The Clubhouse
As eccentric as it may sound, the Eccentric Club has no clubhouse of its own. But read on!..
Like many other clubs, the Eccentric Club has changed a few of its residencies in London – from Chandos Street in Covent Garden (now – Chandos Place) to The Sutherland Arms at No.7 May’s Buildings in St Martin’s Lane, the south end of it, demolished later to make room for Trafalgar Square; from The Crown Tavern in Vinegar Yard to The Green Dragon in Fleet Street, where they held their meetings long before that, alongside with the Brilliants. From The Lowther Hotel in King William Street – to the Royal Wine Shades at No.5 Leicester Square... From the old Pelican Club in Denman Street to 21 Shaftesbury Avenue, and, finally, to The Dieudonné Hotel at 9-11 Ryder Street...
For many decades, it appeared that the club had found its home and was there to remain for good.
The clubhouse was large, as were the club members' compassion and generosity: for many years, they were letting numerous outstanding organisations and individuals stay there too, until one day, due to unforeseeable circumstances, the club itself became homeless...
Every club is a living and breathing being, and it is hard for it to survive without a home, shelter, a shell to protect its delicate and complex nature. Some manage to exist for decades, hiring the premises of others, changing addresses, and moving on; others crumble and dissolve, losing their members snatched up by the more successful establishments with their own clubhouses, recreational facilities, etc. But the club is not just about that — this distinction was made long ago – the subscription houses provide the facilities, while the clubs provide a home away from home.
We have been extremely lucky to have strong and kind partners who believe in us and have supported us throughout the years since our revival.
Thanks to them, we remain welcome in their clubhouses in central London, the heart of the clubland.
Since its revival, the club has accumulated a collection of historical artefacts and works of art related to various periods of its history. These have to be stored away until we can exhibit them to our members in the club museum, library, and gallery in our future permanent clubhouse.
Since its revival, the club has accumulated a collection of historical artefacts and works of art related to various periods of its history. These have to be stored away until we can exhibit them to our members in the club museum, library, and gallery in our future permanent clubhouse.
That is why we always appeal to our members, the former members of the old club in Ryder Street and everyone who shares our values and understands the importance of our charitable and heritage preservation work - let us, together, make sure that the Eccentric Club will never be homeless!
We can do it again, and there is nothing to stop us, for we are breathing with our motto, ‘Nil Nisi Bonum’, and if God is with us, who can be against us?
We wholeheartedly THANK our donors, who, even in these difficult times of the world recession, have been generously supporting our club:
Mr Brian Clivaz (London), Mr Robert Stevens (USA), Mr Thierry Gerber (Switzerland), Mr Clem Chambers (London / Monte Carlo), Major Hon. S. P. Rothschild de Courcy (Ascot, Berkshire), Professor Sir Roger Thompson (South Korea), Matthew Zhuk (London), and others.