The History of the Clifton Club

The original Clifton Club was formed at a meeting presided over by Sir Richard Vaughn in 1818. It was housed in a building near the parish church of St Andrews at the end of Birdcage Walk in Clifton Village. Its first home was sold to a Reverend Marshall and later destroyed, along with Clifton Parish Church during the Second World War. In 1882 the ‘Clifton Club Company’ was formed and the club moved to its current home at 22, The Mall, Clifton.

This impressive building, originally the Assembly Rooms & Hotel on the Mall, was designed and built by Francis Greenway who became known as the Father of Australian Architecture and whose face one graced the ten dollar bill. It took five and a half years to build and was opened in November 1811.

After the club purchased the building, it was extensively refurbished and became known as the Clifton Subscription Rooms Association. Clearly a mouthful, people simply referred to it as the Clifton Club – the name it retains to this day.

The club has a fascinating history. It witnessed the building of the worlds first suspension bridge over the nearby Avon Gorge - as designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel; was responsible for the formation of the renowned Clifton College; introduced a telegram machine in 1856 and a telephone in 1884; counted the cricketer WG Grace as a member in the early 1900’s and spent a short time as accommodation for officers of the Royal Flying Corps towards the end of the First World War.

We’ve moved with the times and now offer all the benefits of a members club, but haven’t lost touch with the traditions and history that have made the club what it is today.

generalmanager@thecliftonclub.co.uk | www.thecliftonclub.co.uk | 0117 974 5039 | Site created by Sticky Media Group | www.stickymediagroup.co.uk