English_Club_of_Pau,_France

English Club of Pau, France

English Club of Pau, France

Private social club in Pau, France

The English Club of Pau (French: le Cercle anglais) is a private social club in Pau, France. It owns and conserves a decorative arts and book collection listed as a French monument historique (ISMH).[1][2] The English Club’s mission includes an annual open house during the Journées de Patrimoine (European Heritage Days) and for reserved non-profit group tours, conferences, member publications and club member activities, all concentrated on the education and promotion of Pau’s former Anglo-American colony. It is housed at the Villa Lawrance by the City of Pau.

Early 20th century postcards of the English Club, Place Royale, Pau

History

La villa Lawrance, historical property of the city of Pau, residence of the Cercle Anglais and the Académie de Béarn

A British Colony men’s reading room dating back to 1828 was chartered February 26, 1856 as the English Literary Society (Société Littéraire Anglaise) which became The English Club in 1859.[3][lower-alpha 1] Originally, the club was located at la Place Royale. It then moved across the Place Royale in 1871 to the building that would be its home until 1957 when it moved into the main salon of the former Hotel Gassion.[4] Addition moves in 1990 to the Villa Regina, then the Villa Riquoir in 1996. In 2002, the City of Pau agreed to host the English Club and its collections at Villa Lawrance.[5] For many years, members were permitted to list the English Club as the seat for sporting clubs, including the Pau Hunt, Polo Club and Pau Golf Club.[6][5]

Collection

The collection includes 19th and early 20th century English language books (mostly housed at the municipal archives). The English Club’s art collection includes works by Allen Culpepper Sealy (1850-1927), Jean Heîd « Hed » (1890-1957), Harry La Montagne (1869-1959) Paul Mirat (1885 – 1966), Viscount Henri de Vaufreland (1873 – 1957) and Eugene Blocaille (1873 - 1961). It also includes horse racing, cross county and steeple chase memorabilia of the Pau Hunt and portraits of past members.

Chairmen of the English Club

Notable members and honored guests

Notes

  1. The legend of the Duke of Wellington at Pau obscures the true history of the tourist colony at Pau.

References

  1. [1]
    Delage, Benoist (30 July 2014). "Portant Inscription d'Objets Mobiliers au Titre des Monuments Historiques". Arrèté Préfectoral N° 2014/ENV/05.
  2. [2]
    "Objets Mobiliers Inscrits au Titre des Monuments Historiques au Cercle Anglais". Ministère de la Culture. Retrieved 9 November 2019.
  3. [3]
    Laitty, François (26 February 1856). "authorisation of the constitution for the Société Littéraire Anglaise". Arrèté Préfectoral des Basse Pyrénées.
  4. [4]
    Base Mérimée: Ancien Hôtel de Gassion, actuellement cercle de jeux, Ministère français de la Culture. (in French)
  5. [5]
    Sabin, Pierre Henri; Malet, Maxine; Pivert, Léon Pierre (2007). Le Cercle Anglais, Tourism climatique et période anglaise. Le Cercle Anglais.
  6. [6]
    Duloum, Joseph (1970). Les Anglaise dans les Pyrénées et les Débuts du Tourisme Pyrénéen (1736 – 1896). Les Amis du Musée Pyrénéen.
  7. [7]
    "Notes Mondaines". Pau Saison. 1929–1936.
  8. [8]
    Miller, Mary R. (2006). Baroness of Hobcaw. The Life of Belle W. Baruch. Columbia, South Carolina: The University of South Carolina Press. ISBN 978-1-57003-959-1.
  9. [9]
    Lebrun, Jean (2014). Notre Chanel (French). Saint-Pourçain-sur-Sioule: Bleu Autour. ISBN 978-2358480581.
  10. [10]
    McAllister, Ward (1890). Society as I have Found it. New York: Cassell Publishing Company.
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