Wine Society
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| Private wine club | |
| Founded | 1874 |
| Headquarters | Gunnels Wood Road, Stevenage, Hertfordshire SG1 2BT United Kingdom |
| Website | www |
The International Exhibition Co-operative Wine Society Limited, commonly referred to as The Wine Society, is the world's oldest wine club having been founded on 4 August 1874 at the Royal Albert Hall in London, United Kingdom.
The Wine Society was created and still operates as a co-operative with each member being the owner of one share. The society continues to be owned solely by its members and trades its wines only with them
It has received several accolades from the wine trade industry throughout the years.
The foundation of The Wine Society followed the last of the great Annual International Exhibitions. Various countries had sent large quantities of wine in cask to the exhibition to be stored and poured in the cellars of the Royal Albert Hall, but visitors to the exhibition were unaware of its presence. With no return to show for their investment, the growers from Portugal appealed to the British Government for assistance. In response to this, a series of lunches was held to publicise the wines. The organisers of this publicity drive were the "Committee of Gentlemen" that would become the founding fathers of The Wine Society:
Major-General Henry Young Darracott Scott was one of the architects of the Royal Albert Hall and Secretary to the Great Exhibition Commissioners. After many of the lunch guests expressed an interest in purchasing wine, Major-General Scott proposed the setting up of "a co-operative company" to buy good quality wines on a regular basis to sell to members. He served as The Wine Society's first Treasurer until his death in 1883.
Robert Brudenell Carter FRCS was a Fellow of the Medical Society of London and worked as an ophthalmic surgeon at St George's Hospital. He had previously served as a staff surgeon during the Crimean War. Carter replaced Major-General Scott as Treasurer and in 1895 became The Wine Society's second Chairman. He remained a member of the Committee until his death at the age of 90. More than anyone else, Carter was responsible for the supervision and conduct of The Wine Society during its first forty years.
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Wikipedia