Gresham Club
Encyclopedia
The Gresham Club was a City of London
gentlemen's club
, founded in 1843 and dissolved in 1991.
The Club was founded in 1843 as a dining club for the professional classes of the City of London, and named after Sir Thomas Gresham
, a celebrated Elizabethan
merchant who founded the Royal Exchange
.
The club's first president was John Abel Smith (1802–1871), member of parliament
for Chichester
.
In 1853, Charles Manby Smith located the Gresham Club as a stepping-stone in a successful Londoner's sequence of increasingly elite memberships. -
In 1879, the entrance-fee was twenty guineas
and the annual subscription six guineas.
Charles Dickens, Jr
, reported in Dickens's Dictionary of London (1879) -
, in the City of London, on the corner of St Swithin's Lane. The architect was Henry Flower, and the beginning of construction in 1844 was marked by a dinner at the Albion Tavern, at which Sir William Magnay, Lord Mayor of London
, presided.
John Timbs
wrote in 1855 -
The site of the first club house is now occupied by the main London office of N M Rothschild & Sons
.
The club was reported to keep a fine wine-cellar.
In 1913, a Mr L. Price, called 'the doyen of billiard stewards', achieved sixty years service with club, then housed in Gresham Place, London.
In 1915, the club moved to a new purpose-built club house at 15, Abchurch Lane, London EC4. The club remained there until it came to an end in 1991.
By 1991, its membership had fallen and the remaining members decided to dissolve the club.
On 23 October 1992, the "Gresham Club (In Dissolution)" was given a listed building consent to remove eleven glass chandeliers on the ground, first, and second floors of 15, Abchurch Lane.
The club's records were deposited in the Guildhall Library
, which under accession reference L 24 MSS 28834-28864 holds papers for the years 1844-1845 and 1905–1991, described as: "minute books, subscription books, legal papers, financial papers, Staff Benevolent Fund accounts and misc papers".
, was granted a certificate of lawful development for the use of the former club's premises at 15, Abchurch Lane, as "members licensed dining club for the purposes of dining drinking socialising and playing snooker".
In 1993, the club house was acquired by CCA Holdings, who found it in need of renovation and refurbishment. The development was funded by the International Club Company of Hong Kong
, founded in 1980 by Dieter Klostermann. The company owns and operates many clubs around the world, including business men's clubs, golf and country clubs.
On 21 October 1993, Capital Club of London Ltd was given a listed building consent for 15, Abchurch Lane, described as "Repairs and restoration of interior and exterior of building which is to be retained as members' dining club. Installation of new roof plant and screening" and also planning permission for "installation of roof plant and screen". The new interior was designed by Peter Inston.
in 2002, Angela Knight
, a former Economic Secretary to the Treasury
, succeeded as the club's chairman.
The London Capital Club's entrance fee in 2007 was £
625, plus a monthly subscription of £65.
The Gresham name survives in the new club's Gresham Room, which is used for dinners, receptions and meetings.
says of his project: "Research concerning the London developments is currently under way. The most promising institutions include the London Chamber of Commerce (1881) and the most important City clubs such as the City of London Club and the Gresham Club. Interestingly enough, so far clubs in Berlin and London have not been the object of close historical study."
City of London
The City of London is a small area within Greater London, England. It is the historic core of London around which the modern conurbation grew and has held city status since time immemorial. The City’s boundaries have remained almost unchanged since the Middle Ages, and it is now only a tiny part of...
gentlemen's club
Gentlemen's club
A gentlemen's club is a members-only private club of a type originally set up by and for British upper class men in the eighteenth century, and popularised by English upper-middle class men and women in the late nineteenth century. Today, some are more open about the gender and social status of...
, founded in 1843 and dissolved in 1991.
Formation and membership
Thomas Gresham
Sir Thomas Gresham was an English merchant and financier who worked for King Edward VI of England and for Edward's half-sisters, Queens Mary I and Elizabeth I.-Family and childhood:...
, a celebrated Elizabethan
Elizabethan era
The Elizabethan era was the epoch in English history of Queen Elizabeth I's reign . Historians often depict it as the golden age in English history...
merchant who founded the Royal Exchange
Royal Exchange (London)
The Royal Exchange in the City of London was founded in 1565 by Sir Thomas Gresham to act as a centre of commerce for the city. The site was provided by the City of London Corporation and the Worshipful Company of Mercers, and is trapezoidal, flanked by the converging streets of Cornhill and...
.
The club's first president was John Abel Smith (1802–1871), member of parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Chichester
Chichester (UK Parliament constituency)
Chichester is a county constituency in West Sussex, represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election....
.
In 1853, Charles Manby Smith located the Gresham Club as a stepping-stone in a successful Londoner's sequence of increasingly elite memberships. -
In 1879, the entrance-fee was twenty guineas
Guinea (British coin)
The guinea is a coin that was minted in the Kingdom of England and later in the Kingdom of Great Britain and the United Kingdom between 1663 and 1813...
and the annual subscription six guineas.
Charles Dickens, Jr
Charles Dickens, Jr
Charles Dickens, Jr, born Charles Culliford Boz Dickens , was the first child of the novelist Charles Dickens and his wife Catherine. A failed businessman, he became the editor of his father's magazine All the Year Round, and a successful writer of dictionaries...
, reported in Dickens's Dictionary of London (1879) -
Premises
The newly established club commissioned a club house at 1, King William StreetKing William Street (London)
King William Street is the name of a street in the City of London, England. It runs from a junction at the Bank of England, meeting Poultry, Lombard Street and Threadneedle Street, south-east, where it meets a junction with Gracechurch and Cannon Street. It continues south after this junction, and...
