The record is better for the period 1889–1963, as during this time a picture of each year's president was added to a display in the clubhouse and these have survived to the present day.

The club plays host not only to the Members in residence, but also to visiting All Blacks, Springboks, Samoans – whose height and bulk test the dimensions of the bar – oarsmen, Vincent’s members and also to judges, doctors, parsons, accountants, schoolmasters, knights and lords, captains of industry, farmers, MPs and Heads of Houses who return for ‘auld lang syne’.

Occasionally, individuals are admitted as an Honorary Hawk without fulfilling the above criteria (for example Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, who did not study at Cambridge).

Neither the Cambridge-only nor the men-only restrictions apply in this case, and the majority of Dining Rights members are local business people and professionals who contribute to the costs of running the Club, and to The Hawks’ Trust which is a charity supporting all sportsmen and women at the University.

The Club's Committee consists of a President, Honorary Secretary, Junior Treasurer and seven ordinary members, and is elected each academic year by the Hawks-in-residence.

Each year the Club awards a number of bursaries to members of the University under the auspices of the Hawks' Charitable Trust.

It remained there until 1966 when financial troubles meant the property had to be sold, despite surviving through both world wars, during which the Club was closed.

It consists of a bar, members' lounge, dining room space for some 25-30 people, and the Club steward's flat on the top floor.

[8][9] 1,400 non-resident Hawks (out of 4,480 members) voted 89% in favour of the proposal in an online ballot run by Electoral Reform Services in February and March 2019.