FATHER OF SAVAGE CLUB 123 



(the first) honorary treasurer in 1864, and 

 James Lowe honorary secretary in 1865, so 

 Tegetmeier's tenure of office lasted probably 

 from 1859 to 1865. 



Notwithstanding the "long clay pipes and 

 beer," the character of the coterie, writes Teget- 

 meier, " induced many persons to endeavour to 

 obtain access to the club and to become members. 

 This position at that time was a most difficult 

 object to attain : no one could get elected who 

 was not known to a considerable number of the 

 members, and it was said that it was as difficult 

 to get into the Savage Club as the Athenseum." 

 The first time the club came prominently before 

 the public (it was in the year 1860) was the 

 occasion of a benefit which they arranged for 

 the families of " two literary gentlemen " who 

 died in distress. The performance took place 

 at the Lyceum Theatre, the club at that time 

 occupying a back room on the first floor of the 

 Lyceum Tavern, in the Strand. The perform- 

 ance " was graced by the presence of her late 

 Majesty, Queen Victoria, Prince Albert, and 

 several members of the Royal Family," wrote 

 Tegetmeier in the Queen in 1902. " The piece 

 [produced] was called ' The Forty Thieves,' and 

 each scene was written by a different member of 

 the club. One of the principal actors was the 

 youngest of the Brough family [Lionel, or ' Lai ' 

 Brough]. The dramatic performance was so 



