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Mr. Beauclerk, Mr. Langton, Dr.
Goldsmith, Mr. Chamier, and Sir
John Hawkins. They met at the
Turk’s Head, in Gerrard Street, Soho,
one evening in every week, at seven,
and generally continued their
conversation till a pretty late hour.
After about ten years, instead of
supping weekly, it was resolved to
dine together once a fortnight during
the meeting of Parliament. Their
original tavern having been
converted into a private house, they moved first to Prince’s in Sackville Street,
then to Le Telier’s in Dover Street, and now meet at Parsloe’s, St. James’
Street (at the time this was written).



Between January 1777 and December 1778 membership increased to thirty
with the election of Joseph Warton, Richard Brinsley Sheridan, John
Fitzpatrick, second earl of Upper Ossory (1745–1818), Richard Marlay
(c.1728–1802), Dean of Ferns, John Dunning, later Baron Ashburton, Sir
William Scott, later Baron Stowell, Joseph Banks, William Windham, and
George John Spencer, Viscount Althorp, afterwards second Earl Spencer
(GGGGG Grandfather of Diana Princess of Wales). The last spurt of
growth took membership of the Club to thirty-five between November 1780
and February 1784. The new members were Jonathan Shipley, Edward
Craggs-Eliot, later Baron Eliot, Edmond Malone, Charles Bingham, first
Baron Lucan (1735–1799). What happened to the 7 Earl known as Lord
th
Lucan?


Thomas Warton, Edmund Burke's son Richard Burke (1758–1794), Henry
Temple, Viscount Palmerston who’s son was to become Prime Minister.
Sir William Hamilton, and Charles Burney (1726–1814). By 1784 the Club
included seven peers, three bishops, and a dean, and men of affairs for the
first time outnumbered men of letters. A resolution on 9 May 1780 in favour
of the latest increase also stipulated that membership should not exceed forty.





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