The National Liberal Club Was Founded in 1883. in November the Following Year Mr Gladstone Laid the Foundation Stone of The
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A MEETING PLACE FOR LIBERALS The National Liberal Club was founded in 1883. In November the following year Mr Gladstone laid the foundation stone of the new and permanent Club House, at 1 Whitehall Place, London SW1, and the building was opened in 1887. With aims including the provision of an inexpensive meeting place for Liberals and their friends, the furtherance of the Liberal cause, and the foundation of a political and historical library, the Club has witnessed many scenes of Liberal triumph – and less happy events – over the past century and a quarter. Peter Harris recounts the story of the National Liberal Club and gives a brief guide to its building. 18 Journal of Liberal History 51 Summer 2006 A MEETING PLACE FOR LIBERALS n 4 November various features which were novel of being the focus and centre of 1884, Mr Gladstone or uncommon, among them reform in the United Kingdom. laid the foundation being the electrical passenger lift, The first half of the twentieth stone of the new which was one of the earliest, if century alone renders the follow- and per manent not the first, to be installed in a ing list of more notable political OClub House of the National London building. issues: the Home Rule contro- Liberal Club. The Club itself had The avowed objects of the versy and the split in the party been launched the previous year Club were: which it caused; the ‘flowing tide’ and only six weeks after being 1. The provision of an inexpen- of success during the early 1890s, announced had a list of nearly sive meeting place for Liber- and the temporary eclipse at the 2,500 intending members. By the als and their friends from all time of the South African War; date of the laying of the founda- over the country. the tremendous uprising of Radi- tion stone the Club was already 2. The furtherance of the Lib- cal enthusiasm from 1903 to 1905, active with 4,480 members. At eral cause. with its triumphant culmina- that time, and until the open- 3. The foundation of a politi- tion in the 1906 election, and its ing of the new Club House in cal and historical library as a renewal in 1910; the epic struggle 1887, the Club met in premises memorial to Gladstone and over the Parliament Bill, under leased on the corner of North- his work. the leadership of Mr Asquith; umberland Avenue, overlooking With the opening of this per- the long series of measures creat- Trafalgar Square. To celebrate manent home, the first of the ing, improving, or extending the the opening of the Club a great objects of the Club was seen to social services; the acrid course of inaugural banquet was held at be achieved, whilst the third was agitation about women’s suffrage the Royal Aquarium, Westmin- attained by the opening of the – all these have had their intimate ster. This was a brilliant affair, at Gladstone Library on 2 May 1888 connection with the Club, for which the Earl Granville was the by Gladstone himself. The Library, it was the mainspring of Liberal Chairman, and Mr Gladstone the ranking as the most extensive activity. principal speaker. The magazine of the Club libraries of London, In personnel also, the Club had Punch reported that 200 dozen provided a valuable aid to Liber- a dazzling record as the following bottles of Pommery champagne als on the intellectual side, whilst list of names shows: Harcourt, were ordered for the occasion. also serving as a most pleasant Joseph Chamberlain, Lincoln- The permanent housing of the place for study for those members shire, Morley, Grey, Birrell, John Club was achieved with funds whose tastes were more literary Burns, Carson, Haldane, Samuel subscribed to a joint stock com- than political. and Simon. One special group pany bearing the name of ‘The The second object of the deserves to be mentioned – seven National Liberal Club Buildings Club, by its very nature, contin- Prime Minsters: Mr Gladstone, Company’. Although incomplete, ues as long as any force remains of course, Lord Rosebery, Sir the building was opened for the in Liberalism, and the record of Henry Campbell-Bannerman, H use of members in time for the the Club shows how much the H Asquith, David Lloyd George, Jubilee of 1887, so that on 20 Liberal cause, not only at home Ramsay McDonald (briefly a June of that year they were able but in the world at large, owes to member at the time of the First to watch the procession from its the existence of this place and the World War), and last – so far – Sir windows and terrace. Two days maintenance of its tradition. Winston Churchill. They were a later the membership reached a (Left) The National