244:’s views are expressed, notably by three former headmasters – Frank Fisher, Tom Howarth and Oliver van Oss. The latter is particularly pompous, reducing the discussion to farce, an old trick that headmasters use when faced with pupils or masters demanding change. I say a few words in favour of admitting women but it is decided that there will be a postal vote and I guess the backwoodsmen will carry the day. In the obscurity of the closet, the bishops and deans will vote for the cosy status quo.
360:
those in authority in the Church …… The Nobody’s
Friends dining group has been described as ‘private’ rather than a secret group, but it still represents an exclusive world of male privilege within the heart of the Anglican establishment. When Bishop John Bickersteth once revealed that his appointment to Bath and Wells followed his being ‘spotted’ at a Nobody’s dinner, we began to get the feeling that the values of our church may incline towards
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A men-only dining club that meets regularly at
Lambeth Palace, known as Nobody’s Friends, appears to be a gathering for socially very well-connected Anglicans. Although originally high church in its origins, the club provides an opportunity for a privileged church group to network and sometimes lobby
331:
prefaced with the phrase "May I presume on a brief acquaintanceship at dinners of Nobody's
Friends?" When asked about the club in his evidence to the Inquiry, Lord Lloyd described Nobody's Friends as "simply a club, half consisting of the clergy, members of the clergy, and half consisting of members
211:, left Nobody's the "worse for wear" and was later found by friends singing "I’m a space Bishop" whilst wearing a motorbike helmet he had acquired on the journey home. The story may be apocryphal, but it is said that he met his future wife among the friends who discovered him in this state.
267:
He was a member of "Nobody's
Friends"—a body which dines in Lambeth Palace, half of whom are lay people and half of whom are ecclesiastical. I will not explain why what I am about to say happens, but the group is called "Nobody's Friends" because people who are elected to it have to make a
338:
had once described it as "centred on a strong core of bishops, ex-Tory ministers and former military top brass, a highly secretive, all-male group representing
Britain's most entrenched professions and institutions." Lord Lloyd replied, "That's a typical
163:
The club grew to consist of 50 members, half clergymen and half laymen, and met three times a year. Between 1800 and 1900 membership included three archbishops, forty-nine bishops, twenty
Cathedral deans, many peers and baronets, and members of the
343:
description of something they don't particularly like, but I can assure you that Nobody's
Friends is a perfectly ordinary dining club..." The same article that IICSA drew upon in the hearing indicated that Prime Minister
355:, following the IICSA hearing, that the forum Nobody’s Friends provided for influence in the Peter Ball case suggested a “toxic masculinity” in the Church of England. He went on to say:
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seven-minute speech to explain why they are nobody's friend. It will not surprise your
Lordships' House that John Belstead did that particularly well.
777:"DINNER [held by] NOBODY'S FRIENDS [at] "WHITEHALL ROOMS, THE HOTEL METROPOLE, LONDON, [ENGLAND]" (FOREIGN HOTEL) - PICRYL"
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137:, which served as a meeting place for a variety of notable organisations from the eighteenth century until it was demolished to make way for the
776:
439:
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A Field Guide to the
English Clergy: A Compendium of Diverse Eccentrics, Pirates, Prelates and Adventurers; All Anglican, Some Even Practising
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The dinner is good and I enjoy the company of the
Archbishop of Canterbury sitting beside me, but I can’t think why I joined except that
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of the laity, which dine together probably twice a year, very often in Lambeth Palace." The IICSA counsel pointed out that the
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Lay Activism and the High Church Movement of the Late Eighteenth Century: The Life and Thought of William Stevens, 1732-1807
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Lay Activism and the High Church Movement of the Late Eighteenth Century, The Life and Thought of William Stevens, 1732–1807
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528:
940:
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Biographical List of the Members of "The Club of Nobody's Friends" since Its Foundation 21 June 1800 to 30 September 1885
280:, when asked how he had become a bishop described how after being 'spotted' at Nobody's, "You used to have lunch at the
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The Last of the Prince Bishops: William Van Mildert and the High Church Movement of the Early Nineteenth Century
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The Oxford History of Anglicanism, Volume III: Partisan Anglicanism and its Global Expansion 1829-c. 1914
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who became a writer and philanthropist, leading figure in the High Church movement, and Treasurer of
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It is believed that women have since been admitted as members, but this is not known for definite.
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284:." Though he recalled that in his case, the luncheon leading to episcopal elevation took place at
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are both members. After dinner, we discuss the admission of women to membership and some very odd
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129:. Its inaugural dinner consisted of thirteen men who would later form the movement known as the
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The club, often referred to simply as Nobody's Friends or Nobody's, was founded in honour of
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The Club of "Nobody's Friends," Since Its Foundation on 21 June 1800 to 29 April 1902
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The Club of 'Nobody's Friends' 1800-2000: A Memoir on Its Two-hundredth Anniversary
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995:"Religious power and privilege failed the victims in the Peter Ball affair"
303:. He was President in 2015. It is not known whether he has been replaced.
