A. D'Souza. The winning of this much coveted trophy was the result of much hard practice and training by all members of the team.

In 1958 a precast concrete quarter in the Institute's grounds was erected as a house for a caretaker and in September 1958 Mr. M. Mendonca, a retired employee of the East African Railways and Harbours, was appointed caretaker on a part-time basis.

It was hoped that the Institute's Golden Jubilee year would have been marked by a repetition of the club's victory in the M. R. D'Souza Gold Cup competition. Unfortunately this was not achieved, but the hockey X1 put up a very good performance in reaching the final where they were defeated by the Sikh Union.

In passing, it may be noted that this was the first occasion since the inception of the Gold Cup tournament on which the holders of the cup had succeeded in reaching the final round. At the annual general meeting this year Mr. J. C. J. Dias, who at this meeting was elected vice-president for the eighth time, was honoured by appointment to life membership of the Institute.

There was considerable discussion at the annual general meeting about the club amenities, and it was unanimously agreed to establish a fund for the rebuilding of the club.

Envoi

And so the curtain falls on the conclusion of the first fifty years of the life of the Railway Goan Institute. The minutiae of its story may seem trivial and perhaps hardly worth the telling, yet this record will have served its purpose if it has succeeded in conveying some impression of the hard work and endeavour which has gone into the building of the club into the institution it is today. Let us express the hope that the next fifty years of the Institute will be full of equal achievement.

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