The Turf Club is a

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

gentlemen's club, established in 1861 as the Arlington Club. It has been located at 5, Carlton House Terrace since 1965.

History

The Turf Club was founded in 1861 as the Arlington Club, with premises in Bennett Street, Piccadilly.Nevill, op. cit., p. 218 It was while there that a committee of the Arlington, consisting of George Bentinck, Sir Rainald Knightley, Charles C. Greville, H. B. Mayne, John Bushe, G. Payne, and Colonel Pipon, under the chairmanship of John Clay MP, drew up the laws of

whist Whist is a classic English trick-taking card game which was widely played in the 18th and 19th centuries. Although the rules are simple, there is scope for strategic play. History Whist is a descendant of the 16th-century game of ''trump'' ...

, officially sanctioned by the Portland Club in 1864. Members had originally wished to call themselves simply The Club until it was discovered that they had been beaten to it: a hundred years or so earlier the name had been claimed by Dr Johnson and

Sir Joshua Reynolds Sir Joshua Reynolds (16 July 1723 – 23 February 1792) was an English painter, specialising in portraits. John Russell said he was one of the major European painters of the 18th century. He promoted the "Grand Style" in painting which depend ...

for their renowned dining society. The Turf Club moved in 1875 to the corner of

Piccadilly Piccadilly () is a road in the City of Westminster, London, to the south of Mayfair, between Hyde Park Corner in the west and Piccadilly Circus in the east. It is part of the A4 road that connects central London to Hammersmith, Earl's Court, ...

and Clarges Street. The new building at 85 Piccadilly, designed by John Norton, remained the clubhouse for ninety years until the Club decided to sell the extremely valuable freehold.Lejeune, op. cit., p. 273 In 1965, the Turf Club moved to its current home at 5 Carlton House Terrace, SW1Y 5AQ, overlooking the Mall. Carlton House Terrace itself was designed and built by John Nash, the successful Regency architect, between 1827 and 1833. The freehold of Number 5 belongs to the

Crown Estate The Crown Estate is a collection of lands and holdings in the United Kingdom belonging to the British monarch as a corporation sole, making it "the sovereign's public estate", which is neither government property nor part of the monarch's priva ...

and the lease was held by the Earls of Caledon from 1830 until 1929, and its residents included Lord Palmerston;

John Hay John Milton Hay (October 8, 1838July 1, 1905) was an American statesman and official whose career in government stretched over almost half a century. Beginning as a private secretary and assistant to Abraham Lincoln, Hay's highest office was Un ...

, the

U.S. Ambassador Ambassadors of the United States are persons nominated by the President of the United States, president to serve as the country's diplomat, diplomatic representatives to foreign nations, international organizations, and as Ambassador-at-large, ...

; Emerald, Lady Cunard (mother of Nancy Cunard); and Harry Gordon Selfridge, founder of Selfridges.

Notable members

The following is a list of notable present

Turf Club (Gentlemen's Club) The Turf Club is a London gentlemen's club, established in 1861 as the Arlington Club. It has been located at 5, Carlton House Terrace since 1965. History The Turf Club was founded in 1861 as the Arlington Club, with premises in Bennett Street ...

members with years of birth in brackets. * Thomas Fermor-Hesketh, 3rd Baron Hesketh, KBE, PC (1950) *

John Livingstone-Learmonth John Livingstone-Learmonth is a British wine writer. He has published four books on Rhône wine The Rhône wine region in Southern France is situated in the Rhône valley and produces numerous wines under various ''Appellation d'origine contr ...

(1950) *

Anthony Fane, 16th Earl of Westmorland Anthony David Francis Henry Fane, 16th Earl of Westmorland (born 1951), styled Lord Burghersh until 1993 (and nicknamed Burghie), is a British peer and outdoorsman. He was a member of the House of Lords from 1993 to 1999. Early life The eldest ...

(1951) *Hon.

