Club Life of London, Vol. 1 (of 2): With Anecdotes of the Clubs, Coffee-Houses and Taverns of the Metropolis During the 17th, 18th, and 19th CenturiesTimbs, John
History
Club Life of London, Vol. 1 (of 2): With Anecdotes of the Clubs, Coffee-Houses and Taverns of the Metropolis During the 17th, 18th, and 19th Centuries
Timbs, John
Clubs -- England -- London; Literary landmarks -- England -- London; London (England) -- Social life and customs
We have already seen how the more convivially disposed members of
Learned Societies have, from time to time, formed themselves into
Clubs. The Royals have done so, _ab initio_. The Antiquaries appear to
have given up their Club and their Anniversary Dinner; but certain of
the Fellows, resolving not to remain _impransi_, many years since,
formed a Club, styled "Noviomagians," from the identification of the
Roman station of Noviomagus being just then discovered, or rather
"Rife and celebrated in the mouths
Of wisest men."
One of the Club-founders was Mr. A. J. Kempe; and Mr. Crofton Croker
was president more than twenty years. Lord Londesborough and Mr.
Corner, the Southwark antiquary, were also Noviomagians; and in the
present Club-list are Sir William Betham, Mr. Fairholt, Mr. Godwin,
Mr. S. C. Hall, Mr. Lemon, etc. The Club dine together once a month
during the season at the old tavern next the burial-place of Joe
Miller in Portugal Street. Here the Fellows meet for the promotion of
good fellowship and antiquarian pursuits. "Joking minutes are kept, in
which would be found many known names, either as visitors or
associates,--Theodore Hook, Sir Henry Ellis, Britton, Dickens,
Thackeray, John Bruce, Jerdan, Planché, Bell, Maclise, etc." The Club
and its visitors may have caught inspiration here; for in their
sallies _movere jocum_, they have imitated the wits at Strawberry
Hill, and found Arms for the Club, with a butter-boat rampant for the
crest, which is very significant.
In 1855, Lord Mayor Moon, F.S.A., entertained at the Mansion House the
Noviomagians, and the office-bearers of the Society of Antiquaries to
meet them. After dinner, some short papers were read, including one by
Mr. Lemon, of the State Paper Office, presenting some curious
illustrations of the state of society in London in the reign of James
I., showing the "Migration of Citizens Westward." (See _Romance of
London_, vol. iii. pp. 315-320.)
THE ECCENTRICS.
Late in the last century there met at a tavern kept by one Fulham, in
Chandos Street, Covent Garden, a convivial Club called "The
Eccentrics," which was an offshoot of "The Brilliants." They next
removed to Tom Rees's, in May's-buildings, St. Martin's-lane, and
here they were flourishing at all hours, some five-and-twenty years
since. Amongst the members were many celebrities of the literary and
political world; they were always treated with indulgence by the
authorities. An inaugural ceremony was performed upon the making of a
member, which terminated with a jubilation from the President. The
books of the Club up to the time of its removal from May's-buildings
are stated to have passed into the possession of Mr. Lloyd, the
hatter, of the Strand, who, by the way, was eccentric in his business,
and published a small work descriptive of the various fashions of hats
worn in his time, illustrated with characteristic engravings.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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