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History of the Club and Membership Information |
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"The Battle of Trafalgar" by J. M. W. Turner, painted in 1822
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Nelson's Flagship, HMS VICTORY (1960) |
Keel laid 23 July 1759; Launched 7 May 1765; Comissioned 1778 -- Battle of Trafalgar 21 October 1805 |
Figuerhead of HMS VICTORY |
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The Club was founded in 1935 by a group of British officers and consular members. The first president was the then-Consul General Francis Evans, later Sir Francis Evans. Many of the original members were actors in the movie industry, and included C. Aubrey Smith, Gene Lockhart and Alan Mowbray, to name but a few. Meetings were held on the third Friday of the month at the Masquers Club in Hollywood. Strict British Officers Mess protocol was (and still is) observed and members were required to wear mess dress uniform or black tie dinner jacket, with miniatures. Ladies were not admitted to the club as members until 1988.
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While the Club originally met at the Masquers Club in Hollywood, the deterioration of the neighborhood and subsequently the sale and destruction of the Masquers Club in 1985, forced the BUSC to move to the Verdugo Club in Glendale. The Glendale facilities were closed in 1994, and the Club moved to its current venue at the Altadena Town and Country Club in Altadena, just north of Pasadena.
During its over 75 years in existence, the Club has had many distinguished gentlemen as members, including several Congressional Medal of Honor recipients, VC, DFC, MM, and OBE and MBE holders. (Hearing the stories in the ante-room after dinner is one of the highlights of the evening.)
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Membership is by invitation only. Prospective members are asked to attend a dinner meeting to see if it is the kind of association they would like and to meet the members. BLACK TIE, OR MESS DRESS UNIFORM IS MANDATORY. LADIES SHOULD WEAR APPROPRIATE COCKTAIL EVENING WEAR. Dues and fees are modest. An initiation fee of $100 is asked upon joining with annual dues of $100 thereafter. Active membership is reserved for British servicemen and women and ex-servicemen and women, American servicemen and women who have served under British command, and Commonwealth servicemen and women. Associate membership is reserved for British subjects, and American and other allied servicemen and women who have NOT served under British Command. After three years in good standing, an associate member may be elevated to active membership.
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For details of the BUSC founders mentioned above and others, click on these links:
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From Ken Smith , 5 February 2009
Gentlemen,
I have just found a historical file which I think may get your interest.
It is a page from the BUSC Armistice Day Ball held at the Ambassador Hotel in L.A.
in November 1937.
Alan Mowbray Esq. MM. was the Chairman of the Ball Committee .
Music was by Ray Noble and his orchestra, followed at 11 p.m. by,
THIS FLOOR SHOW
Kenny Baker, Fannie Brice, Bing Crosby, Alice Faye, Reginald Gardiner, Beatrice Lillie,
Tony Martin, Sir C.Aubrey Smith, and Gladys Swarthout.
In addition this show was broadcast internationally by the N.B.C. network, the B.B.C. from London, and shortwave to the rest of the Empire.
What a Ball!
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