The Eccentric Magazine
Though it is very tempting to claim that a club which started in the 1780s had a club magazine equally old, especially since there was indeed "The Eccentric Magazine" written entirely by James Caulfield and published between 1812 and 1820 by G.Smeeton and then J.Arnett, but any such claim would be untrue.
The story of our magazine began at the Eccentric Club Christmas Dinner in 1968 when the club President, Sir James Miller, mentioned in his speech that it was high time the eccentrics had a House Magazine. Before that, the club produced just one-off commemorative or charity fundraising publications, but this time, the idea was 'to create an even closer link between member and club'.
Sam Morley, one of the members, a company director specialising in electrical services, a keen golf player and an occasional contributor to the golfing magazines and The Punch, volunteered to put the magazine together, although, apart from writing, Sam had no publishing experience whatsoever!
Nevertheless, in September 1969, the very first issue of 'The Eccentric' was finally published! Initially, it was just 26 pages long and looked a bit amateurish, but very quickly, Sam got the hang of it and was joined by more professional journalists, artists and publishers, attracted the advertisers, and 'The Eccentric' became a much-loved regular feature of the club.
In 1977, Sam passed on his editorial duties to the BBC TV producer Richard Afton, assisted by Eric Frais, who changed the size and the format of the magazine and continued producing more sophisticated issues, having 96 pages and lots of advertisements from the members and the friends of the club. Sam went on to publish five books on his golfing adventures.
Magazine production was halted following the club's closure in the 1980s.
The revived club resumed it in 2010, returning to the original A5 size and settling for 56 pages only.
The magazine's 'Third Series' continues the tradition of publishing club news, articles by members, historical materials, and advertisements of associated businesses and individuals. We try to maintain the same style and feel, carefully mixing modern features with more traditional ones.
'The Eccentric' is distributed among the members of the Eccentric Club, throughout other clubs in London, England, Scotland, Ireland, the USA, and South Africa, and occasionally finds its way to other clubs in other countries. It reaches a unique selection of readers with particular interests and pursuits, income, and status, presenting a well-focused target audience for its authors, contributors, and advertisers.
The latest issue (2020) was well overdue. Due to numerous news stories and, sadly, far too many obituaries, it was published as combined Nos. 3 and 4. It also celebrated the publication's 50th Anniversary! We are working on the next issue now.
Some back issues from previous years may still be ordered from the Club Secretary.
Members also have access to the scanned PDF versions of many past editions, starting from the 1960s.
Enquiries about advertising and sponsorship opportunities are always welcome (provided that anything advertised is relevant to our members and readers).
In June-December 2013, while the printed magazine was temporarily stopped, a member of the Eccentric Club volunteered to produce a monthly online newsletter called 'The Howler'. Although made in an entirely different style, the newsletter was an invaluable source of current news for the members and a great record of club life.
Some back issues from previous years may still be ordered from the Club Secretary.
Members also have access to the scanned PDF versions of many past editions, starting from the 1960s.
Enquiries about advertising and sponsorship opportunities are always welcome (provided that anything advertised is relevant to our members and readers).
In June-December 2013, while the printed magazine was temporarily stopped, a member of the Eccentric Club volunteered to produce a monthly online newsletter called 'The Howler'. Although made in an entirely different style, the newsletter was an invaluable source of current news for the members and a great record of club life.