# History of Yercaud Club

Yercaud Club (Regd. No. 34/1900-1901) is a social club in the Shevaroy Hills, Yercaud, Tamil Nadu. It was founded by coffee planters on 31 May 1897. Source: the club's souvenir history.

## The Shevaroy Hills

The Shevaroys are part of the Eastern Ghats in Tamil Nadu, rising steeply from the plains to 1,624 metres (5,420 feet). The range covers 384 sq km and 67 tribal villages. Most residents work directly or indirectly with coffee, pepper and fruit grown on the estates. The native people are the Malayalis ("hill tribes" in Tamil). A legend holds that farmers from the Cauvery banks in the Krishnagiri–Dharmapuri area, led by one Shervarayan, fled Tipu Sultan's armies in the late 1700s and settled here; Shervarayan Malai was later anglicised to Shevaroy Hills.

## Founding

- European planters started coffee plantations in the 1860s.
- 31 May 1897: R. Wilkins, Bruce Foote, Norfor Leeming, R. Foulkes and C.G. Lechler, all coffee planters, formed a committee and founded the club with 34 other ordinary members, in a rented house.
- 22 July 1897: members borrowed Rs. 3,000 through debentures of Rs. 100 each at 6% a year; committee members personally guaranteed the loan and interest.
- First purchase: a billiard table from Army and Navy Stores, Bombay, for Rs. 1,000. A piano was rented from Messrs Misquith and Co., Bangalore, at Rs. 20 a month.
- Early activities: billiards, cards, reading room and tennis.

## Timeline

- 1938: 2.01 acres of land bought and the new clubhouse built.
- 1949: M.S.P. Rajes admitted as the first Indian member; until then membership was European planters only.
- Mid-1950s: planters sell estates and leave Yercaud; membership and activity decline.
- 1960s–1970s: the club is largely dormant.
- 1981: nine members.
- Late 1980s: membership rises again.
- 1990s onward: the club becomes active.
- 23 August 1997: centenary celebrated.
- 26 March 2022: synthetic tennis court commissioned with member contributions.
- 30 June 2023: 125th year celebrated.

## 125th-year facilities and contributions

- K. Vasudevan Memorial Sports Centre, a badminton court: contributed by Mr. Balraj Vasudevan in memory of his father's 100th birth anniversary.
- Stables Watering Hole: contributed by Mr. Vijayan Rajes and Mr. Vishnu Periasamy Rajes of MSP Plantations, Cauvery Peak.
- Gymnasium mezzanine floor above the badminton court washrooms: contributed by Mr. Venketrama Raja of Rajapalayam Mills Limited, Rajapalayam.
- Chambers furnished and refurbished by Mr. Narayanan Ramji.
- Gym equipment: provided by M/s. Devendra Autocom Private Ltd.
- Table tennis table: provided by Mr. Ranjeet David Chhabria.

Renovated chambers, a refurbished billiards table and table tennis were also made possible by member contributions.

## Further information

- [Club overview and chambers](/yercaud-club/index.md)
- [Facilities](/yercaud-club/facilities/index.md)
- [Website history page](/yercaud-club/history/)