Pythic Club
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Pythic (or "P") Club was a private students' dining club at Oxford University, formerly based in Christ Church.[1] The club was historically associated with Christ Church and it selected its members from the college pool. It is no longer an official college society.
Membership was open by invitation to both "students" (i.e. fellows of the college) and undergraduates.[2] It was principally a cultural discussion-based dining club.
The college archivist holds materials relating to the club dating back to 1845.[3]
The club was initially set up in 1845 as an essay society by Lord Dufferin, a British colonialist and administrator. Yet by the 1930s, it had become an invite-only dining society, with notable members including the historian and Conservative peer Hugh Trevor-Roper.[4]
More recently, the club had been characterised as an exclusive club for "posh students"[5] with dinners believed to start at £90.[6] The dinners also involved select fellows and tutors of the college, who were widely believed to enforce the secrecy and exclusivity of the club.[5]
The club came into the spotlight after the Oxford Student revealed it was being run by the Christ Church's then Senior Censor, Brian Young.[5] The Club received intense criticism from Christ Church JCR members and was eventually banned from meeting on college grounds.[6]