There were three principal Clubs—White’s, Brookes’, and Boodles’. White’s was originally a “Chocolate House” in William the Third’s time, but became a private club early in the eighteenth century, and was used by the Tories. It was a club always noted for high play and betting, and very curious some of their bets were, the old wager book being still preserved. Brookes’ was the Whig Club, and was then conducted by that
“liberal Brookes, whose speculative skill
Is hasty credit and a distant bill;
Who, nurs’d in Clubs, disdains a vulgar trade,
Exults to trust, and blushes to be paid.”
Among the members of this club were the Prince of Wales, and, of course, his fidus Achates, Sheridan, besides the great Charles James Fox, who here played deeply, and whose name is oft recorded in the wager book, which, however, is of older date, and was kept when the club was held at Almack’s.
“Lord Northington bets Mr. C. Fox, June 4, 1774, that he (Mr. C. F.) is not called to the bar before this day four years.”
“March 11, 1775. Lord Bolinbroke gives a guinea to Mr. Charles Fox and is to receive a thousand from him whenever the debt of this country amounts to 171 millions. Mr. Fox is not to pay the £1,000 till he is one of His Majesty’s Cabinet.”
“April 7, 1792. Mr. Sheridan bets Lord Lauderdale and Lord Thanet, twenty-five guineas each, that Parliament will not consent to any more lotteries after the present one voted to be drawn in February next.”
GREAT SUBSCRIPTION ROOM AT BROOKES’S.
At all the clubs, gaming was practised more or less. Morning Herald, June 16, 1804: “A noble Lord, lately high in office, and who manifests a strong inclination to be reinstated in his political power, lost at the Union, a night or two back 4,000 guineas before twelve o’clock; but, continuing to play, his luck took a turn, and he rose a winner of a thousand before five the next morning.”