The Wine Society

The Wine Society owes its existence to the Great Exhibitions of the mid-19th century. For the last of these, in 1874, various countries sent large quantities of wine in cask to be stored in the cellars of the Royal Albert Hall where, to quote from an early history: 'it entirely escaped notice from the visitors'. Portuguese growers, who had taken great efforts to present their wines, appealed for help. At the behest of the British Government of the day, Major-General Henry Scott, one of the architects of the Albert Hall, along with R. Brudenell Carter, a distinguished ophthalmic surgeon (who subsequently sat on the Committee for 44 years and who wrote the early history referred to above) and George Scrivenor, a senior official of the Board of Customs, held a series of lunches to publicise the wines. Many of their guests expressed an interest in purchasing wine, and General Scott proposed the setting up of 'a co-operative company' to buy good quality wines on a regular basis to sell to members.

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