Overview
It is currently unknown if this club was named for Thomas Babington Macaulay (1800-1859), possibly as a tribute to him and his influential writing on British history, his death occurring only five years prior to the club’s formation.
To date, we have little information on this group. The Glasgow Post Office directory offers us few details:
‘MACAULAY LITERARY CLUB. Office-Bearers 1864-65. Robert Scott, F.S.A., Edin., president; James Anderson and Eben. Russell, vice-presidents; Peter Moir, 8 Prince Albert Drive, Queen’s Park, secretary; James Beveridge, treasurer; Thomas Carruthers, M.A., John Grafton, and David Wright, directors. The club meets every alternate Saturday during the session (October till April), at 6:30 p.m., in Buchanan’s Hotel, 4 South Portland Street’.
(‘Macaulay Literary Club’, ‘Literary and Scientific Societies’, Post Office Glasgow Directory for 1864, 1865… (Glasgow: William Mackenzie, 1864), p. 90)
Buchanan’s Hotel was located in the south side of the city, just across the River Clyde. The place and earlier time of the group’s meetings as compared to other clubs suggest that the Macaulay club was probably a supper and social club.
Date of Existence
1864?-?
Source of Information
‘Macaulay Literary Club’, ‘Literary and Scientific Societies’, Post Office Glasgow Directory for 1864, 1865… (Glasgow: William Mackenzie, 1864), p. 90
Repository
Mitchell Library
National Library of Scotland
Reference Number
–
Additional Notes
The Glasgow Post Office directories are available at the Mitchell Library and the National Library of Scotland. Digitised copies are available through the NLS website: https://www.nls.uk/family-history/directories/post-office/index.cfm?place=Glasgow