The Club in Harrogate salutes historian Malcolm Neesam with a prestigious honour

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The man in question, Malcolm Neesam helped perform the unveiling of a new accessible plaque to The Club at 16 Victoria Avenue, which first opened its doors on 1886 having been established at the Gascoigne's Hotel in Harrogate in 1857.

Set in the flower border so that it is easily seen from the pavement, the launch ceremony on Friday was followed by speeches inside the new dining room in The Club.

Mr Neesam himself, who will shortly be publishing the latest volume of his epic history of Harrogate from its very beginnings to the present day, talked about The Club's history and its famous members such as19th century Harrogate mayor Samson Fox, engineer, Industrialist and philanthropist, and Titus Salt, industrialist and philanthropist.

He also emphasised how much the once-only gentlemen-only The Club had evolved in recent years by welcoming women and expanding the age range and number of its membership.

Current Harrogate Mayor Coun Trevor Chapman conducted the naming the refurbished dining room as "The Malcolm Neesam Room"before praising The Club, which now houses busts of the town's mayors who become members automatically on receipt of the office.

There were also speeches by The Club's president, Kevin Parry and Stuart C Holland FRICS, co-chair of Harrogate Civic Society which has been responsible for the successful plaque scheme across Harrogate.

Notable visitors to The Club in Harrogate in the past have include Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

The Club has reciprocal arrangements with a number of clubs worldwide, these include The Sloane Club and The National Liberal Club in London, The Liverpool Athenaeum, The New Club and The Royal Scots Club in Edinburgh.

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