The Lillywhite Institute

The Lillywhite Institute was established by Victorian industrialists who wished to educate their employees in scientific and technical matters. Along with similar philanthropic institutions across the coutry, it provided libraries and reading rooms and arranged for speakers to come and lecture on discoveries and issues of the day. Eventually rendered obsolete by the provision of universal education and public libraries, such institutes were part of the industrial history of the north.

The Kindred of the regions payed only a small part in this history. The Brujah hoped that education for the masses would lead to the revolution against the capitalists that they dreamed of. However, they were angry that the education they advocated was in fact being provided by the wealthy industrialists themselves. As a result, the Clan never developed a consistant policy toward the Institutes. Other more philanthropic Kindred of various Clans, notably Anne Cartwright and William Braithwaite, did contribute funds but there was never any real Kindred involvement in the Institutes in their heyday.

However, as the industrialists place in education was usurped by public provisions, the Kindred of Bradford took more of an interest in the declining Lillywhite Institute. At first they simply took on more of the funding, in return for which the Institute moved away from science and began to encourge more local literary endevours. Eventually, however, the Institute could no longer justify the costs of the large building, including a huge lecture theatre, which it occupied and was forced to sell. The Institute moved it's library to a smaller building but a continued steep decilne in public interest and funding meant that it was soon on the verge of bankruptcy.

It was then that some of the more socially minded Kindred of the fief stepped in. Deciding to preserve this piece of local history, they arranged for the Lillywhite's debts to be paid and retainers were instructed to ensure the Institute retained a sound financial footing. The literary and artistic activities of the Institute were increased, with scholarships and funding of local arts provided. The Institue now occupies a handsome, if modest Victorian building in the center of Bradford. It is mostly taken up by the library. However, there is also a newspaper and periodicals room/reading room, an art gallery and a small lecture theater. The most recent ventrue is the opening of a small public cafe on the ground floor of the building. The Lillywhite Institute is now a subscription library, not open to the general public, although membership rates are kept as low as possible. Membership is growing and each year the Kindred are able to reduce their financial input.

Not long after they staged their 'rescue' of the Institiute, the Kindred involved decided they wanted a more substantial return for their investment. Taking the idea from the Headrow Club in Leeds, they decided to create a private Kindred literary club. As befitting the more up to date Kindred of Bradford, the Institute library buys the latest in fiction and factual publishing and takes some rather more radical periodicals then the Headrow Club. However, they also have a facinating selection of older books and local archives. These are generally not open to the public although they can be viewed with advance permission.

The Kindred try to keep their nightime use of the club secret from the human staff. All hold memberships, sometimes under assumed names and several are known as generous donors to the Institute. There have been occasional incidents which have been covered up with judicious use of Domination. However, they mostly succeed and the group operates under Anne Cartwright's principle of minimum interference with mortal life.

Although the Kindred who use the Institute don't refer to themselves as a group or Club, the core members are known throughout the fief as 'the literati'. Membership of the Institute is certainly not limited to the Bradford Toreador, however. Like the Headrow Club, the Institute has a reputation as a haven from fief politics, although a great deal of gossiping certainly takes place there. As a result, membership is quite extensive. However, many of those who pay the fees visit only occasionally, or have joined because a close friend is a member and they wish to meet them there.

Kindred membership of the Institute is open to any in the fief. The only conditions are that Kindred must pay the same subscription fees as the mortals and should contribute as much as they feel they can to the upkeep of the Institute. Anne Cartwright co-founded the Literary Club with Emily Bronte and William Braithwaite and most in the fief feel they should approach her for membership. Actually, Kindred can join the Institute simply by applying at the desk and paying the fees to the mortal librarians. Current members of the Institute are as follows, with the core 'literati' listed first:

• Anne Cartwright
• Emily Bronte
• Rudolf Schumann
• Christopher Rainham
• Willaim Braithwaite
• Zena Skinner

• Josef Ptazinski
• Anne Bronte
• Father Micheal Donaldson
• Robert Shackleton
• Marielle Eastleigh
• Mark Reiss
• Suzanne Wakelin

It might seem surprising that Sir Nicholas Gilbert is not a member. However, he allowed his membership to lapse after the disappearance of some valuable occult texts from the locked part of the Institute. Although he was never openly accused, Sir Nicholas realised that the Tremere would not unnaturally fall under suspicion for such a theft. Consequently, he did not renew his membership and told the other Tremere in the Chantry to stop visiting the Lillywhite Institute, in order not to cause friction in the fief. He still occasionally visits the Institute but always conspiciously in the company of someone like William Braithwaite. In fact, the books were taken by Doreen Fulleylove.