country members a guinea or guinea and half,
according to their residence being within 25 or 100 miles.--A Liberal
Club was founded October 16, 1873, under the auspices of Mr. Joseph
Chamberlain and took possession of its present rooms in Corporation
Street, January 20, 1880, pending the completion of the palatial edifice
now in course of erection in Edmund Street, at the corner of Congreve
Street. The "Forward Liberal Club," opened in Great Hampton Street,
October 30, 1880. A "Junior Liberal Club" celebrated their establishment
by a meeting in the Town Hall, November 16, 1880. The Conservatives, of
course, have not been at all backward in Club matters, for there has
been some institution or other of the kind connected with the party for
the last hundred years. The Midland Conservative Club was started July
4, 1872, and has its head-quarters now in Waterloo-street, the old
County Court buildings being remodelled for the purpose. A Junior
Conservative Club opened in Castle Street, June 25, 1874; a Young Men's
Conservative Club commenced July 26, 1876; the Belmont Conservative
Club, July 30, 1877; and the Hampton Conservative Club, August 21st of
same year. In fact, every ward in the borough, and every parish and
hamlet in the suburbs now has its Conservative and Liberal Club; the
workingmen having also had _their_ turn at Club-making, the Birmingham
Heath working men opening up shop, August 25, 1864; the Saltley boys in
October, 1868; the St. Albanites following suit December 1, 1873; and
the Ladywood men, November 30, 1878. A Club of more pretentious
character, and called _par excellence "The_ Working-man's Club," was
begun July 20, 1863, but the industriously-inclined members thereof did
not work together well, and allowed the affair to drop through. Backed
by several would-be-thought friends of the working class, another
"Working Men's Club" sprung into existence April 29, 1875, with a
nominal capital of L2,500 in 10s. shares. Rooms were opened in Corn
Exchange Passage on the 31st of May, and for a time all promised well.
Unfortunately the half-sovereigns did not come in very fast, and the
landlord, though he knew "Nap" to be a very favourite game, did not
choose, to be caught napping, and therefore "took his rest" at the end
of the fifth half-year, and in so doing rent the whole fabric of the
club.--The Edgbaston Art Club was organised in 1878; the Chess Club in
1841; the Germania Club in 1856; the Gymnastic Club in 18