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What kinds of people belonged to the Kit-Cat Club?
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Joseph Addison
Joseph Addison, oil painting by Michael Dahl, 1719; in the National Portrait Gallery, London.
The Kit-Cat Club was an association of prominent early 18th-century figures in London, primarily consisting of Whig leaders and men of letters.123
The membership included:
- Literary figures: Writers such as Joseph Addison, Richard Steele, William Congreve, and Sir John Vanbrugh.12
- Political figures: Influential Whig politicians, including the duke of Marlborough and Robert Walpole.1
The club, which took its name from the tavern keeper Christopher Cat, served as a social and political hub for these influential individuals.13