John Laycock
Encyclopedia
Christopher John Laycock, was a British
lawyer
, the founder of one of Singapore's earliest law firms, Laycock and Ong.
It was in this firm that the man who would subsequently become Singapore's first Prime Minister, Lee Kuan Yew
, began his career as a lawyer in 1949 after graduating from Cambridge University. Lee had also had his first experience in politics when he acted as an election agent for Laycock and his pro-British Singapore Progressive Party
(SPP) in 1951.
, England
, and was an influential figure in the early development of rock climbing on the gritstone edges of the Peak District
of Derbyshire
along with his close friends Siegfried Herford
, also of Manchester, and Stanley Jeffcoat of Buxton
. In 1903 Laycock became a founder member of the Manchester-based Rucksack Club
which included many other luminaries of the Manchester mountaineering scene of the day including Charles Pilkington of the glass manufacturing dynasty. Laycock, Herford and Jeffcoat climbed numerous new routes on many of the fine escarpments of Derbyshire, Staffordshire
and Yorkshire
in the years leading up to the First World War, and these were faithfully recorded in Laycock's guidebook 'Some Gritstone Climbs' which was the first guidebook on rock climbing in the Peak District ever published. The Rucksack Club was opposed to the publication of the book as a number of the crags described were on private property and the club was concerned about trespass law. Laycock resigned from the club in disgust and the book was published by the Refuge Printing Department (an insurance company in Manchester at the time) in 1913. In the years that followed both Herford and Jeffcoat were killed in the trenches of Flanders, and Laycock never fully recovered from their loss. He left England for Singapore and, it is said, never went rock climbing again, although he wrote a wonderful preface to Fergus Graham's guidebook 'Recent Developments on Gritsone' published in 1926.
's first truly multi-racial club on 1 October 1924 at Farrer Park
. The club served Asians who wanted to learn to play golf but could not join the exclusively-European Royal Singapore Golf Club, and other avid golfers living around Bukit Timah
area. The Club lasted for three years, before it was evicted by the Turf Club land-owners who had sold the land.
Thus Laycock began searching for a new location for the Golf Club, and in 1929 found the perfect location in the MacRitchie
catchment area. Laycock, then a Municipal Commissioner of Singapore, and his friends A.P. Rajah and C.C. Tan, immediately submitted their plans for the new Club for the locations, and received their stamp of approval at the General Committee Meeting of the Singapore Municipal Council on 28 June 1929.
Design for the 18-hole course was done by Peter Robinson of Braid Hills
, Edinburgh
and the construction began on March 1930. Laycock and his grounds committee with members such as Dr Harold Lim, supervised the entire project for the next two years.
The new club was officially opened and re-named The Island Club on 27 August 1932, officiated by Sir Cecil Clementi
, Governor of Singapore. Sir Chan Sze Jin, CMG
(S.J. Chan) became the Club's first President, and Laycock took on the role as First Captain.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
lawyer
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
, the founder of one of Singapore's earliest law firms, Laycock and Ong.
It was in this firm that the man who would subsequently become Singapore's first Prime Minister, Lee Kuan Yew
Lee Kuan Yew
Lee Kuan Yew, GCMG, CH is a Singaporean statesman. He was the first Prime Minister of the Republic of Singapore, governing for three decades...
, began his career as a lawyer in 1949 after graduating from Cambridge University. Lee had also had his first experience in politics when he acted as an election agent for Laycock and his pro-British Singapore Progressive Party
Progressive Party (Singapore)
The Singapore Progressive Party , or just, the Progressive Party is a now defunct political party that was formed on August 25, 1947. It won the Legislative Assembly general elections in 1948 by winning half of the contested seats in the Legislative Assembly, 3 out of 6...
(SPP) in 1951.
Early life
Laycock grew up in ManchesterManchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, and was an influential figure in the early development of rock climbing on the gritstone edges of the Peak District
Peak District
The Peak District is an upland area in central and northern England, lying mainly in northern Derbyshire, but also covering parts of Cheshire, Greater Manchester, Staffordshire, and South and West Yorkshire....
of Derbyshire
Derbyshire
Derbyshire is a county in the East Midlands of England. A substantial portion of the Peak District National Park lies within Derbyshire. The northern part of Derbyshire overlaps with the Pennines, a famous chain of hills and mountains. The county contains within its boundary of approx...
along with his close friends Siegfried Herford
Siegfried Herford
Siegfried Herford was a British climber who was active in the years immediately prior to World War I. He and John Laycock and Stanley Jeffcoat initiated what is referred to as "gritstone climbing" in England, bouldering on large blocks at the base of the cliffs, and roping up to climb the edges...
