The Zerzura Club

Recently I had the opportunity to examine the personal papers of Dr.L.J. Spencer, one time keeper of minerals at the Natural History Museum, London, now housed in the library of the Museum. Spencer visited the Libyan Desert Glass area with Patrick Clayton and O.H.Little (of the Geological Survey, Egypt) in 1934, many of the papers relate to this expedition. However in a thin folder, labelled "Zerzura Club papers" in Spencer's neat handwriting, were a number of correspondences and invitations to the Annual Zarzura Club Dinner. It was very moving to find among the papers two menu cards, signed by all the dinner participants, Bagnold, Shaw, Clayton, Newbold, Harding-King, John Ball and others, all the great names of the early exploration of the Libyan Desert. Below are the copies of the documents, as well as a reconstructed history of the Zerzura Club from the time it was formed, until interrupted by the War. (I have no information whether the Zerzura Club continued after the War, if anyone has any further information, please let me know.)

The Zerzura Club was founded by Bagnold and companions on the evening of the 5th November 1930 in the Greek Bar of Wadi Halfa, when the expedition made a side trip to Halfa from Selima to drop off Douglas Newbold, who returned to his post in Khartum. The membership was open to all who contributed to the search for the mythical oasis. Initially consisting of members of the various Bagnold parties, it soon grew to encompass all who ventured into the interior of the Libyan Desert. Never being a formal organisation, just a loose group of desert enthusiasts, no official records exist of the Club, except that among the personal correspondence of members. The Spencer papers are to my knowledge the most complete collection anywhere.

The papers include a letter from Bagnold, apologising for Spencer having been left out from the list, a copy of Capt. V.C. Holland's (then Honorary Secretary) letter to members giving notification of the 1935 dinner with an attached member's list, letters from V.F.Craig (who apparently took over from Holland as Secretary) for 1936-1939, and two signed menu cards of the 1935 and 1936 dinners.

From the various sources it is possible to draw up a history of the Club from it's founding till 1939:

1930 - 5^th November, Greek Bar, Wadi Halfa

Participants: R.A. Bagnold D.A.L. Dwyer V.C. Holland Douglas Newbold G.L. Prendergast W.B.K. Shaw

References:
Ralph Alger Bagnold, Libyan Sands, Hodder & Stoughton, London, 1935, page 218.
Saul Kelly, The Hunt for Zerzura, John Murray, London, 2002, page 24. (Quoting V.C. Holland's 1933 letter.)
Letter of Hon. Secretary (V.C. Holland) to members, 1935 (L.J. Spencer papers, Natural History Museum, London)

Notes:
Acording to Saul Kelly (quoting Holland's 1933 letter to Harding-Newman), "after being welcomed by the Governor, and attending to their mail, they ventured into the suq in the only, and very dilapidated, taxi in town. Finding a Greek café 'we did our best with all the beer we had dreamed of in the heat of the Sand Sea...'". The date, unmentioned elsewhere, is confirmed in Holland's letter to Spencer.

1931 - 29^th August, The Café Royal, London

Signed participants: R.A. Bagnold John Ball P.A. Clayton V.F. Craig R.G.L. Giblin W.J. Harding King V.C. Holland Douglas Newbold G.L. Prendergast

References:
Signed menu card, courtesy Peter Clayton (reproduced on the ressurected Zerzura Club website).

1932 - ?

1933 - ?

1934 - ?

1935 - 25^th June, The Café Royal, London

Signed participants: R.A. Bagnold John Ball A.J. Bather Rupert Harding Newman Michael Mason R.E. McEwen G.W. Murray S.J. Newcombe D.R. Paterson H. Penderel K.S. Sandford W.B.K. Shaw L.J. Spencer

References:
Signed menu card (Spencer papers).
Letter of Ralph a. Bagnold apologising for ommitting L.J. Spencer from members list and forwarding the letter of the Hon. Secretary. (Spencer papers):

Letter of Hon. Secretary (V.C. Holland, not signed but no other Royal Signals captain among members) giving notice of the dinner, with members list attached (Spencer papers):

1936 - 20^th October, Hyde Park Hotel, London

Signed participants: R.A. Bagnold A.W.G. Dobbré G.H. Gardner (?) R.G.L. Giblin R.E. McEwen G.W. Murray H. Penderel K.S. Sandford L.J. Spencer

References:
Signed menu card (Spencer papers).
Letter of V.F Craig (who apparently took over from Holland as Secretary) giving notice of the dinner (Spencer papers):

1937 - 24^th June, Hyde Park Hotel, London

References:
Letter of V.F Craig giving notice of the dinner (Spencer papers):

1938 - 21^st June, Hyde Park Hotel, London

References:
Letter of V.F Craig giving notice of the dinner (Spencer papers):

1939 - 27^th June, Savile Club, London

References:
Letter of V.F Craig giving notice of the dinner (Spencer papers):

In november 2004 Giancarlo Negro made the initiative to ressurrect the Zerzura Club, with the aims of the original one - to provide a meeting opportunity for people involved with the exploration of the Libyan Desert. There have been a number of successful meetings, for more information visit the Zerzura Club website (mostly in Italian, English version in the works).