London Clubs: Their History & Treasures

by Ralph Nevill

In 1737 it was ordered “that for the future, unless the company exceed the number of fifteen, no man be allowed more than one bottle to his share and a peremptory.”

The Royal Thames Yacht Club springs from the Cumberland Society which was formed of members who had sailed for the Duke of Cumberland’s Cup. His Grace himself was wont to present this cup to the winner at a function of considerable solemnity. The boats of the society were all anchored in line, flying the white flag with the St. George’s cross. The captains waited in skiffs, and only boarded their boats when the Duke appeared in his gilded barge and proceeded to the boat of the Commodore of the fleet. The victorious captain was then summoned to that vessel and introduced to the Duke, who filled the cup with claret and drank the health of the winner, to whom he thereupon presented the cup. The winner then pledged the health of His Royal Highness and his Duchess, and the whole squadron sailed to Mr. Smith’s tea-gardens at the Surrey end of Vauxhall Bridge, then a pleasant rural spot.

The owner of the gardens in question, Mr. Smith, seems to have held the post of Commodore in the society during the first five years of its incorporation, and a year or two later his establishment took the name of the society’s patron, and was thenceforward known as Cumberland Gardens.

It was the rule, after the annual dinner, for members to adjourn to Vauxhall, close by, where they finished a jovial evening.

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At the present day there exist a multitude of other clubs, but scarcely any of them come within the scope of this volume—which the writer hopes may prove not unwelcome both as a record of interesting club possessions and as a modest contribution to the history of English social life.

