The St. Botolph Club was founded on January 3, 1880, as an elite ‘Gentlemen’s Club’ during the golden epoch of Boston’s arts, literature, music, architecture, clubs and public affairs. The name of St. Botolph was derived from the 11th century abbot around whose monastery in the fens of East Anglia Botolph’s Town, later corrupted to Boston, sprang up. Botolph thus became patron saint of Boston, England and later to the new city in Puritan New England. After many years of being only a gentleman’s club the St. Botolph Club opened its doors to ladies as equal and honored members in 1988.
A Loving Cup from Boston, Lincolnshire, England was presented to the St. Botolph’s Club by George Ellis in 1882. The cup dated 1745 bears the name of Richard Bell, Mayor and was part of the silver plate belonging to the Corporation of Boston that was sold at auction in June 1837. The piece was purchased by a Mr. Daniel Jackson, who then bequeathed the cup to his son, Mr. George Jackson, who died in May 1881 and left the cup to his widow. The nephew of George Ellis was in Boston in 1881 and took the opportunity to purchase it for his uncle, who then presented it to the St. Botolph Club.
The above replica of the Coat of Arms of Boston, England was presented to the St. Botolph’s Club in 1885. The original was found in the Guildhall by Rev. William S. Key and once hung over the Recorder’s desk and was unearthed from a rubbish pile in the basement of the Guildhall. [1] John Cabourn, Mayor of Boston, England presented a replica of the original at a St. Botolph’s Club meeting on June 22, 1885.
REFERENCE:
Forbes, Allan. Towns of New England and Old England, Ireland and Scotland: Part 1. Vol. 1, New York: G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 1921. p-30
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