The Union Jack Club is an Armed Forces Club in central

London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, 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 dow ...

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...

, for enlisted members and veterans of the British Armed Services and their families. Located near

London Waterloo railway station Waterloo station (), also known as London Waterloo, is a central London terminus on the National Rail network in the United Kingdom, in the Waterloo area of the London Borough of Lambeth. It is connected to a London Underground station of t ...

, the club has over 260 rooms for accommodation (singles, twins, doubles, fully accessible, family, suite and flats), restaurant, bar, small library, and a full range of meeting and banqueting rooms. The club's main entrance is in Sandell Street off Waterloo Road, opposite Waterloo station. Many guest bedrooms on the upper floors have views over London.

History

The idea for the club came from Ethel McCaul, a Royal Red Cross nurse who served in field hospitals during the South African War at the start of the 20th century. She noted that while officers enjoyed membership of various gentlemen's clubs in London, no equivalent existed for enlisted personnel and they therefore used

public house A pub (short for public house) is a kind of drinking establishment which is licensed to serve alcoholic drinks for consumption on the premises. The term ''public house'' first appeared in the United Kingdom in late 17th century, and wa ...

s and inns of varying repute. The initial sum of £60,000 was raised at various galas and functions. Any donor giving £100 could name a room.

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle Sir Arthur Ignatius Conan Doyle (22 May 1859 – 7 July 1930) was a British writer and physician. He created the character Sherlock Holmes in 1887 for '' A Study in Scarlet'', the first of four novels and fifty-six short stories about Ho ...

took the opportunity to endow the "Lady Conan Doyle Room" with his contribution. Members of the royal family attended a benefit concert at the Royal Albert Hall.

George V George V (George Frederick Ernest Albert; 3 June 1865 – 20 January 1936) was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 until his death in 1936. Born during the reign of his grandmother Qu ...

, while the

Prince of Wales Prince of Wales ( cy, Tywysog Cymru, ; la, Princeps Cambriae/Walliae) is a title traditionally given to the heir apparent to the English and later British throne. Prior to the conquest by Edward I in the 13th century, it was used by the rulers ...

, laid the club's foundation stone in July 1904. It was officially opened three years later, in July 1907, by

King Edward VII Edward VII (Albert Edward; 9 November 1841 – 6 May 1910) was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and Emperor of India, from 22 January 1901 until his death in 1910. The second child and eldest son of Queen Victoria a ...

and

Queen Alexandra Alexandra of Denmark (Alexandra Caroline Marie Charlotte Louise Julia; 1 December 1844 – 20 November 1925) was List of British royal consorts, Queen of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Empress of India, from 22 January 1901 t ...

. The address of the original Edwardian building was 91 Waterloo Road, London. Ethel McCaul was adamant that her brave servicemen and their families should have somewhere to stay at no more of a cost than one day’s pay. Waterloo seemed the obvious place as this was the principal railhead leading to the ports and garrisons which served the Empire. The Union Jack Club was to be built as a National Memorial to those who had fallen in the South African War. The Union Jack Club naturally found itself in great demand during both World Wars and its resources were fully stretched, with the Union Jack Club growing from 208 bedrooms in 1904 to a total of 800 beds in 1939. For many years after the First World War an annual donation was sent anonymously to the Union Jack Club and with each payment came a note with the words “In gratitude for a scrap of comfort”. The words of this anonymous donor are today commemorated by a marble plaque sited in the Reception Area. During the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...

, the area around Waterloo Station was bombed severely and the Union Jack Club itself suffered considerable damage which required extensive repair. Added to this, there was an urgent need to modernise its amenities, décor and the way it conducted its business. In 1970, it was therefore decided to construct a completely new building, with ‘Investors in Industry’ (now 3i) building three tower blocks and, themselves leasing one block for a period of 125 years whilst the two tower blocks would constitute the new Union Jack Club. Demolition work began in 1971 and the Union Jack Club opened for business on its new premises on 16 October 1975. In 2004, Queen Elizabeth II and her husband

Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh (born Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark, later Philip Mountbatten; 10 June 1921 – 9 April 2021) was the husband of Queen Elizabeth II. As such, he served as the consort of the British monarch from E ...

visited the club to help celebrate its centenary.London SE1 — Queen visits Union Jack Club
www.london-se1.co.uk, 3 December 2004. There are a number of points of historical interest throughout the Union Jack Club, such as the

Victoria Cross The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest and most prestigious award of the British honours system. It is awarded for valour "in the presence of the enemy" to members of the British Armed Forces and may be awarded posthumously. It was previously ...

and George Cross boards, which are the only known commemoration of their kind to all those who have earned the Victoria Cross and George Cross. Since its opening in 1907, the Union Jack Club has seen over 21 million people stay at the Club and it continues to remain active.

References

External links

Union Jack Club website

The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh help celebrate the centenary of the Union Jack Club
3 December 2004
London SE1 — Queen visits Union Jack Club
3 December 2004 {{Coord, 51, 30, 13, N, 0, 06, 39, W, region:GB_type:landmark, display=title 1904 establishments in the United Kingdom Organizations established in 1904 Military of the United Kingdom Buildings and structures in the London Borough of Lambeth Skyscrapers in the London Borough of Lambeth Clubs and societies in London Military clubs and societies Residential skyscrapers in London