The Double Crown Club is a dining club and society of printers, publishers, book designers and illustrators in London that was founded in 1924. Among its early members was the typographer
Stanley Morison
Stanley Arthur Morison (6 May 1889 – 11 October 1967) was a British typographer, printing executive and historian of printing. Largely self-educated, he promoted higher standards in printing and an awareness of the best printing and typefaces o ...
.
According to Sir Sydney Roberts, writing in his 1966 memoir "Adventures With Authors," the founding of the Double Crown came during a "typographical renaissance which had a notable influence on book-production." While the 1890s saw new standards being applied, Roberts wrote, it was not until after World War I that "publishers as a whole began to recognize that the basic principles of book design could, and should, be exemplified as clearly in a half-crown textbook as in a three-guinea ''edition de luxe''."
The first president, Roberts writes, was
Holbrook Jackson
George Holbrook Jackson (31 December 1874 – 16 June 1948) was a British journalist, writer and publisher. He was recognised as one of the leading bibliophiles of his time.
Biography
Holbrook Jackson was born in Liverpool, England. He worked ...
. In 1924, Roberts was a member of the club's original committee along with
Frank Sidgwick
Frank or Franks may refer to:
People
* Frank (given name)
* Frank (surname)
* Franks (surname)
* Franks, a medieval Germanic people
* Frank, a term in the Muslim world for all western Europeans, particularly during the Crusades - see Farang
Curre ...
,
Hubert J. Foss
Hubert James Foss (2 May 1899 – 27 May 1953) was an English pianist, composer, and first Musical Editor (1923–1941) for Oxford University Press (OUP) at Amen House in London. His work at the Press was a major factor in promoting music and ...
, Oliver Simon and Gerard Meynell.
Douglas Cleverdon
Thomas Douglas James Cleverdon (17 January 1903 – 1 October 1987) was an English radio producer and bookseller. In both fields he was associated with numerous leading cultural figures.
Personal life
He was educated at Bristol Grammar School and ...
was President in c1955. The current Dinner Secretary, responsible for all event arrangements, is Honorary Member
James Freemantle
James Freemantle (born 1979) is an English bibliographer, private press historian, printer and book-collector.
His official posts include as Chairman of the Private Libraries Association, Trustee and Honorary Secretary of Milton's Cottage, a ...
.
The club was meant to foster the exchange of ideas on "good printing" and was to meet no fewer than four times a year, and no more than six times.
The name refers to a size of paper, but Roberts writes, it also was chosen because the club planned to "crown" two books a year. That tradition ended in 1927. But one tradition remained—the typography for the menu for each dinner was handled by a member. The first dinner was October 31, 1924, with Simon designing the menu.
References and footnotes
{{Authority control
Dining clubs