The Blue Lagoon was a member’s only nightclub that became a major London late-night haunt in the Jazz Age of the 1920s.
Situated at 2 Naylor’s Yard off Beak street it was originally owned by a Mr Peters and and run by Mr T.C. Bergeron although later is it was owed and run by Edward Kearney.
From two sketches of the interior it appeared to comprise several rooms and may have been in a basement. Seemingly there was no entertainment and its attraction was simply its late night, after hours opening.
It was a members only club costing £4 and 4s per year, which was about average although there were several more expensive clubs that charged between £6-7. It was regarded as a late-night club that you went to after visiting the dance clubs like the Grafton Galleries or Rectors and so had a very particularly clientele who did not have to get up early for work the next day. In 1926 Kearney placed an advert in the Stage asking for lady dancers to work there who were also smart and good dressers.
In January 1933 Kearney was identified as being the joint proprietor with Joseph McGarth of the Ball Room Club in Great Windmill Street and fined £170 for drink license irregularities and the club was truck off. Later in November 1933, Kearney, described as secretary and proprietor of the Blue Lagoon Club, was fined £280 with £40 costs for selling intoxicating liquor without a proper licence. Presumably he had been allowed to flourish throughout the 1920s without proper licensing but the law did catch up with him, The venue continued but in late 1934 he was caught again and fined £325 for selling liquor without a license. This time he was sent to prison for 4 months and the Blue Lagoon closed.
However, he resurfaced and opened the Avenue Club in Wood Green but once again, in 1936, was fined £500 for selling liquor after hours and the club was stuck off. Kearney was also named in another case in 1938, where it was revealed he was the manager of the New Continental Club in Mayfair and once again he was fined for aiding and abetting the owner of the Club, Henry Allan and imprisoned for 8 weeks.
In reflection of these later cases it is clear Kearney was a shady character and as a result the Blue Lagoon a rather shady place as well.
Sources
Nights in London; Where Mayfair Makes Merry by Wyndham, Horace
Dundee Courier 25/9/23
Hartlepool Northern Daily Mail 29/11/33
The Stage 14/1/26
Daily Mirror 22/2/36
Daily Herald 23/11/34
Sunderland Daily Echo 7/1/38
My husband used play the piano at this club has anyone got any info in the year early 1945. He wonders if any one else is still alive from that time