Mit einer schnellen Literaturrecherche habe ich nur gefunden, dass der Club von Prince Albert Victor eröffnet wurde.
Aus dem Nachruf auf PAV:
The Times (London)
15 January 1892
[...]He had, indeed, made a first appearance some years before-namely, on January 31, 1885, immediately after he had come of age, when he opened a Boys' Club in Leman-street, Whitechapel. Among the words which he uttered at the time these may be quoted:-
I wish to help you to be a credit to this club by asking you to remember two things. First, whatever you do, whether it be blacking a pair of shoes, practicing gymnastics, reading a book, helping a friend-whatever it is, do it as well as you can. "If a thing is worth doing at all it is worth doing well," is a good old English motto. Secondly, never do what you know to be wrong. Often you will feel inclined, either through your own wishes or through the promptings of companions, to do something you would like but which your conscience tells you ought not to be done. Then is the time not to give way; be brave, stand firm, refuse under any circumstances to do what you are not sure is right. May I ask you to remember these two things? If you will do so, then, as you grow up you will be worthy to play your part as English citizens. When you come to years of discretion you will be able to judge for yourselves whether you will remain here in England, or whether you will seek your share in the English lands beyond the seas. There is plenty of room out there, ampler air and larger aims, and here you seem rather crowded. May God bless you all whether here or there.[...]
Über die Eröffnung findet sich noch dies:
Otago Daily Times
26 March 1885
PRINCE ALBERT VICTOR'S ENTRY ON OFFICIAL LIFE.
"The first official act of Prince Albert Victor in London, after attaining his majority,', say 3 a Home paper, "is one that must commend itself to all classes. In the miserable drizzle that prevailed during January 31 the young Prince went unattended to the very heart of the East End of London, where he unostentatiously assisted in the inauguration of an excellent work, calculated to benefit the poor lads of Whitechapel. The lot of a working boy who has come to a situation in London, without a friend in the great desert of houses, is peculiarly hard and full of temptations. It is with a view of providing a decent lodging and a place of healthy recreation for such isolated lads that the Whittington Club in Leman street has been instituted. The ordinary common lodging-house, which is the usual resort of working lads who have no home in London, is, as a rule, surrounded with the worst associations. Without interfering with the proper freedom or independence of the boys, the Club opened by Prince Albert Victor on January 31 will afford not only a general meeting-place for friends, but will also give opportunities for self-culture in spacious and airy rooms. The Committee have wisely determined not to force the boys into new habits, but to try and guide them without absolutely governing them, The object is one which will commend itself to everyone interested in the social amelioration of a deserving class of youths, and Prince Albert Victor is to be congratulated on making hid first official appearance in the Metropolis in such a good cause. ' Whatever you do, whether it be blacking a pair of shoes, practising gymnastics, reading a book, helping a friend —whatever it is, do it as well as you can,' said the young Prince in his address to the boys. 'Be brave, stand firm ; refuse under any circumstances to do what you are not sure is right; and when you come to years of discretion you will be able to judge for yourselves whether you will remain hero in England, or whether you will seek your sphere in English lands beyond the seas. There is plenty of room out there—ampler air and larger aims,—and here you seem rather crowded, may God bless you all, whether here or there.'"
Im Postal Directory ist für 86, Leman-street verzeichnet:
86 East London (Blue) Shoeblack Society, Wm. Tourell, man
86 Whittington Club & Chambers, Wm. Tourell, man
Zu diesem Whittington Club, finde ich folgendes:
The Times (London)
Friday, 16 November 1888
LAW AND ORDER IN WHITECHAPEL.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE TIMES.
Sir, - Will you permit me, through your columns, to offer to the friends of law and order an opportunity of maintaining and extending those principles in the part of London that has become so notorious of late? Some two or thee years back a small Volunteer Cadet Corps was formed in Whitechapel for the boys of the neighbourhood. It's headquarters are the Whittington Club in Leman-street, and it is attached to the 1st Tower Hamlets Rifle Volunteer Brigade. In spite of the serious difficulties which necessarily attend a new experiment of this kind, it has hitherto held its own with good success and is very popular among the boys themselves, to some hundreds of whom it could now afford the means of physical exercise and discipline, greatly wanting among our city populations. Some of its members have passed into the Regular
Forces, and it was inspected last July by Colonel Stracey, commanding the Scots Guards, who gave a most satisfactory report on the present condition of the corps. The working cost of the undertaking is not very great, consisting chiefly of expenses for drill instructors and bandmaster, purchase of uniforms, hire of drill-hall, and marches out; but considering the class of boys for whom the corps is intended it is impossible that it should be self-supporting. The officers, therefore, are obliged to ask for the co-operation of others in extending the influence of the movement, and securing the moral and physical advantages of regular training for a district where the history of the last few months and years has proved them to be so much needed.
Subscriptions may be sent to the Commanding Officer, 86, Leman-street, Whitechapel; or to the Hon. C. W. Fremantle, C.B., the Royal Mint; or to the E.L.V.C. Fund, Messrs. Cox & Co.'s, 16 and 17, Charing-cross.
I am, Sir, &c.,
PAUL METHUEN, Colonel.
Toynbee-hall, Commercial-street, Whitechapel,
Nov. 13.
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