History of the Athenaeum Club
A Traditional London Private Club
The Athenaeum Club began as a traditional gentlemen's club that focused on the arts, literature and science. Successful gentlemen in these fields sought membership in the club to network and exchange ideas. Unlike many gentlemen's clubs that centered on leisure activities such as gambling, the Athenaeum was based on education and achievement. Due to this focus, the club opened the doors to a larger number gentleman of common birth at an earlier time than other types of gentlemen's clubs.
History of the Athenaeum Club
John Wilson Croker, Sir Thomas Lawrence and other intellectual friends, founded the Athenaeum in 1824 for gentlemen who were accomplished in science, literature or art and patrons of these fields. In a club environment, gentlemen could discuss new literary ideas, debate scientific theories and possibly find patrons for important work.
The first members of the club were wealthy and influential intellectuals from inherited money or aristocrats. However, the club also accepted gentlemen who were renowned in their field no matter their wealth or status. A gentlemen's club that admitted members who owed their social position to intellectual achievement rather than wealth or titles was unusual in the nineteenth century.
Club membership was highly desirable. The member list was originally limited to one thousand with a long wait list. However, over time the membership number was increased to meet the cost of maintaining the club and clubhouse.
Club history includes stories of many famous members. One story recounted by member Percy Fitzgerald recalls observing the former close friends Charles Dickens and William Makepeace Thackeray reconciling on the grand staircase after years of estrangement.
Other notable club members included Joseph Conrad, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the Duke of Wellington Arthur Wellesley, Sir Walter Scott, Cecil Rhodes, Winston Churchill and Sir Alec Guiness.
The Athenaeum Clubhouse
The Neoclassical design of the clubhouse was the early work of 24-year-old Decimus Burton, who later became a famous architect. 107 Pall Mall at the corner of Waterloo Place was a desirable London club address. The Athenaeum was built over the site that occupied the Western corner of the Prince Regent's Carlton House, which was demolished in 1824. A Doric portico paired with columns adorns the main entrance. John Henning added a frieze copied from the Greek Parthenon to the outside. The original building was two storeys. A third was added later.
Gas lighting caused a great deal of damage in the interior of the building in a little over a decade. The expense of repair led to an increase in the club membership numbers in order to afford costs. By 1886, the clubhouse used electricity in place of gas lighting.
Modern Life at the Athenaeum Club
Current members of the Athenaeum Club are mostly professionals in the fields of engineering, science or medicine. Membership also includes artists, writers, civil servants, lawyers, politicians, academics and business professionals. Women were admitted into membership in 2002.
The club is known for its large library of over 80,000 books on a wide-range subjects from literature to science. The library is always adding modern books to the historic books in the collection to stay current.
Club activities include dinner meetings, concerts, wine tasting and special events. The dinners bring the diverse members together to have stimulating conversations and learn from each other's expertise.
The club also boasts 52 members who have won the Nobel Prize in a variety of prize categories. Members won in Nobel Prize categories such as medicine, physics, chemistry, literature and economics. The first time that a member won the Nobel Peace Prize was in 1949.
Sources:
Official Athenaeum Club website
Athenaeum Clubhouse in 2006
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Athenaeum Clubhouse 1830
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Athenaeum Clubhouse Hall 1845
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