LONDON CLUBS ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [Illustration: THE ST. JAMES’ CLUB (FORMERLY COVENTRY HOUSE) _From a Water-colour Drawing by W. Walcot_ ] LONDON CLUBS THEIR HISTORY & TREASURES _By_ RALPH NEVILL AUTHOR OF “THE MERRY PAST,” “LIGHT COME, LIGHT GO,” ETC. [Illustration] LONDON: CHATTO & WINDUS MDCCCCXI ------------------------------------------------------------------------ WITH NINE PLATES _All rights reserved_ ------------------------------------------------------------------------ NOTE The Author wishes to acknowledge the valuable assistance he has received from several Secretaries of Clubs mentioned in this volume, particularly Captain CHARLES PERCY SMITH, who supplied him with information of considerable interest. His best thanks are also due to the Committee of the St. James’ Club for having courteously allowed him to reproduce the water-colour drawing shown in the Frontispiece. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ CONTENTS CHAPTER I PAGES The Origin of Clubs in 1–32 Coffee-houses and Taverns. CHAPTER II Curious Clubs of the 33–62 Past—Pratt’s—Beefsteak Clubs, Old and New CHAPTER III Clubs of St. James’s 63–98 Street—Boodle’s, Arthur’s, and White’s CHAPTER IV Brooks’s, the Cocoa-tree, and 99–134 the Thatched House CHAPTER V Changes in Club-Life and Ways 135–155 CHAPTER VI Elections—Committees—Regulations—Rules 156–177 CHAPTER VII Late 178–208 Sittings—Fines—Cards—Characters—Supper Clubs CHAPTER VIII The Travellers’—Oriental—St. 209–236 James’—Turf—Marlborough—Isthmian —Windham—Bachelors’—Union—Carlton—Junior Carlton—Conservative—Devonshire—Reform CHAPTER IX