User:Floreatm/Blue Bloar Club
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The Blue Boar Club is a socially exclusive student dining club at Magdalen College School, Oxford, previously famous for its many raucous nights of drinking and dining. Membership is by invitation only, through election by the current members, and limited to only twelve boys. The club is modelled on the infamous Bullingdon Club at Oxford University.
The Club's history
[edit]The Blue Boar Club was founded in 1851.[1] Originally it was conceived as a young man's Gentleman's club, although quickly developed into the more elitist club it is today. The origin of its name and emblem are largely unknown, although lore has it that at one of the earliest meeting of the then unnamed club, one member got so intoxicated that, when walking over Christ Church Meadow back to the school, he claimed to have seen a blue boar. Why, however, the emblem of the club shows a man holding the boar's head is unknown.[2]
The club attracted attention in the early 20th century for nearly blowing up the main building of the school, School House, in 1925. They were only stopped when a master saw them through a window and started firing at them with a shotgun, thinking they were burglars.[3]
The club eventually fell out of favour with the boys at the school, and the club was disbanded in 1968. There were attempts to revive it again in the mid-1980s, but only one meeting of the club was held.
However, in early 2009, members of the school, aiming to preserve the club as possibly the sole boys-only society in the school after the introduction of girls into the sixth form in 2010, reformed the club. The club is once again meeting and it is presumed will continue to do so after girls are introduced.[4][5]
The Club today
[edit]Today, the Blue Boar is primarily a dining club, though a vestige of the Club's sporting links exists in the support of an annual point to point race. The Club President, known as the Captain (in deference to the Bullingdon's President, who is known as the General), presents the winner's cup and the Club members meet for a champagne breakfast. The Club also meets for an annual Club dinner near Christmas. Guests may be invited to either of these events. There may also be smaller dinners during the year to mark the initiation of new members to which only members are invited.
Election of members is a simple procedure - current members propose three names each. If, as is usual, one person has more than seven independent nominations, then he is immediately asked to join. Then the next down on the list are voted on, until enough new members are elected to fill the number of empty places. There must be twelve members of the club at any one time. Initiation ceremonies are often extremely physically draining and can involve drinking enormous amounts and other equally dangerous activities.
Due to the club's relative obscurity, they do not yet have to conceal their identity when booking private dining rooms for events.
Club dress
[edit]
Members dress for their annual Club dinner in full white tie suit, with a special Blue Boar blue bow tie, similar in shade to the Bullingdon's, although a slightly darker, more purple, colour. There is also a Club tie, which is Blue Boar blue striped with ivory. These are all provided by the Oxford branch of court tailors Ede and Ravenscroft.[6]
The Club and the School
[edit]The club was an official society of the school for over a hundred years. The club and the school have not always had a cordial relationship, with the club often getting into trouble. The school did, however, find difficulty since the members of the club were often the most senior boys in the school. The club is active in Oxford today.
Notable members
[edit]Members of the Club have included:
References
[edit]- ^ Stanier, R. (1958) Magdalen School: A history of Magdalen College School p.56
- ^ Stanier, R. (1958) Magdalen School: A history of Magdalen College School p.58
- ^ Stanier, R. (1958) Magdalen School: A history of Magdalen College School p.58
- ^ Oxford Daily News, 28th March 2009.
- ^ Oxford Times, 30th March 2009.
- ^ Hey, C. G. (1977) Magdalen School days, 1917-24. p. 45
- ^ MacQueen-Pope, W. J. Ivor: The Story of an Achievement, London: Hutchinson (1954)
- ^ Gummer, Selwyn. (1963). The Chavasse Twins: A Biography of Christopher M. Chavasse, Bishop of Rochester, and Noel G. Chavasse
- ^ Whitfield, J. H. (1951). Basil Blackwell