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The Kingsley Club was founded as a literary club under the patronage of A.C. Benson in 1906. It was named after Charles Kingsley the novelist who had been an undergraduate at Magdalene from 1838-1842. It's declared object was 'the reading and discussion of papers dealing with literary, artistic and kindred subjects'. The club lapsed with the outbreak of the First World War and was re-established by Francis Turner in 1925. It foundered again with the outbreak of the Second World War in 1939 and was revived again by Turner in 1948 and enjoyed a more or less unbroken existence until Lent Term 1991. Membership was restricted and was by invitation. It was seen as 'the premier gathering of student intellectuals'.

Initially Minute Books listed the names of those present at meetings and the title of the paper given but soon became more of a summary of the paper and subsequent discussion. Amongst the Secretaries were George Mallory and Sir Michael Redgrave.