Almack’s is covered by two eBooks published in the 19th century
- Curiosites of London (1867)
- London, Past and Present (1891)
The following entry appeared in the Victorian publication Curiosities of London: exhibiting the most rare and remarkable objects of interest in the metropolis; with nearly sixty years personal recollections by John Timbs, John (1801-1875).
Publication date: 1867
Publisher London : J. C. Hotten
ALMACK’S ASSEMBLY-ROOMS, on the south side of King-street, St. James’s, were built by Robert Mylne, architect, for Almack, a Scotchman, and were opened Feb. 12, 1765, with an Assembly, at which the Duke of Cumberland, the hero of Culloden, was present. Gilly Williams writes to George Selwyn :
” There is now opened at Almack’s, in three very elegant new-built rooms, a ten-guinea subscription, for which you have a ball and supper once a week, for twelve weeks. You may imagine by the sum the company is chosen ; though, relined as it is, it will be scarce able to put old Soho (Mrs. Comelys’) out of countenance. The men’s tickets are not transferable, so, if the ladies do not like us, they have no opportunity of changing us, but must see the same persons for ever.” . . . . ” Our female Almack’s
flourishes beyond description. Almack’s Scotch face, in a bag-wig, waiting at supper, would divert you, as would his lady, in a sack, making tea and curtseying to the duchesses.”
The large ball-room is about one hundred feet in length, by forty feet in width ; it is chastely decorated with gilt columns and pilasters, classic medallions, mirrors, &c, and is lit with gas, in cut-glass lustres. The largest number of persons ever present in this room at one ball was 1700. The rooms are let for public meetings, dramatic readings, lectures, concerts, balls, and dinners. Here Mrs. Billington, Mr. Braham, and Signor Naldi, gave concerts, from 1808 to 1810, in rivalry with Madame Catalan), at Hanover-square.
Rooms; and here Mr. Charles Kemble gave, in 1814, his Readings from Shakespeare. Almack’s Rooms are often called ” Willis’s,” from the name of their present proprietor.
Many public dinners now take place here. Almack’s has declined of late years ; ” a clear proof that the palmy days of exclusive- ness are gone by in England ; and though it is obviously impossible to prevent any given number of persons from congregating and re-establishing an oligarchy, we are quite sure that the attempt would be ineffectual, and that the sense of their importance would extend little beyond the set.”— Quarterly Review, 1840.
Many years ago was published Almack’s, a novel, in which the leaders of fashion were sketched with much freedom : they were identified in A Key to Almack’s, by Benjamin Disraeli.
The following entry appeared in the Victorian publication London, Past and Present by Henry Benjamin Wheatley (1838-1917)
Publication date: 1891
Publisher London : John Murray, Albemarle Street
Almack’s, a suite of Assembly Rooms in King Street, St. James’s, designed by Robert Mylne in 1765. So called after Almack, a native of Scotland (d. 1781), the original proprietor; and later “Willis’s Rooms,” after a subsequent proprietor. The great room (100 feet by 40 feet) was finished in December 1767.
April 5, 1764. Almack is going to build most magnificent rooms behind his house, one much larger than at Carlisle House. Mrs. Harris to her son (Earl of Malmesbury), Malms. Corr., vol. i. p. 107.
The balls at Almack’s were managed by a Committee of Ladies of high rank, and the only mode of admission was by vouchers or personal introduction.
The new Assembly Room at Almack’s was opened the night before last, and they say is very magnificent, but it was empty ; half the town is ill with colds, and many were afraid to go, as the house is scarcely built yet. Almack advertised that it was built with hot bricks and boiling water : think what a rage there must be for public places, if this notice, instead of terrifying, could draw everybody thither. They tell me the ceilings were dripping with wet ; but can you believe me when I assure you the Duke of Cumberland [the hero of Culloden] was there? nay, had a levee in the morning, and went to the Opera before the Assembly. Horace Walpole to the Earl of Hertford, February 14, 1765.
There is now opened at Almack’s, in three very elegant new-built rooms, a ten guinea subscription, for which you have a ball and supper once a week for twelve weeks. You may imagine by the sum the company is chosen ; though, refined as it is, it will be scarce able to put old Soho [Mrs. Corneleys’s] out of countenance. Gilly Williams to George Selivyn, February 22, 1765.
Our female Almack’s flourishes beyond description. If you had such a thing at Paris you would fill half a quire of flourished paper with the description of it. Almack’s Scotch face, in a bag-wig, waiting at supper, would divert you, as would his lady, in a sack, making tea and curtseying to the duchesses. Gilly Williams to George Selwyn, March, 1765.
The female club I told you of is removed from their quarters, Lady Pembroke objecting to a tavern ; it meets, therefore, for the present, at certain rooms of Almack’s, who for another year is to provide a private house. . . . The first fourteen who imagined and planned it settled its rules and constitutions. These were formed upon the model of one of the clubs at Almack’s. There are seventy-five chosen (the whole number is to be two hundred). The ladies nominate and choose the gentlemen, and vice versa ; so that no lady can exclude a lady, or gentleman a gentleman! The Duchess of Bedford was at first blackballed, but is since admitted. Duchess of Grafton and of Marlborough are also chosen. Lady Hertford wrote to beg admittance and has obtained it ; also Lady Holderness, Lady Rochford, are blackballed ; as is Lord March, Mr. Boothby, and one or two more who think themselves pretty gentlemen du premier ordre, but is plain the ladies are not of their opinion. Lady Molineux has accepted, but the Duchess of Beaufort has
declined, as her health never permits her to sup abroad. When any of the ladies dine with the society they are to send word before, but supper comes of course, and
is to be served always at eleven. Play will be deep and constant probably. Mrs. Boscawen to Mrs. Delaney, vol. iv. p. 362.
All on that magic List depends ;
Fame, fortune, fashion, lovers, friends :
‘Tis that which gratifies or vexes
All ranks, all ages, and both sexes.
If once to Almack’s you belong,
Like monarchs you can do no wrong ;
But banished thence on Wednesday night,
By Jove you can do nothing right. Luttrell’s Julia, Letter i.
The mixed club died out, and was succeeded by a series of balls in the season, which became famous. They were managed by a Committee of Ladies of high rank, and were confined almost exclusively to the aristocracy. At length the barrier began to be broken through by plebeian invasions, the prestige was lost, and in 1863 Almack’s ceased to exist. With a brief interval, during which they were used for clubhouse purposes, the rooms have since been let for dinners, concerts, balls, and public meetings.