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INDEX

• Addison, Joseph, [19], [33]
• Ad Libitum Club, the, [52], [53]
• Albion Hotel, the, [3]
• Alfred Club, the, [283]
• Allen, Lord, [81], [82]
• Almack, William, [100]
• Almack’s, [95], [100]
• Alpine Club, the, [267]
• Alvanley, Lord, [79], [80]–[82], [283]
• American clubs, [295], [296]
• Amphitryon Club, the, [204]–[206]
• Apollo Club, the, [1]
• Arbuthnot, [26]
• Archer, Thomas, Lord, [31]
• Arlington Club, the (now the Turf Club), [181]
• Armstrong, Colonel, [81]
• Army and Navy Club, the, [244]–[251], [256];
  • Junior, [256]
• Arnold, Samuel James, [39]–[43]
• Arthur, John, [71], [75]
• Arthur, Robert, [75]
• Arthur’s, [63], [69]–[71], [144], [145], [148], [256]
• Arts Club, the, [294]
• Ashburton, Dunning, Lord, [115]
• “Asiatic Sundays” at the Athenæum, [280]
• Athenæum Club, the, [148], [162], [164], [256], [275]–[283];
  • Junior, [256]
• Aubrey, Lieutenant-Colonel, [188]
• Aylott, Sir James, [222]–[223]
• Bachelors’ Club, the, [221]
• Badminton Club, the, [192]
• Baker, Mr., Master of Lloyd’s, [21]
• Baldwin Club, the, [189]
• Banderet, Henry, [104], [106]
• Bath Club, the, [163]
• Bathurst, Benjamin, [122]
• Batson’s, [9]
• Beaconsfield, the Earl of, [278]–[279]
• Beauclerc, Topham, [265], [266]
• Beaufort, Henry, Duke of, [66], [67], [165]
• Bedford Coffee-house, the, [28]
• Bedford, Francis, Duke of, [29]
• Beefsteak Club, the first, [19];
  • the present, [52], [53], [184]
• Beefsteaks, the Sublime Society of, [37]–[53], [87], [131]
• Belfast, Lord, [304]
• Bentinck, George (“Big Ben”), [306]–[307]
• Bentinck, Lord George, [160]–[161]
• Bentinck, Lord Henry, [188]
• Bessborough, the Earl of, [112], [114]
• Black, William, [235], [236]
• Blackballing, [160], [164]
• “Bloods,” [13]
• Bold Bucks, the, [17]
• Bolingbroke, Viscount, [26]
• Boodle’s (formerly the Savoir Vivre), [63]–[69], [98], [145], [165]
• Booth, Edwin, [295]
• Boswell, James, [267]
• Bourke, the Hon. Algernon, [50], [85], [86]
• Bowes, the late Mr., [56]
• Brackley, Lord, [160]–[161]
• Bridge, introduction of, [188]
• Bright, John, [235]
• British Coffee-house, the, [12]
• Broadhurst, Mr., [21]
• Brook Club, the (New York), [34]
• Brooks’s, [63], [98], [99]–[122], [129], [145], [189], [256]
• Brooks, the proprietor of the club-house, [98], [100], [101], [103], [104]
• Brothers’ Club, the, [26]
• Brougham, Lord, [120]–[121], [188]
• Brummell, Beau, [78]–[80], [109]–[110], [172]
• Bucks, the Society of, [33]
• Burke, Edmund, [266]
• Burlington Fine Arts Club, the, [274]–[275]
• Button’s, [3], [24], [27]
• Byerley, Thomas, [12]
• Byng, the Hon. Frederick, [121]–[122]
• Byron, Lord, [283]
• Caledonian, [256]
• Cambridge Beefsteak Club, the, [55]
• Camelford, Lord, and the “blood,” [13]–[14]
• Candidates for election, [158]
• Cardigan, Lord, [307]–[308]
• Carlton Club, the, [147], [148], [223]–[225], [256]
• Castle Tavern, the, kept by Belcher and Spring, [32]
• Cavalry Club, the, [255]
• Cavendish, the Hon. Henry, [272]–[273]
• Chapter Coffee-house, the, [9], [10], [11]
• Chatterton, [10]
• Chelmsford Beefsteak Club, the, [54]
• Cheshire Cheese, the, [4]–[7]
• Child’s, [3], [9]
• Churchill, Lord Randolph, [224]
• Cibber, Colley, [76]
• Cider Cellar, the, [31]
• City Pickwick Club, the, [20]
• Clarke, Chamberlain, [8]
• Clarke, Sir Edward, [20]
• Club, the first, [1];
  • evolution of the, [2];
  • increase in the number of clubs, [135];
  • change in club-life, [136];
  • opposition to improvements, [138];
  • washed silver in change, and other customs, [145];
  • smoking in clubs, [146];
  • strangers visiting clubs, [147];
  • bedrooms for members, [151];
  • increased comfort, [151]–[152];
  • clubs of to-day and their members, [156];
  • elections and committees, [157];
  • hall-porters, [174];
  • porters’ boxes, [177];
  • late sittings, [178];
