Magnets for fantasists, plutocrats, oddballs, and corrupt businesspeople

March 15, 2024 1:51 AM

The society’s traditions extended to what historian Holger Hoock describes as “an elaborate set of pseudo-Masonic ceremonies and symbolism.” Membership, strictly capped at 24 men, was a coveted privilege, even for George IV, the Prince of Wales, who had to wait his turn. New members underwent highly theatrical initiations, pledging their oath with a kiss on the beef bone of the day, blindfolded and led by a mitre-wearing guide while other members, as Arnold describes in his account, were “all decked out in incongruous and absurd dresses.” from A Rare Look Inside Britain’s ‘Sublime Society of Beefsteaks’ [Atlas Obscura]
posted by chavenet (6 comments total)

Historian Holger Hoock! Paging Ted Geisel...

Following an incident in Calais where he was arrested on suspicion of spying

I mean, she just kinda lets this bit hang out there.

I suppose I should have guessed it was something like this.
posted by mykescipark at 2:01 AM on March 15 [1 favorite]

While I find the Brexit comparison a little specious (there's a difference between xenophobia and, like, having an attitude toward the countries you're at war with), the idea of "dainties" that "effeminate" (active verb, not adjective!) is kinda awful/wonderful. Pasta turns you gay? As explained by a secret guys-only club that wraps one of its members in a tablecloth to "scorn" him? While worshiping a bare-knuckle boxer turned cook? Hogarth has always been one of my favorites, and finding out about this wonderful stupidity only makes me like him more.
posted by mittens at 7:43 AM on March 15 [2 favorites]

I am confused as to how anyone could find Spanish food dainty. It’s all meat, potatoes, and hunks of octopus!
posted by Just the one swan, actually at 7:56 AM on March 15 [2 favorites]

People treat quiche as the quintessential effete food, but it's egg pie you can put meat in and eat with your hands. I don't think these foodprejudices have ever actually made sense.

As to the club itself, apparently rich people have always been weird in embarassing ways.
posted by The Manwich Horror at 9:20 AM on March 15 [3 favorites]

When anyone asks me why my fraternity has some weird rituals, I just say "because in the 19th Century people didn't have a device in their pocket that they could use for spreading pictures of cats."
posted by ocschwar at 9:27 AM on March 15 [6 favorites]

I can only think, here, of the incomparable G.K. Chesterton:

If you meet a member of that select club, ‘The Twelve True Fishermen,’ entering the Vernon Hotel for the annual club dinner, you will observe, as he takes off his overcoat, that his evening coat is green and not black. If (supposing that you have the star-defying audacity to address such a being) you ask him why, he will probably answer that he does it to avoid being mistaken for a waiter.
…
The society had a vast number of ceremonies and observances, but it had no history and no object; that was where it was so very aristocratic. You did not have to be anything in order to be one of the Twelve Fishers; unless you were already a certain sort of person, you never even heard of them. It had been in existence twelve years. Its president was Mr Audley. Its vice-president was the Duke of Chester.

(from "The Queer Feet")
posted by adrienneleigh at 11:26 AM on March 15 [5 favorites]