The Anchorites
Our History
September 1919
A small group of men who had been associated together at the Admiralty towards the end of the First World War and shortly afterwards, used to meet fairly regularly for lunch. Apart from their Admiralty association, they were all interested in maritime affairs generally, both Royal and Merchant Navy, and all other aspects of the sea. One day in September 1919, three of these, Frank C. Bowen, Francis E. McMurtie and William E. Menday – were lunching together when Frank Bowen put forward the suggestion that they, and other friends of their circle, might occasionally meet for dinner in some private hotel or restaurant where they could enjoy a meal , and discuss ships and shipping matters. At the same time, and in such an informal atmosphere, they would be able to invite other friends who were also interested in sea affairs including Naval and Assistant Naval Attache’s.
December 1921
The first rules of the Club were drawn up and adopted at the annual meeting held in December 1921. Rule No.1 read “The name of the Society shall be ‘The Anchorites’” and here it may be said that the title was suggested by the Admiralty crest and because the original members worked together at the Admiralty. The late Cecil King designed a crest (the one still in use) which is almost identical with the seal of the Lord High Admiral (then Duke of York, later King James II) in the reign of King Charles II. It was not, perhaps the happiest of titles, for it frequently leads Speakers to contrast the Club with members of a mediaeval religious fraternity of the same name. There is little doubt that some of the early members voted ‘tongue in cheek’ with that idea, but the choice was made and it still remains.
1937
The first overseas sister club was formed and the Polish Anchorites, under the name Klub Morski was founded in Gdynia. Two years later, when Poland was invaded, many Polish shipping men came to England and the Polish Anchorites then began meeting in London which continued for a number of years.
1939-45
Following the outbreak of war in 1939, the club’s evening meetings were changed to luncheons and Membership was extended to all Officers of the Allied Navies temporarily resident in this country. This extension of membership had a marked influence on the status of the Club, for it formed a common meeting place for innumerable foreign officers.
15 May 1944
Norwegian Anchorites Club was inaugurated; a formal luncheon was held on 11 July 1944 in the presence of King Haakon II and Prince Olav. A few months later the Nederlandsche Anchorite was also formed in London and both these clubs now hold regular meetings in their respective countries.
1946
A special Royal Naval tribute was paid to the Anchorites by the naming of one of the new “A Class” submarines HMS ANCHORITE. She was commissioned on 22 January 1946.
September 1947
An international meeting of the four Clubs took place in Amsterdam in the presence of Prince Bernhard. The following year the second international meeting took place in London in the presence of HRH The Duke of Edinburgh, who consented to become an honorary member of The Anchorites.
Early 1950's
The custom of taking Naval Attaches and Assistant Naval Attaches to the Anchorites as guests was started by Oscar Parkes (then editor of “Jane’s Fighting Ships” ) in the very early days of the Club. In the early 1950s it was decided that all Naval Attaches and their assistants should be invited as honorary members during their term of duty in this country.
1969
The Anchorites Golden Jubilee
1979
The Anchorites Diamond Jubilee
1994
1994 was a particularly significant year for the Anchorites for not only did they celebrate their 75th Anniversary but the Norwegian and Nederlandsche Anchorites celebrated their Golden Jubilee. Representatives of all three Clubs were able to join in each other’s celebrations and, at the 75th Anniversary Dinner in the Cafe Royal, at which the First Sea Lord was the principal guest, in the presence of representatives from the Polish Navy, Klub Morski, the Polish Anchorites was re-established.
1999
After 40 years dining in the Cafe Royal in Piccadilly, the Club moved in early 1999 with the blessing of The Master to The Headquarters Ship WELLINGTON on the Thames embankment, the Livery Hall of the Honourable Company of Master Mariners where the dinners continue in the most appropriate of maritime settings.
2019
Most recently, we were delighted to celebrate our 100th Anniversary at Drapers Hall in 2019 with our Guest of Honour once again the First Sea Lord, attending along with representatives of both the Norwegian and Dutch Anchorites.
And Now...
The Anchorites continue to meet and flourish. There are now normally five or six dinners each year and at each, speakers talk informally on all aspects of the maritime scene. The October dinner is now designated as “Trafalgar Night” and a toast is proposed and drunk to “The Immortal memory” with one dinner each year designated as a Partners’ Night, although partners are always welcome as guests.
The present membership is about 350 and continues to be drawn from all professions and all walks of life, the essential qualification for membership being that the member must have genuine interest in, or association with, the sea and maritime affairs.