2024
January 1
The new dinner season has begun…
2019
April 24
Sir Antony Beevor speaks at the club

Sir Antony Beevor gives a memorable talk at the Whitefriars Club

2018
February 22
150th Anniversary Dinner at the Palace of Westminster

The Whitefriars Club turns 150 years old. A grand celebration at the Palace of Westminster, with a speech by Rt Hon. Baron Chartres, former bishop of London

1983
January 18
First “Glee” (musical evening)
1978
March 16
The 110th Anniversary Dinner

As a special guest for the occasion, HRH Prince Phillip is in attendance.

1968
March 28
The Centenary Feast at the Waldorf Hotel

The Whitefriars turns 100 years old. Special guest for the evening is Sir Alec Douglas Hume.

1959
October 21
Christopher Logue speaks at the club

The poet Christopher Logue gives at talk on ‘The Modern Poet in Print’ at the Whitefriars Club

1950
January 31
Dinners are resumed

Dinners are resumed after the end of the Second World War

1938
December 6
Dinners are put on hold

Dinners are put on hold before the start of the Second World War due to difficulties in securing speakers.

1917
January 26
John Buchan speaks at the club

John Buchan gives a talk on ‘The Press and the War’ at the Whitefriars Club.

1907
October 18
Bram Stoker speaks at the club

Bram Stoker gives a talk on ‘The State Censorship of Novels’ at the Whitefriars Club. He will later attend further dinners as a guest.

1901
January 11
Arthur Conan Doyle speaks at the club

Arthur Conan Doyle gives a talk on ‘The Art of Fiction’ at the Whitefriars Club. He will later attend more dinners at the club and extend an invitation for a club pilgrimage to Undershaw, his home in Hindhead, Surrey, which was cancelled due to the death of his wife.

1900
October 5
Winston Churchill speaks at the club

Winston Churchill gives a talk on ‘War Correspondence’ at the Whitefriars Club. He will later become a member of the club.

1899
June 16
Mark Twain returns to the Whitefriars Club

Mark Twain speaks for a second time at the Whitefriars Club

1892
June 25
First recorded “pilgrimage”

Summer Pilgrimage to Canterbury

1872
September 6
1872 Dinner with Mark Twain and Ambrose Bierce

Dinner at the Mitre Tavern with Mark Twain (who gave a speech) and Ambrose Bierce

1868
February 21
The Inaugural Dinner

Inaugural Dinner, 21st February 1868 at Anderton’s Hotel