A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Purcell Club, The
PURCELL CLUB, THE, was constituted at a meeting held in August 1836: the first members were Messrs. Turle (conductor), King, Bellamy, Fitzwilliam, J. W. Hobbs, and E. Hawkins (secretary). The club was limited to twenty professional and twenty non-professional members, who met twice a year; on the second Thursday in February, when they dined together, and on the last Thursday in July, when they assembled in Westminster Abbey, at the morning service, by permission of the Dean, for the purpose of assisting in such Purcell music as might be selected for the occasion. On the evening of the same day the members again met to perform secular music composed by Purcell; the soprano parts were sung by the chorister-boys from Westminster Abbey, the Chapel Royal, and St. Paul's Cathedral, but ladies were admitted amongst the audience.
On Feb. 27, 1842, a special meeting was held, when Professor Taylor was elected President, and the dates of meeting were changed to Jan. 30 and the first Thursday in July. Interesting performances of many of Purcell's works were given year by year, and a book of words of 194 pages was privately printed for the use of the members, under the editorship of Professor Taylor. The Club was dissolved in 1863, and the valuable library, which had been acquired by gift and purchase, was deposited at Westminster Abbey, under the guardianship of the organists of Westminster Abbey and St. Paul's Cathedral.[ W. H. C. ]