Allied Service Clubs in Wartime London: Rainbow Corner and the Beaver Club

During World War Two, American GIs stationed in the UK, often characterized as “overpaid, oversexed and over here,” sought venues to spend their earnings, engage socially, and find familiar comforts. Many soldiers on leave typically traveled to London. In this unfamiliar and bustling city, Rainbow Corner emerged as a key destination for many seeking support and recreation. Established by the American Red Cross, Rainbow Corner was a club located near Piccadilly Circus. It operated continuously, 24 hours a day, every day, from 11 November 1942 until 9 January 1946. A comparable facility for Canadian troops, the Beaver Club, was situated less than half a mile away. During its opening, Rainbow Corner’s management staged a symbolic act of “losing” the front door key, signifying universal access. While a locked entrance posed no barrier, London’s weather presented challenges. Intense, thick fog severely reduced visibility, leading Red Cross staff to locate and guide 10 American soldiers through the haze to their new recreational club. Situated at the intersection of Shaftesbury Avenue and Denman Street, the five-storey building housing Rainbow Corner underwent a three-month conversion to create a space for GIs to unwind and recover. Amenities included pinball machines, an amusement arcade, pool tables, and a jukebox featuring music from the United States. The basement snack bar, named Dunker’s Den, offered doughnuts, coffee, and Coca-Cola. The club organized tours, distributed theatre tickets, and hosted dance nights, for which volunteers were recruited to partner servicemen. One hostess recalled appreciating the luxuries, such as those at the soda fountain, which were uncommon for Britons fatigued by wartime rationing. She stated: “We would go to the soda fountain to have a coke. Sometimes I helped there, and was always amazed to see the syrup which came in barrels become a glass of coke, with ice, which we were not accustomed to.” She added, “It was a very welcome relief after all the dancing we did.” Canadian servicemen also had access to a comparable establishment, the Beaver Club, situated in Spring Gardens on Trafalgar Square. The Beaver Club’s philosophy leaned more towards providing home comforts than entertainment. A group of Canadian women residing in London devised a chaperoning system. These women curated a selection of English girls who served as partners for dances, theatre outings, and sightseeing excursions. Approximately 500 women volunteered their services, which included mending soldiers’ socks, sewing on buttons, and knitting scarves, pullovers, “and other comforts.” Promotional materials encapsulated the club’s ethos, stating: “Canadian servicemen are always sure of a warm welcome and a good meal at the Beaver Club. “Everything is done to make things as comfortable and homelike as possible for them.” Facilities at the Beaver Club encompassed a post office, a library offering Canadian newspapers, a barber shop, and games rooms equipped with chess and darts. Additionally, dining rooms were available where “dishes and drinks” were served, and servicemen were permitted to invite female guests to parties. The Beaver Club was also associated with remarkable anecdotes, such as a 1942 newspaper account featuring “the silver-haired lady behind the snack bar.” This individual was Mrs Charles Banks, spouse of a New Zealand-born Canadian gold miner who served in London as an official representative for Canada’s munitions and supply ministry. Mrs Banks was described as having “been everywhere and accompanied her husband on a worldwide quest for gold.” The report further alleged that Mrs Banks, during her travels through the jungles of New Guinea, “taught cannibals to wait at tables.” Regrettably, no additional information regarding this specific accomplishment appears to exist. Rainbow Corner fully adopted American customs, hosting Halloween and Thanksgiving celebrations. The BBC reported on these events as part of the mutual broadcasting system, enabling families in the US to stay informed. This system facilitated the transmission of programs, including “American Eagle In Britain,” to the United States as a special wartime service. One year, a “dunking doughnuts” competition was broadcast, featuring comprehensive sports-style commentary by Capt Ken Treadwell of the US Air Force Special Services Division. He remarked: “This is a significant moment in Rainbow Corner history.” The commentary continued: “Six members on the stage – competitors will start at whistle signal; first to push doughnuts down and whistle will be champion.” “Number Four already had two doughnuts… but his wristwatch is getting in his way. Number Three getting ready to whistle…Cpl Charles Lytnan of Milwaukee, Wisconsin has won, with Pte Dwight King a close runner-up.” Gwendoline Hollingshead, a hostess at the club, was recruited by an acquaintance she encountered on the Tube. She recounted: “She asked me if I could dance. I told her I had taken ballroom dancing classes. She asked me if I would be interested in being a hostess at Rainbow Corner. “I went for an interview and was accepted – everyone was carefully vetted. My time would be after I had finished work, in the evenings. They gave me an identity card which showed I was a valid member.” She continued: “On my first evening on the dance floor, a GI asked me to dance and started jitterbugging, which I couldn’t do. Fortunately, I could follow his instructions and picked it up very quickly. “I had a good time dancing and talking with all servicemen – Air Corps, Infantry and Navy.” Ms. Hollingshead also recalled the contributions of Fred Astaire’s sister, Adele (Lady Charles Cavendish), who volunteered. She stated: “She would write letters to their mothers, wives and sweethearts. She was a girl with a big heart.” Another volunteer, known as ‘Ma’ Whittaker, had an aircraft, “Lady Irene,” named in her honor. Ms. Hollingshead quoted ‘Ma’ Whittaker: “She sewed on over 10,000 stripes, inserting a lucky farthing coin under the stripes for every boy who flies. “I knew so many boys who went on missions and never returned. This left me with such a sad feeling, as in the main they were really happy-go-lucky guys, and always said how many more missions they had to complete before going home.” Rainbow Corner ceased operations in January 1946. Over its existence, tens of thousands of GIs, airmen, and sailors on leave had frequented the club. With the war concluded, surviving servicemen were returning home, many accompanied by British women who would soon become American brides. Eleanor Roosevelt, President Roosevelt’s widow, characterized Rainbow Corner as “the finest example of international cooperation ever seen.” Ms. Hollingshead remembered: “VE Day was a wonderful day for us all. So many people – there was singing, dancing, we were all kissing each other, joy beyond belief.” The Beaver Club also closed, after operating for six years and one day. A reception was held on 19 February 1946, where attendees sang “Auld Lang Syne,” “O Canada,” and “God Save the King.” It remains unconfirmed whether the refreshments at this event were served by reformed cannibals.