the oxford university liberal club was founded in 1913, with the stated aim to "rally progressive members of the university to the support of liberal principles". its foundation date makes it the oldest political society founded at an english university. it was formed from a merger of two older liberal societies at oxford, the russell club, and the palmerston club, both of which dated to at least the 1870s, and had as their goals the promotion of liberal politics. around in the early 1900s was also a society called the 'liberal league', founded "in defence of free trade".