Naval and Military Club

[Justin Moretti]

Not sure where else to put this question, but seeing as it's on British soil and doesn't relate directly to combat, I thought I'd put it here.

Does anyone have any good links to life and standards of behaviour at the Naval and Military Club in the Victorian/Edwardian era and leading up to the war? e.g. who would have been welcome there; who would not; whether talking shop would be allowed or frowned upon; methods of payment (as-you-go vs. personal account); what was available (as I understand it, lodgings were not until just after WW1), and so on.

It's perhaps not directly related to WW1, I know, but this is the social milieu in which many of those who commanded and fought in that war would have mixed, and it may have influenced how well they did or did not relate to each other on the battlefield.

[mbloy]

This club was established half way through the nineteenth century with the intention of being just another London gentlemen's club, the only difference being that it drew its membership from officers in the services. The Army & Navy Club predates it, but as demand for that club was very strong and as the waiting list became exceeding long, a new club was then formed known as The Naval & Military, or unofficially as the 'In & Out Club. Both of these clubs were junior to the United Service Club (which only accepted officers of thre rank of Major/LT. Cdr or above, founded in 1815).

Club rules and etiquette would have been broadly similar to any of the other gentlemen' club of the period, meaning that chits would probably have been used for food & beveridges with accounts settled on a monthly basis. Not sure that any special arrangements for temporary memberships were made during wartime in order to facilitate access by large numbers of hostilities only officers, but maybe an email to the club secretary might gain you the information you are seeking.

mb