In 1902, Club Germania built and moved to an even more commodious premise on No.7 Kennedy Road, Mid-Levels, and the Gothic clubhouse was sold. It was later sequestrated when the First World War broke out in 1914, as the British confiscated all properties of the Germans. It was, eventually, acquired by St. Joseph College and became its campus.
Only the wealthy and prestigious Germans were accepted as members of Club Germania. The first club premise was built in Wan Chai in 1859. It was in use until 1872, when a new premise was erected in Central, specifically at the intersection of Wyndham Street and Mason’s Lane. Costing USD$21,000 to build, this second-generation clubhouse, a granite edifice in Gothic style, was an excellent showpiece of the Germanic quest for design, artistry and exactitude. Standing upright on the stone-paved slope, the building had on the first floor a billiard room, a reading room, a library and a bar; on the second floor were a parlor, an atelier, a dining room that could accommodate 60 guests, a concert hall with a seating capacity of 275, and a bowling alley with 4 lanes. The Club Germania Concert Hall, in particular, was the most “snazzy” one in those days, bringing into Hong Kong the best classical music of Germany. There was regular performance by local choirs, and European virtuosos were occasionally invited.
