London Sketch Club

Founded in 1898 by breakaway** artists of the Langham Sketching Club, its founder members included Dudley Hardy, Phil May, Walter Churcher, Tom Browne and Cecil Aldin. The Club’s first president was George Charles Haité. By 1903, it had established itself in permanent premises in Wells Street, off London's main thoroughfare, Oxford Street. In 1904, it held a ground-breaking poster exhibition at the Royal Aquarium, which introduced the work of the Beggarstaff Brothers to a wider audience. In 1911, with the Chelsea Arts Club and the Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours, the three “Societies” jointly held the Three Arts Ball. Early eminent non-artist members included Baden-Powell, Charlie Chaplin and Arthur Conan Doyle. In 1957, the club relocated to 7 Dilke Street, Chelsea where it still meets. The Club held a public exhibition in 1976 (the first since 1934) at the Mall Galleries, in conjunction with the Langham Sketch Club.

It had begun as a club for professional artists and illustrators, but has since opened its doors to both professional and amateur artists. The club is still active today, offering life drawing sessions at its studio at 7 Dilke Street in Chelsea, where it relocated to in 1957. The club maintains a collection of its own archival material, with records dating back to its founding in 1898.

**It is believed that the Club was originally known as the Kensington Sketch Club.

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