__NOTOC__ The 1917 Club was a club for socialists that met in 4 Gerrard Street, Soho, in Central London, during the early part of the 20th century. It had been founded in December 1917 by Leonard Woolf and Oliver Strachey. Although its name marked the

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of 1917, it was not a Bolshevik club, and comprised mostly Labour Party members along with some Liberal Party members of the Union of Democratic Control, and some figures from the arts, particularly the Bloomsbury Set.Margaret 'Esipinasse, ''Dictionary of Labour Biography'' (vol. 5), pp. 100–102. The club aimed to attract membership from left-wingers who were unable to afford the cost of the gentlemen's clubs in London, or who did not wish to join them for political reasons. It became known for interesting speakers, particularly on political matters, but also for poor quality food. A small group of Bolshevik supporters around Alfred Bacharach and Miles Malleson met at the club in its early days, but they were greatly outnumbered by other left-wingers. In the afternoon, it was popular with artists and writers, and as the years went on, they came to dominate the club. Still later, it attracted many poorer members who used the club facilities while looking for work. A dispute between two groups of members and a disputed election led the club's committee to close it down in 1932. Members included

V. Gordon Childe Vere Gordon Childe (14 April 189219 October 1957) was an Australian archaeologist who specialised in the study of European prehistory. He spent most of his life in the United Kingdom, working as an academic for the University of Edinburgh and th ...

Ramsay MacDonald James Ramsay MacDonald (; 12 October 18669 November 1937) was a British politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, the first who belonged to the Labour Party, leading minority Labour governments for nine months in 1924 ...

, Aldous Huxley, H. G. Wells, H. N. Brailsford, Elsa Lanchester, Rose Macaulay, Green 1981. p. 41.

Frederick Pethick-Lawrence Frederick William Pethick-Lawrence, 1st Baron Pethick-Lawrence, PC (né Lawrence; 28 December 1871 – 10 September 1961) was a British Labour politician who, among other things, campaigned for women's suffrage. Background and education Bo ...

, J. A. Hobson,

Norah C. James Norah Margaret Ruth Cordner James (1896 – 19 November 1979) was a prolific English novelist whose first book ''Sleeveless Errand'' (1929) was ruled obscene at the Bow Street Police Court. Early life Norah James was born in Hampstead, London, ...

, W. C. Anderson, Mary Hamilton,

Emile Burns Bernard Emile Vivian Burns (16 April 1889 – 29 November 1972) was a British communist, economist, translator and author as an active member of the Communist Party of Great Britain. Early life and family Emile Burns was born in Basseterr ...

, E. D. Morel,

Charles Roden Buxton Charles Roden Buxton (27 November 1875 – 16 December 1942) was an English philanthropist and radical British Liberal Party politician who later joined the Labour Party. He survived an assassination attempt during a mission to the Balkans in 1 ...

Clement Attlee Clement Richard Attlee, 1st Earl Attlee, (3 January 18838 October 1967) was a British politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1945 to 1951 and Leader of the Labour Party from 1935 to 1955. He was Deputy Prime Mini ...

Stanley Unwin Stanley Unwin may refer to: * Stanley Unwin (comedian) (1911–2002), South African-born comedic writer and performer * Stanley Unwin (publisher) Sir Stanley Unwin, KCMG (19 December 1884 – 13 October 1968) was a British publisher, who founde ...

C. E. M. Joad Cyril Edwin Mitchinson Joad (12 August 1891 – 9 April 1953) was an English philosopher and broadcasting personality. He appeared on ''The Brains Trust'', a BBC Radio wartime discussion programme. He popularised philosophy and became a celebri ...

, Herbert Morrison,

Hugh Dalton Edward Hugh John Neale Dalton, Baron Dalton, (16 August 1887 – 13 February 1962) was a British Labour Party economist and politician who served as Chancellor of the Exchequer from 1945 to 1947. He shaped Labour Party foreign policy in the 1 ...

, G. D. H. Cole, E. M. Forster, Oswald Mosley, Raymond Postgate, Shapurji Saklatvala, Ben Turner and Lord Ponsonby.

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* * Political organisations based in London History of the Labour Party (UK) Organizations established in 1917 Clubs and societies in London 1917 establishments in England {{UK-poli-stub

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