LITERARY CLUB (The), or, "The Club"

"The club was founded in 1764, by Sir Joshua Reynolds and Dr Samuel Johnson, and for some years met on Monday evenings at seven. In 1772 the day of the meeting was changed to Friday; and about that time, instead of supping, they agreed to dine together once in every fortnight during the sitting of Parliament. In 1773 the Club, which, soon after its foundation, consisted of twelve members was enlarged to twenty; March 11, 1777, to twenty-six; November 27, 1778, to thirty; May 9, 1780, to thirty-five; and it was then resolved that it should never exceed forty. It met originally at the Turks Head in Gerard Street, and continued to meet there until 1783, when their landlord died, and the house was soon afterwards shut up. They then removed to Prince's in Sackville Street; and on his house being soon afterwards shut up, they removed to Baxter's, which after became Thomas's in Dover Street. In January, 1792, they removed to Parsloe's in St James Street; and on February 26, 1799, to the Thatched House in the same street."

Memorandum furnished to Mr Croker by Mr Hatchett, the Treasurer of the Club, (Croker, by Boswell, ed. 1831, i. 528)

source: Hand-Book of London, Peter Cunningham, John Murray, Albermarle Street (1850) p. 291