, also of Manchester, and Stanley Jeffcoat of Buxton
Buxton
Buxton is a spa town in Derbyshire, England. It has the highest elevation of any market town in England. Located close to the county boundary with Cheshire to the west and Staffordshire to the south, Buxton is described as "the gateway to the Peak District National Park"...
. In 1903 Laycock became a founder member of the Manchester-based Rucksack Club
The Rucksack Club
The Rucksack Club was founded in Manchester in 1902 and has a current membership of well over 400 men and women. According to the Rules, "The objects of the Club are to facilitate walking tours, cave explorations and mountaineering in the British Isles and elsewhere, and bring into fellowship men...
which included many other luminaries of the Manchester mountaineering scene of the day including Charles Pilkington of the glass manufacturing dynasty. Laycock, Herford and Jeffcoat climbed numerous new routes on many of the fine escarpments of Derbyshire, Staffordshire
Staffordshire
Staffordshire is a landlocked county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. Part of the National Forest lies within its borders...
and Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
in the years leading up to the First World War, and these were faithfully recorded in Laycock's guidebook 'Some Gritstone Climbs' which was the first guidebook on rock climbing in the Peak District ever published. The Rucksack Club was opposed to the publication of the book as a number of the crags described were on private property and the club was concerned about trespass law. Laycock resigned from the club in disgust and the book was published by the Refuge Printing Department (an insurance company in Manchester at the time) in 1913. In the years that followed both Herford and Jeffcoat were killed in the trenches of Flanders, and Laycock never fully recovered from their loss. He left England for Singapore and, it is said, never went rock climbing again, although he wrote a wonderful preface to Fergus Graham's guidebook 'Recent Developments on Gritsone' published in 1926.
The Island Club of Singapore
Laycock founded the Race Course Golf Club, SingaporeSingapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
's first truly multi-racial club on 1 October 1924 at Farrer Park
Farrer Park
Farrer Park is a historic neighbourhood in the central part of Singapore, located at the end of Little India. Farrer Park is defined by the boundary formed by Dorset Road, Hampshire Road and Northumberland Road.-Etymology:...
. The club served Asians who wanted to learn to play golf but could not join the exclusively-European Royal Singapore Golf Club, and other avid golfers living around Bukit Timah
Bukit Timah
Bukit Timah is an area in Singapore and a hill in that area. Bukit Timah is located near the centre of the Singapore main island. The hill stands at an altitude of 163.63 metres and is the highest point in the city-state of Singapore...
area. The Club lasted for three years, before it was evicted by the Turf Club land-owners who had sold the land.
Thus Laycock began searching for a new location for the Golf Club, and in 1929 found the perfect location in the MacRitchie
MacRitchie Reservoir
MacRitchie Reservoir is Singapore's oldest reservoir. The reservoir was completed in 1868 by impounding water from an earth embankment, and was then known as the Impounding Reservoir or Thomson Reservoir....
catchment area. Laycock, then a Municipal Commissioner of Singapore, and his friends A.P. Rajah and C.C. Tan, immediately submitted their plans for the new Club for the locations, and received their stamp of approval at the General Committee Meeting of the Singapore Municipal Council on 28 June 1929.
Design for the 18-hole course was done by Peter Robinson of Braid Hills
Braid Hills
The Braid Hills form an area towards the south-western edge of Edinburgh, Scotland.The hills themselves are largely open space. Housing in the area is mostly confined to detached villas, and some large terraced houses...
, Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
and the construction began on March 1930. Laycock and his grounds committee with members such as Dr Harold Lim, supervised the entire project for the next two years.
The new club was officially opened and re-named The Island Club on 27 August 1932, officiated by Sir Cecil Clementi
Cecil Clementi
-Early life and education:Born in Cawnpore, India, Clementi was the son of Colonel Montagu Clementi, Judge Advocate General in India, and his wife, Isabel Collard. He attended St Paul's School and Magdalen College, Oxford, where he studied Sanskrit and the classics. In 1895, he won the Hertford...
, Governor of Singapore. Sir Chan Sze Jin, CMG
Order of St Michael and St George
The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is an order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV of the United Kingdom, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III....
(S.J. Chan) became the Club's first President, and Laycock took on the role as First Captain.