received. They are finally judged by the firm at the end of May and
November, and prizes distributed before the summer holidays and at the
Christmas gathering.

Every effort is made by the committees to keep the names of the
suggestors _strictly private_.




APPENDIX III.

THE EARLY COCOA HOUSES.


At No. 64, St. James's Street is the "Cocoa Tree Club." In the reign
of Queen Anne there was a famous chocolate-house known as the "Cocoa
Tree," a favourite sign to mark that new and fashionable beverage. Its
frequenters were Tories of the strictest school. De Foe tells us in
his "Journey through England," that "a Whig will no more go to the
'Cocoa Tree' ... than a Tory will be seen at the coffee-house of St.
James's." In course of time the "Cocoa Tree" developed into a
gaming-house and a club.

As a club, the "Cocoa Tree" did not cease to keep up its reputation
for high play. Although the present establishment bearing the name
dates its existence only from the year 1853, the old chocolate-house
was probably converted into a club as far back as the middle of the
last century. Lord Byron was a member of this club, and so was Gibbon,
the historian.