From 1887 onwards, event mixed bag in their political affili- total of 6,000, two-thirds being Liberal Club at followed event in a stirring ations when they took office but country members. its opening. (All sequence, and in victory and were all at some time at home in photos supplied The building, designed by by the National defeat, in expansion or decline, the Club. Alfred Waterhouse, contained Liberal Club.) the Club performed the function Journal of Liberal History 51 Summer 2006 19 A MEETING PLACE FOR LIBERALS Left: the original Gradually, from about 1922 staircase; the onwards it became evident that Lady Violet Room. the high tide of political success was receding. In general mem- bership, however, more could be found who had joined a club rather than a hive of politi- cians. Civil servants, journalists – these, no doubt, finding the premises a convenient half-way house between Westminster and Fleet Street – literary and pro- fessional people had always been represented in the membership and were now becoming a more notable part of it. A few high spots stick in the memory of the post-war years. Outstanding among them were the Coronation, with the Club full of members and their guests, to watch the procession along the Embankment as they had also in 1937, and election nights, when the Smoking Room was crowded, the results announced as they came in. There was also the dinner to celebrate the cente- nary of Gladstone’s first adminis- tration, which received its seals of office on9 December 1868. In the packed Dining Room there were speeches from Lady Asquith (her- self a Prime Minister’s daughter) and the Archbishop of Canter- bury. In 1984 there was another centenary to celebrate – the lay- ing of the foundation stone – and members gathered in the vast wine cellar of the Club to toast Mr Gladstone in front of the very stone that he had laid. By 1976, the Club began to realise that the pattern of life had changed. Shorter working hours and the five-day week had taken their toll; weekend use of the Club had diminished dras- tically. Inflation, recession, the various attempts of successive governments to deal with them, all affected the running of the Club. Frankly, the building was too large for its post-war mem- bership and maintenance was becoming an impossible burden. Closure seemed the only pos- sible course but at the last pos- sible minute hope was revived Right: the dining room; the and with the generous help and smoking room. energetic leadership of one of the 20 Journal of Liberal History 51 Summer 2006 A MEETING PLACE FOR LIBERALS Journal of Liberal History 51 Summer 2006 21 A MEETING PLACE FOR LIBERALS members, Sir Lawrence Rob- The record down to even the Dining Room their original tilework, rising the son, a company was formed to chairs. The structure was carefully full height. manage and finance the Club and of the Club composed of load-bearing steel- The Lloyd George Room its building. The accommodation work, the exterior being faced in was originally the Grill Room used by the Club is now some- shows how Portland stone. The design was and the original grill and oven what smaller but the Club rooms to be of fireproof construction remain. Once again there is much have been restored to their former much the throughout. The latest systems tilework in different shades of splendour and the Club looks to Liberal of heating and ventilation were beige, green and, uniquely in the the future with confidence. used. The electric lighting was building, blue. Early photographs cause, by the pioneering firm of Edi- show the room set up with indi- son & Swan. There was also to be vidual tables, each on their own The building not only a unique lift/railway designed to Persian style carpet, with din- Alfred Waterhouse, the architect bring the wine bottles up from ing chairs specially designed by finally employed by the Trustees at home the vast cellars. The final cost of Waterhouse. of the Club, was born in Liver- but in the the building itself was £165,950. The Lady Violet Room was pool in 1830. His first commis- The Entrance Hall sets the originally dedicated to be a small sion was for the Grosvenor Hotel world at tone for the whole of the build- drawing room / reading room. at Chester. His winning the ing. The walls are panelled with On the plans it had been des- competition for the Manchester large, owes different shades of tilework and ignated as an anteroom to the Assize Courts, followed by other the woodwork is executed in ‘grand room’ next door which municipal buildings in that area, to the mahogany. The reception coun- was to be used for lectures, etc., started his long career of impor- existence ter on the left fills what was once and there are designs for a plat- tant works.