Clubs and Societies
Source 5 : List of members of the Cape Club
Manuscript (NLS reference: MS 2002)
The Cape Club was one of many 18th-century convivial clubs whose meetings were held in taverns. It is thought that the club was established sometime in the 1730s, but, according to this source, the name dates from 1764.
The Cape Club was named after the distinctive ‘cape’ or headgear worn by the Sovereign, or president. The Sovereign also carried two specially made household pokers as a symbol of his authority.
All members, or Knights Companions of the Cape, were sworn to secrecy about the proceedings of the meetings. Each one took on a pseudonym based on a personal characteristic, for example Sir Silence, Sir Heavyhours, and Sir Complaints.
Notable members of the Cape Club included the poet Robert Fergusson, Deacon William Brodie, and the painter Sir Henry Raeburn.
We are grateful to the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland for permission to reproduce this extract from the list of members of the Cape Club.
Transcript
Page 1
B.
[cross] Brown, James, painter [cross]
[cross] Brown, James, staymaker, Canongate
[cross] Biggar, Robert <and D>
[cross] Buchan, Robert, painter
[cross] Brown, John, painter, Perth
Brown, James, merchant <cross>
[cross] Bairnsfather, Geoffrey, farmer, Spittal
[cross] Biggar, Walter, Sciennes
[cross] Brown, John, farmer, Salton
[cross] Bennet, Andrew, Duddingsten
[cross] Bell, Andrew, engrever
Buchan, John, Post Office
Burn, Matthew, Lannle
J Burton
[cross] Baxter, John. architect.
[cross] Bruce, Andrew, merchant
Barker, Alexander
[cross] Budges, Thomas, captain
[cross] Boglee, William, taylor
Page 2
[cross] Brown, Alexander Thomas Briggs [cross]
Burnet, James, merchant, Edinburgh
[cross] Bowman, Robert, goldsmith
[cross] Burrel, Henry, builder
Bruce (Mr Arthur) Secretary to the Natural
History Society Edinburgh
Brooks, Adam, merchant
Bruce, Captain John
Brown, Thomas, bookseller [cross]
Baird, Thomas, merchant, Leith
Bowie, William, baker
Barker, John, surgeon [cross]
[cross] Bell, William, Princes Street [cross]
Balfour, John [cross]
[cross] Butterworth, Geoffrey, writing master [cross]
Brown, William H [cross]
Bruce, Walter [cross]
Buchan, Charles, Post Office
Brown, merchant, South Bridge
Brown, Robert, junior writer
Brown, William, merchant, Catherine Street
P.
Peat, John, writer
[cross] Pillans, Captain Robert, city gaurd [cross]
[cross] Pollock, John, merchant
[cross] Plummer Esquire Andrew Advocate Mess. Pl. Chapple Street
[cross] Pattison, John, Town Clerk, Leith
[cross] Pirnie Baillie, William, Cannongate
Phin, Charles, merchant [cross]
[cross] Peacock, William, tobacconest
[cross] Parker, William, Circuss
Pichton, Mungo, surgeon
Punton, Alexander, sollicitor at Law [cross]
[cross] Plummer, Andrew, flesher
Paterson, Robert, sadler [cross]
Pearson (Lieutenant Alexander) Navy
Ponton (Lieutenant Thomas)
Paterson, Thomas, merchant
[cross] Paterson, Myles
Pearson, Andrew, Excise [cross]
Paterson, John, Leith foundry [cross]
Philip, Alexander, merchant, Leith
Discussion Points
- Look at the profession included beside each member’s name on the list. What information does this source provide about the membership of the Cape Club?
- Compare this information with source 1 (membership list of the Select Society). What differences or similarities do you notice in the two membership lists?