London Clubs: Their History & Treasures — John Shaqi
London Clubs: Their History & TreasuresNevill, Ralph
History
London Clubs: Their History & Treasures
Nevill, Ralph
Clubs -- England -- London; London (England) -- Social life and customs
Captain Morris lived to the age of ninety-two, dying in July, 1838. He
lies in Betchworth Churchyard, near the east end; his grave is simply
marked by a head- and foot-stone, with an inscription of three or four
lines; he who had sung the praises of so many choice spirits has not
here a stanza to his own memory.
As time went on, the old customs and toasts of the Sublime Society
became out of date, and, though certain modifications were attempted, it
ceased to exist in 1869, when its effects were sold. The following is a
list of the most important of them.
An oak dining-table with President’s cap, a mitre and a gridiron carved
in three separate circular compartments at the top. This relic of past
conviviality is now at White’s Club, having been purchased by the Hon.
Algernon Bourke some years ago.
A carved oak President’s chair—now, I believe, at Sandringham—and a
number of members’ chairs copied in oak from the Glastonbury Chair, the
backs carved with the gridiron and the arms and initials of each member.
A few of these chairs belong to a firm of brewers.
Forty-seven engraved portraits of members, glazed in oak frames, on
which were metal gridirons. One or two of these are in the possession of
the present Beefsteak Club.
Other _objets d’art_ and curiosities were—
The ribbon and badge of the President in the form of a silver gridiron,
dated 1735.
Two brown stoneware jugs, with silver lids and mounts, the thumb-pieces
gridirons.
A fine _couteau de chasse_, with engraved and pierced blade, the handle
formed of a group of Mars, Venus, and Cupid, in silver, the mounting of
the sheath of open-work silver, chased with arabesque figures, scrolls,
and flowers. The reputed work of Benvenuto Cellini; inscribed “Ex Dono
Antonio Askew, M.D.”
An oval ivory snuff-box, with a cameo of Dante on the lid and
inscription inside: “Presented to the S.S.B.S. by B. G. B. [Dr.
Babington], an honorary member. The cameo of Dante on the lid of this
box was carved by its donor, and its wood formed part of a mummy-case
brought by him from Egypt in 1815; the surrounding ivory was turned by a
friend”—in a leather case.
A circular snuff-box, formed of oak dug from the ruins of the old Lyceum
Theatre, after its destruction by fire; a silver shield engraved with
the gridiron on the lid.
A wooden punch-ladle, with open-work handle, and ten doilys.
A cigar-case, formed of a curious piece of oak.
A pair of halberds.
A large Oriental punch-bowl, enamelled with figures, butterflies, and
flowers, inside and out, in a case. Presented by Lord Saltoun, K.G.
Another enamelled with figures and baskets of flowers in medallions,
with red and gold scale borders. Presented by Baron Heath.
A ditto, enamelled with figures.
A fluted ditto, with flowers.
The President’s hat, a hat said to have belonged to Garrick, and a
Cardinal’s hat.
The mitre of the late Cardinal Gregorio, presented to the Sublime
Society of the Beefsteaks by Brother W. Somerville, in silk case.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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