ABOUT THE CLUB
Since 1857
History of the Club
The Savage Club was founded in 1857 and remains one of the leading bohemian gentleman’s clubs in London.
It is named after the poet Richard Savage.
The founding meeting of the Club took place on 12 October 1857 at the Crown Tavern, Vinegar Yard, Drury Lane, London after a letter by pro tempore Honorary Secretary George Augustus Sala was sent to prospective Members.
Clubs around the world have borrowed both the name and the style, which continues to be the “pursuit of happiness”. Members are known to each other by the sobriquet “Brother Savage”.
Andrew Halliday, joint Honorary Secretary in 1858 and later Club President, wrote in the preface to his 1867 anthology of how the “suitable designation” was determined:
When about a dozen of the original members were assembled in the place selected for their meetings, it became a question what the Club should be called. Every one in the room suggested a title. One said the “Addison”, another the “Johnson”, a third the “Goldsmith”, and so forth; and at last, after we had run the whole gamut of famous literary names of the modern period, a modest member in the corner suggested “The Shakespeare”.
This was too much for the gravity of one of the company (the late Mr Robert Brough) whose keen sense of humour enabled him, in the midst of our enthusiasm, to perceive that we were bent upon making ourselves ridiculous.
“Who are we,” he said, “that we should take these great names in vain? Don’t let us be pretentious. If we must have a name, let it be a modest one — one that signifies as little as possible.”
Hereupon a member called out, in a pure spirit of wantonness, “The Savage!”
That keen sense of humour was again tickled.
“The very thing!” he exclaimed. “No one can say that there is anything pretentious in assuming that name. If we accept Richard Savage as our godfather, it shows that there is no pride about us. … ”
And so, in a frolicsome humour, our little society was christened the “Savage Club”.
Richard Savage (c. 1697 – 1743), best known as the subject of Samuel Johnson’s Life of Savage, was an English poet who had been convicted of murder, and who died in a debtors’ prison, probably from liver failure brought on by drinking.
Many of the original Members were drawn from the ranks of bohemian journalists and writers for The Illustrated London News who considered themselves unlikely to be accepted into the older, arts-related Garrick Club, but, within two decades, the Savage Club itself had become “almost respectable”.
The early requirement – “a working man in literature or art, and a good fellow” – was soon broadened to include musicians, with actors, scientists and members of the legal profession joining in later years.
After a year the Club moved from its original home at the Crown Tavern to the Nell Gwynne Tavern. In 1863 it moved to Gordon’s Hotel in Covent Garden, then to 6-7 Adelphi Terrace, later to 9 Fitzmaurice Place off Berkeley Square. From 1936 to the end of 1963, the Club was based in Carlton House Terrace in St James’s (previously the home of the Conservative statesman Lord Curzon), and then from 1990 to 2021 in the National Liberal Club.
Est. 2020
Savage Club Singapore
In 2020, the Singapore chapter of this historic group of individuals was born.
“Everything in excess” has been the club motto, creating a positive and energy filled enthusiasm to feel a sense of purpose of human connection, and to enjoy the company of a diverse group of individuals from all walks of life.
Membership
Joining the Savages
The Savage Club is for individuals who share a passion for the arts, literature, music, culture and sport.
It’s a small club to ensure we have a group that can meet regularly for thought-provoking discussions on the topics we love. If you are interested to find out more, we would like to hear from you!
© 2023 The Savage Club Singapore