Cobden Club
Encyclopedia
The Cobden Club was a political gentlemen's club in London
founded in 1866 for believers in Free Trade
doctrine, and named in honour of Richard Cobden
, who had died the year before.
Unusually for contemporary clubs, it had a publishing arm, which was instrumental in publishing Cobden's collected speeches in 1870, under the co-editorship of John Bright
, one of the club's early patrons. Because of its Free Trade connection, it mainly attracted Liberals
as members, but with the fading of both the Liberals as a national force, and of Free Trade as a popular cause, the club fell into decline in the twentieth century. The popularity of Temperance
reform among members also made it unappealing to potential recruits with the passing years. Like many other clubs, it went through substantial financial difficulties in the late 1970s, and closed at the end of that decade.
It is unrelated to a modern west London
private restaurant and bar of that name founded in 1996, which claimed to be a 'refounded' Cobden Club, but which has no connection to the old club, and instead offers live theatre, burlesque, and music by way of "art and entertainment for the working man".http://www.cobdenclub.co.uk http://www.rockabaret.co.uk
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
founded in 1866 for believers in Free Trade
Free trade
Under a free trade policy, prices emerge from supply and demand, and are the sole determinant of resource allocation. 'Free' trade differs from other forms of trade policy where the allocation of goods and services among trading countries are determined by price strategies that may differ from...
doctrine, and named in honour of Richard Cobden
Richard Cobden
Richard Cobden was a British manufacturer and Radical and Liberal statesman, associated with John Bright in the formation of the Anti-Corn Law League as well as with the Cobden-Chevalier Treaty...
, who had died the year before.
Unusually for contemporary clubs, it had a publishing arm, which was instrumental in publishing Cobden's collected speeches in 1870, under the co-editorship of John Bright
John Bright
John Bright , Quaker, was a British Radical and Liberal statesman, associated with Richard Cobden in the formation of the Anti-Corn Law League. He was one of the greatest orators of his generation, and a strong critic of British foreign policy...
, one of the club's early patrons. Because of its Free Trade connection, it mainly attracted Liberals
Liberal Party (UK)
The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day...
as members, but with the fading of both the Liberals as a national force, and of Free Trade as a popular cause, the club fell into decline in the twentieth century. The popularity of Temperance
Temperance movement
A temperance movement is a social movement urging reduced use of alcoholic beverages. Temperance movements may criticize excessive alcohol use, promote complete abstinence , or pressure the government to enact anti-alcohol legislation or complete prohibition of alcohol.-Temperance movement by...
reform among members also made it unappealing to potential recruits with the passing years. Like many other clubs, it went through substantial financial difficulties in the late 1970s, and closed at the end of that decade.
It is unrelated to a modern west London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
private restaurant and bar of that name founded in 1996, which claimed to be a 'refounded' Cobden Club, but which has no connection to the old club, and instead offers live theatre, burlesque, and music by way of "art and entertainment for the working man".http://www.cobdenclub.co.uk http://www.rockabaret.co.uk