• 1769 – The
Society of Gentlemen Supporters of the Bill of Rights was founded at the London Tavern on 20 February to support
John Wilkes after he was expelled from the House of Commons. • 1788 – The London Tavern hosted a meeting of the
Revolution Society discussing the French Revolution. • 1789 – In 1789, pro-slavery campaigner
George Hibbert spoke at a meeting of Merchants at the London Tavern, seeking to demolish
William Wilberforce’s speech on
abolition of slavery in a 40-minute address entitled 'The Slave Trade Indispensable…'. • 1791 – On 4 November a Revolution Dinner was held at the London Tavern, with
Thomas Walker,
Joseph Priestley,
Tom Paine, and
Jérôme Pétion de Villeneuve. • 1805 – On 23 May the London Tavern hosted a meeting chaired by Sir
Francis Baring that led to the formation of the
London Institution. • 1808 – On 20 October, Members of the Restoration Committee of
St George the Martyr, Southwark met to celebrate the completion of the internal and external restoration of the church in 1807-1808. • 1818 – On 18 March, a public meeting took place at the City of London Tavern, under the chairmanship of
Benjamin Shaw MP when a new society known as the Port of London Society was formed to minister to the religious needs of seamen. The charity, which is based in Southampton is now called
Sailors' Society. • 1822 – Supporters of
Francisco Antonio Zea and South American independence movements held a dinner on 10 July at the London Tavern to show support and raise money for Colombia. • 1824 – On 18 Feb
Marc Brunel,
William Smith MP and a provisional board of directors hosted the first public meeting for the
Thames Tunnel project which culminated with the sale of 1,250 shares. • 1824 – The National Institution for the Preservation of Life from Shipwreck (today the
Royal National Lifeboat Institution) was founded on 4 March 1824 at a meeting in the London Tavern. • 1825 – On 14 June, the Language Institution, a society "in aid of the propagation of christianity throughout the world" held its first meeting. • 1839 – Proprietors of Great Western Railway met to decide whether Brunel's broad gauge or Stephenson's narrow gauge should prevail. • 1847 –
Frederick Douglass's "Farewell address to the British people, London."
London Morning Chronicle, 31 March 1847. • 1848 – Ninth reunion of the
General Theatrical Fund, chaired by Sir
Edward Bulwer-Lytton and supported by
Charles Dickens, at which the announcement was made of Queen Victoria's subscription of 100 guineas annually to the fund. • 1851 – A March meeting of coffee merchants condemned the high price and the adulteration of coffee sold to "the lower class of consumer". • 1852 – The first general meeting of
The Marine and General Mutual Life Assurance Society was held at the London Tavern. • 1853 – The Great meeting on the Eastern Question after Turkey declared war against Russia on October 4 1853, beginning the
Crimean War • 1858 – The first meeting of The Railway Benevolent Society took place at the London Tavern on Saturday 8 May. At this meeting, a resolution was carried unanimously, stating that the society should be called the Railway Benevolent Institution.
George Glyn, 1st Baron Wolverton, was the first President of this institution. • 1858 – a festival dinner was held on 1 June to launch the Playground and General Recreation Society.
Charles Dickens presided and proposed the creation of playgrounds in St Pancras and Marylebone in London. • 1859 – The British
acclimatisation society was founded following a meeting held on 21 January at the London Tavern attended by
Richard Owen and others. • 1863 – A 15 December meeting at the London Tavern agreed the formation of
Middlesex County Cricket Club. • 1865 – The London Tavern is depicted in a painting
An Infant Orphan Election at the London Tavern, "Polling" by
George Elgar Hicks. ==Fictional meetings==