Founders: Circa 1837 – 1860

Within the text of his history, Past President Brother Harold A. D. Rudd has named seventy-six Founder Members, covering the first twenty-five years of the Club, from circa 1837 to 1860, all of whom are mentioned in one way or another in the Club records that he researched, records which we still have today. The following pictures and likenesses are those that have been found within those records or by on-going research through Google and other such like Search Engines, and reference sites like Wikipedia.

  • Joseph Edwards Carpenter (1813 – 1885) An English playwright, composer, and songwriter, who wrote various touring musical entertainments. He wrote lyrics for over 2500 songs and duets, publishing them in many magazines, and partnered with various composers and authors including Henry Bishop, Stephen Glover, and Charles Dickens. He was a Founder Member of the “Jolly Cock’s” from circa 1837 until his death in 1885.
    Joseph Edwards Carpenter (1813 — 1885)
  • William Vincent Wallace (1812 – 1865) An Irish composer and musician, who in his day, was famous on three continents as a double virtuoso on violin and piano. He is mainly remembered as an opera composer and also wrote a large amount of piano music (including some virtuoso pieces). He was a member of the “Jolly Cock’s” from circa 1845 until he became an American citizen in 1854.
    William Vincent Wallace (1812 — 1865)
  • Samuel Lover (1797 – 1868) An Irish songwriter, composer, novelist, and a painter of portraits, chiefly miniatures. He was well known for composing music for a series of comic stage works and joined with Charles Dickens in founding Bentley's Magazine. He was a Founder Member of the “Jolly Cock’s” from circa 1837 until his death in 1868.
    Samual Lover (1797 — 1868)
  • Samuel Lover (1797 – 1868) An Irish songwriter, composer, novelist, and a painter of portraits, chiefly miniatures. He was well known for composing music for a series of comic stage works and joined with Charles Dickens in founding Bentley's Magazine. He was a Founder Member of the “Jolly Cock’s” from circa 1837 until his death in 1868.
    Samual Lover (1797 — 1868)
  • Robert Seymour (1800 – 1836) A British illustrator, known for his illustrations of the works of Charles Dickens and for his caricatures, in particular in the early Pickwick Papers. He was a Founder Member of the “Jolly Cock’s” until his death in 1836.
    Robert Seymour (1798 — 1836)
  • John Wilson (1800 -- 1849) A Scottish vocalist who was originally apprenticed to a printing firm, and then engaged by the Ballantynes, to help set up the Waverley Novels. He later took up music in Edinburgh, but moved to London in the early 1830s we here he became a Founder Member of the “Jolly Cock’s” until he died of cholera at Quebec in 1849.
    John Wilson (1800 — 1849)
  • George Linley (1797 – 1865) An English verse-writer and musical composer, who contributed verses to the local newspapers and published some pamphlets, before gaining a reputation as a writer and composer of songs and ballads. He was a Founder Member of the “Jolly Cock’s” from circa 1837 until his death in 1865.
    George Linley (1797 — 1865)
  • George Linley (1797 -– 1865) An English verse-writer and musical composer, who contributed verses to the local newspapers and published some pamphlets, before gaining a reputation as a writer and composer of songs and ballads. He was a Founder Member of the “Jolly Cock’s” from circa 1837 until his death in 1865.
    George Linley ( 1797 — 1865)
  • Henry Russell (1812 – 1900) An English pianist, baritone singer and composer, born into a distinguished Jewish family. Upon his return from America in 1841, where he wrote "A Life on the Ocean Wave". He joined the “Jolly Cock’s” and wrote many well known songs until he retired in 1857.
    Henry Russell (1812 — 1900)
  • Henry Russell (1812 – 1900) An English pianist, baritone singer and composer, born into a distinguished Jewish family. Upon his return from America in 1841, where he wrote "A Life on the Ocean Wave". He joined the “Jolly Cock’s” and wrote many well known songs until he retired in 1857.
    Henry Russell (1812 — 1900)
  • John Morgan (1822 -- 1885) A successful English genre artist who specialised in the pictorial representation in any of various media of scenes or events from everyday life. He joined the “Jolly Cock’s” as an Honorary Member from circa 1856.
    John Morgan (1822 — 1885)
  • John Parry (1776 — 1851)
  • John Parry (1776 — 1851)
  • Emile Berger (1838 -- ) A pianist and music teacher, born in Berlin, came to London at an early age. He was much in demand by leading singers of the day as an accomplished pianist. He was an honorary member of the “Jolly Cock’s” from circa 1848 until in 1865 when he accepted a post in Glasgow, married and settled down.
    Emile Berger (1838 — )
  • George Cruikshank (1792 – 1878) A British caricaturist and book illustrator, who was praised as the "modern Hogarth" during his life. Through his book illustrations for his friend Charles Dickens, and many other authors, became known as England's most popular satirist. He was a Founder Member of the “Jolly Cock’s” from circa 1837 until the late 1840s.
    George Cruikshank (1792 — 1878)
  • George Cruikshank (1792 – 1878) A British caricaturist and book illustrator, who was praised as the "modern Hogarth" during his life. Through his book illustrations for his friend Charles Dickens, and many other authors, became known as England's most popular satirist. He was a Founder Member of the “Jolly Cock’s” from circa 1837 until the late 1840s.
    George Cruikshank (1792 — 1878)
  • John Cooke Bourne (1814 – 1896) A British artist, engraver and photographer, best known for his lithographs showing the construction of the London and Birmingham Railway and the Great Western Railway. He became a Founder Member of the “Jolly Cock’s” until 1867.
    John Cooke Bourne (1814 — 1896)
  • George John Bennett (1800 – 1879) A Shakespearian actor on the London stage from 1820, notably Covent Garden and Drury Lane. Following his success at Sadler’s Wells, his play ‘Justiza’, was accepted by Webster, then the lessee of the Haymarket Theatre. Through his contacts at these theatres, he became an honorary member of the “Jolly Cock’s” from circa 1840 until he left the stage in 1862, and took up photography in Chepstow.
    George John Bennett (1800 — 1879)
  • Joseph Austin Benwell (1816 – 1886) An English artist, engraver and illustrator who was primarily an artist in the 'orientalist' style. Born in Southwark, he became an honorary member of the “Jolly Cock’s”, but entered the service of the East India Company in the 1840s travelling throughout India, China and the Middle East, thus his attendance at Club meetings was sporadic. he resigned in circa 1862.
    Joseph Austin Benwell (1816 — 1886)

FREQUENT GUESTS

  • Charles Louis Napoleon Bonaparte III (1808 — 1873)
  • Charles Dickens (1812 — 1870)