Combined Taranaki Club
Person/Corporate type
Clubs and organisations
Biography
For many years the Taranaki Club was the elite gentleman's club for New Plymouth and surrounding district. First formed in 1842, when a lease was drawn up between J C Cooke, J T Wickstead, James Webster and Samuel Fishleigh for the rental of buildings to house the club, it is not known when this club ceased operating. A second attempt was made in 1861, the first, the club lasted until 1865. A third attempt was more successful when in 1892 a new club bearing the same name was formed and remained in operation until circa 1995, when it merged with the New Plymouth Commercial Travellers Club to form Club Taranaki. Declining membership and financial problems saw the membership criteria change and in 1990, membership was opened to women.
![Suggested alteration to the Taranaki Club [plan]; Dec 1905; ARC2009-114](https://collection.pukeariki.com/records/images/medium/86474/f4e0ff671f415146b44c2837c05310359c61c345.jpg)