Crockford's

Crockford's was a London gentlemen's club, now dissolved, which was established in 1793 and which closed in 1845. It was one of London's older clubs, was centred around gambling, and maintained a somewhat raffish and raucous reputation. It was founded by William Crockford. From 1823, the club leased 50 St. James's Street. After the club's closure, this continued to be used as a clubhouse, at first briefly by the short-lived Naval, Military and Civil Service Club, and then between 1874 and 1976 it was home to the Devonshire Club. William Crockford was born in 1775, the son of William & Mary Ann Crockford and was baptised at St Clement Dane on 12 February 1776. He began life working in his father's fish shop adjoining Temple Bar (at the...