Savage Club
The Savage Club, founded in 1857, remains one of the leading gentleman's clubs in London today.
Background to the name
Two possible explanations are known to exist for the club's name.
The first is that it was named, "in a frolicsome humour", after Richard Savage, "...a thoroughly disreputable actor and playwright of Dr Johnson's time who killed a man in a brawl and was later imprisoned for debt".
The second possibility is that a waitress, when instructed by the barman at the club's first home to take a round of drinks to the company assembled upstairs, and on hearing the noise of drunken merriment coming from the club room, exclaimed, "What! I'm not serving that bunch of savages!".
Whatever the explanation, the name stuck (as did the tradition of drunken merriment), and to this day, members are known to each other as "Brother Savage".
Location
The club's address has moved around over the years, from its original home at the Crown Tavern, Vinegar Yard, Drury Lane, the next year to the Nell Gwynne Tavern, in 1863 to Gordon's Hotel in Covent Garden, then to 6-7 Adelphi Terrace, later to 9 Fitzmaurice Place, Berkeley Square, London W1, and on to Carlton House Terrace in St James's and elsewhere.
At the moment it is based in the National Liberal Club, at 1 Whitehall Place, London SW1. The nearest underground station is Embankment.
The club today
At present, there are 316 members. The club maintains a tradition of fortnightly dinners for members and their guests, always followed by entertainment. These dinners often feature a variety of famous performers from music hall to concert hall. Several times a year members invite ladies to share both the dinner and the entertainment — sometimes as performers. On these occasions guests always include widows of former Savages, who are known as Rosemaries (after rosemary, a symbol of remembrance).
There are also monthly lunches, which are followed by a talk given by a member or an invited guest on a subject of which he has specific expert knowledge.
Membership
Members are classified into one of six categories which best describes their main interest: art, drama, law, literature, music or science. They must be proposed and seconded by two existing members. If you do not know of a member, you must contact the club's assistant secretary; Mrs Susan Habacon. You will then be required to attend a club function in order to meet some members. It will be necessary to send in your CV.
The category of membership might mirror a member's profession, though there are many members with an interest in one or more of the membership categories, but who practise none professionally.
Membership fees range from £229 to £629 per annum depending on your membership category. A one off entrance fee is payable at £190. Members under the age of 35 pay £85.
Opening hours and reciprocal arrangements
The club is open to members from Monday to Friday, 11am to 11pm, and on Saturday from 2.30pm. The barman is Michael Leonard. Lady guests are welcome on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings; at other times, use is restricted to members, their male guests and male members of affiliated clubs. Gentlemen who are accompanied with ladies must use the bar in the National Liberal Club if they do not visit on Tuesday or Wednesday Evenings.
During the weekend, members are permitted to use either the Oxford and Cambridge Club in Pall Mall, or the East India Club in St James's Square. There are also reciprocal arrangements with more 40 other clubs worldwide, giving members a home-from-home when abroad.
Members of the Savage club may also use accommodation at the Savile, Lansdowne and Cavendish Clubs
Notable members
- George Augustus Sala
- Artemus Ward
- Henry Wood (conductor)
- John Hassal (artist)
- Sir Henry Irving
- Sergei Rachmaninov
- Benno Moiseiwitsch
- Sir Alexander Fleming
- Peter Ustinov
- W. S. Gilbert
- Thomas Hood
- George Grossmith
- Mortimer Collins
- Arthur Askey
- Most of the members of The Crazy Gang
- Tommy Handley and the cast of It's That Man Again (ITMA)
- Arthur Lucan, aka Old Mother Riley
- George Baker
- H.R.H. Prince Phillip, Duke of Edinburgh
- Earl Mountbatten
- Wilkie Collins
- Walter Goodman
- Charlie Chaplin
- Mark Lemon (Editor of Punch)
- Dante Rossetti
- Phil May
- David Low (Colonel Blimp)
- Mark Twain
- Augustin Daly
- James Agate
- Collin Brooks
- Rafael Sabatini
- Edgar Wallace
A. P. Herbert - Hugh Ross Williamson
- Dylan Thomas
- Heath Robinson
- Dr. Magnus Pyke
- Prof. R. G. W. Norrish
- Sir Charles Wyndham
- Edward VII of the United Kingdom
- Alex James
- The only (and unrepeatable) female member Sarah Bernhardt
The Savage Club Masonic Lodge
The Savage Club also has a Masonic Lodge (No. 2190), formed at the instigation of the Prince of Wales (later Edward VII), who as a guest of honour at a Savage Club dinner inquired if there were a lodge attached to it. There was not, and at his suggestion, one was formed, and consecrated on 18 January 1887.
Lodge No. 2190 has had many distinguished members, including one of its founders and first treasurer, Sir Henry Irving, William Sydney Penley, Edward Terry, Augustus Harris and, more recently, Arnold Ridley, the actor and playwright, best known for his portrayal of Godfrey in the television series Dad's Army.
External links
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