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A Reminiscence of the Pelican
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A Reminiscence of the Pelican
A Reminiscence of the Pelican. Members of the Old Pelican Club around the Square Ring including the Duke of Beaufort and Sir John Astley. The Pelican had opened in 1887, and quickly attracted the rich and notorious. Gambling and drinking were the main offerings with emphasis on the latter; the unwritten rule was that the bar was open as long as anyone has any money left. A third specialty of the club was dodging creditors. One Captain Fred Russell, whose debts were considerable, was dubbed " Brer Rabbit" to mark his evasive skills. He once managed to have himself (under an assumed name) hired by the firm that had been dunning him. He chased himself around England expenses paid - and reported back that the Captain had fled the land. Such " gentlemen" partied late; bands blared sometimes until sunrise. When the club does close, tipsy toffs spill streetward, whistling for cabs and setting off loud and profane arguments among the cabmen for the fares. Making matters worse for the neighbours, the Pelican had taken to hosting boxing matches as shown in this delightfully-realised caricature. Date: 1894
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Media ID 11575257
© Mary Evans / Grenville Collins Postcard Collection
1898 Astley Beaufort Bowl Boxers Boxing Dugdale Gentlemen Members Pelican Phil Reminiscence Ring Spectators Tipsy Trainer Spittoon
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A Reminiscence of the Pelican
EDITORS COMMENTS
is a captivating photograph print that offers a glimpse into the colorful and notorious past of London's Old Pelican Club, which opened its doors in 1887. This elite establishment quickly became a favorite haunt for the city's rich and infamous, drawing a crowd of high society members and rogues alike. Gambling and drinking were the main attractions, with an emphasis on the latter, as the unwritten rule was that the bar remained open as long as anyone had money left. The Pelican also had a reputation for helping its members dodge creditors. One such member, Captain Fred Russell, was famously known as "Brer Rabbit" for his evasive skills. He once managed to secure a job with the very firm that had been hounding him for payment, allowing him to chase himself around England on an expense-paid journey, reporting back that the elusive Captain had fled the country. The Pelican's late-night parties were legendary, with bands playing sometimes until sunrise. As the night wore on, tipsy toffs would spill out into the streets, whistling for cabs and engaging in loud and profane arguments with cab drivers over fares. The neighbors were not amused, and the Pelican further antagonized them by hosting boxing matches in the club. This delightful caricature, dated 1894, captures the essence of the Pelican Club's rowdy and raucous atmosphere. It serves as a vivid reminder of a bygone era when London's elite sought refuge from the mundane in the arms of the city's most notorious watering holes.
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