The Travellers’ Club, established in 1819, had…

The Travellers’ Club, established in 1819, had quickly outgrown its original building and in 1826 the members decided to spend twenty-five thousand pounds on the construction of a purpose built Club house on the present site at 106 Pall Mall, backing onto the gardens of Carlton House.

The architect is Sir Charles Barry who is later to be the architect for the Houses of Parliament, and the Travellers’ Club building, in the form of a Renaissance palace, proves to be one of his masterpieces.

Raphael's Palazzo Pandolfini in Florence is said to be the inspiration; it will be completed in 1832. (The tower, which had been in Barry's original design, will not be added until 1842.)