The original Rockingham Club (founded 1753)

This was founded in York

York

York is a walled city, situated at the confluence of the Rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. The city has a rich heritage and has provided the backdrop to major political events throughout much of its two millennia of existence...

, England and had its first meeting on 23rd December 1753 in the George Inn, York.

It was named after 'Lord Rockingham' (Charles Watson-Wentworth, 2nd Marquess of Rockingham

Charles Watson-Wentworth, 2nd Marquess of Rockingham

Charles Watson-Wentworth, 2nd Marquess of Rockingham, KG, PC , styled The Hon. Charles Watson-Wentworth before 1733, Viscount Higham between 1733 and 1746, Earl of Malton between 1746 and 1750 and The Earl Malton in 1750, was a British Whig statesman, most notable for his two terms as Prime...

, KG, PC (13 May 1730 – 1 July 1782)), who during his term of office as British Prime Minister repealed the Stamp Act, reducing the tax burden on the American colonies. Rockingham also backed the claim for American independence and in 1782, when he was appointed Prime Minister for a second time, upon taking office he acknowledged the independence of the United States, initiating an end to British involvement in the Revolutionary War.

Members included:

• John Carr (architect)

The Yale University 'Rockingham Club' (1981-1986)

The Yale Rockingham Club was a Yale University

Yale University

Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...

 student club founded by British-born Yale undergraduate Lord Nicholas Hervey

Lord Nicholas Hervey

Lord Frederick William Charles Nicholas Wentworth Hervey was the only child born to the 6th Marquess of Bristol by his second wife Lord Frederick William Charles Nicholas Wentworth Hervey (26 November 1961–26 January 1998) was the only child born to the 6th Marquess of Bristol by his second...

, a descendant of Lord Rockingham, as a social club for Yale student descendants of royalty or aristocracy, a requirement later modified to allow membership by offspring of the "super-wealthy."

The club survived five years (1981-1986) and the clubhouse (privately purchased by a small group of members including Hervey and Salem Chalabi

Salem Chalabi

Salem Chalabi is an Iraq born, American educated, lawyer. He was appointed as the first General Director of the Iraqi Special Tribunal set up in 2003 to try Saddam Hussein and other members of his regime for crimes against humanity. His appointment, by an order signed by L...

) was an off-campus historic clapboard building housing a full length portrait of Lord Hervey, Lord Hervey himself (he took six years to graduate), as well as a ballroom and chandelier, and held parties.

See also

• List of Yale University student organizations
• Charles Watson-Wentworth, 2nd Marquess of Rockingham
  Charles Watson-Wentworth, 2nd Marquess of Rockingham
  Charles Watson-Wentworth, 2nd Marquess of Rockingham, KG, PC , styled The Hon. Charles Watson-Wentworth before 1733, Viscount Higham between 1733 and 1746, Earl of Malton between 1746 and 1750 and The Earl Malton in 1750, was a British Whig statesman, most notable for his two terms as Prime...
  
  

Sources

• NY Times Article on Rockingham Club at Yale
• February 1986 Interview Magazine Article on Rockingham Club
• Iovine, Juli V. Lipsticks and Lords: Yale's New Look, in The Wall Street Journal, 4 August 1987, p. 1.