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Social Clubs: sundry papers and artefacts

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A job at New Court was a highly sought after position, offering security in a very insecure world. At New Court, staff could join the St Swithin's Amateur Dramatic Club, and the St Swithin's Musical Society, as well as enjoy a range of sporting associations.

St. Swithin's Amateur Dramatic Club

The staff at New Court enjoyed a range of social activities. Little is known about the St. Swithin's Amateur Dramatic Club, but it is likely that it was formed as a drama society and staff acted and put on productions. It may also have arranged outings to professional performances. A number of programmes for plays and shows survive, but no papers of the society itself survive.

St Swithin’s Amateur Dramatic Club, Theatre Programmes, 1880-1895

000/624/3/1-13, 13 items

Theatre programmes of productions of the St Swithin’s Amateur Dramatic Club:

  • The Lottery Ticket by Samuel Beazley, and Weak Woman by H.J. Byron, performed at the Imperial Theatre, including programme of music, 22 April 1880;
  • The Steeple Chase by John Madison Morton, and Plot and Passion by Tom Taylor performed at the Royal Park Theatre, including programme of music, 20 December 1880;
  • She Stoops to Conquer by Oliver Goldsmith, and Intrigue, a comic interlude by John Poole, including programme of music, 4 May 1881;
  • New Men and Old Acres by Tom Taylor and Dubourg performed by at the Imperial Theatre, Westminster, including programme of music, 4 December 1882;
  • Aesop by A.R. Selous, and Bombastes Furioso performed at St George's Hall, Langham Place, including programme of music , 16 December 1882;
  • Meg's Diversion by H.T. Craven, and Captain of the Watch by J.R. Planche, performed at the Imperial Theatre, Westminster, including programme of music, 17-18 December 1883;
  • Caste by T.W. Robertson performed at The Royal Strand Theatre, including programme of music, 25-26 February 1885;
  • Two Roses by James Albery performed at the Novelty Theatre, including programme of music, 23-24 February 1886;
  • Cyril's Success by Henry J. Byron performed at the Novelty Theatre, including programme of music, 16-17 February 1887;
  • The Guv'nor and His Own Enemy performed at the Novelty Theatre,including programme of music, 14-15 March 1888;
  • Jim the Penman by Sir Charles L. Young, Bart performed by at the Opera Comique Theatre, Strand, including programme of music, 15-16 March 1893;
  • Captain Swift by Haddon Chambers performed by at the Opera Comique Theatre, Strand, including programme of music, 3-4 April 1894;
  • Caste by T.W. Robertson performed at the Royal Adelphi Theatre, including programme of music, 11-12 December 1895. 

St Swithin’s Amateur Dramatic Club, Playbill, 1881

000/624/3/14, 1 item

Silk playbill for the St. Swithin's Lane Amateur Dramatic Club: Comic interlude Intrigue and She Stoops to Conquer by Oliver Goldsmith, performed at the Imperial Theatre, Westminster 4 May 1881. 

St. Swithin's Musical Society

Little is known about The St Swithin’s Musical Society, but it may have been formed in the late 1890s. It is believed that the society was formed at New Court either to enable staff of N M Rothschild & Sons to showcase their musical talents, or more likely it arranged professional concerts and performances to which staff, their friends and family were invited. The society was warmly supported by the Rothschild Partners; Alfred de Rothschild (1842-1918) was its President. Alfred had many friends from the world of entertainment such as the opera singers Adelina Patti and Dame Nellie Melba.  Alfred had his own orchestra at Halton which he was fond of personally conducting with a diamiond-tipped baton. Vice-presidents of the society included Nathaniel, 1st Lord Rothschild (1840-1915), Leopold de Rothschild (1845-1917), Lionel Walter Rothschild (1868-1937), (Nathaniel) Charles Rothschild (1877-1923) and the composer Sir Arthur Sullivan, a great friend of Alfred's. A number of programmes for concerts and performances survive, but no papers of the society itself survive.

St Swithin’s Musical Society, Programmes, 1897-1900

000/788, 1 file

St Swithin’s Musical Society, Programmes, 1897-1900:

  • St Swithin's Musical Society. Programme for 1897-1898 Season;
  • St Swithin's Musical Society. Programme for 1899-1900 Season

Rothschild Music Society

Upon moving into the new fourth New Court building in 2012, a new Rothschild Music Society was formed, with the aim of giving recitals and concerts by members of staff and inviting musicians for events, which were held in the Sky Pavilion of New Court. Its first patron was Mr Leopold de Rothschild (1927-2012), a great supporter of all things musical, continuing a tradition of Rothschild family support for music at New Court.

