History
Shanghai Scottish
1868 – The Shanghai Scottish Club is founded to field a cricket team against the Shanghai English.
1879 – John Prentice, a shipbuilder from Greenock, helps establish the Shanghai Engineers Football Club, affiliating with the Scottish FA rather than the English FA. He later donates a trophy for competition between teams and founds the Prentice Golf Cup for the international community.
1880s–1890s – Scots play important roles in the Shanghai International Settlement. Two of the most notable are:
- Frederick Anderson – who in 1872 had scored Scotland’s first-ever international goal, later becomes Chairman of the Shanghai Municipal Council (1899) and Chairman of the Settlement in 1905 in addition to President of the Shanghai Rugby Club (1905) and the Shanghai St. Andrew’s Society.
John Prentice – Secretary of the International Settlement, President of the Shanghai St. Andrew’s Society, instrumental in developing competitive football in Shanghai, and so respected within the French community that a street in the former French Concession was named after him – one of only two non-Frenchmen to be honoured in this way.
Also, during this time, Archie Lang, a former Dumbarton and Scotland full-back, captains the Shanghai Engineers football side.
1914 – With the outbreak of the First World War, the Shanghai Scottish Company is established within the Shanghai Volunteer Corps (S.V.C.). Wearing the Hunting Stewart tartan, they combine military service with Scottish cultural traditions.
1920s – The club is at its height, becoming a major part of sporting life in Shanghai during the years of the International Settlement. It fields teams in rugby, cricket, football, and lawn bowls, and dominates the Prentice–Skottowe Cup, a football competition held between various international teams in the city. At the same time, Scottish traditions thrive, with Burns Suppers hosted at the Shanghai Club (now the Waldorf Astoria) and the Masonic Club.
1930s – The Shanghai Scottish remain a prominent part of the city’s international community, taking part in parades, civic events, and sporting competitions with teams from Hong Kong and Singapore. A pipe band adds further cultural identity and Scottish character to the group.
1942 – The club is disbanded.
2012 – After 70 years, the Shanghai Scottish are re-established as the Shanghai Scottish Sports Club, reviving the spirit of the original teams. Members return to the field in replica 1920s football strips of their predecessors, and the club celebrates Scottish cultural traditions including Burns Suppers and ceilidh dances. With steady growth, the club quickly attracts over 100 members and becomes a vibrant part of Shanghai’s expatriate sporting and cultural community once again.
2019 – A notable member of Shanghai Scottish, Nick Watson is featured in BBC’s Scots in China.
2025 – Shanghai Scottish continue their legacy of uniting people through sport, culture, and tradition. The Shanghai Scottish Football Team remains a vibrant part of the city’s expatriate community, while the first modern-era Highland Games are held at NAIS Pudong, bringing together Scottish, Chinese, and international communities. At 92, Betty Barr, the oldest Scot in Shanghai, serves proudly as Honorary Chieftain, giving the occasion a truly memorable touch and symbolising the enduring connection between tradition and community spirit.
