A club, a select number of persons in the habit of meeting for the promotion of some common object, as social intercourse, literature, politics, etc. It is a peculiarly English institution, which can scarcely be said to have taken root in any other country except America. The coffee-houses of the 17th and 18th centuries are the best representatives of what is meant by a modern club, while the clubs of that time were commonly nothing but a kind of restaurants or taverns whero people resorted to take their meals. But while anybody was free to enter a coffeehouse, it wao absolutely necessary that a person should have been formally received as a member of a club, according to its regulations, before he was at liberty to enter it.
Among the earliest of the London clubs was the Kit-cat Club, formed in the reign of Queen Anne, among whoso forty members were dukes, earls, and the leading authors of tho day. Another club formed about the same time was the Beefsteak Club. Originally these two cluba had no pronounced political views, but in the end they began to occupy themselves with politics, the Kit-cat Club being Whig, and the Beefsteak Club Tory. Perhaps the most celebrated club of the 18th century was that which was first called The Club par excellence, and numbered among its members Dr. Johnson, Sir Joshua Reynolds, Edmund Burke, Oliver Goldsmith, Edward Gibbon, and others.
Clubs are often provided with reading-room and library, and formerly a smoking-room, billiard-room, coffee-room, dining-room, drawing-room, etc, and also may have a certain number of bed-rooms. Besides being convenient for social intercourse, members may obtain their meals in them, served in the best style and at moderate cost. New members are admitted by ballot, and pay a certain entrance fee as well as an annual subscription. Research Club
When the newly formed United States was drawing up its constitution, disagreements occurred within the parties involved. Compromises were formed at the Convention of 1787, which was mainly divided as to whether, in the new government, one State's influence should be equal to that of any other State, or should be based on population. The plans for a Constitution submitted by Edmund Randolph, of Virginia, and William Paterson, of New Jersey, were diametrically opposed in this respect. The former favoured representation according to population in both Houses; the latter an equal vote for each State and only one House. Johnson, of Connecticut, proposed as a compromise, two Houses, an equal representation in the Senate and a proportionate one in the House. Ellsworth formally moved that this be adopted, and thus the first compromise was effected after considerable debate.
The second compromise was in regard to the regulation of commerce by Congress. It was proposed to tax both exports and imports at the discretion of Congress. C C Pinckney declared that South Carolina would not enter the Union if exports were to be taxed, since nearly the whole of her wealth lay in one article of export, rice. Hence it was decided, on August the 6th, that 'no tax or duty shall be laid by the Legislature on articles exported from any State', and on these terms the Federal control over commerce was conceded.
The Drury Lane Theatre is an historic English theatre in London's West End. The first theatre on the site, the Theatre Royal, opened in 1663. As theatres often did in those days, it burned down nine years later, but was rebuilt again in 1874. From 1746 to 1776, Garrick was the residentstar and co- manager. Richard Brinsley Sheridan succeeded Garrick as manager, and several of his plays were produced there. The theatre burned down again in 1809, was rebuilt in 1812. During the 1800s it was occasionally home to famous stars like Edmund Kean and George MacReady. In the latter 1800s it was associated with spectacular melodramas and stage machinery. Since the 1920s it has featured big, Broadway-style musicals. Research Drury Lane Theatre
Exeter College is a college of Oxford University, originally called Stapledon Hall, and founded in 1314 by Walter de Stapledon, bishop of Exeter, who made a foundation for a rector and twelve fellows. In 1404 Edmund Stafford, bishop of Exeter, added two fellowships and obtained leave to give the college its present name. Research Exeter College
Gonville and Caiss College is a college of Cambridge University. It was founded in 1358 by Edmund Gonville, of Terrington, Norfolk. In 1558 Dr. Caius obtained the royal charter by which all the former foundations were confirmed and his own foundation was established. By this charter the college was thenceforth to be called Gonville and Caius College. Research Gonville and Caius College
Gunter's Chain was the chain formerly in common use for measuring land. It was so called from its inventor, Edmund Gunter. Its length was 66 feet, or 22 yards, or 4 poles of 5.5 yards each; and it was divided into 100 links of 7.92 inches each. 100,000 square links made 1 acre. Research Gunter's Chain
The Randolph Plan was the scheme of an American Federal constitution proposed in the Convention of 1787 by Edmund Randolph of Virginia. It was the first plan submitted, being presented on May the 29th. It was composed of fifteen resolutions and proposed a correction of the Articles of Confederation; representation by population in two branches of Congress, the first chosen by the people, the second by State Legislatures; congressional control of taxation and commerce; congressional veto of State enactments; that Congress should choose the executive; that the executive with part of the judiciary should have a limited veto on Acts of Congress, and other less important provisions. The plan was favourably reported and many of its suggestions were used in the drafting of the American Constitution. Research Randolph Plan
Catherine Howard was a queen of England. She was born in 1522 and died in 1542. She was the daughter of Lord Edmund Howard. She was secretly married to Henry VIII in July 1540, the marriage being acknowledged the following month, making her Henry VIII's fifth wife. While married to Henry VIII she used her influence over the king to advance the cause of the papal party. In November 1541 Thomas Cranmer supplied alleged evidence against Catherine Howard which resulted in her 'admitting' pre-nuptial misconduct and she was duly executed on Tower Green in February 1542. Research Catherine Howard
In 1547 Edward Seymour was made Duke Of Somerset but on his attainder in 1552, the title passed into abeyance, only to be restored in the person of his grandson, William Seymour, the husband of Lady Arabella Stuart, in 1660. He was succeeded by his grandson, William on whose death without heirs in 1671 it fell to John Seymour, the 2nd duke's youngest son. He too died without issue, and the dukedom devolved upon his cousin Francis who became the 5th duke in 1675. His brother, Charles, an important figure at the court of Anne and George I, became the 6th duke in 1678. Research Duke Of Somerset
Edgar Atheling was an English noble of the 11th century. He was the grandson of Edmund Ironside and son of Edward the Outlaw. He was born in Hungary, where his father had been conveyed in infancy to escape the designs of Canute. After the Battle of Hastings, Edgar (who had been brought to England in 1057) was proclaimed king of England by the Saxons, but made peace with William I and accepted the Earldom of Oxford. Having been engaged in some conspiracy against the king he was forced to seek refuge in Scotland, where bis sister Margaret became the wife of Malcolm Canmore. Edgar subsequently was reconciled with William and was allowed to live at Rouen, where a pension was assigned to him. Afterwards with the sanction of William Rufus he undertook an expedition to Scotland for the purpose of displacing the usurperDonald Bane, in favour of his nephew Edgar, son of Malcolm Canmore, and in this object he succeeded. He afterwards took part in Duke Robert's unsuccessful struggle with Henry I, but was allowed to spend the remainder of his life quietly in England. Research Edgar Atheling
The Probert Encyclopaedia was designed, edited and programed by
Matt and Leela Probert
Abbreviations
Research Club