Peregrine Moncreiffe of that Ilk The Hon. Peregrine David Euan Malcolm Hay, later Moncreiffe of that Ilk, Baron of Easter Moncreiffe and Chief of Clan Moncreiffe (born 16 February 1951), is the second son of Sir Iain Moncreiffe of that Ilk, 11th Baronet Moncreiffe and Diana De ...

(1951) *

James Spencer-Churchill, 12th Duke of Marlborough Charles James Spencer-Churchill, 12th Duke of Marlborough (born 24 November 1955), styled Earl of Sunderland until March 1972 and Marquess of Blandford until October 2014, and often known as Jamie Blandford or Jamie Marlborough, is an English ...

(1955) *Lt. Gen. Sir

Barney White-Spunner Lieutenant General Sir Barnabas William Benjamin White-Spunner, (born 1957) is a retired British Army officer, who was subsequently executive chairman of the Countryside Alliance until 2016. He is an author, a director of Burstock Ltd. and was ...

, CBE (1957) * Michael Bowes-Lyon, 18th Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne (1957) *Alastair Morrison, 3rd Baron Margadale (1958) *

Christopher Taylour, 7th Marquess of Headfort Marquess of Headfort is a title in the Peerage of Ireland. It was created in 1800 for Thomas Taylour, 1st Marquess of Headfort, Thomas Taylour, 2nd Earl of Bective. The Marquess holds the subsidiary titles of Earl of Bective (1766), Viscount He ...

(1959) *

David Manners, 11th Duke of Rutland David Charles Robert Manners, 11th Duke of Rutland (born 8 May 1959), is a British hereditary peer and landowner. Biography Rutland is the elder son of the 10th Duke of Rutland by his second wife, the former Frances Sweeny, now the Dowager Du ...

(1959) *Hon. Rupert Soames, OBE (1959) *

Patrick Meade, 8th Earl of Clanwilliam Patrick Meade, 8th Earl of Clanwilliam (born 28 December 1969), styled Baron Gillford from March 1989 to December 2009, is a businessman, government and financial communications specialist. The then Lord Gillford succeeded to the Earl of Clanwil ...

(1960) *

Charles Hay, 16th Earl of Kinnoull Charles William Harley Hay, 16th Earl of Kinnoull, (born 20 December 1962), styled Viscount Dupplin until 2013, is a Scottish hereditary peer and non-affiliated member of the House of Lords, serving as Chair of the European Union Committee. B ...

(1962) *

Maurice Roche, 6th Baron Fermoy (Patrick) Maurice Burke Roche, 6th Baron Fermoy (born 11 October 1967), is a British businessman who holds a title in the Peerage of Ireland. He is the elder son of Edmund Roche, 5th Baron Fermoy, and his wife, Lavinia Pitman. Life and career H ...

( 1967) * George Bingham, 8th Earl of Lucan (1967) * Harry Lawson, 7th Baron Burnham (1968) *

Clifton Wrottesley, 6th Baron Wrottesley Clifton Hugh Lancelot de Verdon Wrottesley, 6th Baron Wrottesley (born 10 August 1968), is an Irish sportsman and British peer and Conservative member of the House of Lords. Early life Wrottesley was born at Hatch Street, Dublin, in 1968 to t ...

(1968) * Andrew Balding (1972) *

Frederick Hervey, 8th Marquess of Bristol Frederick may refer to: People * Frederick (given name), the name Nobility Anhalt-Harzgerode * Frederick, Prince of Anhalt-Harzgerode (1613–1670) Austria * Frederick I, Duke of Austria (Babenberg), Duke of Austria from 1195 to 1198 * Frederic ...

(1979)

References

; Sources consulted * * * ''Debrett's People of Today'', 2011 ; Endnotes {{DEFAULTSORT:Turf Club (Gentlemen'S Club) Gentlemen's clubs in London 1861 establishments in England Grade I listed buildings in the City of Westminster

History

Notable members

See also

References