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and institutional interests rather than a personal morality based on the
153:
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dining. It may be assumed that presentation of the courses was in the
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Liberal Intellectuals and Public Culture in Modern Britain, 1815-1914
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consisting of ten or more courses, standard at that time in formal
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108:
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Memoirs of William Stevens, Esq. Treasurer of Queen Anne's Bounty
966:"IICSA Inquiry Anglican Church Investigation Hearing Day 5"
391:
Volume II. (London: Printed for Private Circulation, 1902)
885:"Guns, gays and the Queen - a former bishop reminisces"
827:
The Old Boys' Network: A Headmaster's Diaries 1970-1986
183:
A Nobody's menu from 1891 shows a club dinner at the
133:. In the late 1880s Nobody’s occasionally met at the
859:"House of Lords. Tributes to the late Lord Belstead"
757:. Nobody's Friends - Printed for Private Circulation
291:
The current President of Nobody's is believed to be
64:
48:
40:
32:
24:
311:In 2018 the club was subject of a question in the
941:"IICSA Peter Ball investigation 23-27 July 2018"
465:. Ecclesiastical History Society. p. 316.
462:Saints and Sanctity (Studies in Church History)
357:
265:
230:
1018:"Toxic Masculinity -A problem for the Church?"
1091:Church of England societies and organisations
315:hearing into abuse in the Church of England.
8:
351:Stephen Parsons commented in an influential
19:
1066:Religious organizations established in 1800
152:. He wrote theological pamphlets under the
997:. National Secular Society. 11 August 2018
689:. Cambridge University Press. p. 32.
18:
499:. Oxford University Press. p. 144.
348:had been keen to join the club in 2003.
790:Butler-Gallie, The Revd Fergus (2018).
558:. Church House Publishing. p. 10.
451:
160:which gave the club its curious name.
203:It is recorded that in 1962 a former
121:and first met on 21 June 1800 at the
93:dining clubs and frequently meets in
7:
533:. Philanthropic Society. p. 115
618:I Never Knew That About the English
459:Peter Clarke; Tony Claydon (2011).
401:(Edinburgh: Pentland Press, 2000)
383:(London: Privately Printed, 1885).
295:, former Secretary General of the
172:, judges, and fellows of both the
14:
1081:Organizations established in 1800
723:. The Boydell Press. p. 97.
89:. It is one of the oldest of the
419:
1076:Clubs and societies in England
527:Park, Sir James Allan (1814).
1:
224:the celebrated headmaster of
906:Robert. M., Andrews (2015).
754:The Club of Nobody's Friends
596:(518): 375. 13 December 1884
555:Aspects of Anglican Identity
75:The Club of Nobody's Friends
20:The Club of Nobody's Friends
887:. The Spectator. 3 May 2014
493:Strong, Rowan, ed. (2017).
440:Gentlemen's Clubs in London
251:In 2005, Conservative peer
1107:
615:Winn, Christopher (2008).
587:"Domatic Chapter, No. 177"
796:. Oneworld Publications.
717:Lubenow, William (2010).
297:Church of England's Synod
824:Rae, John (April 2011).
655:. Brill, Boston/Leiden.
649:Andrews, Robert (2015).
594:The Freemasons Chronicle
274:bishop of Bath and Wells
552:Podmore, Colin (2005).
228:said of a 1984 dinner:
214:Writing in his diaries
185:Hotel Metropole, London
123:Crown and Anchor Tavern
912:. Brill. p. 263.
370:
270:
246:
178:Society of Antiquaries
144:Stevens was a wealthy
114:
16:Dining club in England
683:Varley, E.A. (1992).
299:and current chair of
286:The Commonwealth Club
272:In 2014, the retired
217:The Old Boys' Network
112:
1046:Eating Without Jesus
323:of influence in the
99:Pro Ecclesia et Rege
81:with origins in the
427:Christianity portal
366:Sermon on the Mount
168:. It also included
150:Queen Anne's Bounty
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1016:Parsons, Stephen.
226:Westminster School
193:service à la russe
135:Freemasons' Tavern
115:
1071:Anglo-Catholicism
865:. 5 December 2005
837:978-1-906021-63-4
779:. 1 January 1891.
751:Cokayne, George.
301:Allchurches Trust
209:Launcelot Fleming
205:bishop of Norwich
170:privy councillors
87:Church of England
85:tradition of the
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319:had sent a
253:Lord Brooke
238:Burke Trend
195:tradition.
83:High Church
79:dining club
1055:Categories
1027:18 January
950:6 November
925:22 January
600:25 January
446:References
346:Tony Blair
341:Daily Mail
335:Daily Mail
325:Peter Ball
317:Lord Lloyd
276:, Rt Revd
869:2 October
843:1 October
809:1 October
702:1 October
571:1 October
537:1 October
362:corporate
282:Athenaeum
189:Victorian
141:in 1909.
113:1891 menu
25:Formation
413:See also
327:case to
222:John Rae
176:and the
154:pen name
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125:in the
105:History
41:Purpose
33:Founder
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158:Nobody
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91:London
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313:IICSA
307:IICSA
263:said
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