M. C. COOKE ON EARLY MEMORIES OF THE Q.M.C. 233 



On both sides an entrance fee was repudiated, and the subscription 

 fixed at ten shillings a year. The place of meeting was arranged 

 as 32, Sackville Street, W., and these rooms were occupied until 

 they became too small, and the Club migrated to University 

 College. 



The first and original members of the Club were twelve, who 

 have since been, rather irreverently, styled the " Twelve Elders," 

 and their names — 



W. M. Bywater, S. Highley, 



M. C. Cooke, E. Jaques, 



W. Gibson, T. Ketteringham, 



E. E. Godley, E. Marks, 



H. F. Hailes, W. W. Eeeves, 



R Hardwicke, G. W. Ruffle. 



As far as I know, about half of this number, at the time of 

 writing these notes, are deceased ; two have dropped out of all 

 knowledge, and did not remain long in connection with the Club, 

 whilst four only remain to ruminate on the event with which 

 they were associated thirty-four years ago. 



When it was determined that the rooms in Sackville Street 

 were too small to accommodate the growing Club, our Secretary 

 was requested to make inquiries for more commodious quarters, 

 and by some means he succeeded in securing a valuable ally 

 in Dr. W. Sharpey, F.R.S., Professor of Anatomy and Physiology 

 at University College, through whom he ultimately obtained 

 permission of the College authorities to hold the meetings of the 

 Club in the spacious Library of that institution ; and this arrange- 

 ment was maintained for many years, in fact until the end of 

 1889. At the beginning of this year, on the representation of 

 the College librarian that the books in his charge were being 

 seriously damaged by the gas used for lighting, the Council, 

 with expressions of regret, felt itself compelled to withdraw the 

 privilege accorded to this and one or two other kindred societies 

 of holding their meetings in the Library. Another room, the 

 Mathematical Theatre, was courteously placed at the disposal of 

 the Club, but after some months' trial this was found so unsuitable 

 and inconvenient in arrangement as to imperil its very existence. 

 Hence it became imperative, once more, for the Club to change 

 its quarters, and after some considerable trouble in finding 



