The Story Of The Artists Club

The City of Liverpool in the 1870’s was a fair centre of art in many forms. It was the gathering place not only for local painters but for those in North Wales and other haunts of Artists.The Autumn Exhibition of pictures, then held at the Museum, had attained considerable success and the completion of the Walker Art Gallery in 1877 was the signal for all the Arts to be congregated under one roof.

The ARTISTS CLUB was born in the above times, on the 15th September 1877.The Club held its first meeting over a China Shop at No. 28a Bold Street and paid an annual rent of £42. The club was formally opened on the 20th October 1877.The honour of being elected the first President was bestowed upon a certain Mr. James Pelham.
The Club soon became known for its air of Bohemianism and cordiality in the welcoming of friends.Art was certainly to the fore, and the majority of members were professional artists and a handful of amateurs.

The Club had its own small orchestra and was rich in the number of vocalists who performed concerts at the Walker Art Gallery.The first Honorary Membership was given to Mr.Walter Burnett in recognition of his services to this orchestra. The Club was famous locally for its Musical and ‘Smokers’ Evenings! This idea was copied by all the other local clubs of the day.

After 12 years in Bold Street, the Club was reconstituted and moved to Percy Buildings in Eberle Street (formerly occupied by the Junior Conservative Club). In its new form the club re-opened on the 28th November 1889 and widened its basis of membership.Alderman Samuelson was elected the first President of the new Club.
The first decorative panel was presented to the Club by Mr. R.E. Morrison and this picture, a portrait of his wife, was placed over the fireplace where it is to this day.

The Club had two hundred members and was once more noted for its Musical Evenings, Smoking Socials and Literary Nights. In these early days the Artists Club was host to many distinguished and famous painters, poets and authors such as William Huggins – Liverpool’s celebrated animal painter, the famous James McNeill Whistler, E. Landseer Grundy – painter and etcher, art critic and expert in prints (who served as a seaman on the famous “Royal Charter” and “Great Britain” during the Crimean War) to mention a very few.

In later years the Club was graced with the musical genius of Joseph Greene and Stephen Wearing who delighted Club members and friends with entertainment on two grand pianos.This was an experience remembered by quite a number of existing members.

For many years, the Club gave a Christmas Party for the children of members and friends and this was followed by a dance for the adults. Unfortunately this ceased in 1955 when the Club could not use the room below (used by the Birkenhead Park Rugby Club) and our own Clubroom was deemed unsafe for dancing.

The social activities of the Club have changed with the conditions of the times.The migration of members from the inner city to the Wirral and other suburban areas, coupled with television and the breathalyser laws have, in later years, transformed the Club into a luncheon meeting place. Efforts have been made to preserve the Club’s social and sporting activities. Unfortunately the number of Artist Members have fallen but the Club is still endeavouring to support young artists by offering exhibition facilities.

The design skills of Kim Zadow, firstly restored the Victorian splendour of the existing rooms and then created The Gallery, which has proved to be such a magnificent setting for private functions and Art Exhibitions.

 

 

In the fading part of the 20th century Racster Dingwall masterminded an upgrading of the kitchens to meet the exigencies of modern day standards and in1996, in his Presidential year, Chris Scambler oversaw the creation of the Owen Suite, providing members and their guests with an additional small private dining room and a private business environment.

Following the demise of the Lyceum Club in the 1990’s, the Artists Club purchased at auction a superb wind vane which had for many decades been installed in the Lyceum’s premises in Bold Street, Liverpool.The story of this wind vane was that during the late 1800’s, before the city became heavily populated with tall buildings, there was a view to the Mersey estuary from Bold St. It has been said that ship-owning members of the Lyceum would check the wind direction on the wind vane and, if appropriate, cancel the insurance on their particular vessel, knowing then that it would arrive safely on the next tide.

Following its acquisition by our Club, the wind vane was installed at Eberle Street, after which the many non-seafaring Members, in blissful ignorance, would comment about the wind being a North Westerly, unaware that the installer had wrongly placed the arrow pointing in the direction of the prevailing wind by 180 degrees and in fact a South Easterly was blowing!

The Club has a small library situated in the Card Room.The books have been carefully cleaned and restored by the daughter of one our Members for which we are most appreciative.There is an interesting a diverse collection of books, well worthy of an occasional browse. The Club would welcome the donation of suitable books to enhance this library facility.

Over the years, the AC has benefited from many bequests and donations from Members for which the Club is most grateful and we value and respect these ‘gifts’ enormously.

More recently, the Club has acquired two clocks in memory of past Members, one over the doorway adjacent to the Member’s bar and the other over the fireplace to that bar, The Grundy Room. Last year, a Member very kindly donated a superb audio visual facility which is available for use by the Members and indeed for private or corporate use when the Club is hired.

This year, a superb cloakroom facility on the first floor through the Gallery has been completed for use by Lady guests.
The Club’s income relies upon ‘private hire’ for personal or corporate functions and occasional legacies from Members.The continual improvement and upgrading of our facilities and fabric of our building and premises can only be sustained by this additional revenue.

The result is a comfortable and tasteful environment which, coupled with the traditional friendly atmosphere of the Club, positively demands regular use by all members.

As always, the Secretary would be glad to hear from any Members who may have papers or information relating to the Club’s history.