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Royal Air Force Club

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Gentlemen's club in London

Royal Air Force Club
118-128 Piccadilly
Formation1918 (1918)
HeadquartersRAF Clubhouse
Location
MembershipRoyal Air Force Officers
Websitewww.rafclub.org.uk

The Royal Air Force Club, or RAF Club in short-form, is a club located at 128 Piccadilly, London.

Membership is open to those who hold, or have held, commissions in the RAF, PMRAFNS, Reserve Forces and Commonwealth and friendly foreign air forces. The Chair of the Board of Trustees is The Hon. Air Vice-Marshal David Murray.

History

The Royal Flying Corps Club, the forerunner of the Royal Air Force Club, opened at 13 Bruton Street in 1917. It became the Royal Air Force Club in 1918 shortly after the first Lord Cowdray donated funds to obtain a permanent building which would house the Club. The buildings, still in use today, were acquired by the middle of 1919 (the Piccadilly frontage was originally the Ladies Lyceum Club, while the rear half, facing Old Park Lane, was stables). Between 1919 and 1921 extensive reconstruction took place supervised by architect Maurice Webb and largely financed by Lord Cowdray. On 2 January 1922 the Club was fully opened to Members although it was not officially opened by the Duke of York until 24 February 1922. On 14 March 1922 the Club was visited by King George V and Queen Mary. This association with the Royal Family continues to this day, Queen Elizabeth II being the Club's Patron from 1952-2022.

As of 2017, a year's membership subscription costs half of one day's wages for serving (from £42.50), or former serving (retired) RAF officers (£155.00). For non-RAF personnel, affiliate membership starts at £170 plus joining fee. Non-RAF personnel who are eligible to apply for membership include those in the aerospace industry who are Fellows of the Royal Aeronautical Society (FRAeS).

References

  1. ^ Doughan, David; Gordon, Peter (2006). "3. Forces' clubs". Women, Clubs and Associations in Britain. Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge. p. 36. ISBN 0-203-02901-1.
  2. "The Queen celebrates the RAF Club's 100th Anniversary". Royal UK. 17 October 2018. Retrieved 15 May 2023.
  3. "The Royal Air Force Club History". Royal Patronage.
  4. "Join The RAF Club". www.rafclub.org.uk. Archived from the original on 25 October 2014.

Bibliography

External links

Gentlemen's clubs in London, United Kingdom
Grouped by societal associations, ordered by seniority
Unionists,
Tories,
and/or
Conser-
vatives
Current
  • White's 1693–present (No longer politically aligned)
  • Boodle's 1762–present (No longer politically aligned)
  • Carlton Club 1832–present
Former
Whigs and/
or Liberals
Current
Former
British
Armed
Forces
Current
Former
Educa-
tional
background
Current
Former
Arts and
sciences
Current
Former
City of
London
Current
Former
National
connections
Current
Former


51°30′15″N 0°08′55″W / 51.5041°N 0.1485°W / 51.5041; -0.1485

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