Collection GB 0074 LMA/4622 - CASUAL CLUB

Identity area

Reference code

GB 0074 LMA/4622

Title

CASUAL CLUB

Date(s)

  • 1866-2007 (Creation)

Level of description

Collection

Extent and medium

1.18 linear metres

Context area

Name of creator

Biographical history

The Casual Club was founded in 1866 by the Reverend W J Brodribb, Mr H C Boyes and friends at Dick Tavern in Fleet Street, when the former read a paper on 'Compulsory Education'. The founders were prompted by admiration for the coffee house and tavern coteries of Doctor Johnson and his friends. These coteries provided a kaleidoscope of amusing and informative conversation.

The Casuals believed that they were one of the few of those semi-organised coteries to survive and continued to meet every second Thursday in the month between October and May, to listen to a short talk by a member or visitor or simply engage in friendly discussion on every variety of subjects. The diversity of professions and pursuits of members enabled the meetings to be completed educationally and pleasantly. Over the years, members included authors, energetic housewives, engineers and Privy Councillors who have expounded and illustrated their views on subjects ranging from the mundane to the metaphysical.

The Casual Club meetings were held where it was convenient for travel and for people on their way home from work. One of the venues included The Society of Friends, 52 Saint Martin's Lane, WC2. Meetings generally terminated at 20:30 and sometimes even later to 21:15. Individuals that were considering membership were invited to meetings to see how interesting and useful, they can be. A dinner was also held every autumn, prior to commencing the meetings and a midsummer visit was made to places of interest and refreshment.

The Casual Club had a crest, which was a butterfly and this was flitted from place to place. Initially meetings were conducted at Dick Coffee House, which was located opposite Temple Bar. After its demolition, the Club moved to the Alpine Club in Saint Martin's Place. In 1875, it met at the Century Club. For a long period, meetings took place at the Royal Commonwealth Society. A move to the Horse and Groom in Poland Street was succeeded by meetings at the Institute of Contemporary Art, whence the Club moved to Saint James Hotel.

The history of the Club is largely that of people. From the original church led membership, it changed to Medicine, Science, Law, Engineering, Architecture and Writing. The second paper read at the Casual Club was by Sir Benjamin Ward Richardson. It was called 'Local Anaesthesia' and lecture took place with demonstrations. Sir Morell Mackenzie, throat specialist, who attended the German Emperor, was followed amongst others such as Sir J. Crichton Browne and Sir Ernest Graham-Little, Member of Parliament. On the side of Law, there have been those who followed William Patchett Q.C. to the late Sir John Beaumont who gave a speech at the annual dinner when he was 94 years old.

Source of information: 'The Casual Club: Origin and Activities' {LMA/4622/D/01/006}.

Archival history

GB 0074 LMA/4622 1866-2007 Collection 1.18 linear metres Casual Club , members' club

The Casual Club was founded in 1866 by the Reverend W J Brodribb, Mr H C Boyes and friends at Dick Tavern in Fleet Street, when the former read a paper on 'Compulsory Education'. The founders were prompted by admiration for the coffee house and tavern coteries of Doctor Johnson and his friends. These coteries provided a kaleidoscope of amusing and informative conversation.

The Casuals believed that they were one of the few of those semi-organised coteries to survive and continued to meet every second Thursday in the month between October and May, to listen to a short talk by a member or visitor or simply engage in friendly discussion on every variety of subjects. The diversity of professions and pursuits of members enabled the meetings to be completed educationally and pleasantly. Over the years, members included authors, energetic housewives, engineers and Privy Councillors who have expounded and illustrated their views on subjects ranging from the mundane to the metaphysical.

The Casual Club meetings were held where it was convenient for travel and for people on their way home from work. One of the venues included The Society of Friends, 52 Saint Martin's Lane, WC2. Meetings generally terminated at 20:30 and sometimes even later to 21:15. Individuals that were considering membership were invited to meetings to see how interesting and useful, they can be. A dinner was also held every autumn, prior to commencing the meetings and a midsummer visit was made to places of interest and refreshment.

The Casual Club had a crest, which was a butterfly and this was flitted from place to place. Initially meetings were conducted at Dick Coffee House, which was located opposite Temple Bar. After its demolition, the Club moved to the Alpine Club in Saint Martin's Place. In 1875, it met at the Century Club. For a long period, meetings took place at the Royal Commonwealth Society. A move to the Horse and Groom in Poland Street was succeeded by meetings at the Institute of Contemporary Art, whence the Club moved to Saint James Hotel.

