Constitution By Laws 1929 to 1985

The original rules were 7 in number and restricted membership to residents or property owners on the Mayfield Estate. Four additional rules were added in 1933 following the construction of the second court, to extend membership to non-residents.

At a Special General Meeting on 18th June, 1941, a revised set of rules was adopted under which the committee could recommend the admission of non-residents to full membership after two years probation subject to confirmation by two thirds of existing members.

Control of the Club by estate residents was assured by requiring that 4 out of the committee of 7 must be owners of property on or residents of the Mayfield Estate.

The distinction between non-residents and full members was finally abolished at the Annual General Meeting in 1948, but with minor amendments, the 1941 rules remained in force until 1959.

In that year, a revised Constitution prepared by Advocate (later Judge) M. Corbett, was adopted at the Annual General Meeting. The changes were largely cosmetic but did re-designate the senior officer of the Club as President, instead of Chairman and introduced a maximum period of office for the President, Honorary Secretary and Honorary Treasurer to three years.

An amendment in 1964 provided that Entrance Fees and Subscriptions would be agreed by simple majority at each Annual General Meeting instead of being laid down in the Constitution.

1986 to 2006 With the Constitution not having been updated since 1983 a new Constitution was drafted in 2001 in order to conform to modern times. Amendments to the Income Tax Act which did away with the tax exemption for amateur sporting clubs and the necessity to apply to SARS for the Club to be recognised as a Public Benefit Organization meant certain changes had to be made to the constitution particularly regarding the distribution of the Club’s assets in the event of closure. In addition the constitution provided for a Chairman and so the term “President” fell away once more. Several other minor amendments were also made to cover changes that had occurred in the running of the Club