As things turned out she was only about one hour early. No matter; the door was unlocked and the Remembrancer was in fine form telling us all what was wrong with the Universities, the Army, Regional Devolution, and anything else you cared to think of. Drones and Savages trickled in (one improbable timpani-player had to trickle out again to get to the Opera House) but in due course the gang arrived. This included three Americans: Ed and Missie Radcliffe, and Jan Kaufman, who had been in England for and since the dinner. And the whole committee, and Robert McCrum who was our speaker again for the evening.

The Chairman's report mentioned how much we missed Helen Murphy, and paid tribute to her. Reviewing the year, she said the Society was solvent and had 1,016 members, and during the year had modified the Constitution. More were joining continually, largely it seemed resulting from the website. There had been competitive and convivial pig-racing at Bockett's Farm – a sporting activity to add to our cricket and golf days.

The next Savage Club meeting would be on 15 February. There would be another performance of "Oh! Clarence" (click here for a review); dates and places will be on the website. And an event with Dulwich College in December.

Then she introduced, not that he needed it, Robert McCrum. We had wondered what new he would be able to say, but he said he was taking us behind the biographer's scenes. He began with the difficulties of being PGW's biographer: Wodehouse’s long life in which nothing happened. He was resolutely ordinary. Yet he was also one of the funniest writers ever.

He spent his last 30 years in the USA trying to deal with the German events. to overcome his embarrassment (not shame) at what had happened.

After writing books, authors always have regrets. Robert regretted not spending more time on:

1. Edwardian London
2. Psmith
3. New York
4. Internet information. Murray Hedgcock found on a genealogical site a reproduction of Plum's registration for the draft in the first world war in the United States.
5. The German language. There was surely a mass of information still untapped in Germany.
7. That he hadn't started it ten years earlier, when so many more of Wodehouse’s contemporaries were still alive. "I never met PGW," he said, “and if I had had the chance, I would not have taken it. It is a mistake to meet your heroes. But it is important to meet those who knew him."

He invited questions, some of which were really additions to our knowledge about PG Wodehouse. Sir Edward Cazalet spoke of an event which he had not previously told Robert. Ethel met PGW off a train, and said to him:

“Why aren’t you looking at me?”

”Oh” replied Wodehouse, “aren’t I ?”

“No. Have you been doing something you ought not to have done?”

“Yes” said Wodehouse at once.

Sally Muggeridge, whom we were pleased to see, niece of Malcolm, asked about the relationship between differing characters that sprang up after her uncle was sent to interview PGW in Paris at the end of the war.

Mr Simon Gordon-Clark said that Wooster Sauce had written that nobody would be allowed on the committee of the Society unless they knew the difference between a Black Berkshire and a large black pig. Was this still true?

Before anyone else could answer the Remembrancer (Norman Murphy) said "Yes" and specified the difference (the Black Berkshire had certain white points). Simon was suitably gruntled and shortly after this the meeting broke up. Some took up points with Robert individually; some presented books for autographing; and before long groups formed for supper.