The history of the Club is largely that of people. From the original church led membership, it changed to Medicine, Science, Law, Engineering, Architecture and Writing. The second paper read at the Casual Club was by Sir Benjamin Ward Richardson. It was called 'Local Anaesthesia' and lecture took place with demonstrations. Sir Morell Mackenzie, throat specialist, who attended the German Emperor, was followed amongst others such as Sir J. Crichton Browne and Sir Ernest Graham-Little, Member of Parliament. On the side of Law, there have been those who followed William Patchett Q.C. to the late Sir John Beaumont who gave a speech at the annual dinner when he was 94 years old.

Source of information: 'The Casual Club: Origin and Activities' {LMA/4622/D/01/006}.

Deposited in November 2007.

Records of the Casual Club, 1866-2007, including minutes, papers and correspondence concerning administrative issues, membership cards, members' directories, attendance books, subscription books, papers and correspondence concerning members, lecture material, photographs of members, account books, papers and correspondence relating to accounts, printed histories of the club, meetings' programmes and an engraved gavel.

These records are arranged as follows:

LMA/4622/A ADMINISTRATION

LMA/4622/A/01 MINUTES

LMA/4622/A/02 PAPERS AND CORRESPONDENCE

LMA/4622/B MEMBERS

LMA/4622/B/01 MEMBERSHIP CARDS

LMA/4622/B/02 MEMBERS' DIRECTORIES

LMA/4622/B/03 ATTENDANCE BOOKS

LMA/4622/B/04 SUBSCRIPTION BOOKS

LMA/4622/B/05 PAPERS AND CORRESPONDENCE

LMA/4622/B/06 LECTURE MATERIAL

LMA/4622/B/07 PHOTOGRAPHS

LMA/4622/C FINANCE

LMA/4622/C/01 ACCOUNT BOOKS

LMA/4622/C/02 PAPERS AND CORRESPONDENCE

LMA/4622/D PRINTED MATERIAL

LMA/4622/D/01 PRINTED PAPERS

LMA/4622/D/02 MEETINGS' PROGRAMME CARDS

LMA/4622/E ARTEFACTS

LMA/4622/E/01 ARTEFACTS

These records are available for public inspection, although records containing personal information are subject to access restrictions under the UK Data Protection Act, 1998.

Copyright is held by City of London.

English

Please see online catalogues at: http://search.lma.gov.uk/opac_lma/index.htm

Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.

Added February 2013. Casual Club Educational activities Groups Discussion groups Leisure Leisure time activities Clubs Members' clubs Organizations Associations Fleet Street City of London London England UK Western Europe Europe

Immediate source of acquisition or transfer

Deposited in November 2007.

Content and structure area

Scope and content

Records of the Casual Club, 1866-2007, including minutes, papers and correspondence concerning administrative issues, membership cards, members' directories, attendance books, subscription books, papers and correspondence concerning members, lecture material, photographs of members, account books, papers and correspondence relating to accounts, printed histories of the club, meetings' programmes and an engraved gavel.

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling

Accruals

System of arrangement

These records are arranged as follows:

LMA/4622/A ADMINISTRATION

LMA/4622/A/01 MINUTES

LMA/4622/A/02 PAPERS AND CORRESPONDENCE

LMA/4622/B MEMBERS

LMA/4622/B/01 MEMBERSHIP CARDS

LMA/4622/B/02 MEMBERS' DIRECTORIES

LMA/4622/B/03 ATTENDANCE BOOKS

LMA/4622/B/04 SUBSCRIPTION BOOKS

LMA/4622/B/05 PAPERS AND CORRESPONDENCE

LMA/4622/B/06 LECTURE MATERIAL

LMA/4622/B/07 PHOTOGRAPHS

LMA/4622/C FINANCE

LMA/4622/C/01 ACCOUNT BOOKS

LMA/4622/C/02 PAPERS AND CORRESPONDENCE

LMA/4622/D PRINTED MATERIAL

LMA/4622/D/01 PRINTED PAPERS

LMA/4622/D/02 MEETINGS' PROGRAMME CARDS

LMA/4622/E ARTEFACTS

LMA/4622/E/01 ARTEFACTS

Conditions of access and use area

Conditions governing access

These records are available for public inspection, although records containing personal information are subject to access restrictions under the UK Data Protection Act, 1998.

Conditions governing reproduction

Copyright is held by City of London.

Language of material

  • English

Script of material

  • Latin

Language and script notes

English

Physical characteristics and technical requirements

Finding aids

Please see online catalogues at: http://search.lma.gov.uk/opac_lma/index.htm

Allied materials area

Existence and location of originals

Existence and location of copies

Related units of description

Related descriptions

Notes area

Alternative identifier(s)

Access points

Place access points

Name access points

Genre access points

Description control area

Description identifier

Institution identifier

London Metropolitan Archives

Rules and/or conventions used

Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.

Status

Level of detail

Dates of creation revision deletion

Language(s)

  • English

Script(s)

    Sources

    Accession area