  • the Garrick the “latest” club, [183];
  • foreign clubs taxed, [185];
  • sporting-club-men, [191];
  • decrease in drinking, [192];
  • club-men and their foibles, [195]–[203];
  • restaurant clubs, [205];
  • registration of clubs, [207]
• Club-man, the modern, [139]
• Cocoa-tree, the, [1], [3], [63], [128]–[132]
• Coffee-houses, [1], [2], [3]
• Colenso, Bishop, [279]
• Committee, the club, [158]
• Conservative Club, the, [133], [147], [227]–[228]
• Constitutional Club, the, [236]
• Cooking, club, [170]
• Cosmopolitan Club, the, [267]–[268]
• Coventry, Lord, [215]
• Coventry House, [217]
• Crockford, Benjamin, [190], [228]–[232], [254]
• Crockford’s, [94], [185], [186], [190]–[191], [229]–[232]
• Croker, John Wilson, [275]
• Crown and Anchor Tavern, [35]
• Cunningham, Colonel, [13]
• Curtis, Sir William, [302]–[303]
• Daffy Club, the, [32]
• Damer, Colonel, [232]
• Daniel’s, [9]
• Davies’s “Life of Garrick” quoted, [76]
• Defoe, Daniel, [19]
• Devonshire Club, the, [228]–[232]
• Devil Tavern, the, [1]
• Dickens and the George and Vulture, [20];
  • his chair, [278];
  • reconciliation with Thackeray, [280]
• Dickens Club, the, [7]
• Digby, Sir Kenelm, [31]
• Dilettanti Society, [256], [257]–[263]
• Disraeli, Isaac, [278]
• Dryden, John, [24], [25], [28]
• Dudley, Lord, [35]
• Duff, Captain William, [244]
• Durnford, Bishop, [279]
• East India United Service Club, the, [254]–[255]
• Eccentric members, [198]
• Eclipse, the race-horse, [297]–[298]
• Edinburgh Club, the, [59]
• Edward VII, King, [165], [204], [205], [219]
• Edwards, Mr., and the introduction of coffee-houses, [18]
• Elections, [157]
• Ellice, Edward, [232]
• Elliot, Lettsom, [282]
• Essex Head, the, [8]
• Estcourt, Richard, [19]
• Etiquette at coffee-houses, [17]–[18]
• Evans’s, [31]–[32]
• “Everlasting,” the, [34]
• Fines, [182]
• Fitzgerald, George Robert, [115]–[118]
• FitzHarris, Lord, [302]
• Foote, Samuel, [28]–[29]
• Forrest’s, [3]
• Fox, Charles James, [102], [106], [111], [120], [125]–[127]
• Fox Club, the, [124], [126]–[127]
• Francis, Sir Philip, [110]–[111]
• Fraser, Sir William, [283]
• Gambling, French and English, [185]–[187]
• Gambling clubs, [185]–[188]
• Gardner, Mr. John, [19]
• Garraway’s Coffee-house, [3], [12], [21]–[23]
• Garrick, David, [28]–[29], [37], [265], [288]–[290]
• Garrick Club, the, [148], [183], [193], [256], [285]–[294]
• Garth, Dr. Samuel, [271]
• Garway, Thomas, [22]
• Gay, [26]
• Gayner, the late Mr., [65]–[68]
• George III, King, [3]
• George IV, King, [99], [111]–[114], [133], [171], [173], [302]–[303]
• George and Vulture, the first coffee-house, [18], [19], [20]
• George’s, [9]
• Giles’s, [3]
• Gladstone, W. E., [107], [166], [239], [257]
• Golden Fleece Club, the, [34]
• Goldsmid, Sir Julian, [219]
• Goldsmith, Oliver, [10], [266]
• Goosetree’s, [98], [109]
• Graham’s Club, [188]
• Granville, Lord, [108]
• Great Bottle Club, the, [33]
• Greaves, Samuel, [8]
• Grecian, the, [3]
• Green, John, [31]–[32]
• Greville, Charles, [160]–[161]
• Gronow’s “Reminiscences” quoted, [137]
• Groom’s, [19]
• Guards’ Club, the, [148], [253]–[254], [256]
• Guests, [147], [148]
• Gurney, Hudson, [58]
• Gwynn, Nell, [247]
• Haggis Club, the, [59]
• Haines, Thomas, [27]–[28]
• Hall-porter, the, [174]
• Hamlin’s, [9]
• Hammond, Mr., [11]
• Hawkins, Sir John, [265]
• Hayward, Abraham, [279]
• Heidegger, John James, [71]–[74]
• Hell-Fires, the, [17], [19]
• Hill, Thomas, [292]–[293]
• Hogarth, William, [19], [29], [37], [289]
• Hole-in-the-Wall Club, the, [57]
• Hood, Tom, quoted, [150]
• Hook, Theodore, quoted, [143], [179], [189], [210], [279]–[280]
• House-dinners, [145], [146]
• Humbugs, the, [33]
• Hunlock, Sir Hugh, [215]
• Hurst, Thomas, [289]
• Irving, Sir Henry, [20], [281]
• Isthmian Club, the, [219]–[220]
• “Je ne sçai quoi” Club, the, [33]
• Jerdan, William, [42]