Rothschild Music Society, concert programmes, 2012-2022

000/2152, 000/2507, 1 folder

The Rothschild Music Society was formed in 2012 at the fourth New Court.

  • Programme for the Rothschild Music Society Concert given in the Sky Pavilion, New Court, 24 May 2012;
  • Programme for concert Swansong by Iain Burnside, sideways glances at a Schubert masterpiece, given under the auspices of The Rothschild Music Society in the Sky Pavilion, Rothschild & Co, 6 November 2017;
  • Order of Service for The Rothschild & Co. Carol Service, held at St Mary Woolnoth, 12 December 2018;
  • Programme for the Rothschild Music Winter Concert (10th Anniversary Concert given in the Sky Pavilion, New Court, 21 November 2022.

Sports & Social Clubs

'New Court Golf Tournament 1913': framed photograph, 1913

000/2211/2, 1 item

Framed collage, captioned ‘The New Court Golf Tournament 1913', with photographs of competitors with humorous captions. Framned and hung at New Court; removed into storage when old New Court was demolished in 1962.

Royal Mint Refinery Swimming Club: trophy, c.1930

000/665, 1 item

The Royal Mint Refinery Swimming Club 100 Yards Breast Stroke Championship trophy. The trophy takes the form of a wooden shield, with a central embossed relief in silver metal depicting two men, swimming in a public pool, surrounded by a garland of laurel leaves. Around the edge are smaller metal shields, presumably for inscribing with winners' names. These are all blank, with no names inscribed.

New Court Golfing Society: silver trophies, 1947-2011

000/2641/1-3, 3 items

Silver trophies of the New Court and NMR Golfing Society: 

  • Large cup, The New Court Golfing Society Challenge Cup, inscribed 'The New Court Golfing Society Challenge Cup, presented by Edmund L. de Rothschild' with winners names inscribed from 1947-2011. Solid silver, hallmarked - 'D&J W' [D & J Welby Ltd, London],  Leopard head and lion [London], date letter 'q' [1911]. This would indicate that this was an earlier piece that was 'repurposed' by Mr Edmund de Rothschild and engraved c.1947 for presentation as a golfing trophy;
  • small silver gilt cup on a black plinth, inscribed. 'NMR PMM Golf Cup', inscribed with winners name (NMR or PMM), 1980-1997;
  • large silver-plate bowl, supported by 3 griffin handles, The NMR Pensioners Golf Trophy, inscribed 'The NMR Pensioners Golf Trophy, presented by D.D. & P.M. Sullivan, October 1996. Mappin and Webb, silver plate.

New Court Golfing Society: Society tie, 1997

000/586, 1 item

Example of NMR Golfing Society tie.

New Court Snooker Tournament: silver tankards, c.1995

000/2641/4, 2 items

Two tankards, inscribed ‘The Mr Edmund de Rothschild Snooker Tournament’. undated. Mappin and Webb, silver plate.

Rothschild Group inter-company Football Club Tournament, photographs and ephemera, 1998

000/666, 000/860, 1 box, 1 file

othschild Group inter-company Football Club Tournament, 1998, photographs and ephemera. The Third Rothschild group Inter-company Football Tournament, was held on Saturday 23 May 1998, at Stamford Bridge (home of Chelsea F.C.). Teams playing were: ABN Amro Rothschild; Bullion; Guernsey; Lafite; London; Paris and Zurich. Lafite were the overall winners. Anthony James de Rothschild (b.1977) the son of Sir Evelyn de Rothschild, was captain of the Bullion team.

  • Programme for the Third annual Rothschild Football Tournament; 
  • photographs of the event;
  • score-sheet;
  • blue sports bag with NMR 'five arrows' logo, and 'Chelsea F.C. 1998';
  • Chelsea F.C. scarf;
  • blue polo shirt with with NMR 'five arrows' logo, and 'Chelsea F.C. 1998';
  • blue mug with NMR 'five arrows' logo, and 'Chelsea F.C. 1998'.

Rothschild Sports and Social Club: Cricket Scoring Book, 1978-1993

000/1221, 1 volume

Rothschild Sports and Social Club: Slazenger Imperial Cricket Scoring Book. This volume, with pre-printed pages records the Rothschild Cricket Club matches, 1978-1993. The volume  was 'presented to Rothschild Sports and Social Club by J.Paton-Smith, 15th May 1978' The volume records matches played against other company sides. Found inside the volume is a menu for the sea View Hotel.c, 1980. Transferred to the Archive from Rothschild Guernsey.

Rothschild Sports & Social Club, Membership Registers, 1979-1986

000/2232, 2 volumes

Rothschild Sports & Social Club: two volumes of membership registration:

  • Membership Register 1979-1986
  • Membership Register 1981-1986