London Clubs: Their History & TreasuresNevill, Ralph
History
London Clubs: Their History & Treasures
Nevill, Ralph
Clubs -- England -- London; London (England) -- Social life and customs
The Carlton possesses a quantity of good silver, and in the way of
comfort stands in front of almost all clubs in the world. Nowhere,
perhaps, are the minor details of everyday life so well looked after;
every kind of notepaper is at the command of members, whilst the
facilities for reference are unequalled. This club has a fine library,
which is presided over by a librarian.
Perhaps the most prosperous club in London is the Junior Carlton, which
owns its own freehold. The property is said to be worth over £200,000.
This palatial club-house is modern in style, but in a small room off the
hall is a fine old mantelpiece, which was originally in one of the
houses pulled down to make way for the new building.
Statues of Lord Beaconsfield and the fourteenth Earl of Derby decorate
the hall, whilst the pictures in the club-house include full-length
portraits of the late Queen Victoria by Sir Hubert Herkomer, and of the
late King Edward by the Hon. A. Stuart-Wortley. This was painted when
the King was Prince of Wales. In the smoking-room hang portraits of Lord
Beaconsfield, Lord Derby, Lord Abergavenny, the Iron Duke, and other
statesmen. A few pictures also hang on the staircase and elsewhere.
The picture of the Duke of Wellington originally represented him
standing in the House of Lords, but for some reason or other the
background of benches was painted out by the artist. Within recent
years, however, the Upper Chamber has once more asserted itself by
bursting through the coat of paint.
The library at the Junior Carlton Club is one of the most delightful
rooms in London—an abode of restful peace which was highly appreciated
by the late Lord Salisbury, who was often to be observed here reading.
It was said that he frequented this room because he was sure of finding
undisturbed quiet. Huge placards, on which are printed the word
“SILENCE,” are on each of the mantelpieces, and the reposeful atmosphere
of the place is seldom troubled by any sound louder than footfalls on
the soft carpet or the turning over of book-leaves.
A round table in this club, used for private dinner-parties, is said to
be the biggest in London; twenty-five people can sit at it.
The Conservative Club, which occupies a portion of the site of the old
Thatched House Tavern (pulled down in 1843), 74 St. James’s Street, was
designed by Sydney Smirke and George Basevi, 1845. The upper portion is
Corinthian, with columns and pilasters, and a frieze sculptured with the
imperial crown and oak wreaths; the lower order is Roman-Doric, and the
wings are slightly advanced, with an enriched entrance porch north and a
bay-window south. The interior was painted in colour by Mr. Sang, by
whom, after long years, it has since been redecorated. This happened a
few years ago, when, after considerable discussion, it was decided to
restore the original scheme of decoration which some little time before
had been discarded in favour of plain white marble.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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