An unpublished manuscript of the history of the Wellington Savage Club written by the club's former secretary, William ('Bill') Pringle, to mark its 75th anniversary in 1980. Named after the 18th Century English Poet, Richard Savage, the Savage Club movement began in London in the mid-19th Century as middle-class institutions designed to bridge the gap between 'gentleman's' clubs of the elite and the 'working men's' clubs of the working classes. Spreading to New Zealand in the 1880s, these social clubs encouraged the pursuit of arts & culture, raised money for charitable causes and had an emphasis on musical performances, sketch comedy, and amateur variety shows. Founded in 1905, for many years the Wellington Savage Club operated out of the small building located at 1-2 Kent Terrace (later to become Bats Theatre) which they purchased in 1944. Facing a declining membership, the club voluntarily closed and deregistered as an incorporated society in the late 1990s.
Note that Savage Clubs in New Zealand were known for their cultural appropriation of elements of MÄoritanga and some of these practices are reflected in this manuscript. This content should be read and interpreted in the context of the era during which the club was operating and we do not condone the practice.
The cover image used is extracted from a photo of the club's 'Leaders' Board' held in the collection of Te Papa.
Holding InstitutionPrivate collectionAcknowledgementWellington City Libraries wish to thank Michael Pringle, grandson of the author, for allowing us to digitise his unique copy of this manuscript
