At nine thirty a hearty supper of bread, cheese and endless beer was served and the rest of the evening was spent in conversation or entertainment, either amongst themselves or from any of a large selection of popular entertainers who were only to pleased to be associated with such worthy company. In those pre-television and radio days, most people had developed some method of entertaining themselves and others, whether it be singing, telling fanciful monologues, playing musical instruments or even performing magic tricks.

Break-away
In 1898 a ridiculous argument broke out amongst the members, as to whether the suppers should be hot or cold. Daft as it seems now, a largish group, including such luminaries as Phil May, Tom Browne and Dudley Hardy (who all wanted hot), broke away from the Langham (who wanted cold) and the London Sketch Club was born.
The inaugural meeting was held at the Florence Restaurant (now long gone) at seven o'clock on 1st April 1898, and the club closely followed the style and format of its rather disapproving mother, the Langham. The members proper were all artists but there was quite a healthy lay membership, including actors, singers, writers and well-known men-about-town. The only people who got short shrift were those ''self opinionated bumptious snobs infatuated with their own self importance.'' Some things never change.

Phil May
There was no doubt that the incredible Phil May, 'the irresponsible genius', was one of the prime movers and shakers of the club. Very much on the London scene, he knew practically everyone who was anyone in the arts and wider society.
Phil could always be counted on to be seen at all the most fashionable clubs, of which there were many. It seems impossible that he managed to combine this night-time, alcohol-dependant lifestyle with such a prodigious output of top quality work, but he did.

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Signing the constitution, 1898

Invitation by HM Bateman, 1912