Reform Club

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Reform Club. Founded in 1836, the Reform Club was a radical initiative, drawing in Whig support. It was a riposte to the Tory Carlton Club and reflected the desire for better organization, particularly of electoral registration, after the Great Reform Act. The founders included Lord Durham, Joseph Parkes, and Molesworth. It drew together the Westminster Club and the Reform Association, and Barry's premises at 104 Pall Mall opened in 1841. The success of the club was as much gastronomic as ideological, since it employed an outstanding French chef, Alexis Soyer.

J. A. Cannon

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