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"The morning play commenced at four o'clock in the afternoon, and continued until seven. The stakes played at that time of the day were from ten shillings to fifty pounds, and the bank put down was £ 2,500. At eleven o'clock the night play began, and then the bank was increased to £10,000, and the stakes may be said to have been unlimited. Crockford took his seat at a desk at a corner of the room."
-Rogue's Progress
Of course dealing with the upper classes, Crockford was obliged to make allowances for the gambling debts of the well-borne. His business accumen was shown in a policy he started a few years after he opened. Rather than expect players to pay off their loans immediately with their night's winnings he would allow them to continue to carry the loan, and take home the night's winnings. He knew that the majority of them were good for the loans in the long term, and it insured that they felt comfortable to continue attending the club while lonas were outstanding and losing additional monry at the tables along the way.
"The business of the hazard table was managed by Messrs. Page and Darking. Mr Crockford, in 1835, finding that many of the subscribers had got deeply into his debt, adopted the plan of playing for ready money only, and intimated to those on his books that he would, in the event of their winning, pay them without reference to bygone accounts, if they brought ready money into the house. This of course of proceeding had the desired effect, for many who were indebted to him were in the habit of going to try their luck at minor hells, fearing if they won at his table, he would expect them to settle their old obligations. The result was, many of the old flock returned, and lost considerable sums."
Of course, even when dealing with his "betters" he had to draw the line with some of them and require them to honor their outstanding debts.
"Some who incurred debts of honour even transferred houses and other property to him in liquidation of his claims. A house next to the Travellers' Club, in Pall Mall, became his property in that way, and another in Bruton Street, under similar circumstances, from Lord Seagrave. The public had been induced, by false accounts of the club, and the proceedings therein, to imagine that the youth of the aristocracy were led there by blacklegs for the purpose of plunder and ruin. Such never was the fact. There can be no doubt that young men rashly lost large sums, and no unfrequently their whole fortunes, by play."
Although it was an honest house, not even an upper class haunt such as Crockford's may not have been totally free from cash-poor, but titled individuals who helped lure in new gamblers as explained by James Grant in his work The Great Metropolis:
There are a certain number of persons called "Greeks" or "Spiders," attached to the establishment, ostensibly members of the club, but without a penny in the world, - who are found to be eminently servicable to the "concern." Is it asked, "In what way?" Why in catching flats, or to use their own phraseology, "in bringing in pigeons to be plucked." These persons must, of course, be well treated; and as a supper at hokme is a rare thing with them, one at Crockford's is so much the greater object. Besides, the work of catching flats is but half finished when the latter are brought into the house. Before it can be completed, they must be made to partake of the sumptuous supper, and to drink liberally of the "delicious wines." When the enter the house the have not, perhaps, the slightest intention of throwing a single dice, or, at any rate, risking more than a mere trifle. They are pressed by those who "took them in" to partake of the "refreshments," as they are called... they accordingly begin with the supper and end with the hazard table."A few pages later Grant explains that these "Greeks" and 'Spiders" were often gentlemen who owe large debts to Crockford and that luring in new gamblers was a service "Crockie" may have required from them in order to cover their debts. He even suggests that Crockford may have fronted them money and sent them off "when there are pigeons to be plucked at other gambling establishments, to play for him, - he advancing them whatever amount of money may be required, and allowing them a fourht part. or whatever the proportion may be agreed on, of the gains, to themselves.
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