No. 14 Temple Association

As well as contributing towards the defence of the nation as a whole, members of the Temples formulated a plan for the defence of London in the eventuality of invasion by the French. A meeting was held on 7 April 1798 nearby at George’s Coffee House, and a committee of seven was appointed. This committee oversaw the creation of a plan to form a defence association, chaired by the Inner Temple Treasurer, Sir Robert Graham, to serve in a military capacity at their own expense. This plan was laid by Graham before King George III, who commanded him ‘to express to the committee the satisfaction which His Majesty has received from this proof of the zeal and loyalty of the members and inhabitants of the Inner and Middle Temples’. The association became known as The Temple Association Volunteers and fielded three companies, about three hundred men. It was active until 1802, when it was combined with the Lincoln’s Inn Association to form the Law Association Volunteers (1803-1808), which was granted the nickname ‘The Devil’s Own’.  Grateful acknowledgement to The Masters of the Bench of the Honourable Society of the Middle Temple –  Middle Temple Archive and History © The Honourable Society of Middle Temple [2022]