George Gissing, the celebrated author of the novel New Grub Street, which satirizes the literary and journalistic world of 1880s London, attended the 20th April 1900 Dinner as a guest of Friar Edward Clodd.
On 16th June 1899, more than twenty-five years from his first visit, the celebrated humorist Mark Twain returned to the Whitefriars Club.
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The embryonic idea of the Whitefriars Club emerged when, towards the end of 1867, a group of journalists gathering for dinner at Spiers and Pond’s Ludgate Hill restaurant, near Fleet Street, decided that it would be a good idea to form a small club “where both dinner and conversation could be enjoyed without the disturbing influence of the general public”. The inaugural dinner was held at Radley’s Hotel on New Bridge Street on 21st February 1868, and by the time of its first annual meeting on 8th January 1869 the club consisted of forty members.
The name of the club derives from the ancient ecclesiastical precincts of Whitefriars contained within Fleet Street, New Bridge Street, the Temple and, on the southern side, the Thames. This area – formerly a religious space offering sanctuary to debtors – was once occupied by Carmelite monks and colloquially known as “Alsatia” (after Alsace, the “debatable land” between Germany and France). This is what led the original club members to call each other “Friar” – which is still the correct manner of address today.
The club moved to the Mitre Tavern in 1871, and in 1873 it elected its first president, the larger-than-life Crawford Wilson. The tradition of inviting eminent men of letters, artists or statesmen as special guests at the club’s dinners was inaugurated in 1896, when it was also agreed that ladies could be brought as guests to most of the club’s functions. Over the years, as the club grew, it moved between many homes, from Anderton’s Hotel, Dr Johnson’s Buildings, the Waldorf Hotel and the Cock Tavern to the Arts Club, the Athenaeum and the Royal Overseas Club. For the last three decades we have been regularly meeting at the Savile Club in Brook Street.
Membership in the club has gradually evolved from just members of the Fourth Estate and now includes lawyers, politicians, publishers, doctors and accomplished professionals in other disciplines, all of whom enjoy relaxing in each other’s company with stimulating conversation and an entertaining speaker.
Our evenings start at 7pm with pre-dinner drinks, and dinner is served at 7.30pm. The speaker is introduced by the “Prior of the Day”, who acts as MC for the evening. In addition to dinners, we organize excursions – or “pilgrimages” – out of town from time to time.
The Whitefriars Club has an eminent roster of previous speakers. Below is a small selection:
Following an old tradition, this “cordial” is read or recited at every dinner by our Prior of the Day or another Friar specifically appointed to the task:
“By this wine we commemorate the Whitefriars of Old – fortified with spirit, the spirit of admiration for their services to charity and good learning, and sweetened by sympathy for those who, broken by fortune, dwell in Alsatia. It is left for me, as Prior of the Day, to add a cordial – a cordial welcome to the guests of the Brotherhood assembled at our board. Gentlemen and ladies, I bid a hearty welcome to you all, and invite you to join with the brothers of a gracious Order in drinking to the prosperity of the Whitefriars Club.”
The “Prior of the Day” is the member who acts as MC for the dinner. “Alsatia” is a humorous name for a historical area in London that offered sanctuary to debtors.
Here you can read online or download all the past and recent issues of The Whitefriar, the official journal of the Whitefriars Club, as well as all the issues of the Whitefriars Journal (1900–23)
A selection of some of our most recent events
The founding principles of our club are "charity and good learning", and we try to remain faithful to both by making regular charitable donations and fostering culture and a love of the arts.
For a quick snapshot of some of the defining events of our club, visit our Timeline page.
If you are interested in joining the Whitefriars Club, you can try one of our dinners without being a full member. Click the button below to find out more.
The Committee welcomes your comments and suggestions on all aspects of the club, such as speakers, outings, the journal, the archive and our website.
Delve into the rich history of our club: browse through past events and reports
Browse our exciting list of forthcoming events
A selection of articles and reports from our club's archive