From its foundation in 1872 until well into the 1890s, the Patriotic Club at 37a Clerkenwell Green was one of London's most prominent and active radical working men's clubs. It was born out of the ultra-radical currents which emerged from the local branches of the Reform League and remained a progressive rallying point into the socialist era. More than any other institution, the Patriotic was at the heart of Clerkenwell's reputation as a bastion of advanced radicalism.
An article I wrote and posted elsewhere on this site includes a brief account of the history of the club - though there is much more to be said.
I also, many years ago, stumbled across records at what is now the National Archive which give a picture of the club's active members - who they were, where they lived, and what work they did. I wrote a very brief article about these records many years ago, which I have posted here - and then below I am also posting my typed out notes of the names, addresses and occupations of the shareholders of the Patriotic Club during the brief period when it had the status of a limited company.
'Labour History and Dissolved Company Records', Bulletin of the Society for the Study of Labour History, 44, Spring 1982
Patriotic Club: list of shareholders, 1875 and 1880