About
the Club

PHC President - Mike Trott

Greetings,

As President of Pembroke Hamilton Club (PHC), I am thrilled to welcome you to our new website—a hub for all things related to our club, from the latest news and events to important updates and membership information.

At PHC, we believe in more than just competition; we are a community that brings together athletes, families, and supporters who share a passion for sports. Whether you are a long-time member or considering joining for the first time, you’ll find a place here where team spirit, friendship, and dedication thrive.

Through this website, you can stay up to date with club announcements, upcoming games, social events, and achievements. It also provides everything you need to become a member, volunteer, or simply get involved in the programs we offer.

I encourage you to explore, connect, and be part of our growing community. Together, we make PHC even stronger—on and off the field.

Faithfully Yours,
The President

About the Club

Pembroke Hamilton Club (“PHC”, “The Club”) has come a long way since it was founded by a group of professionals and businessmen in 1866, with the founders initially meeting in each other’s homes. Formerly known as a "Negro Yacht Club" in its early days, PHC is the first licensed black club in Bermuda. During the early 1900s, the Club moved to various locations in Hamilton, with the final move in the mid-1940s from rented quarters to the site it now owns and occupies on Reid Street.
During the 1950s and 1960s, the Clubs' bazaars and forums were a huge draw. PHC scholarships for high school education were sought after. Golf, tennis, billiards and table tennis tournaments, bowling, bridge sessions, public-speaking courses, and forums on current topics were scheduled regularly on the club’s agenda.

Formation of PHC Football Team
In the 1950s, Key West Rangers (“Rangers”) was recognized in Bermuda as one of the outstanding local football sides with an enviable reputation for effective and polished football. In 1956, after finishing 2nd in the Bermuda Football League (BFL) behind Pembroke Juniors, several of the Rangers including such standout players as Calvin “Bummy” Symonds and Earl “Townsey” Russell, defected to PHC, with the remaining members of the Rangers team failing to register for the 1956/1957 season. The newly formed Pembroke Hamilton Club team went on during their first season to win the BFL Knockout Cup and the Bermuda Football Association (BFA) Cup, beating Pembroke Juniors 4-3 in the final. PHC was the first black team to win the prestigious cup in its second year as a combined cup of the white and black leagues

Stadium Lane

Herbert Willoughby Simons, the owner of Herbie's Steakhouse, Herbie's Driving Range and Warwick Stadium, owned 4 acres of land in Warwick. He sold the land where TN Tatem currently sits to the Bermuda Government and, in 1964, he sold PHC the land stretching from Stadium Lane to Warwick Nursery.

On October 21st 1965, PHC added their name to the list of field operators on the island when the acting Governor, the Hon. J.W. Sykes, opened the Club’s new £60,000 stadium on Middle Road in Warwick.

The Club was congratulated for achieving the addition of their top-flight sports field, which offered some of the finest facilities for cricket on the island, the most advanced floodlighting system in Bermuda at the time, a luxurious clubhouse, and a seating capacity of 1,960 people. The first Bermuda Football Union League match on the new turf was held on Sunday, October 24th 1965, against Dock Hill Rangers.

When Herbert Willoughby Simons passed away in 1982, he left the land between PHC Stadium and the current TN Tatem to his two sons. His son, Herbert W. McNeil Simons, eventually became the sole owner of the property, which he sold to PHC in 1995.

Cricket

The PHC Cricket team has had a mixed showing through the years. The Club competed in the Somers Isles Cricket league from 1969-1975, establishing the Central County in 1969. They re-emerged on the cricket scene in 1988, entering the Commercial Division and winning the league in 1991. In 1993, the team entered the Bermuda Cricket Board Premier Division, and in 1997, joined the Western County Cup competition for the first time. Since entering, PHC have won the Cup several times, but to date have never been champions through the entire series.

The Club

In addition to Football and Cricket, PHC has a long and storied tradition of excellence across multiple sports and programs, including softball, netball, sailing, and majorettes. These disciplines have played a significant role in shaping the Club’s legacy, producing talented athletes, dedicated coaches, and passionate supporters who have contributed to PHC’s success both on and off the field.

The Club continues to encourage, promote and engage its members, their families, and the wider Bermuda community in sports, education, and other positive recreational activities which will ultimately enhance them both personally and professionally. There are currently more than 300 young people involved in the Club’s children’s football and cricket programs. PHC also engages adults in the senior football, cricket, netball, and softball programs, and all ages can get involved in the majorette program, whether as a performer or drummer.

Our society is built on the premise of communal activity and interaction to survive and thrive. Both member and community clubs serve a vital role by encouraging the sharing of ideas and knowledge and supporting the resulting activities. This is the cornerstone of PHC. The Club has a proud culture, not only by way of its sporting endeavors, but its support of the community at large. The PEOPLE are what make the Club.