, in the City of London, on the corner of St Swithin's Lane. The architect was Henry Flower, and the beginning of construction in 1844 was marked by a dinner at the Albion Tavern, at which Sir William Magnay, Lord Mayor of London
Lord Mayor of London
The Right Honourable Lord Mayor of London is the legal title for the Mayor of the City of London Corporation. The Lord Mayor of London is to be distinguished from the Mayor of London; the former is an officer only of the City of London, while the Mayor of London is the Mayor of Greater London and...
, presided.
John Timbs
John Timbs
John Timbs , English antiquary, was born in Clerkenwell, London.He was educated at a private school at Hemel Hempstead, and in his sixteenth year apprenticed to a druggist and printer at Dorking. He had early shown literary capacity, and when nineteen began to write for the Monthly Magazine...
wrote in 1855 -
The site of the first club house is now occupied by the main London office of N M Rothschild & Sons
N M Rothschild & Sons
N M Rothschild & Sons is a private investment banking company, belonging to the Rothschild family...
.
The club was reported to keep a fine wine-cellar.
In 1913, a Mr L. Price, called 'the doyen of billiard stewards', achieved sixty years service with club, then housed in Gresham Place, London.
In 1915, the club moved to a new purpose-built club house at 15, Abchurch Lane, London EC4. The club remained there until it came to an end in 1991.
Dissolution
After the Second World War, the gentlemen's clubs of London fell into a decline. The Gresham Club was "a faded place offering school dinners and port".By 1991, its membership had fallen and the remaining members decided to dissolve the club.
On 23 October 1992, the "Gresham Club (In Dissolution)" was given a listed building consent to remove eleven glass chandeliers on the ground, first, and second floors of 15, Abchurch Lane.
The club's records were deposited in the Guildhall Library
Guildhall Library
The Guildhall Library is administered by the Corporation of London, the government of the City of London, which is the historical heart of London, England. It was founded in the 1420s under the terms of the will of Lord Mayor Dick Whittington...
, which under accession reference L 24 MSS 28834-28864 holds papers for the years 1844-1845 and 1905–1991, described as: "minute books, subscription books, legal papers, financial papers, Staff Benevolent Fund accounts and misc papers".
Later use of the Abchurch Lane club house
On 18 February 1993, "Abchur Flat Gibr", represented by Wright Hassall & Co., Solicitors, of Leamington SpaLeamington Spa
Royal Leamington Spa, commonly known as Leamington Spa or Leamington or Leam to locals, is a spa town in central Warwickshire, England. Formerly known as Leamington Priors, its expansion began following the popularisation of the medicinal qualities of its water by Dr Kerr in 1784, and by Dr Lambe...
, was granted a certificate of lawful development for the use of the former club's premises at 15, Abchurch Lane, as "members licensed dining club for the purposes of dining drinking socialising and playing snooker".
In 1993, the club house was acquired by CCA Holdings, who found it in need of renovation and refurbishment. The development was funded by the International Club Company of Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
, founded in 1980 by Dieter Klostermann. The company owns and operates many clubs around the world, including business men's clubs, golf and country clubs.
On 21 October 1993, Capital Club of London Ltd was given a listed building consent for 15, Abchurch Lane, described as "Repairs and restoration of interior and exterior of building which is to be retained as members' dining club. Installation of new roof plant and screening" and also planning permission for "installation of roof plant and screen". The new interior was designed by Peter Inston.
London Capital Club
In September 1994, the building was re-opened as the London Capital Club, a private members' club with similarities to the old Gresham Club but a more modern approach and a different management structure. On the death of Sir Peter ParkerPeter Parker (British businessman)
Sir Peter Parker KBE LVO was a British businessman, best known as chairman of the British Railways Board from 1976 to 1983.-Early life:...
in 2002, Angela Knight
Angela Knight
Angela Ann Knight is the Chief Executive of the British Bankers' Association . She was formerly a Conservative Party Member of Parliament representing the constituency of Erewash from 1992–97, and served as the Economic Secretary to the Treasury from 1995–97.-Early life:Born in Sheffield, Knight...
, a former Economic Secretary to the Treasury
Economic Secretary to the Treasury
The Economic Secretary to the Treasury is the fifth most senior ministerial post in the UK Treasury, after the Chancellor of the Exchequer, the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, the Paymaster-General and the Financial Secretary...
, succeeded as the club's chairman.
The London Capital Club's entrance fee in 2007 was £
Pound sterling
The pound sterling , commonly called the pound, is the official currency of the United Kingdom, its Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, British Antarctic Territory and Tristan da Cunha. It is subdivided into 100 pence...
625, plus a monthly subscription of £65.
The Gresham name survives in the new club's Gresham Room, which is used for dinners, receptions and meetings.
Historical research
Christof Biggeleben, a German doctoral student, is working on a thesis on Entrepreneurs and Entrepreneurial Behaviour in Berlin and London, 1890-1961. The Centre for British Studies at the Humboldt University of BerlinHumboldt University of Berlin
The Humboldt University of Berlin is Berlin's oldest university, founded in 1810 as the University of Berlin by the liberal Prussian educational reformer and linguist Wilhelm von Humboldt, whose university model has strongly influenced other European and Western universities...
says of his project: "Research concerning the London developments is currently under way. The most promising institutions include the London Chamber of Commerce (1881) and the most important City clubs such as the City of London Club and the Gresham Club. Interestingly enough, so far clubs in Berlin and London have not been the object of close historical study."