• Jockey Club, the, [297]–[299]
• Johnson, Dr., [2], [4], [5]–[8], [149], [151], [221], [265], [289]
• Johnson Club, the, [6]–[7]
• Jonathan’s, [3], [12]
• Jones, Inigo, [29]
• Jonson, Ben, [1], [4]
• Junior Athenæum Club, the, [256]
• Junior Carlton Club, the, [147], [173], [226]–[227], [256]
• Junior Constitutional Club, the, [236]
• Junior Naval and Military Club, the, [253]
• Junior United Service Club, the, [244], [251], [256]
• Kemble, John, [32], [49]
• Kemble, John Philip, [288]
• King of Clubs, the, [34]
• Kinglake, Alexander, [281]
• King’s Coffee-house, [29]
• King’s Head, the, [7]
• Kit-Kat Club, the, [270]
• Kneller, Sir Godfrey, [29]–[30]
• Lade, Sir John, [126]
• Lambs’ Club, the (New York), [296]
• Landseer, Sir Edwin, [281]
• Late sittings, [178]
• Lawn-market Club, the, [59]
• Leech, John, [20]
• Leinster, the Duke of, [39]
• Lely, Sir Peter, [29]
• Lewis, T., [25]
• Lindley, Ozias, [57]
• Literary Club, the, [263]–[267]
• Little-man’s Coffee-house, [12]
• Lloyd’s Coffee-house, [21]
• Locker, Frederick, [63]
• London Coffee-house, the, [20]
• Lotus Club, the, [220]
• Low, David, [30], [31]
• Lowther, Sir James, [9]
• Lying Club, the, [33]
• Macaulay, Lord, [278]
• M’Clean, the highwayman, [94]
• Macklin, Charles, [288]
• Mackreth, Sir Robert, [91], [129]
• Maison Dorée Club, the, [206]
• Malcolm, Sir John, [212]–[213]
• Manning, Cardinal, [279]
• Marlborough Club, the, [147], [218]–[219]
• Martindale, John, [77]
• Mathews, Charles, [286]–[287]
• Mermaid Tavern, the, [1]
• Miles and Evans’s, [98]
• Military clubs, [240]
• Mills, Pemberton, [80]
• Mitre Tavern, [6], [8]
• Montagu, the Duke of, [72]–[74]
• Montagu, Lady Mary Wortley, [270]–[271]
• Montfort, Lord, [90]–[91], [94]
• Morris, Charles, [47]–[50]
• “Mug-house clubs,” [24]
• Murphy, Arthur, [290]
• Nando’s, [3]
• Napoleon III, the Emperor, [82], [248]–[249]
• National Club, the, [237]–[238]
• National Liberal Club, the, [195], [236]
• National Sporting Club, the, [32]
• Naval and Military Club, the, [251]–[253], [256]
• Norfolk, Charles, eleventh Duke of, [46]–[50], [131]–[132]
• Northumberland, the Countess of, [77]
• North’s, [9]
• Octagon rooms at St. James’s Club, [217];
  • at Naval and Military, [252]
• October Club, the, [34]
• Odd Fellows’ Club, [33]
• O’Kelly, Colonel, [298]–[299]
• Oldfield, Mrs., [290]–[291]
• Old Man’s Coffee-house, [3], [12]
• Old Slaughter’s, [3]
• Orford, the Earl of (Admiral Russell), [31]
• Oriental Club, the, [211]–[215]
• Orleans Club, the, [221]
• Orsay, Count d’, [82], [86]
• Osborne, Bernal, [236]
• “Ourselves,” [7]
• Oxford, Robert Harley, Earl of, [26]
• Oxford and Cambridge Club, the, [148], [238]–[239], [240]
• Oxford and Cambridge New University Club, the, [245]
• Ozinda’s, [3]
• Past Overseers’ Society, the, [59]–[62]
• Pattison, Mark, [278]
• Payn, James, [235], [236]
• Peele’s Coffee-house, [8]
• Pelham, Henry, [94]
• Percival, the late Mr., [83], [84]
• “Percy Anecdotes,” the, [13]
• Percy Coffee-house, the, [12]
• Permanent official, the, [195]–[197]
• Piazza Coffee-house, the, [30]
• Pilgrims, the Society of, [33]
• Pinche’s School, Dr., [20]
• Pitt, William, [99]
• Players’ Club, the (New York), [295]–[296]
• Pon’s Coffee-house, [14]
• Pope, Alexander, [25], [26]
• Porters’ boxes, [177]
• Portland Club, the, [188]
• Pratt’s, [36]
• Prince of Wales Coffee-house, the, [13]
• Pulteney, William (afterwards Earl of Bath), [89]–[90]
• Purl Drinkers, the, [33]
• Queen’s Arms, the, [8]
• Queensberry, the Marquis of, [230]–[231]
• Radcliffe, Dr., [29]–[30]
• Raggett, father and son, [77], [78], [83], [222]
• Raikes, Dandy, [120]
• Rainbow, the (now Groom’s), [19]
• Raleigh Club, the, [192]
• Reform Club, the, [232]–[236]
• Restaurant clubs, [204]
• Revett, Nicholas, [258]
• Reynolds, Sir Joshua, [265]
• Rich, Henry, [37]
• Rivers, Lord, [93]
• Robertson, Joseph, [13]
• Robin’s, [12]
