London Clubs: Their History & TreasuresNevill, Ralph
History
London Clubs: Their History & Treasures
Nevill, Ralph
Clubs -- England -- London; London (England) -- Social life and customs
“‘Nullum simile est idem.’
’Tis strange how some will differ—some advance
That the Guards’ club-house was pulled down by chance;
While some, with juster notions in their mazard,
Stoutly maintain the deed was done by hazard.”
The Guards’ Club, it should be added, is considered as a guard-house,
and can be used by officers on duty.
In St. James’s Square is the East India United Service Club, which was
founded in 1849. The present club-house really consists of two
mansions—Nos. 14 and 15—which were formed into one commodious and
handsome building by the skill of the architect—Mr. Adam Lee. The East
India United is of course an essentially Anglo-Indian club, and many
distinguished officials—civil as well as military—have been members.
A number of pictures and prints are in this club-house, most of the
portraits of famous Anglo-Indians being copies of originals in the India
Office, National Portrait Gallery, and elsewhere.
An interesting piece of plate here is a silver vase presented by the
Patriotic Fund at Lloyd’s to Commodore Sir Nathaniel Dance, H.E.I.C.,
upon the occasion of his defeating a French squadron on February 15,
1804. This was lent to the club in October 1895, by the great-nephew of
the Commodore, G. W. Dance, Esq., B.C.S.
A quite modern military club, which has prospered exceedingly, is the
Cavalry, which was started in 1895 for officers who had served in the
various mounted arms, English and Indian cavalry, Royal Horse Artillery,
and Imperial Yeomanry. Unlike several other clubs started about the same
time, it flourished, and has a membership of 1,300. Here there is a
dining-room to which ladies are admitted as guests, which has no doubt
contributed to the success of the club.
During the last year the comfortable club-house in Piccadilly was
enlarged, and it is now capable of accommodating a larger number of
members than before.
Little is ever heard of the Royal Naval Club—one of the oldest in the
world, for it originated about 1674. Many great Admirals have belonged
to this convivial dining club, including Nelson, who is generally
supposed to have belonged to no club. At one time these dinners were
held in the large dining-room at the Thatched House, in St. James’s
Street, on the walls of which hung the portraits of the Dilettanti
Society, illuminated by wax candles in fine old glass chandeliers.
During the present year yet another military club—the Junior Army and
Navy—has opened its doors at the Clock House, Whitehall, which was
originally built for Lord Carrington.
The Caledonian, in Charles Street, St. James’s, also occupies a mansion
which was once in private hands. The largest house in the street, it was
erected in 1819 for Pascoe Grenfell, and subsequently became the
property of the Beresford family, from whom it was acquired by the
Caledonian Club.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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