Monument record MHG56955 - WWI Naval Officers Club - Cromlet Drive, Invergordon

A former WWI Naval Officers club, now demolished.

The site was investigated in 2015 as part of the ARCH project 'Invergordon in World War I'. This building was constructed in WWI as the Naval Officer's Club, after the building originally intended as a club, nearing completion just before war was declared, was taken over to form the main hospital building nearby (see MHG56917). On a naval WWI plan in private collection it is labelled 'Junior Officer's Club'. It appears in a WWI aerial photograph, showing what appears to be a single storey, timber building. On a WWII plan in private collection it is labelled 'Naval Club'. After the war it became the Golf Clubhouse (the golf course had moved here after its premises on the site of the current distillery were taken over in the 1930s). However, because of noise, a swap was made, and a new golf clubhouse was built in the lot to the east of the hospital. This second clubhouse has been demolished recently. The Officer's club (and later original golf clubhouse) is thought to have been demolished in late 1970s/early 1980s (posting on Invergordon archive image 268). <1>

At least three versions of a WWI Naval plan survive, two in private collection which probably date to wartime, and one in the National Archives (MPI 1/641/4) which dates to 1921. On all three the buildings taken over or built by the Navy are shaded, but there are a few discrepancies between the plans. One of the plans in private collection has enlarged details, but only shows the Admiralty buildings and not others in the town. Valuation Rolls also indicate some buildings not shaded on our plans were taken over by the military. It is clear from contemporary photographs that the army built additional buildings, particularly north of Cromlet Drive. <2>