The death of Lord Daresbury has created a vacancy in one of London's oldest and most exclusive clubs, which also is one of the most curious.
Confined to 20 members, the Noblemen and Gentlemen's Catch Club meets periodically in a West End restaurant to dine and to sing glees and "catches". High social standing is one condition of membership. Another is a willingness to break north into song whenever requested io do so by the President, or else pay a forfeit.
The club was founded in 1761. Three kings, before their accession, were members—George IV, William IV and the King of Hanover—and many a royal duke has raised his voice in glass and catches after a club dinner.
Of the club's many strange rules perhaps the strangest is the one that every member who acquires an increase of income shall pay to the society half of one per cent. of the first year's additional revenue. Alternatively, he can pay 10 guineas.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.