Minutes of the Poker Club

Minute book of the Poker Club of Scotland, containing the records of the meetings of the Poker Club from 16 December 1774 to 30 January 1784. The first page of the bound manuscript contains a list of 41 members as at 26 January 1776; two who joined later are added to this page, and on the two succeeding pages occur further names. Amongst the best known are Lord Elibank, Dr. Carlyle, John Home, David Hume, Dr. Robertson, Adam Smith, Dr. Blair, Dr. Black, Professor Robinson, Robert Keith, Lord Kames and Sir William Pulteney.

Adam Ferguson FRSE, also known as Ferguson of Raith, was born 20 June 1723. He was a Scottish philosopher and historian of the Scottish Enlightenment. He died on 22 February 1816.

The Poker Club - one of several at the heart of the Scottish Enlightenment - was formed in Edinburgh in 1762 with Professor Adam Ferguson taking a leading part. Its object was a patriotic one. Scots had been indignant at the neglect of Scottish interests by the government in London and were irate at the Militia Act which excluded Scotland from the power of raising a military force - after the 1745 Jacobite Rebellion. Ferguson himself is said to have suggested the name 'Poker Club' when he was standing by the fire with a poker in hand. The Poker Club was to stir up an inert country and 'to poke' the fire of patriotic zeal in demand for restoration of the country's rights.

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Acquired by Edinburgh University Library on 25 November 1854 from Sir Adam Ferguson (1771–1855), keeper of the regalia in Scotland, and son of Professor Adam Ferguson who played a part in the inauguration of the Poker Club.