• Rogers, Samuel, [35]
• Rosee, Pasqua, [18], [19]
• Roxburghe Club, the, [268]–[269]
• Royal Cork Yacht Club, the, [308]
• Royal Exchange, the, [11], [12]
• Royal Naval Club, [255]
• Royal Societies’ Club, the, [273]–[274]
• Royal Society Club, the, [272]–[273]
• Royal Thames Yacht Club, the, [310]
• Royal Yacht Squadron, [299]–[308]
• Rules and regulations, [167]–[170]
• Rump Steak Club, [7]
• St. Dunstan’s, [7]
• St. James’ Club, the, [184], [215]–[218], [256]
• St. James’ Coffee-house, [3]
• St. Leger, Colonel, [119]–[120]
• Sala, George Augustus, his definition of “club,” [135], [235], [294]
• Salisbury, Lord, [226]
• Salting, George, [134]
• Samsonic Society, the, [33]
• Savage Club, the, [294]
• Savile Club, the, [284]
• Savoir Vivre, the (now Boodle’s), [65]
• Sawdust Club, [7]
• Scott, General, [94]–[95]
• Scriblerus Club, the, [26]
• Selwyn, George, [95]–[97], [109], [112]–[114], [130]–[131]
• Shakespeare, [1], [4]
• Shand, the hall-porter at the Turf Club, [174]
• Shenstone, [9]
• Sheridan, R. B., [30], [111]–[115], [133]
• Silver, change given in washed, [145]
• Simpson, William, [6]
• Smith, Bobus, [34]–[35]
• Smith, Major-General (“Hyder Ali”), [111]
• Smith, Tippoo, [111]
• Smoking in taverns and clubs, [4], [146], [281], [283]–[284]
• Smyrna, the, [3], [12]
• Snuff-boxes formerly in clubs, [146]
• Soaping Club, the Edinburgh, [59]
• “Social Villagers,” the, [34]
• Soyer, Alexis, [233]–[235]
• Spencer, Herbert, [282]–[283]
• Spenser, Edmund, [34]
• Spring, Samuel, [173]
• Steele, Sir Richard, [19], [75], [271]
• Stepney, Sir Thomas, [119]–[120], [171]
• Stewart, Admiral Keith, [115]–[117]
• Strangers in clubs, [147]
• Stuart, James, [258]
• Sunday at clubs, [194]
• Supper clubs, [207]
• Sussex, the Duke of, [38]–[41]
• Swift, Jonathan, [19], [25], [26], [27]
• Sydney, Viscount, [100]
• Sylvester, Joshua, [4]
• Tatham, Dr., [279]
• Tatler, the, quoted, [23], [75]
• Taylor, William, [58]
• Taxes on club funds in France and Germany, [185]
• Temperance, growth of, [193]–[194]
• Thackeray quoted, [150], [211], [212], [235], [278], [280]
• Thatched House Club, the, [131]–[134]
• Thatched House Tavern, the, [256], [260], [263], [300]
• The Club, [263]–[267]
• Thespian Club, the, [33]
• Thornhill, Sir James, [30]
• Thrale, Henry, [8], [265]
• Tobacco-box belonging to Past Overseers of St. Margaret’s, Westminster, [59]–[62]
• Todd, Harry, [6]
• Tom’s, [2], [3], [12], [24], [28]
• Tourville, Admiral de, [31]
• Travellers’ Club, the, [148], [162], [163], [209]–[211], [256]
• Truby’s, [3]
• True Blue Club, the, [56]
• Turf Club, the, [162], [174], [181], [184], [218], [256], [263]
• Tyrawley, Lord, and the Frenchmen, [14]–[17]
• Ude, Louis Eustache, [230], [231], [232]
• Union Club, the, [222]
• United Service Club, the (at first the General Military Club), [240]–[244], [251], [256]
• United University Club, the, [239], [240]
• Uxbridge, Lord, [301]–[302]
• Vernon, Admiral, [21]
• Visitors in clubs, [147]
• Walpole, Horace, quoted, [77], [87], [128], [129], [259]
• Walpole, Sir Robert, [21], [89]–[90]
• “Water Club,” the, [309]
• Watier’s Club, [171]–[172]
• Webster, Sir Whistler, [77], [83]
• Wellington, the Duke of, [86]
• Wellington Club, the, [222]
• West, Benjamin, [288]
• West, James, [31]
• West, Thomas (proprietor of Tom’s), [24]–[25]
• Wet Paper Club, the, [11]
• Whistler, [53]
• White, Francis, [71]
• White, Mrs., [71], [74], [75]
• White’s, [2], [3], [50], [69]–[71], [74]–[98], [99], [129], [144], [145], [146], [165], [169], [189], [191], [256]
• Wilberforce, Samuel, [109]
• Wilbraham, Roger, [110]–[111]
• Wilkes, John, [19], [37]
• Will’s, [3], [12], [24], [25], [28]
• Windham, William, [220]–[221]
• Windham Club, the, [220]
• Yarborough, Lord, [302], [305]
• York, Frederick, Duke of, [99], [119]–[120]
• Young Man’s Coffee-house, [3], [12]
• Zoffany, [29]

THE END