The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-07-30
A MORKNGMAN,S CLUBHOUSE.
wbe New Experiment In LoAdoA.

Three years ago benevolent gentleman in
London-Mr. Henry Hoare - undertook the
formation Of q club for workingmen IN Soho,
one Of the most unloyely parts of the city.
The progress and results of this experiment
are noted in a recent number OF the London
zeIegrGph:-
HOW THE CLUB WAS STARTED.
Meetings were held, and q number OF earnest ,sI
artisans who attended them determined 20 naVe
club OF their own; when sa1Hse y The 9r6und
floor of n house in Rose street was occupied at
yearly rental of seventY-fve pounds. Mr.: Hoare
became security for the rent, put the Soho men
always managed TO pay it themselves Their
guccess was such that last summer they felt
bound to look out for new premises. An old
building at the corner of Rupert street. which
had been occupied as a printing establishment,
was empty, and Mr. Hoare suggested that the
whole place should be taken, and that the
scheme of the club should be enlarged. He ae-
companied his suggestion with very substan-
tial offer. 1t was not gift, but loan, and he
trusted to the honor of the workingmen with
whom he was dealing to pay back to him every
penny which he proposed TO advance, After
some consideration the men accepted his offer.
1t was, that he should pay for the purchase of
the lease, which had five years to run, aud for
the alteration, the decoration, and the furnish
ing OF the several rooms. Altogether about a
thousand pounds were expended. This 1t is
proposed shall be repaid in the form OF rent
charge so arranged that the club may be free
in five yeaIs, at the termination of the present
lease.
"In January, 1868, the new premises were
opened. In the old club the subscription had
only been twopence per week; it was now in
creased to threepenCe. There was at once
large accession of members. BY the end OF
February they numbered about 700, and it was
found necessary to adopt some restrictive rules
to prevent too rapid thrush OF new men.
With summer, OF course, the members decrease
considerably, outdoor life being more at
tractive.
"sufiicient time has now passed to enable the
observer to say something of the prospects of
success which attend this scheme. 1t is
scheme which will be sure to have enemies in
many places. neutrality-suspicious. and
supported by plenty of cant-wOuld be horror
stricken. George Crukshank would put the
club and its members in a corner of his Bottle
picture. Many very good men would hold aloof
for fear of the results; but Mr. Henry Hoare is
bold and confident and deserves great praise
Tor his Independent action.
MANAGEMENT.
'Soho is not an unknown district. It's popu-
lation is of a peculiar character comprising an
immense mum Der of tailors and shoemakers; and
many workmen are employed in those out-of-
the'Way industries, among which the manufac
ture of meerschaum pipes and of artificial teeth
may be reckoned the most respectable. Here,
too, the close attendants upon wealth, the sup
pliers of some of its luXurIes, and the servants
who wait upon it in its palatial clubs, find their
home. Close to it are districts in which immo-
rality and crime abide, scarcely deigning to hide
making the night unboly and terrible.
''ln this district Mr.. Hoare, aud the men in
whom he believes, are doing their work. The
kernel of their design was to accept conditions
just as they were, and in preparing their club to
make it in all respects place like 10 those in
which the worklngmen OF the district ordina-
rily sought amusement and recreation. As in
the public house so there they should have
drink, malt liquors, aud wines, and spirits, as
plentfully as they liked. They should have
concertroom, in which the songs sung should
hn ttrrlNu a. &C fl,oin ..1l rNltt
teered to sing were pleased to offer, and the
audience pleased to ACCEPT. For amusement they
should have cards and dominos, and draughts,
and chess; they should have billiards and baga-
telle. If they cared Tor outdoor games, there
theys should manage their cricket club and
their swimming club, should arrange rowing
matches, and summer jaunts in the country.
AS it happened there were workingmen in Soho
who cared for something beyond these things,
itwas further resolved that to them and to the
Others should be opened a reading room and
library, class rooms, and lectures and discus
sions. Indeed, no one phase OF the ordinary
life of the Soho wOrkingman was neglected.
How all this has been done, how the enterprise
looks now, and what the results have been may
be best gathered from description OF the place
SATURDAY NIGHT SCENES.
saturday night is the best time to study this
club lie in Soho. Then the men are at leisure,
and seek to end weeks labor by recreation
more or less hilarious. The approaches TO the
place are not by any means attractive. There
are narrow streets and queer courts, in which II
would be we'll to make COM pulsOry the sanitary
rules which obtain in work-houses and in prl-
sons. Then there are other streets not much
wider, but filled with shops, the footways and
the way for the passage OF vehicles being
crowded by people who have something to sell,
and Others who want to buy. The sellers cries
are such as may be heard in other districts.
They bespeak poverty, attention 10 the lowest
needs OF humanity, and to the fondness for
finery which has its place among women who
dwell in noisome garrets as well as in mere
decent homes.
Passing these, at the corner of Rupert street
you see a rather dingy building, the door OF
which Is, perhaps partly open. You enter, and
at once find yourself in a crowd of beings, noisy
but evidently goo1-humOred The outer door
opens straight upon the refreshment bar Be
hind this you see the barmaid, with one or two
assistants serving the men who stand outside
with great Iapidty. Pots of stout, of halfand.
half, of pale ale, ofneW and bitter.-this attempt
at wit is not at all novei-are asked for and sup
piled with wonderful quckness. The purchaser
carries his pot away to his seat in the concert.
room, or to whatever room he may have been
occupying, and perhaps on his way stumbles
upon friend to whose lips he thrusts his pot
1mplorng Bill, or Bob, or Jem to have pull
If you stand there a long time, even wien the
hand OF the clock is moving on towards midnight
you will not hear many calls for gin, or whisky
or other spirits; of course you viii hear some
and they are attended to without question.
'Inere is no drunkenness, Tor the members
and only members are admitted-are aware O
and respect the rules of the club. These rule
do not IN any way measure the quantity of drinl
which each may ask for and have. They do no
curb individual action in any way; but they d.
call for respect for others. They ask that willis
you care particularly for self-tor number one
hundred, or whatever the number OF member
NAV be- shall not be altogether disTegarded