The Gentlemen's Clubs of London


Book Description

On its first publication in 1979, Lejeune's The Gentlemen's Clubs of London rapidly established itself as a widely sought-after and quoted work around the world among those intrigued by and participating in the rarefied world of the famous clubs of London society. This is a new, thoroughly updated edition. This book lays forth the histories of the clubs, why and how each came into being, who belongs and belonged to which, how members are chosen, and how the clubs have changed down the generations - if indeed they have. This work tells of the ambiance and grace of the clubs, their privacies and eccentricities, and of the yarns, disputes and scandals to which they have given rise. Here are new and archival photographs of the clubs' interiors, ranging from the elegant to the snug, premises which are sometimes secret and quirky and sometimes grand, each unique and fitting the character and contributing to the needs and lives of its members.




The London Clubs


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Club Government


Book Description

The book phenomenon of `Club Government' in the mid-nineteenth century, when many of the functions of government were alleged to have taken place behind closed doors, in the secretive clubs of London's St. James's district, has not been adequately historicized. Despite `Club Government' being referenced in most major political histories of the period, it is a topic which has never before enjoyed a full-length study. Making use of previously-sealed club archives, and adopting a broad range of analytical techniques, this work of political history, social history, sociology and quantitative approaches to history seeks to deepen our understanding of the distinctive and novel ways in which British political culture evolved in this period. The book concludes that historians have hugely underestimated the extent of club influence on `high politics' in Westminster, and though the reputation of clubs for intervening in elections was exaggerated, the culture and secrecy involved in gentleman's clubs had a huge impact on Britain and the British Empire.







Clubs and Club Life in London


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Life After Dark


Book Description

Nightclubs and music venues are often the source of a lifetime's music taste, best friends and vivid memories. They can define a town, a city or a generation, and breed scenes and bands that change music history. In Life After DarkDave Haslam reveals and celebrates a definitive history of significant venues and great nights out. Writing with passion and authority, he takes us from vice-ridden Victorian dance halls to acid house and beyond; through the jazz decades of luxurious ballrooms to mods in basement dives and the venues that nurtured the Beatles, the Stones, Northern Soul and the Sex Pistols; from psychedelic light shows to high street discos; from the Roxy to the Hacienda; from the Krays to the Slits; and from reggae sound systems to rave nights in Stoke. In a journey to dozens of towns and cities, taking in hundreds of unforgettable stories on the way, Haslam explores the sleaziness, the changing fashions, the moral panics and the cultural and commercial history of nightlife. He interviews clubbers and venue owners, as well as DJs and musicians; he meets one of the gangsters who nearly destroyed Manchester's nightlife and discusses Goth clubs in Leeds with David Peace.




British Clubs and Societies 1580-1800


Book Description

Modern freemasonry was invented in London about 1717, but was only one of a surge of British associations in the early modern era which had originated before the English Revolution. By 1800, thousands of clubs and societies had swept the country. Recruiting widely from the urban affluent classes, mainly amongst men, they traditionally involved heavy drinking, feasting, singing, and gambling. They ranged from political, religious and scientific societies, artistic and literary clubs, to sporting societies, bee keeping, and birdfancying clubs, and a myriad of other associations.




CLUBBED


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London Clubs


Book Description

"London Clubs" is a book about the origins, development, and structure of the most important London clubs, such as St. James', Ad Libitum, White's, Crockford's, and others. The author traces the growth of the club movement from its birth in pubs and taverns to the establishment of standardized organizations with clear structure, elections, committees, and rules. Notably, during the creation of this book, the author interviewed secretaries of some of the clubs mentioned, who supplied him with interesting information and facts not previously open to the public.




Leather Armchairs


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