The Beefsteak Club

The Beefsteak Club, a George I silver mug,

by Timothy Lay, London 1716,

tapering circular form, the scroll handle with worn scratch initials '?R' and a later 'B', the front engraved with grid iron and inscribed 'Beef and Liberty 1716', 'Long Live the King', on a circular foot, height 12cm, approx. weight 14.5oz.

The Beefsteak Club has its origins in the 18th century, and there were several clubs of the same name in which male diners celebrated the beefsteak as a symbol of liberty and prosperity. The forerunner of the present club was founded in 1735, and members wore a uniform of blue coats and buff waistcoats, with buttons bearing the insignia of a gridiron and the motto 'Beef and Liberty'. Situated in Irving Street, London, the club consists of a single dining room above a shop, with a central table laid with silver, at which members are served lunch and dinner, which originally consisted a beefsteak, followed by toasted cheese and Port. Membership is a mixture of politicians, philosophers, writers, journalists, actors and academics, and restricted to around 300.