120th Anniversary of the Eccentric Club

(Next Year - 230th Anniversary of the Eccentric Society!)

One Hundred and Twenty years ago, on a Friday night, the 21st of November 1890, a second generation theatrical costumier and British Army officer, Mr John Arthur Harrison, better known amongst his friends as ‘Jack’, had added to the London clubland’s map a new establishment – the Eccentric Club.

The new club’s first premises were at 21 Denman Street, Soho, and were formerly used by the famous Pelican Club, a private members’ venture of Mr W.F.Goldberg (known as “Shifter”) and Mr Ernest Wells (known as “Swears”). The unclear financial arrangements between the proprietors of the Pelican forced them to close this rather popular Victorian club, which was only opened a few years prior to that. Mr Wells was going through a bankruptcy, Mr Goldberg was considering starting a new business, a number of well-known ‘pelicans’, including Mr John Fleming and Lord Lonsdale, were establishing the National Sporting Club in Covent Garden. But many other members were feeling rather lost and uncertain of where to go now for the convivial drinks and intellectual dinners, a bit of a cabaret and a healthy dose of pugilism.

That was when Jack Harrison took over the old Pelican premises, bringing along with him quite a few former members of the Coventry Club, which had finally closed in August 1890 (gradually coming to its end since 1888 with most of its furniture, wines, etc. sold by an auction in 1889). Since the closure of the Coventry Club, its members were reconvening at The Rule’s Restaurant in Covent Garden, but it did not feel quite like the club, it had no billiard table, and it was rather costly. So, starting a club of their own seemed to them to be the only available option.

The old Pelican was quickly re-decorated before the opening of the Eccentric by Campbell, Smith & Co., mostly in gold and terracotta, and the electric light was installed throughout, making it attractively modern. Large billiard room and a tapestry-walled card room helped gaining new members fast. According to various newspapers, between 200 and 300 of them were recruited by the time of the club’s official opening (with a membership limit set by the Committee at the time at 599!), bringing together a most eccentric mix of people – aristocrats, artists, actors, officers, boxers, billiard and card players, proprietors of various London establishments, victuallers and socialites, enjoying a good dinner with a fine wine...

The name “Eccentric” was chosen not long before the opening and promptly communicated to the newspapers. Despite the popular legend about Sir Charles Wyndham calling the founders of the club “a bunch of eccentrics” and, thus, christening the club, one of Jack Harrison’s close friends, Sir Harry Preston, in his memoirs recalls an evening at The Rule’s, when Jack asked his associates to write on the slips of paper their ideas of a good name for the new club, when a man called Sinclair, a well-known businessman and a friend of Jack’s, came in and suggested “the Eccentric”, which was accepted immediately by everyone present. Sinclair later went abroad and was not heard of again...

However, it may be so that Jack Harrison liked the new club's name for a good reason – he and many others knew of the Eccentric Society Club, which was particularly famous in London between 1800 and 1846 (it went on to exist till 1881, but on a much smaller scale). Its members were trying to preserve the traditions of an even older organisation – the Society of Eccentrics, and a Covent Garden theatrical costumier by the name of Harrison (Jack’s father?) was amongst them. Jack admitted the connection with the older club three years later, in 1893, at the Third Anniversary Dinner, having, according to The Era, “traced back the origin to the Eccentric Club of 1800, which included Sheridan Knowles and “Master” Betty. Mr Harrison explained that the white owl... was the crest of the old club, and had been adopted by the present one.” It was also a known fact that amongst the treasured possessions of the Eccentric Club, founded by Jack, there was “The Ancient Book of the Eccentric Society”, presented to the Committee by S.J.Pallant.

The first Anniversary of the club in 1891 was a joyous event attended by many of those attracted to the club within its first year of existence. Mr Lionel Brough chaired the Anniversary Dinner (initially, he was the club’s chaplain), his both sons were present, Mr Ernest Wells was the Vice-Chairman, other guests included Mr W.H.Bayliss (who ran at the time The Rule’s and was very supportive of the club from the very beginning), Mr John Le Hay (a popular actor and artist), Mr Arthur Roberts, Mr Byron Webber, Mr Herbert Campbell (of Campbell, Smith & Co.) and many others. Within just a year the club gained unprecedented popularity in most diverse social circles of London.

Since then, its history was always a unique record of accomplishments and achievements, outstanding individuals and their undying eccentric generosity and continuous work for the public benefit.

As any club, the Eccentric had its ups and downs, good times and bad. Just three years after its launch, it has almost lost its premises, but was rescued by its powerful friends – the Earl of Lonsdale, Mr Augustus Harris and others. Then, after the bombings of Ryder Street in 1941-42, its club house was marked as “beyond repair” and scheduled for demolition, but again, its members have managed to persuade the authorities to preserve it, have raised the necessary funds and returned to London an important part of its architectural heritage. Not long before the club’s centenary, the club house was finally lost due to a careless gamble with the property developers, and the club crumbled into the small groups of members meeting in various parts of London and the home counties. But in 2008 the club sprang back to life, like a Phoenix, and a year later was offered a home in Mayfair. The sky is the limit to what it may achieve now...

The Eccentric Club’s will to live on and to carry on its cultural, ethical and charitable work seems to be defeating all the obstacles on its way. Thousands of people worldwide are also making our club stronger by their need in our existence and their belief in our ideals.

Just like a Hundred and Twenty years ago, we breathe the life into the ancient body of our club, we pick up the eccentric standards dropped by our flagmen in the battles with faithless pragmatics, and we remind those around us that giving is more satisfying than receiving, that we all can live and benefit from each other, if we base our lives on the principle of “Nil Nisi Bonum”.

The Eccentric Club 120th Anniversary Dinner will be held in November 2010 in St  James’s. Please contact the Club Secretary for the exact date and location of the event, and the booking information.