Records of Glasgow University Club, London, 1886-1982, alumni society, London, England

• Minutes 1892-1982;
• Reports 1889-1966;
• Financial records 1898-1982;
• Dinner records 1890-1980;
• Membership records 1957-1981;
• Photographs 1889.

The Glasgow University Club, London , was founded in 1886  , in London, England, its stated objects being "to maintain good fellowship among its members and to promote the interests of the University of Glasgow ". The principal activity of the club was the Annual Dinner, held traditionally on the first Thursday of November, with the exception of the war years. The choice of Thursday for this event was apparently to coincide with the custom of doctors having a half-day on Thursdays. From 1950  onwards, the dinner was held at the Trocadero Restaurant, London, and latterly at the Cumberland Hotel, London. Until the mid 1970s  there was also an annual Sherry Party held in the summer. It was the tradition, on the occasion of the Dinner, to invite a guest speaker to propose the Alma Mater, and to act as Chairman for the event.

From 1975  onwards, ladies were invited to attend the Dinner which, until that time, like the club itself, was an all-male preserve. There had been an attempt in the 1920s  to open the membership of the club to ladies, following a request by some ladies for membership. However, despite a members' ballot in favour of allowing this, the club's controlling Council decided that this was not in the club's best interests. Membership of the club was "limited to men who are graduates of the University of Glasgow, or have been students there, or have been officially connected with the University".

The club was administered by a Council made up of a president, up to four or more vice-presidents, 12 ordinary members, an honorary treasurer and 2 honorary secretaries.

Throughout the lifetime of the club, the annual subscription remained at five shillings, with an entry fee of ten shillings and sixpence, and a life-membership fee of three guineas.

In 1982  , after deliberating over several years, a decision was made to wind up the Club.

Heggie, James F, , 69'Glasgow Graduates in London',College Courant ( September 1982  , pp.24-27)

The arrangement of this material reflects the original order in which it was received

Open

Deposit : via Clydesdale Bank : London : 1989

Digital file level list available in searchroom

Manual file level list available at the National Registers of Archives in Edinburgh (NRA(S) 3056) and London (NRA 31893)

No known copies

Applications for permission to quote should be sent to the University Archivist

Reproduction subject to usual conditions: educational use & condition of documents

This material has been appraised in line with normal procedures

In 1978 the older records of the Club were deposited in Glasgow University Archives and, when the Club was wound up in 1982, the remainder of the records were added to the collection

None expected

Three items of particular significance to the Club were taken into the University Silver Collection: The Silver Snuff Box, which was traditionally set at the President's place at table, was commissioned by Dr Hawthorne, first Honorary Secretary, and presented by him to the Club in 1908. The Gavel, used at Club Dinners, was presented to the Club in February 1915 by Mr R H Hedderwick. The Wellington Coaster was presented to the University to mark the winding-up of the club. This was presented jointly by Glasgow University Club, London and Dr James F Heggie, Honorary Secretary and Vice President, 1951-1982.

Other collections:

GB 248 DC 453 Records of Glasgow University Women's Club (London)

See source list on alumni clubs and societies available via the Glasgow University Archive Services homepage at http://www.archives.gla.ac.uk

Material in other repositories: no material associated by provenance

No known publications using this material

This material is original

Revised by David Powell, Hub Project Archivist, 5 September 2002

Revised by Emma Yan, Assistant Archivist (Cataloguing), 03 January 2008